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I Will Sing the Wondrous Story

Words: Francis Harold Rowley (b. July 25, 1854; d. Feb. 14, 1952)
Music: Banneux, by Peter Philip Bilhorn (b. July 22, 1865; d. Dec. 13, 1936)

Note: When he wrote this fine gospel song, Francis Rowley was a Baptist pastor in Massachusetts in 1886. His original first line was “Can’t you sing the wondrous story?” But when Ira Sankey published it he altered that to the more positive statement we know now. Mr. Sankey apparently made other changes without the author’s knowledge. (In some instances I prefer Pastor Rowley’s original.) Here, for example is the author’s version of (2) and (3).

I was lost: but Jesus found me,
Found the sheep that went astray,
Raised me up and gently led me
Back into the narrow way.

Faint was I, and fears possessed me,
Bruised was I from many a fall;
Hope was gone, and shame distressed me:
But His love has pardoned all.

There is a story connected with the writing of Mr. Bilhorn’s tune as well. He was converted in a gospel meeting of Dr. Pentecost and musician George Stebbins, two of D. L. Moody’s associates. When Peter Bilhorn came to Brooklyn, Mr. Stebbins invited him to say in his home until he could find a place of his own. It was there he wrote his first gospel song melody–for I Will Sing the Wondrous Story. George Stebbins harmonized it for him, since Bilhorn hadn’t yet studied harmony.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Some form of the word sing is four 166 times in our English Bibles, with another 94 uses of the word song or songs (many of these in the book of Psalms). Here are the first and the last of these references:

“Then [after their deliverance at the Red Sea] Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and spoke, saying: ‘I will sing to the LORD, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!’” (Exod. 15:1).

“They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: ‘Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!’” (Rev. 15:3).

And if “the song of Moses” in Revelation refers to the earlier incident, it neatly ties together all 260 instances mentioned. Both Judaism (Ps. 104:33) and Christianity (I Cor. 14:15) are without question singing religions! And the most wonderful theme for our song is the great redemption wrought for us on the cross of Calvary (a redemption that can certainly be seen in type, in the crossing of the Red Sea). Not only will Christ and His saving work be the preeminent subject of our singing now, but on through the endless ages of eternity

(1) I will sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ who died for me.
How He left His home in glory
For the cross of Calvary.

Yes, I’ll sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ who died for me,
Sing it with the saints in glory,
Gathered by the crystal sea.

Francis Rowley’s hymn clearly describes the sinner’s and the saint’s condition:

The sinner is: in (2), lost (Lk. 19:10), astray (I Pet. 2:25); in (3), spiritually bruised (Isa. 1:5-6), and without strength (Rom. 5:6), blind (Eph. 4:18) and full of fear (Heb. 2:15; 10:31).

The saint: has “days of darkness” and sorrow, but he rejoices in the comforting presence of the Saviour, and His daily guidance (4). Further, He rests in the keeping power of the Lord, and in the confidence that he will safely reach his heavenly home (5).

(5) He will keep me till the river
Rolls its waters at my feet;
Then He’ll bear me safely over,
Where the loved ones I shall meet.

Questions:

  1. Eighteen times the psalmist says, “I will sing” (cf. Ps. 92). Beyond what is mentioned above, what do believers have to sing about?
  2. How does this compare with the songs of the godless world (i.e. what do they so often sing about)?

Links:

Open My Eyes That I May See

Words: Clara H. Fiske Scott (b. Dec. 3, 1831; d. June 21, 1897)
Music: Clara H. Fiske Scott

Note: This hymn was first published in 1895, two years before Mrs. Scott’s death at the age of sixty-six.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

During the years of His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus healed the blind (e.g. Matt. 20:29-34), caused the deaf to hear, and the mute to speak (e.g. Mk. 7:31-37). When John the Baptist, then in prison, asked whether Jesus was indeed Israel’s promised Messiah, the Lord’s response was:

“Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.”

Lk. 7:22

The miracles of Christ were His credentials, affirming His identity and authenticating His message (Acts 2:22), and these things were in keeping with the prophetic picture of what the Messiah would do, when He came to set up His earthly kingdom (Isa. 35:5-6).

