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Crown Him With Many Crowns (Quick Thoughts on a Hymn)

There is a relatively brief reporting of what happened to Christ at Calvary. John says simply, “They crucified Him” (Jn. 19:18). But there is passage after passage in the epistles explaining the spiritual and eternal meaning of the cross. The death of Christ is so significant God has planned for us to have eternal reminders of it. In effect, the cross planted on Golgotha’s hill towers upward to the very throne of God. We know the resurrection body of Christ, a glorified body, still bore the wounds of Calvary (Jn. 20:26-28). And apparently those identifying marks will be visible in heaven. In Revelation, John sees a vision of Christ in the midst of God’s throne appearing as “a Lamb as though it had been slain” (Rev. 5:6).

Matthew Bridges (1800-1894) was an English poet who spent the latter years of his life in Canada. In 1851, he wrote the hymn “Crown Him with Many Crowns.” Twenty-three years later, an Anglican clergyman named Godfrey Thring (1823-1903) added some verses of his own. In our current hymn books, stanzas one, two and four are usually Bridges’, and the third verse Thring’s. The song is based on the words of Revelation 19:12, “On His head were many crowns.” It pictures our worship of the Saviour around the heavenly throne. Verse four says, “Crown Him the Lord of love! Behold His hands and side, / Rich wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified: / All hail, Redeemer, hail! For Thou hast died for me: / Thy praise shall never, never fail, throughout eternity.”

There is striking imagery there, as our attention is drawn to Christ’s “rich wounds, yet visible above.” In that realm of infinite perfection, when all the saints have been clothed in glorified, resurrection bodies, do you expect your body to retain the scars and imperfections of earth? I don’t! Yet apparently there will be one jarring exception to that, the scars in the hands and feet and side of Jesus. But far from being distracting and repellent, those wounds will be, for us, heaven’s most beautiful sight. Why? Because of the richness of their meaning. Because they are the evidence of God’s matchless love. The emblems of Christ’s passion will forever remind us of how we came to be there.

Praise The Lord, Ye Heavens Adore Him (Quick Thoughts on a Hymn)

London’s Foundling Hospital was an orphanage that became famous for singing. It was founded in 1739 by a merchant named Thomas Coram who was also involved in promoting the Wesleys’ evangelistic efforts. By the early 1800s it was quite in vogue for Londoners to visit Sunday services at the orphanage where the children were led in singing by trained musicians. Handel was so fond of the institution that he donated a chapel organ and gave a number of benefit performances of “Messiah” to raise funds for it. The Foundling Hospital is remembered today chiefly through a hymn book called Psalms, Hymns, and Anthems of the Foundling Hospital, London, which was published by Coram in 1796.

Pasted into the jacket of that hymn book were the words to this hymn. Though there is much conjecture about the authorship of the text, each theory has been refuted, and it remains anonymous. The first two verses are a paraphrase of Psalm 148 which shows all of creation praising the Lord, from the angels and heavenly hosts above, to the creatures of the sea and land below. The third verse was added in 1836 by Edward Osler in his journal Church and King.

The Doxology (Quick Thoughts on a Hymn)

On one occasion, Paul and Silas were cruelly beaten and taken to the Roman prison in Philippi. Their feet were fastened in the stocks and they were locked in a dismal cell to await an uncertain fate. But their painful situation did not dampen their joyful faith. Scripture says, “At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God” (Acts 16:25). The song of the redeemed cannot be stifled by social custom or even adverse circumstances.

In a much different setting, something similar happened to a hymn written by a man named Thomas Ken (1637-1710). Bishop Ken lived at a time when the English church sang nothing but the Psalms. To attempt the writing of a new congregational hymn was blasphemous in the eyes of some. It was like trying to add something to the Bible. Thomas Ken was both a fine preacher and an able musician. But he knew his songs would never be welcomed in the churches of his day. In 1674, he published a book called A Manual of Prayers for the Use of the Scholars of Winchester College (a boys’ school he himself had attended). In his book, Bishop Ken included three lovely hymns he had written, but they were accompanied by the strict instruction that they never be sung in public! They were simply to be used by the boys in their private devotions.

