Best of: Last Words of Jesus

Hello, this is Matt Slick from the Matt Slick Live Podcast, where I defend the Christian faith and lay out our foundations of the truth of God's Word. Your chosen Truth Network Podcast is starting in just a few seconds.

Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing the Truth Podcast Network. Happy Holy Weekend. Happy Resurrection. So excited to celebrate our living Lord. Today on Truth Talk, we're going to take you back a few years when we were interviewing about my book, Last Words of Jesus. Those profound words Jesus proclaimed from the cross as he died. The Lamb of God slain.

Stay tuned. Be encouraged. Share this, will you, with some friends and family, especially this time of year when so many folks are going to church and not sure why. Well, we're going to tell them the good news of Christ and his death for us. God bless you. Thanks for listening. Thanks to all of our awesome Truth Talk affiliates all over the country that carry this program. And thank you for praying for us.

Thank you to all of our partners and happy resurrection. This is Truth Talk Live. Now from the Truth Booth, your host, Stu Epperson.

Oh, we are turning things around for you on Truth Talk Live today because I get to host. But who I'm hosting is more than phenomenal. But it's a phenomenal time of the year. I mean, tomorrow, unless I miss my guest, is Palm Sunday. And so how cool is it that I get to talk to really one of my longest and bestest friends about a project that he's worked on for years and years that the Lord put on his heart, especially for this time of year. The Last Words of Jesus.

You've heard lots of stuff on it. But you're going to really hear the scoop today on Truth Talk Live because we're here with Stu Epperson as the guest, not the host. But Stu, as I affectionately call him, Stu B, God put this on your heart some time ago.

Can you take us back to that moment where you felt God was leading you to do this book project? No, thank you, Robbie. Great to be on.

What's the name of the show again? My voice has been struggling, so bear with me. But this, you know, it's fun to be interviewed here because this is kind of where it was born, really, you know, in a lot of different ways. And we've been talking about the original title, Seven Words of Life from the Tree of Death, which was changed to Last Words of Jesus. But really, the Lord just burned these words of Christ from the cross on my heart. And I go everywhere, I talk to all kinds of people.

And probably I talk too much, which is why my voice is struggling, but it's also kind of allergies too. And so many people are just like me, or where I was three years ago, with, okay, so let me think about what Jesus said as he died on the cross. Now, as you're listening, driving around, or wherever you are, just jog your mind real quick and just think, what did he say? You know, what did he say? Well, there's that something about forgiveness, or there's that thing about some crook up there, you know, hanging next to him. And he talked to his mom about some deal, and maybe I could have probably gone three or four deep, honestly, about three years ago. I probably would have gotten a C-, maybe a D+.

Now, keep in mind, a 56 is still a high F for those of you out there who are struggling in academics. But not just the intellectual knowledge of what all he said, but I started looking at these words. And that's what led to this book, because as I started looking, Robbie, at these words from the cross, it started working on me. And this is sacred ground.

This is so much bigger than all of us. This is like the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the universe, the one who died and bled. His dying words, not his last words, obviously, even though the book's last words of Jesus, not his final words, because these are his last words as he died, but as he's dying there, he utters these profound statements. So I set out on a journey to find out how many, first of all, things did he say, right? And a little clue, that's how many chapters in the book, and that's how many songs are on the song album.

There's a whole album that's come out of this we're going to talk about in a little bit too, but what did he say and what did he mean by what he said? And where are these verses found? Could I actually turn to a chapter and verse and maybe figure out where they are found? And what about all the other things in the Bible that point to these profound sayings of Christ and the rich meaning? A thousand years before he died, the prophets were talking about, the psalmist was talking about the death of the Savior, that the Good Shepherd would lay his life down for the sheep, and then all the New Testament applications of these words, and then all the way up through the early church, and the guys that are dead, by the way, are a lot wiser than me. So we went in and grabbed a bunch of their just profound, in sacred hymns and in sacred writings, what they said, and hence the book, Last Words of Jesus, and a whole lot of real deep personal things in my own life that got us there. So a real broad sweeping answer, but a great question. Yeah, and for those of us that are close to Stu and with Truth Broadcasting, it's been a journey for all of us.