But we know that there are spiritual parallels to these physical maladies. There is spiritual blindness (II Cor. 4:4; Eph. 4:18), and deafness (Ezek. 12:2; II Tim. 4:4), and difficulty speaking. (Perhaps the latter may refer to the fear of man (Prov. 29:25) that keeps us silent, when we have an opportunity to witness for the Lord.)

And just as the Lord was able to heal the physical disabilities, so He can, by His Spirit, restore our spiritual sight, hearing and speech. That is Clara Scott’s prayer, like that of the psalmist who asked the Lord, “Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law” (Ps. 119:18).

(1) Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.

Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

The refrain speaks of keeping silent before God, of a hushed and expectant waiting on Him, which is appropriate. But other times our silence can be a spiritual problem in at least a couple of ways.

  1. If there is sin in our lives that remains unconfessed, it can disrupt our fellowship with the Lord, rob us of peace and joy, and hinder our ministry (Ps. 32:3; Prov. 28:13). And sin, in turn can dull our spiritual sensitivity, keeping us from seeing and hearing God’s truth (Jer 5:21). Sin needs to be confessed (I Jn. 1:9).
  2. It’s sad when we fail to share the good news, when the Lord gives us an opportunity. We need a passion and a heart-felt desire to speak a word for Christ. As Paul puts it, “Necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” (I Cor. 9:16; cf. II Kgs. 7:9).

“Be ready to give a defence [an answer] to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”

I Pet. 3:15

(3) Open my mouth, and let me bear,
Gladly the warm truth everywhere;
Open my heart and let me prepare
Love with Thy children thus to share.

Questions:

  1. What is the remedy (or what are the remedies) for those who are not seeing or hearing God’s truth with their spirits?
  2. In contrast to the above, are there situations when it is wisest to remain silent, and not say what we might want to say? (Give an example.)

Links:

I Need Thee Every Hour

Words: Annie Sherwood Hawks (b. May 28, 1836; d. Jan. 3, 1918)
Music: Robert Lowry (March 12, 1826; d. Nov. 25, 1899)

Note: Robert Lowry was Mrs. Hawks’s pastor. She gave the text of her hymn to him, and he supplied the tune. The original had five stanzas, but for some reason most hymn books I’ve seen omit (4), which adds a significant thought.

(4) I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises in me fulfil.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

When it was first published, Annie Hawks’s hymn was headed by John 15:5 (Jesus speaking), “Without Me you can do nothing.” The text is found in what is sometimes called the Upper Room Discourse, the Lord’s teaching passed on to His disciples, just hours before He was crucified. John 15:1-16 deals with a kind of parable or extended metaphor about The Vine and the Branches.

The Lord Jesus compares Himself to a grape vine (vs. 1), and His disciples to branches of the vine (vs. 5). It is from the vine that the branches receive life and nourishment, enabling them to bear fruit. In the same way, it is as we remain in intimate fellowship with the Lord that His people are equipped and energized to bear spiritual fruit. This is also the basis for effective prayer (vs. 7), since it is how our desires are conformed to His will (cf. I Jn. 5:14).

Fruit-bearing is God’s will for His followers (Jn. 15:16). And we can think of this in two particular ways. There is the inner fruit of Christ-like character that the Lord wants to see produced in us (cf. Gal. 5:22-23), and the outward fruit of our impact on the lives of others, through our own witness and service for Christ (cf. Rom. 1:13; Col. 1:10). For both to happen we need the ongoing and continual ministration of the Lord in our lives, through His Spirit.

(1) I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

I need Thee, O I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
O bless me now, my Saviour,
I come to Thee.

Mrs. Hawks identifies two particular things that can hinder our fruitfulness: sin and suffering. When we succumb to temptation, our sin breaks that intimacy of fellowship with the Lord that’s so essential if we’re to be fruitful. It’s not that we lose our salvation at such times. But there is certainly a loss of power and spiritual effectiveness, and a loss of joy in the Lord.

Suffering’s effect is a little different. Severe and extended suffering robs us of energy, and it can bring discouragement, a sense of inadequacy, even challenging our sense of worth. Often we are more vulnerable to temptation at such times, as well. But the Lord can prepare us to triumph, even then (Phil. 4:13).