It is ironic, therefore, that the last verse of all three hymns has likely become the most frequently sung hymn in the Christian church. It says, “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; / Praise Him all creatures here below; / Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; / Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” Once again it seems that when praise to God is due, it must come, even if it be in spite of binding tradition or human opposition. Regardless of Bishop Ken’s stern insistence, for over three hundred years the church has been singing his hymn of praise to God.

Come, Thou Almighty King (Quick Thoughts on a Hymn)

The Bible tells us,“Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake…” (I Pet. 2:13-14). But the Christian also has allegiance to another kingdom. God’s Word says, “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:3). This raises the issue of a possible conflict between the two. And when they are in clear and significant conflict, the believer must always obey God.

For some in our world, this is more than a theoretical concept. Totalitarian governments and religious extremists persecute them for their love of Christ. Churches are often closed and religious observances forbidden. Christians are jailed, tortured, and even killed for their faith. This is happening in over 60 countries today, and we must not suppose it could never happen to us. The Bible says, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse” (II Tim. 3:12-13).

In 1757 a hymn was published in England entitled “Come, Thou Almighty King.” We do not know the author, and there may have been a good reason he withheld his name. A few years before, “God Save the King” had been written, an anthem extolling the British monarch. It is believed the hymn may have been composed as a spiritual counterbalance to it. Perhaps it was intended to be a reminder that our allegiance to God must always take precedence, if the two are in conflict. The hymn was originally sung to the tune of “God Save the King (or Queen).” And the two songs have several phrases in common, reinforcing the connection. The hymn says, “Come, Thou Almighty King, / Help us Thy name to sing, / Help us to praise: / Father, all glorious, / O’er all victorious, / Come and reign over us, / Ancient of Days.”

Like A River Glorious (Quick Thoughts on a Hymn)

Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-1879) is sometimes called “England’s Consecration Poet” A voluminous writer, both of devotional prose and poetry, she was a godly woman whose pen became the means of effective ministry for the Lord. Says a contemporary, “Simply and sweetly she sang the love of God and His way of salvation….The burden of her writings is a free and full salvation, through the Redeemer’s merits, for every sinner who will receive it.” In 1874 she produced a hymn she called “Perfect Peace.” As with many of our hymns, it now takes the opening phrase as its title.

The song begins, “Like a river glorious / Is God’s perfect peace, / Over all victorious / In its bright increase; / Perfect, yet it floweth / Fuller every day, / Perfect, yet it groweth / Deeper all the way.” Then, the stately dignity of the tune carries the singer into the confident testimony of a refrain that applies the image more directly to the experience of the child of God: “Stayed upon Jehovah, / Hearts are fully blest; / Finding as He promised, / Perfect peace and rest.”

The prophet Isaiah speaks to the Lord in a similar vein, saying, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isa. 26:3). To express the richness of God’s gift, “perfect peace” is, in the original Hebrew, shalom shalom–peace peace, a peaceful peace. And the word Isaiah uses connotes such ideas as wholeness and soundness, safety and security, tranquility and contentment. The Amplified Bible enriches our understanding of the prophet’s words, with: “You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.”

God’s Workshop

Ephesians 2:10 says, “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before hand that we should walk in them.”

Workshop tools

Take a look at the various tools in a workshop. Most of them seem designed to hurt something! They are made for hitting, cutting, chopping, drilling, scraping, grinding, pinching, twisting, and bending. Ouch! That does not sound pleasant at all. None of the tools is going to leave the object being worked on just as it was. They are agents of change. And described out of context they sound destructive and harmful–as indeed they can be. What makes the difference?

1) First, it is the goal and plan of the workman. He needs to have an end result in view that is beneficial, and perhaps even beautiful, and he needs a practical plan to achieve his goal. Think of how this applies to the Lord. He has a goal and plan in mind: that we display the character of Christ (Eph. 1:4; cf. 4:1), and engage in an effective ministry for Christ (Eph. 2:10).

2) The second factor is the ability and persistent care of the workman. He needs the strength and skill to do the job, and the commitment to do his work with care to its completion. Again, we can see these things in the Lord, with regard to His work in us. He is a God of great power (Eph. 1:18-20; 3:20-21), and great love (Eph. 2:4; 5:2, 25). And “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it” (Phil. 1:6).