Because honestly, just like Stu, if you'd asked me three years ago what they were, there's no way. But now I can tell you, and I've had to think through a lot of that stuff for myself, and it's taken me on a journey of discovery. But can you take us on a bit of a, you know, people can read the book, I understand, but you know, here it is, the day before the triumphal entry, can you take us on a bit of a journey up there?

That's exactly right. Palm Sunday, you know, the scene at the cross, which is where the book goes, I mean, this is a book that really gets you. I mean, it really gets me.

Like, I can't read some parts of it without tearing apart, without tearing up, because it's so tender. And it's really, what's kind of cool is, it's honestly not about the author. You know, like, people will see me, oh Stu, you wrote a book, oh cool, oh wow, you're an author. But when they actually read it, they're like, oh, hold on a second, there's another author.

The author and finisher of our faith. Because it's really so focused on him. And when you go to that point, it is an absolute opposite. It's the absolute opposite of what was going on on Palm Sunday, with the same mob and crowd. This was a crowd now, on Good Friday, we're talking about a mob.

And that crowd, interesting how when you say a mob versus a crowd, the insinuation there, but the crowd is waving palm branches. Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, Christ in his triumphal entry, which is what we're celebrating this time of year. And that's kind of, each day of the week is just a sacred week, that's why it's called Holy Week. And so, the book really leads up to that point, which is why I'm so encouraged we're playing this, you may hear this in a different time zone, you may hear this at Christmas time, but this is relevant, because Jesus Christ is alive. And his death has made us free. And so, this is an evergreen topic, right? But the same crowd that was calling for Jesus to become king and deliver and warrior, and emancipate them from this oppressive Roman rule and even this sadistic oppression they were under for all these years as the Jewish as a chosen people have got, the same crowd is now Good Friday clamoring for his death, and the contrast in that.

And why is Good Friday Good Friday? So, this time of year, a lot of people are, in fact a pastor is taking his whole church through these words of Christ. And he liked my book because it's kind of a simple way, and that's what I try to do. Remember the KISS method, keep it simple stew.

I should get that trademarked. Robbie, that's kind of what I try to do, is make it simple, like what did he say, and then let's get into the word for word so that anybody, someone out there who's just checking into God, you just turn this radio show on, you're driving around Michigan, you're listening to Truth Talk Live. Who are these nuts? Well, here's a very basic book about Jesus that will help you kind of check things out, and see, what is this about? What did he say as he died?

And I know what Abe Lincoln said, I know what MLK said, I know what Napoleon said, I know what other famous people said as he died, but what did Jesus Christ say as he died on the cross? And so that kind of gets into it, and of course, this time of year amplifies it even more because everyone's talking about it. I know, Robbie, this is about the only time of year you go to church. So for someone like you, that was a jab shot.

I was totally kidding, had to wake him up a little bit. Talk to the guy in the choir who looks down and knows whether or not you're in. That's a good point, yeah.

He's counting heads. Let's go on to the end, because there's something really cool. You taught me, and it sent me on such a journey, I've spent so much time on the word since you put me there. You said the sixth word from the cross was, it's finished, right? And interestingly, you also pointed out that it was the sixth day of creation it was finished, and then at the end of Revelation, it is done, is what happens.

And interestingly, the sixth of the seven spirits of God that's in Isaiah 11 is the fear of the Lord, which is kind of like the beginning of wisdom. So let's go to the seventh on that same plane for a moment and go, okay, the last words Jesus said from the cross was, into your hands I commit my spirit. He was resting. Similar to the seventh day of creation, he was rested.

Similar to the seventh spirit of God, which is to rest or delight in the fear of the Lord. How did you get there, man? I mean, that was like, wow, God took you on something there that has just delighted my heart since I read it. Well, I was listening to Truth Network to your program, Kingdom Pursuits, and it may have been Christian Car Guy, too, because I love how you weave everything in in a different way.

With Car Guy, there's just horns honking in the background is the difference. But no, I'm still on this journey. It's crazy. I just got a new book on this subject from a guy who's been dead for like 100 years, and I'm reading it, and it's just unbelievable.

I'm like, where was this book when I was doing my primary research? But I'm going to use it for other things. Think about this, folks. Into Thy Hands. First of all, he starts with prayer. Three of the seven sayings from the cross are prayers. He starts with, Father, forgive them.

He closes with, Father, into Thy Hands. Isn't that something? If you are there and you're at the scene, and I encourage people to go there, I really do. I really want you this week.