It was in just such a state that, by the grace of God, Charlotte Elliott wrote the words of the hymn Just As I Am, some thirty-six years before the present hymn was written. Miss Elliot commented:

“He knows, and He alone, what it is, day after day, hour after hour, to fight against bodily feelings of almost overpowering weakness, languor and exhaustion, to resolve not to yield to slothfulness, depression and instability.”

Charlotte Elliott

Though Annie Hawks didn’t realize it at the time when she wrote her hymn, this struggle would be hers too, in later years, and she would understand in a new way why her song had been an unusual blessing to so many.

(2) I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh.

(3) I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is in vain.

Questions:

  1. In what circumstances during the past week have you especially sensed your need of the Lord?
  2. Sometimes the special ministry of the Lord to a needy individual is conveyed through a Christian brother or sister. Is there someone you could help in this way today?

Links:

O for a Heart to Praise My God

Words: Charles Wesley (b. Dec. 18, 1707; d. March 29, 1788)
Music: Azmon, by Carl Gotthelf Glaser (b. May 4, 1784; d. Apr. 16, 1829)

Note: Wesley’s original version of this hymn had eight stanzas. His title for the hymn was “Make Me a Clean Heart, O God,” from Psalm 51:10. The stanzas commonly used today are: (1), (2), (4), and (8). Charles Wesley’s brother John changed the second line of stanza two from “My dear Redeemer’s throne” to “My great Redeemer’s throne,” and “dearest Lord” in the final stanza became “gracious Lord.” He felt it was improper for hymns to use terms of human affection with reference to God.
The Cyber Hymnal lists several possible tunes. I’m most familiar with Glaser’s Azmon (adapted by Lowell Mason after he visited Glaser on a tour of Europe). Hymn historian Robert Guy McCutchan suggests the beautiful tune Belmont as a possibility, and it works well.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

This hymn is rooted in the doctrine of Wesleyan perfectionism. A contemporary of the Wesleys, Methodist clergyman John Fletcher said of the song, “Here is undoubtedly an evangelical prayer for the love which restores the soul to a state of sinless rest and scriptural perfection.” I disagree with the teaching that claims we can reach such a state in this life. We may confess every known sin–a tall order in itself!– but we have little conception of what other sins may lurk within, or how far short we fall of the perfection of Christ.

However, there is much in this hymn that we can apply to ourselves. Many years ago, an old Congregational pastor and his wife argued over whether Christian perfection could be a reality or not on this side of the grave. Finally, they came together in their agreement that both could sing the text of this hymn. Even if the things Wesley describes never become a reality until we’re ushered into the presence of Christ, they are certainly worthy aspirations.

(1) O for a heart to praise my God,
A heart from sin set free,
A heart that always feels Thy blood
So freely shed for me.

(2) A heart resigned, submissive, meek,
My great Redeemer’s throne,
Where only Christ is heard to speak,
Where Jesus reigns alone.

There is always room to grow. And the Spirit of God continues His work in each Christian, reproducing in our lives the image of Christ. That process (sometimes called progressive sanctification) is something we can pray for, in ourselves and others.

“We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (II Cor. 3:18). “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:29).

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in [i.e. settle down and be at home in] your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height–to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Eph. 3:14-19

Question:

  1. What practical differences does it make who controls our lives?
  2. What is the last area of self-centred self control in your own life that needs to be surrendered to the Lord?

Links:

Reviews and Ideas: The Scofield Study Bible III

The Scofield Bible has been around for nearly a century, having been published first in 1909. The original work by Cyrus I. Scofield has been revised or reformatted a number of times–in 1917, 1967, 1989, and now again in 2002. Its study notes provide a solid defense of the great fundamentals of the faith, doing so from a premillennial and dispensational point of view. Though no study notes are divinely inspired, used with caution and care, these can be a great help to the one searching the Scriptures and seeking to understand and apply what is found there. There are many study Bibles available today–some quite good, some very poor. This is an excellent study Bible.

The Scofield Study Bible III

I received my first Scofield as a boy of twelve, and have used one extensively in my study and teaching ever since. With great interest I obtained a copy of the most recent edition, wanting to see what had been done with “Scofield III.” The copy I have before me uses the text of the New King James Version (which is my usual translation). It includes the notes of the previous edition, with a few things added and changed.

a) Over a hundred of the notes, dealing with specific subjects rather than a passage found on the page, have been placed in boxes to highlight them.

b) There are also new biographical notes, and genealogical tables.

c) Some added notes do not seem particularly helpful. There are over 550 in-text definitions of Bible names–David, Abraham, Sodom, and so on. But since many of these names are used multiple times in the Word of God they are often not on the page where the reader will need them. Such things are better left to an index (where they are also found in this Bible, with a helpful guide to their pronunciation).

