Beautiful, Scandalous Night

Two days ago I wrote about Mel Gibson’s upcoming movie The Passion of the Christ. I asked the questions ‘If my wife was brutally murdered, would I want to see a movie about it? If I love Jesus more than my wife, why would I want to see a graphic, brutal portrayal of His death?’ At that time I was looking at Jesus’ death as the most wicked, terrible crime ever committed. And it was.

But there was more to Jesus’ death than a hateful, brutal murder. Though it came at the darkest time in history and the time when men’s sinful natures showed more cleary than ever before or after, it was also a time of unsurpassed beauty. It truly was the most beautiful, wonderful, significant event in the course of human history. For through that heart-rending, tragic time, Christ won the victory that has set us free. Just when Evil thought it had won the battle, Christ turned victory into defeat. Through His victory we were atoned and forever washed white.

I was reminded of the words to a song originally performed by The Choir (and covered several times by bands such as Smalltown Poets). The song is called ‘Beautiful Scandalous Night’ and it speaks of the horror and beauty of the night Jesus was killed.

Go on up to the mountain of mercy
To the crimson perpetual tide
Kneel down on the shore
Be thirsty no more
Go under and be purified

Follow Christ to the holy mountain
Sinner, sorry and wrecked by the fall
Cleanse your heart and your soul
In the fountain that flows
For you and for me and for all

At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree
On that beautiful scandalous night you and me
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white
On that beautiful scandalous night

On the hillside you will be delivered
At the foot of the cross justified
And your spirit restored
By the river that pours
From our blessed Savior’s side

At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree’

Go on up to the mountain of mercy
To the crimson perpetual tide
Kneel down on the shore be thirsty no more
Go under and be purified

At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree
On that beautiful scandalous night you and me
Were atoned by his blood and forever washed white
On that beautiful scandalous night’

Miraculous night