'The Old Rugged Cross' lyrics:

Verse 1:
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
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 someday for a crown.

Verse 2:
Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

Verse 3: (not in the video)
In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

Verse 4:
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.

- George Bennard (1913)

Beautiful Exchange
- Jesus exchanged his crown for the cross, so that we can exchange the cross for a crown.
- He exchanged his life for death, so that we can exchange our death for life.
- He exchanged his sinlessness for all of our sin, so that we can exchange all of our sin for the sinlessness that comes by his grace.

I used the name Lonnie for three reasons:
- Saint Longinus is the legendary name given to the centurion
- Lonnie means "ready for battle" and is socially used for the strongest guy in the room
- Lonnie is an uncommon name that might not have a connection with most listeners

We know nothing more definitively about the Roman centurion than we read in the Gospels, so I have taken liberties to create a possible background for him.

What are you going to do with the cross?

Are you going to walk away unchanged or are you going to accept the beautiful exchange Christ offers to you?