In addition, some of the name definitions are questionable. We are told, for example, that “Israel” means Soldier of God. But this is by no means certain. F. W. Grant suggests the meaning Prince with God; Keil and Delitzsch give us God’s Fighter. Another suggests He Who Struggles with God. Still others turn the meaning around to refer to God, rather than Jacob. The Bible Knowledge Commentary has God Fights. Other suggestions include: May God Strive; God Rules, and so on. A fuller note on such an important word would have been helpful.

d) The fonts used for the Bible text, the headings, and notes, are good. Very readable. However, the edition produced in 1989 by Thomas Nelson Publishers used bold verse numbers to indicate the beginning of new paragraphs. For some reason this practice was not followed in Scofield III, and it is a significant loss. Also, the 1989 Bible I have has two ribbons for marking one’s place in the Bible and I have found this extremely useful. Scofield III has only one.

e) There are about 70 useful in-text maps and charts to assist the reader, plus a number of full-colour maps in the traditional place at the back of the book.

f) The copy I obtained is also thumb-indexed. This is supposed to aid the individual in finding a particular book or passage more quickly. But it is an unnecessary feature. Anyone who uses the Bible enough to know the approximate location of the books will not need it. Further, it takes up to a half dozen little nicks out of each page, with more corners to catch and curl. Avoid this feature.

Though there are things I would not have done the way they have been, in general, this is a worthy variation on the great Scofield tradition. The content cannot help but enrich your understanding of God’s wonderful Word. Very much recommended. Scofield III (The Scofield Study Bible).

Dare to Be a Daniel

Words: Philip Paul Bliss (b. July 9, 1838; d. Dec. 29, 1876)
Music: Philip Paul Bliss

Note: Philip Bliss wrote this song for his Sunday School class at the First Congregational Church, of Chicago, three years before his death.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

As a young man, likely still in his teens, Daniel was carried away as a slave into Babylon (Dan. 1:1-4). From the very start, he showed himself to be an individual with strong spiritual values and the courage of his convictions. His first challenge related to the diet prescribed for him and his companions (Daniel 1:5).

We are not told what Daniel had against it, but perhaps Hebrew dietary laws were at issue, or had been dedicated to an idol god of the Babylonians. Philip Bliss suggests he was “heeding God’s command.” Whatever the case:

“Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank.”

Daniel 1:8

(1) Standing by a purpose true,
Heeding God’s command,
Honour them, the faithful few!
All hail to Daniel’s band!

The convictions of three of Daniel’s young friends bring them into conflict with King Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 3. The king set up a monstrous idol, and commanded all the bow before it in worship (Daniel 3:1, 4-5). Daniel does not enter the picture, and he may have been off somewhere in the empire doing business for the king. But the three Hebrews are definitely part of “Daniel’s band” spiritually. They refuse to do as the king commands (vs. 16-18), and are throw into a roaring furnace (vs.21), there to be preserved by a mighty miracle of God (vs. 25, 28).

In the sixth chapter of Daniel we see the prophet, now an adult, once again put in jeopardy by his personal convictions. He had risen to a place of authority. And jealous leaders in the empire attempted to discredit him. Significantly, they had great trouble finding any fault in godly Daniel (vs. 5) But they pressed the king (Darius, in this case) to pass a law forbidding anyone from making a request of any god, for thirty days–addressing their petitions only to the king during that time (vs. 7).

In spite of the edict, Daniel boldly continued his practice of praying three times a day, and made no attempt to hide it. He was cast into a den of ravenous lions as a result, but was protected by the Lord (vs. 16, 21-22).

These are amazing deliverances, and wonderful demonstrations of the supernatural power of God. But such things don’t happen often. Sometimes the Lord delivers us from a trial; other times He gives us the grace to endure it and bring glory to Him in it (cf. Heb. 11:32-40). The three Hebrew friends of Daniel understood that. When threatened with the fiery furnace they said:

“Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Daniel 3:17-18

They had confidence in God’s ability to rescue them, but they didn’t presume to know His will in this particular instance. “But if [help was] not” forthcoming, they still would not bow before the king’s image. How we need men and women of such conviction today!