I want you all every day to go there. Paul said, I'm crucified with Christ. He said, I will boast only in the cross of Christ.

This was a big deal. When you go there and you look, the One whose hands created the world, you talked about that creation, right, and said it is good. His hands are nailed to a tree, a splintered Roman cross. His hands are nailed to a tree, and here He is committing His Spirit, all that He is, into the Father's mighty hands.

What a great image just right there. And then it goes on. Of course, this is a Jewish bedtime prayer, commonly the Hebrew.

Moms and dads would pray with their children. And we've got to go to a break, I think. Maybe we'll talk a little bit more on the other side. Oh yeah, into your hands, I commit my spirit. We're back on Truth Talk Live today. Things are a little backwards because it's Robby Hostings. But when we left our hero, he was finishing up this concept of, in your hands I commit my spirit. And here we are, a week away from Easter almost.

Give us some insights, too. Well, Robby, you're doing a great job by the way as a host. But this book, Last Words of Jesus, that final—and I asked this to Anne Brand Lots, who also graciously endorsed the book. I said, Anne, what's your favorite thing Jesus said from the cross?

And she said, I just love that. Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit. And there's so many juicy morsels in that one prayer of Christ. It's from Psalm 31. You know, Psalm of David. And the fascinating part about that Psalm is the next part, the B, of that verse. The other half of that verse is, Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit. Thou hast redeemed me, O God of truth. But the fascinating part of Jesus' seventh thing from the cross, his final thing, was he didn't say that last part. See? Because he's the Redeemer, right?

And he is the truth, right? So it's kind of really fascinating. The more I studied it, I got into it. I had no idea.

I shared a couple things like that with her, some that she knew and some that she thought, Stu, that's kind of cool, you know? But just how tender that is and how the fact that every day, every second, every breath you're breathing right now, God is in control of that. And God is going to decide your times.

He may take you home tomorrow. People listening to me have been completely besieged by grief. They've lost a loved one, a dear family member, a friend.

We have no idea. That's why the psalmist also says, teach us to number our days. Jesus Christ lived as he died, depending upon and commending his spirit into the Father's hands. And see, that's where you are connected to God's hands. And I did a whole study in the book on the hands of God. Hands to create us, hands to redeem us, hands to deliver us, hands to protect us, the mighty hands of God. But those hands had to be pierced and had to be, as it were, destroyed and dismembered so that we could be made whole, right? And so we could become members of the body of Christ. So Jesus Christ, in those final words, is just releasing and he's laying his life down. This isn't a life taken away by these awful millions of Satan.

He is in control the whole time. It's interesting. He bows his head. Crucifixion victims are lifting their head to inhale. See? They're struggling. Asphyxiation.

Suffocation is what kills with the water in the lungs, trying to struggle for every breath. Here, Jesus humbly, graciously bows his head. See? Makes this statement and bows his head.

And so this is the last statement. Of course, it gives a lot of light in this idea of peace is what really should come upon us all. Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart, Colossians 3 says. And so I get a lot of the peace. And really, the Lord gave me a song.

Robbie, I know you want to talk about that. And we have some special guests in here, too, that kind of embodies this whole thing. I know a lot of people listening are probably thinking, how do I get my hands on this book? Because it is a tapestry. Not a tapestry of what Stu did, but what Jesus did, and then this becomes illuminated through what God's been teaching all of us.

And we've been together all day at Gooliam's. Well, that's a Christian bookstore in North Carolina today. It's in Christian bookstores. And it really is kind of like you vote for a movie by going to see Fireproof. You're saying to the Hollywood, hey, I like that. Hey, that's good.

And they say, hey, we'll put more movies like that, like The Passion of Christ. Well, when you go buy this book at a Christian bookstore or at Barnes and Nobles, any bookstore that carries it, then you're making a statement saying, hey, I'm voting for that. So I would encourage you. But, you know, put yourself aside. Go get five or ten copies for your friends, your neighbors. You have ten neighbors. Go get a copy for them. Say, here's an Easter gift that will draw you to Christ. Why not?

What's going to hurt? And it's a compelling thing. You know, last words of Jesus. Everyone wants to know what the last words are, but this right here will take them to the cross. This really focuses on who Jesus is and what he said as he died. So lastwordsofjesus.com is the website. So just remember the book lastwordsofjesus.com. It's also at our website, truthtalklive.com, truthnetwork.com.

