BLESSED REDEEMER

Avis B. Christiansen, 1895–1985

When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him, along with the criminals—one on His right, the other on His left. (Luke 23:33)

A Hill with Three Crosses—
One cross where a thief died IN SIN
One cross where a thief died TO SIN
A center cross where a Redeemer died FOR SIN
— Unknown

It is thought that the day we call “Good Friday” originated from the term “God’s Friday”—the day that Christ was led to the hill of Golgotha and crucified, assuring an eternal reconciliation for lost man. The Roman cross, intended to be an instrument of cruel death, instead became an instrument of new life and hope for the human race. God loved and valued each of us so highly that He was willing to pay the greatest price imaginable for our salvation.

The composer of this hymn, Harry Dixon Loes, was a popular music teacher at the Moody Bible Institute from 1939 until his death in 1965. One day while listening to a sermon on the subject of Christ’s atonement entitled “Blessed Redeemer,” Mr. Loes was inspired to compose this tune. He then sent the melody with the suggested title to Mrs. Christiansen, a friend for many years, asking her to write the text. The completed hymn first appeared in the hymnal Songs of Redemption in 1920.

Mrs. Avis Christiansen is to be ranked as one of the important gospel hymn writers of the 20th century. She has written hundreds of gospel hymn texts as well as several volumes of published poems. Throughout her long lifetime of 90 years, Mrs. Christiansen collaborated with many well-known gospel musicians to contribute several other choice hymns to our hymnals, including “Blessed Calvary” and “I Know I’ll See Jesus Some Day.”

Up Calv’ry’s mountain, one dreadful morn, walked Christ my Savior, weary and worn; facing for sinners death on the cross, that He might save them from endless loss.

“Father, forgive them!” thus did He pray, e’en while His life-blood flowed fast away; praying for sinners while in such woe—no one but Jesus ever loved so.

O how I love Him, Savior and Friend! How can my praises ever find end! Thru years unnumbered on heaven’s shore, my tongue shall praise Him forevermore.

Chorus: Blessed Redeemer, precious Redeemer! Seems now I see Him on Calvary’s tree, wounded and bleeding, for sinners pleading—blind and unheeding—dying for me!

For Today: Matthew 27:39–43; John 19:17, 18, 33, 34; Colossians 2:13–20

Since Christ has paid the price of our redemption in full, all we have to do is believe, receive, rejoice and represent Him. Reflect on this musical truth—

Osbeck, K. W.

• And they that passed by, reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the Temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself: if thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the high Priests mocking him, with the Scribes, and Elders, and Pharises, said, He saved others, but he can not save himself: if he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusteth in God, let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. Matthew 27:39–43
• And he bare his cross, and came into a place named of dead mens Skulls, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha: Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on ether side one, and Jesus in the midst. And Pilate wrote also a title and put it on the cross, and it was written, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. John 19:17-18
• But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they broke not his legs. But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. John 19:33-34
• And ye which were dead in sins, and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, forgiving you all your trespasses. And putting out the hand writing of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, he even toke it out of the way, and fastened it upon the cross, And hath spoiled the Principalities, and Powers, and hath made a show of them openly, and hath triumphed over them in the same cross. Let no man therefore condemn you in meat and drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days, Which are but a shadow of things to come: but the body is in Christ. Let no man at his pleasure bear rule over you by humbleness of mind, and worshipping of Angels, advancing himself in those things which he never saw, rashly puffed up with his fleshly mind, And holdeth not the head, whereof all the body furnished and knit together by joints and bands, increaseth with the increasing of God. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the ordinances of the world, why, as though ye lived in the world, are ye burdened with traditions Colossians 2:13–20