More on The Da Vinci Code

Answers to the Da Vinci Code

In recent years the novel The Da Vinci Code has received a great deal of publicity–especially with a movie version of the book. In addition, a manuscript of the Gnostic Gospel of Judas, dated from about 250-300 A.D., has been creating a stir. Both are anti-Christian in their attack on the biblical record and the Person of Christ.

Examined carefully, they are no real threat to Christian truth, but what they teach has prompted questions on the part of many. Without an understanding of the Scriptures and a basic knowledge of church history, it is easy to be confused by the arguments presented. For the sake of your congregation, it would be good to address this issue. You might consider presenting a message on the subject, or making it a topic for an adult or teen Sunday School elective. At the least, it would be good to recommend some helpful resources, and even to place these in your church library. I have written an article on the subject (The Da Vinci Code: A Critique of Dan Brown’s Novel), but here are some further resources:

When My Son Has Doubts…

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Question: A concerned Mom writes, “Our youngest son has decided that maybe God isn’t real, maybe there is no hell, and then of course there is no value in going to church, etc. I thought he had a [salvation] experience as a small child but it isn’t real to him. I think he may also have had some negative influence from some older bachelor guys he has contact with.

How could we approach this problem to show that God is real ? I’ve talked to him about creation and the fall, and he says “So why didn’t God do it right the first time ?” Some ideas would help.”

Answer: Thanks for the good question. Of course, your son is only saying what the Bible itself plainly says–that “there is no God.” But unfortunately for him, the context reminds us of the kind of person who makes such a statement. God says he is a fool (Ps. 14:1). The reason it is foolish to deny the existence of God is that the evidence of His amazing handiwork is all around us (Ps. 19:1). So much so that sinners are “without excuse” for refusing to believe in Him (Rom. 1:20).

When you think about it, there is a certain arrogance to atheism. To say there is no God to be found anywhere in our vast universe, one has to claim he knows absolutely everything that’s out there! To assert such a thing is foolish indeed, causing Lewis Sperry Chafer to state, “It is probable that a consistent atheist has never existed.” An older theologian (John Foster) says, “Unless this man is omnipresent, unless he is at this moment in every place in the universe, he cannot know but that there may be in some place manifestations of a Deity by which even he would be overpowered.”

Many books have been written in defense of the existence of God and the reliability of the Bible. Both C. S. Lewis and Josh McDowell have written on such themes. If your son were a reader I might suggest The Case for Faith, by Lee Strobel (published by Zondervan in 2000). Over the course of about 400 pages he deals with all the common objections to faith that unbelievers throw at us–the problem of human suffering, how could a loving God send anyone to hell, and so on. A valuable book to have in one’s library.

Another “book” that is going to be read by your son whether you like it or not is your own life. If God is real to you, and Christ’s salvation truly means something to you, your life will show it. That ongoing testimony can have a powerful effect on your son. In a poem called “The World’s Bible,” Annie Johnson Flint wrote, “We are the only Bible / The careless world will read, / We are the sinner’s gospel, / We are the scoffer’s creed.” And “What if the type is crooked? / What if the print is blurred? / What if you hands are busy / With other work than His? / What if our feet are walking / Where sin’s allurement is?” Good questions!

Regarding your son’s concerns about creation, Peter speaks of scoffers who ridicule the Word of God, saying they “willfully forget” some things (II Pet. 3:5, NKJV). They deliberately shut their eyes to the facts. No one who found a ticking watch in the woods would immediately assume all the parts had come together by themselves without any outside help. There had to be an intelligent designer and a maker. And anyone looking at the intricacies of creation is forced to come to a similar conclusion.

Whatever your son’s study of the natural world has been, he has reached a false conclusion, indicated by his question, “So why didn’t God do it right the first time ?” The answer is, He did. When the work of creation was complete, “God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good” (Gen. 1:31). The wonders of creation caused the psalmist to cry, “O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all” (Ps. 104:24). What has happened to the world since it was made is not a result of sloppy workmanship on God’s part. It is a result of human sin.