If you go directly to lastwordsofjesus.com, there's a little video of me talking a little bit about how this came about and some of the endorsers and stuff. And then there's a music album. Well, that's just part of the tapestry I was going to go to, that there is a tapestry of what this book's about, but part of this is really the music that has been born out of it that is a big part of the worship experience that could be available for you this Easter, is to engage in this whole package, which includes the music.

And we are blessed to have a big piece of that with us right now. Well, we have a Nashville professional godly man whose God's used to write a lot of the music you've heard in your worship service around the world. This guy right here sitting to my left has written it. And I'm going to start talking less, Robbie, because of my voice and all that, but I want to bring on Richie Kingsmore to talk about how this all came about.

I will just say this. God gave me a song during this process, and this book is a song that God gave me and a poem that God gave me. The poem is in chapter 2.

The song is intermittent throughout, and basically the chorus of the song, seven words of life he cried, seven words in his last breath, seven words as Jesus died, seven words of life from the tree of death. And there's some stanzas, there's a bridge. And, of course, you need people in your life that understand music, which I don't.

Clearly. You know, that's cool. I held a CD up to a friend of mine recently. I said, look, you've got to buy a bunch of these CDs.

This is powerful stuff, this music. I know you have the book and stuff like that. And they said, with a little bit of hesitation in their eyes, they said, Stu, I don't know how to ask this, but are you on there? I said, no, I'm not. Other than I helped write one of the songs, they're like, yes, give me a bunch of them, I'll buy a bunch of them. As soon as I tell them I'm on there, they're running as fast as they can for the hills, you know?

But that's the best part about it, is I'm not on it other than I had a part. So what Richie and Holly Johnson did, and I want you to tell more about this, Richie, is you all made the song, the poem-song I wrote into something of its own. But I want to pass the mic over to Richie. I just appreciate you, brother, and I want to thank you. Music has opened doors. My daughters have been in the youth group with you, and God's used that to get them closer to God, and to go to New York, and to go overseas to share Christ. And God has used you in a mighty way that a guy like you who could be in Hollywood or Nashville all the time, just making money just writing music and producing, on this whole thing.

So maybe you could talk a little bit. Robbie, don't give them a Truth Talk Live softball. Hit them with something a little bit stronger as we bring Richie Kingsmore to the mic.

Here you go, brother. It's great to be here with you. Thanks so much, Stu. And Richie, that song, I was blown away when I heard it, because Richie knew Stu wrote it, and I was like, oh, well, what are we going to do? And it literally blew me away.

I was just flabbergasted at the whole production. And can you kind of take us through how you saw the words, and then somehow you got to put music, and how did that all happen? Well, and again, even just echoing Stu's point, music is such a powerful way to communicate a message. And then as the time that Stu and I spent, and as I just spent time with that text, and just began kind of poring over it and living it, and I love movie soundtracks, too.

That's another thing that I just feel like, you know, a movie without music is just lifeless. And to feel like that you could take what Stu, the seeds and the truth of what he has shared in this, and be able to put it in a setting to create a moment where you get lost in that moment. And it becomes, it just washes over you from the time that song first starts. So for me, I love music that paints a picture of a text.

And as an arranger in the music that I've had the opportunity to do for churches, and really all over, in so many different ways, I love to take that orchestra, and I love to take all those pieces and be able to create something that is God inspired, but just has a sense of timelessness to it, to where you are just in that moment totally. And that's what I felt like as we were writing this song. So as we come out of this next break, you're going to hear this song. It's called The Words of Words of Life. And of course, it's on the CD, Last Words of Jesus, Richard Kingsmore.

You can find it at lastwordsofjesus.com, at Gillian's Bookstore, and many other outlets, also on iTunes. So again, listen up as we come back in. You're going to be hearing The Words of Life. I love our reflection of how this began She heard the Savior's first cry Compassion cries out again just for her The Lamb of God surrendered love Bearing the weight of our sin As the blood flowed, pouring from wounds undeserved Hope was in His words Father, forgive them, bring peace and pardon Through my last breath, I'll take their pain Comfort and show them, You're always with them Now it is finished Into Your hands I hear my spirit From the tree of death These are the words of life These are the words of life You are the Word of life Word became the Lamb Mail to the cross Your life, Your love Put us through Hope is alive Now I can see Oh, Word became the Lamb Mail to the cross Your life, Your love Put us through Hope is alive Now I can see This picture of grace Drawn just for me When You prayed Father, forgive them, bring peace and pardon Through my last breath, I'll take their pain Comfort and show them, You're always with them Now it is finished Into Your hands I hear my spirit From the tree of death Father, forgive them, bring peace and pardon Through my last breath We are back with this kind of unusual, but fun, Truth Talk Live today. Robbie Dilmore kind of hosting to get out this phenomenal book, song. It's just a worship experience that God has provided for us to really enjoy this particular Easter. And if you're like me, you're sitting there thinking, wow, that song right there, man, that needs to be on tape.

