“Let’s go outside, where Jesus is, where the action is—not trying to be privileged insiders but taking our share in the abuse of Jesus. This ‘insider world’ is not our home. We have our eyes peeled for the City about to come. Let’s take our place outside with Jesus…” – Hebrews 13:13-15, MSG
My favorite hymn to sing during Lent is The Old Rugged Cross by George Bennard. I first learned the hymn in my childhood. Then I sang the song occasionally and therefore knew its melody well. But I had not fully appreciated its lyrics until I began to select the hymn to sing for worship as pastor.
On a hill far away stood an old-rugged cross
The emblem of suffering and shame
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old-rugged cross
And exchange it some day for a crown
The hymn starts with its narrator looking at an old, rugged cross from a long distance. She knows Jesus was killed on the cross to take sinners’ shame and suffering, including her own. And she even confesses her love for the cross. Yet, she is still far away from the cross.
However, as the hymn develops, the distance between the cross and the narrator decreases. The more she loves Jesus, the closer she gets to him. She determines to go to the cross where Jesus died. It was at the hill of Golgotha outside the city walls where the carcasses of sacrificed animals were burned to ashes and where Jesus took their impurity on himself. However, the narrator does not hesitate to cling to the cross. She is not afraid to get her hands dirty to bear the disgrace of Jesus.
I ask myself during Lent: “Where am I in this journey?” “Am I inside or outside the walls?” “Do I cling to the rugged cross of the Lord?” “Or do I cling to the golden cross of privileged insiders?” “As the body of Christ, where is the church heading?” We all know where we should be. Our home is not inside the walls we made for ourselves. But Christ is our home. This is where we are called to be.
Boundary-crossing God, who came out of heaven to make your home among us, you beckon to us to go outside the walls and be the body of Christ for the world. But too often, we do not give heed to your constant call. We only choose to take and eat, rather than to be, the body of Christ. We are often reluctant to extend the Lord’s table beyond the sanctuary’s walls, not giving away even crumbs to outsiders. Lord, have mercy on us. And forgive us. Awaken and transform us through the power of the Holy Spirit that we may go where you go, and therefore, we may be where you are. In your name, we pray. Amen.
Seyun Hwang is the pastor of St. Paul UMC (Tabor City)