God gave human beings the responsibility of caring for our planet (Gen. 1:28), but their “dominion” was always to be restricted and governed by God’s rule over him (Gen. 2:16-17). When Adam and Eve disobeyed the Lord–in effect, rejecting His rule–God punished them by placing a curse on creation. Though it still reflects the wisdom and power of God, nature is now seriously flawed (Gen. 3:17-19), and man’s care of it is handicapped accordingly. Added to that, the fallen nature of man causes him to continually abuse the natural resources we have. Selfishness and greed, carelessness and waste, strip the rain forests and fill the air with pollutants. None of this is God’s fault.

So why didn’t God simply make human beings with no power of choice, creatures that were programmed to obey Him? The answer is because He did not want mere robots, or puppets. He wanted intelligent beings that could fellowship with Him, that could love Him and be loved in return. And for such a relationship to be sincere and meaningful human beings had to be able to choose whether to trust and obey God or not. They had to have the power not to trust Him, not to obey Him and not to love Him.

But I want to return for a moment to the words of Peter–that “wilful forgetting” he speaks of. Herman Wouk, in his novel War and Remembrance, about the Holocaust, speaks of “the will not to believe.” A denial of the existence of God, and the existence of hell, is often a morally loaded conclusion. That is, there is a rejection of God’s authority which manifests itself as a denial of His existence. In order to continue in his sinful ways, without accountability to God, the sinner may try to write God out of the picture. That is why Psalm 14:1 (quoted in part, earlier) says in full, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.” Atheism and a sinful lifestyle are connected.

It is important to establish a belief in God at a young age, and to ingrain a sense of moral accountability to a higher authority. Solomon writes about that in Ecclesiastes. In his later years he had drifted away from God (I Kgs. 11:1-8), but I believe the book of Ecclesiastes is a testimony of his repentance and return to God, near the end of his life. He says, “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, ‘I have no pleasure in them.’…Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecc. 12:1, 13-14).

If your son’s conclusions about spiritual things have been carefully considered, then I would certainly doubt the earlier “experience” you speak of. Jesus says, “By their fruits you will know them” (Matt. 7:20). In the article “Assurance of Salvation” I list seven things that are the fruit of salvation. To one degree or another, each of these should be in evidence in the life of the born again person.

One other possibility, and I only mention it in passing for your consideration, is that your son is emotionally depressed for some reason. Whether this has a physical, a psychological, or a spiritual cause needs to be investigated. Sometimes doubts arise out of an emotional despondency. In that case, medical treatment or counselling may be what is needed.

Question: Youth Groups

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Question: One concerned mother writes, “There are several churches in our rural area. Mostly people in their sixties attend, and there are few teenagers. I have two teenagers. There is only one church I know of with a youth program where they try to teach high family standards, have decent dress code, and avoid the loud “worship” music–but this is a Mormon church. My teenagers want to go to the youth services on Wednesday nights. Is this wrong?”

Answer: Let me say right off that I truly sympathize with your dilemma. Several of the churches I have pastored over the past 40 years have been in small towns or rural areas. This has limited the choices for all. Further, many of these smaller communities are in decline. The younger folks need to move away to get schooling or to find jobs. This means the congregations of the churches are increasingly older. I also understand the desire of young people to gravitate to ones their own age, and programs that are more specifically geared to their needs (if not their tastes).

There are a number of ideas that come to mind. You have not given me a lot of detail to go on, but perhaps one of the following will suit your situation.

1) You do not mention how close you are to other communities. The needs of your teens would merit a pretty long drive to find a church that would be suitable. I can recall, when I was working in the secular business world years ago, driving about 40-45 minutes five days a week, to work, and then home again in the evening. Also, many people in large cities drive half an hour across town for work, or to attend church, and think little of it. If there’s a good church less than an hour from you, it might be worth the sacrifice.

2) A variation of this would be to find a good church that has an active youth program and agree to take your teens to events at least once a month, even if it is still further away. In this case, it might be acceptable to travel further to get involved occasionally. If you yourself are a dedicated Christian, the youth leaders might appreciate you giving them some help when you come.

