Lyrics
That’s What Calvary Means To Me
Read together: Romans 7:18; Isaiah 53:6; Mark 15:33–39; Matthew 28:1–7
Some truths are so big that the more you understand them, the less you understand them. This song begins there. It is beyond my understanding—it is more than troubling to me—why Jesus died for me on Calvary.
Why would that be troubling? Because the singer knows himself too well. There is nothing, not one part, that is good without Jesus in my heart. Read Romans 7:18. Paul wrote, "I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh." That is not a statement of low self-esteem. It is a statement of honest self-knowledge. Apart from God's grace, our best efforts are tangled with selfishness and pride.
The second verse puts it memorably: If Jesus had checked a list, I'd be one He could have missed. If salvation were based on merit, none of us would make the list. Read Isaiah 53:6. "We all like sheep have gone astray; each one has turned to his own way. And the Lord has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all." Every one of us has wandered. And every one of our wanderings was laid on Jesus.
The chorus says, When God said, "Go!"—for me, Jesus went as far as He could go. Jesus went where no one else could go. What does that mean? Read Mark 15:33–39. From noon until three in the afternoon, darkness covered the land. Then Jesus cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" In that moment, Jesus experienced what no one else ever has—the full weight of the world's sin and the Father's judgment against it. He went into the deepest darkness so that those who trust Him would never have to.
When Jesus breathed His last, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The barrier between God and humanity was opened from God's side. And a Roman centurion who watched Him die said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"
The bridge adds the rest of the story: If all I ever knew was what Jesus did on Calvary, that would be more than enough for me—but Jesus, He is the only one who got up! When angels rolled away the stone. Read Matthew 28:1–7. An angel of the Lord came down, rolled back the stone, and sat on it. He told the women, "Do not be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said." The cross paid for sin. The empty tomb proves the payment was accepted and death was defeated.
And this too He did for you and me—and all who believe will live with Jesus for all eternity!
What does Calvary mean to you? For some, it is a historical event. For others, a religious symbol. For this songwriter, it is personal: the place where Jesus went as far as He could go, for someone who did not deserve it.
If you have never trusted Him, Calvary can mean that for you too. Come to Him, confessing that nothing in you is good enough, and trust the One who went all the way for you.
A moment to respond: Read Mark 15:33–39 slowly. Then finish this sentence in writing: "Calvary means to me…" Write as much as you can. If you have never trusted Jesus, let your sentence be a prayer asking Him to save you.
Let's pray: Lord Jesus, it is beyond our understanding why You would die for us. We know there is nothing good in us apart from You. Yet You went as far as You could go—into darkness, forsakenness, and death—for us. And then You rose again. Thank You. Let Calvary mean everything to us, today and forever. Amen.
Our desire at UnrelentingJesus is that Calvary would become personal to you—the place where Jesus went as far as He could go, for you.
