Pilgrim's Progress - AT THE CROSS

My girls and I just wrapped up our visit at the Interpreter's House which I enjoyed very much. We saw the amazing scene of a fire that burned hotter and brighter even the more water that the enemy was casting upon it - discovering once we looked behind the wall that secretly the oil of grace was more the being supplied with the more vigor the enemy sought to douse the fire.

Proceeding forward we had a very solemn visit with a man in an iron cage. A man who could not find repentance, a man though once he thought himself a very good christian even having good opinion of the same from those who knew him but now finds himself caged up, in despair and a picture and warning of reprobation. Solemn indeed.

Lastly Interpreter took us to talk with a man who every night dreams the same thing. A dream concerning the Great Day of Judgment. So then we entertained our own thoughts of that final Great Day of the Lord.

And having been thus equipped by the Interpreter we watch Christian go on that straight path which is enclosed by walls named Salvation. And then Christian comes to the cross where finally his burden falls off. Having thus been freed of his burden Christian continues to look upon the cross.

We read from Bunyan's pen:

"He looked, therefore, and looked again, even till the springs that were in his head sent the water down his checks."

13 yr old responded: "Oh that's cool."

Dad asked: "But what does it mean?"

Three girls respond: in silence

Dad asks: "What are springs?"
13 yr old answers: "Aren't they a source of water, where water comes up from the ground?"

11 yr reverently whispers: "He is crying."

13 yr old shouts: "OH WOW THAT IS SO COOL...."

Much conversation continued on concerning how looking at the cross would cause his burden to fall away.

Q. What is that burden?
A. Not just sin but the guilt and judgment of it also bearing down upon him. We read from Mark 2:5 dwelling much on Jesus words: "Son, thy sins be forgiven thee."

Q. Who is it that said this?
A. Jesus.

Q. What did others think of this?
A. Some said, "How dare he!" -- to which we understood - He is Jesus the son of the living God. He knew what they were thinking - he perceived it in himself. He is God manifest in the flesh...the son of Man hath authority to forgive sins on earth. If Jesus says: "Son, thy sins be forgiven thee." They are forgiven. If Jesus who knew no sin was made sin - then indeed I can be made the righteousness of God in Him. My sins are forgiven, my savior has purchased pardon. My burden is loosed from off my back. Blessed Savior, blessed be the man who bore my shame.

Dad Asked again: "So what does it mean to "Look upon the cross?"

10 yr old answered: "It means to study how Jesus died there on the cross for our sins....."

Dad's countenance: very happy.

At this point in our Bunyan book we come to Happy Christian singing. Dad asks thirteen year old to read...no sing.... like Christian in our book his song which he sang at the cross:

Thus far did I come laden with my sin,
Nor could ought I ease the grief that I was in,
Till I came hither: what a place is this.
Must here be the beginning of my bliss?

Must here the burden fall from off my back?
Must here the strings that bound it to me crack?
Blest cross! Blest sepulchre! Blest rather be
The man that there was put to shame for me!

Liking the sound of his daughter's voice so much the same was repeated with 10 yr old, who with an entirely different tune sang again the same words, then repeated this process with 11 yr old and who, with new tune in tow, sang once more. So delighted was everyone, 13 yr old wanted to sing it again, to which Dad said.. Ok but sing it like Lecrae... and she did.

Now Dad gives it a try.......

Oh well, the words remain beautiful and still a delight to me as I see them in an email's signature section of a dear brother in Christ only moments ago reminding me again of our sweet study.