3) A more radical solution is to move! It may not be possible, because of other factors unknown to me. But if the welfare of your children is at stake, one of the first priorities in deciding where to live is to help meet their spiritual needs through a solid, Bible-believing church.

4) Another radical idea: start a youth program of your own! Could you find a few young people who would appreciate being part of a program designed specifically for them? There are materials available to provide weekly Bible studies, plus ideas for activities. Once you got this underway, you could perhaps hook up with another church whose doctrines and standards are similar to yours–even if it is many miles distant. Then your little group could join them for activities several times a year. (You might even be able to convince that youth group to come your way, once in a while.)

5) I know of a number of towns where one church thought they were not large enough to run a youth program themselves, so they hooked up with another church to run a joint program. But often this does not work well. There are inevitable clashes as to doctrine or standards, and the stronger (or bigger) church usually prevails–even if theirs is not the right and biblical course to take. Also, this joint effort does little to build the smaller church. The young people slowly drift to the stronger congregation (or the one with more things that appeal to them), leaving the other church further impoverished.

6) You might connect with a church that is faithful to the fundamentals of the faith, and agreeable as to their basic policies, even if most of those who attend are “old.” Ask if you can meet with the pastor and a few key adults to explain your problem. Show respect for them, and a desire to be supportive to the church. But tell them you have two concerns: a) How can we work together to get teenagers to appreciate this church and its people more? And b) How can we work together to get the adults in this church to appreciate teens and their needs more?

7) As a gospel musician–and one who has taught a philosophy of music in a Christian college–I share your concern about loud (and often shallow) contemporary religious music. But we must not, as the saying goes, throw the baby out with the bath water. When it comes to music, older does not necessarily mean better, and newer does not necessarily mean inferior. Perhaps you could encourage a church to develop a music policy that will maintain the heritage we have in our hymns, but also introduce the congregation (slowly) to the best of the newer Christian music. Also discuss with them the limits of presentation style which could become a part of the church’s policy.

8) Another option would be to start a Bible quizzing program. These can be a fantastic draw for young people, and a wonderful way to bridge the gap between generations. This is exciting stuff! Teens study a chapter or section of a Bible book. (A great thing in itself!) Then compete in their home church, and send a team to compete in other churches. There are regional finals, and so on. Investigate that as a possibility. It could be the start of a more extensive youth program in one of those “senior citizen” churches.

9) Is there any good church in your area that has a children’s program–or would like to have one? If your teenagers are committed Christians, could you and they volunteer to start such a program (such as Awana), or work in one? Getting your children involved will help them integrate into that church, even if many in it are “old.”

10) As to the Mormons… No. Definitely not. Don’t send your teens there. Whatever face they may try to present to the public, they are a false cult which does not honour Christ or the Bible. If you are in any doubt about that, check out the literature available at a good Christian bookstore concerning this group. The little booklet The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error provides a basic summary.

David’s Army and “Christian Soldiers”

First Chronicles Chapter 12 describes the elite men of David’s army in terms that find a spiritual parallel among the followers of Christ (David’s greater Son). Here are characteristics needed by the servants of the Lord in our day.

  1. Even before the king ascended the throne (when his cause was unpopular with some), they were loyal to him and ready to fight for him (vs. 1).
  2. They used both prepared weapons of war, and stones of circumstance, in the battle, and were adaptable to each situation (vs. 2).
  3. They were well trained and properly prepared for their work (vs. 8).
  4. They were both bold and decisive in their actions (vs. 8, 21).
  5. They were prepared to face danger and difficulty (vs. 15). Harry Ironside says they were “men of energy–not men who followed the line of least resistance.”
  6. They were one with the king in heart and purpose (vs. 17-18).
  7. They were empowered by the Spirit of God (vs. 18). The expression used here means more literally “the Spirit clothed himself with Amasai.” (He was like a glove that has no power to act until the Hand is inside it.)
  8. Their numbers continued to grow (vs. 22).
  9. They were full of wisdom and understood the times in which they lived (vs. 32).
  10. They were organized, and orderly in the face of a desperate struggle (vs. 33, 38).
  11. They were united in purpose with the people of God (vs. 38).
  12. They rejoiced in fellowship and service (vs. 39-40).

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