I mean, that song is amazing. But God did that through all these different ways that things were orchestrated. Can you kind of show us how He connected the dots here, Richard? Stu brought this text to me. I was just really praying, as I do, as I begin a project, God, who do you want to be involved in this?

How can we communicate this in the most powerful way and to provide an atmosphere for you to speak? And God kept bringing my mind to Holly Johnson, who is a songwriter, worship leader, great friend. And so I just kind of began talking to Holly and just said, hey, Holly, I've got this idea that Stu has written this poem slash song that I feel like there's going to be such power in this.

So we got together and began just really kind of taking that raw text and putting it in a song form. And we just had a sense that God was just leading us, and God was writing this song through us. Even as we got through the whole song and led to that huge cinematic film score bridge, and then brought the whole thing down at the end to the very words of Jesus that were in that chorus, Father, forgive them, bring peace and pardon through my last breath.

And it just stops. That just, to me, it just grabs you, and it just takes you right there, and you realize this not only was the Son of God, but He has experienced everything that we experience on this earth, and yet He still gave His life for us. And what an expression of love that we can't even fathom. And to be able to take and capture that and then to be able to, once the song was written, be able to bring in incredible studio musicians that I have been involved with for many years, friends of mine in Nashville, that just kind of take the germ of that idea that I can guide them through the process, and that they can begin creating tracks for this. And then to have the whole thing come together and just to hear it, and it's just hearing everything in my head come to life. For me, that's incredible. What a rewarding thing. It's so fascinating to me that the body of Christ was broken here at the cross, and we see that.

Of course, Easter comes as a result. But here we see His life being brought out through tremendous harmony, in my view. You've got Stu's, you know, God gives him a thing to think about these words, and so he begins to write. And then he puts something on Richie's heart, and he brings in these phenomenal God-given talents that each of them has a unique part of the harmony, a unique instrument. There's bagpipes in this CD.

There's all sorts of different instruments. And so through this whole thing, the whole body comes together so that we can begin to worship what it is that started out there 2,000 years ago at Calvary. Of course, Jesus is really our worship leader, I mean, in a lot of respects. And how we worship, what an example of worship as He went through everything that He did for the three and a half years and then led us to true worship in spirit and in truth, as He told the woman at the well, and then this example of worship. And then to be able to place on our hearts how we can worship Him through our gifts and through our abilities and realize that God created us for community in worship, and different people bring different parts. And for us to be able to express that not only creates or fulfills that what God has put in us as He created us to worship Him, but He also created us to inspire others to know Him through our worship, both people that know Him and people that are far from Him, that we have an opportunity to offer our gifts and know that God is going to use not only is He our audience and not only is the body of Christ our audience, but the world that is far from Christ is another audience of our worship. God is always the object, but our audiences are very varied. It's a wide group, and yet He can use us, and He chooses to use us. He could do it without us, but the fact that He invites us into what He is doing, it's just phenomenal to me.

And as you were saying that, I pictured something I never had noticed before, but as you may know, I teach special needs at Calvary, which are people with autism and Down syndrome and things. But see, in spite of what they may or may not have in the way of knowledge, worship is every bit as fulfilling and complete, and when they hear a piece of music, they get it into their heart perhaps more than I do. And so the interesting thing about music is that the path is level there for everybody to experience things, as they would hear the Last Words of Jesus CD, and then there's a songbook, right, Richie, and people that want to find out how to do the music themselves. Tell us about the songbook. Yeah, one of the things that I have on my heart is really to give resources to those in the body of Christ that want to take and use these in their worship services, in their own worship, personal worship, as well as just kind of all over the place. And of course, I wanted to create this resource, so we've put together a book, a songbook that has every one of these songs in it. There are piano solo versions for those that are the piano players. We've taken in all the songs from cello parts to sax parts to rhythm parts to violin. Everything that we recorded, we have created a resource that in a book, you can take that whole book and use it in your church or wherever you want to. And that's available at our website, richardkingsmore.com.

