August 15, 2020 (Saturday)
This song is based on a true story. The story is in the song.
We used to hear the phrase, “death bed conversion,” every so often, and then would follow a discussion. Inevitably, someone would remind eveyone about the thief on the cross. He did not have a “death bed,” but he died on a cruel, inhumane Roman cross. He died the same day that Jesus died and in the same way. Actually, there were three crosses, the cross upon which Jesus died, the cross upon which a repentant man died, and a cross upon which an unrepentant man died. We’ve learned to call the crosses by name: 1. The Cross of Redemption, 2. The Cross of Rejection, and 3. The Cross of Reception. Let’s look at those three crosses:
1. The Cross of Redemption. When Jesus died, he died in your place. He died for you. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV).
2. The Cross of Rejection. This man knew about Jesus claiming to be our Savior, but he rejected his one and only hope of eternal life when he called upon Jesus to save himself and those being crucified with him. He could only see the present moment; he had no thoughts of Heaven or Hell. He rejected Jesus.
3. The Cross of Reception. This person heard everything people were saying about Jesus and he chose to believe that Jesus could save him and so he pleaded to Jesus, “Lord, remember me..” to which Jesus replied, “Today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).
We do not know the details of the repentant thief’s life, but he asked Jesus to save him and Jesus did that, as if he had his whole life yet to live. Years later, a Roman soldier would ask, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” and the reply would be, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved..” (Acts 16:31).
Here is the story behind the song today: A boy considered an outcast by polite society lay dying and confessed that no one had ever told him about Jesus being his Savior. He marveled at God’s love for a poor little boy. He was thankful that God loved him. He asked those around him to tell him all about Jesus. They told him. And he accepted Jesus as his Savior, and urged those around him that day to tell the story of Jesus to everyone else, again and again.
TELL IT AGAIN
Words, Mary B.C. Slade
Music, Rigdon McCoy McIntosh
1876
Into the tent where a gypsy boy lay,
Dying alone at the close of the day,
News of salvation we carried; said he:
“Nobody ever has told it to me!”
“Did He so love me, a poor little boy?
Send unto me the good tidings of joy?
Need I not perish? My hand will He hold?
Nobody ever the story has told!”
Tell it again! Tell it again!
Salvation’s story repeat o’er and o’er.
Till none can say of the children of men,
“Nobody ever has told me before.”
Bending we caught the last words of his breath,
Just as he entered the valley of death:
“God sent His Son! ‘Whosoever,’ said He:
Then I am sure that He sent Him for me!”
Smiling he said, as his last sigh he spent,
“I am so glad that for me He was sent!”
Whispered, while low sank the sun in the west,
“Lord, I believe, tell it now to the rest!”
Tell it again! Tell it again!
Salvation’s story repeat o’er and o’er.
Till none can say of the children of men,
“Nobody ever has told me before.”