But my heart is grounded in the local church, and to be able to provide a resource is just another way that I feel like God has given me the opportunity to help to inspire the body of Christ. All right, when we come back, so much more on the Last Words of Jesus, a lot more music. Oh, it's going to be awesome.

Stay tuned. We're back with Richie Kingsmore and the Last Words of Jesus, special Truth Talk Live edition today, the day before. It's actually Palm Sunday Eve in Robbie's world. But, Richie, I love the way God orchestrates things and brings something like, wow, I can see his hand in that.

We're connecting the dots here. Was there something in the production of the CD where you said, oh, clearly, look what God has done here? Well, you know, we were recording the vocal for the song Were You There? And, of course, that's such a familiar song in our churches that we've sung, you know, around Easter time about every year. And I think a lot of times we look at it in terms of the whole global picture, all of us, the church, all singing that together. But something that really happened that really spoke to me as Mark Christian, who is a worship pastor, and he and I have led worship in so many different settings, and just a great friend, and just a heart for God, and a love for Christ. As he began singing, as we rolled that track for the first time, as he began communicating that text, and he sang Were You There when they crucified my Lord, it became such a personal statement of every time he sang my Lord, it was like I was seeing layers of him peel back, and he was singing about his Lord.

Just like, you know, what I desire for when people are worshiping and I'm leading in worship, God, would it be personal to them, right where they're living, through whatever heartache, through whatever struggle, through whatever joy, whatever they're experiencing in their life at the time, God is calling them to worship. And I felt like at that moment, I mean, I was seeing in Mark's heart, and just hearing that come through on the recording, and as he began to sing the different verses of that, it just took me totally right there to the cross. And just kind of another kind of piggyback on that story, Mark does a lot of crusades with Will Graham, and just this past week, he's in the Philippines, he and Will are leading crusades, and I think the very first city they were in, 14,000 people, over 2,000 people came to know Christ and made decisions for Christ at this service.

Well, Will is speaking about the cross. Mark is doing a sound check, and he's singing Were You There, and he said it was a powerful moment. He said literally during the sound check, people that were just in that arena at that moment began standing up as he sang Were You There, and he said people were weeping, and he said literally as he sung it that night before Will spoke, you could just sense the presence of God in that place as they came face to face with Christ, who He was, all that He had done for them, and they were responding, and they were responding in worship and just that emotion, just being overcome by being in that moment realizing all that Christ had done for them. And I know that as this show airs, they're in the middle of their second crusades, which I know Mark will be singing it again, so just be in prayer for that, that God will just continue to move and use this music in just ways that greater than we could ever imagine. Yes, you can pick up Last Words of Jesus Richard Kingsmore CD at lots of Christian bookstores, but you can go to lastwordsofjesus.com, get it there, or on iTunes when we come back. Well, you might be hearing a little bit of Were You There just any moment now, but also you'll be hearing some more from Last Words of Jesus.

Stay tuned. All right, as we wrap up this really cool edition of Truth Talk Live, it was Stu's heart that he'd take you near the cross at the end of this show. And a very special song that Stu knew, and Richie, can you set up that song for us?

Just a prayer. Whoever, reader of the book and listener of this soundtrack, you know, one prayer that I would have for you is that Jesus would keep you near the cross, knowing that that is the source, that is the life, that is, because of what Christ did on the cross, we can experience all that he has done for us. And because of his death, we experience life. This song is just a blessing to have Charles Billingsley lead this song and sing this song. Charles had been a friend of mine for probably 25 years, and to see his ministry and the way God has used him, and as Stu and I were dreaming about this, we said, you know, Charles would be the one to communicate this. So, Jesus keep me near the cross. Here you go. In the cross, in the cross, be my glory ever Till my raptured soul shall find rest beyond the river Near the cross, O Lamb about, bring its scenes before me Help me walk from day to day with its shadow on me In the cross, in the cross, be my glory ever Till my raptured soul shall find rest beyond the river Till my raptured soul shall find rest beyond the river This is the Truth Network