(2) Many mighty men are lost
Daring not to stand,
Who for God had been a host
By joining Daniel’s band.

Dare to be a Daniel,
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm!
Dare to make it known.

Questions:

  1. What kind of situations are you facing now that require moral convictions, and a bold stand for Christ and the principles of God’s Word?
  2. How can we help and encourage others to take a stand for God?

Links:

Sound the Battle Cry

Words: William Fisk Sherman (b. March 14, 1826; d. Apr. 14, 1888)
Music: William Fisk Sherman

Note: Words and music for this rousing gospel song were first published in 1869. The dust had barely settled from the cavalry charges of the American Civil War that ended in 1865. We catch the spirit of that mortal conflict here, applied to our battle for the Lord.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Service for Christ is to be patient, gracious and loving (I Thess. 5:14; I Tim. 5:11). But it also involves spiritual conflict (Eph. 6:10-17; I Tim. 1:18; 6:12; II Tim. 2:1, 3-4). There is a great deal of wisdom in this simply gospel song. Mr. Fisk identifies several things in (1) and on that the church of Jesus Christ, and individual Christians, should be doing:

  1. “Sound the battle cry.” Let people know there is an enemy to face, and a spiritual battle to be fought. We need to “rouse then,” (refrain) both ourselves and others. Time to wake up and be on the alert.
  2. “See the foe is nigh.” Satan is ever on the prowl. “Your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (I Pet. 5:8).
  3. “Raise the standard high for the Lord.” In ancient warfare an army’s “standard” or banner became a rallying point, a encouragement to others to keep fighting and maintain their stand. There’s an echo of George Root’s Civil War song here:

Yes we’ll rally round the flag, boys,
Rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom.

George Root

“When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him” (Isa. 59:19). So, as Fisk’s refrain puts it, let us “rally round the banner” of the cross of Christ.

  1. “Gird your armour on.” The Word of God goes into some detail regarding the Christian’s armour (Eph. 6:10-17; cf. Heb. 4:12). If you want a detailed explanation of each piece of equipment, see my article Christian Armour.
  2. “Stand firm everyone.” It’s the bottom line, in Christian conflict–“and having done all, to stand [remain steadfast in the faith]” (Eph. 6:13). “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong” (I Cor. 16:13). William Fisk explains what this entails in his next line.
  3. “Rest your cause upon His holy Word.” He’s speaking of the rest of faith, that trusts fully in the promises of God.
  4. In (2) the author encourages believers by reminding us that “our cause, we know, must prevail,” and ultimately “we ne’er can fail. The plan and purpose of a sovereign God will come to a successful conclusion.
  5. That being so, we look forward to our triumphant gathering before the Lord Jesus Christ, and to the distribution of heavenly rewards.

(3) O! Thou God of all, hear us when we call,
Help us one and all by Thy grace;
When the battle’s done, and the vict’ry’s won,
May we wear the crown before Thy face.

Questions:

  1. What are some key things that can help us to remain gracious, patient and loving, on the one hand, and fiercely determined as fighters for the Lord, on the other?
  2. In your own community, what particular battle lines have been drawn between God’s holy standard, as opposed to worldliness and sin?

Links:

Because He Lives

Words: Gloria Gaither (b. March 4, 1942)
Music: William James Gaither (b. March 28, 1936)

Note: The Cyber Hymnal has brief notes on Bill and Gloria Gaither, but none of their songs, at this point.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

The word “because” is a conjunction that shows us the reason for something. For example: He was late for work because his car had a flat. Centuries ago, it was written “bi cause”–by this cause something is true, since this happened here is the result.

You’ll find the word “because” many times in the Word of God. Some are particularly relevant to Gloria Gaither’s theme. Before He when to Calvary, the Lord Jesus declared to His followers, “Because I live, you will live also” (Jn. 14:19).

God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus;
He came to love, heal, and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Saviour lives.

Because He lives I can face tomorrow;
Because He lives all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

This theme is pursued relentlessly in the resurrection chapter, First Corinthians 15, where the Christian’s future resurrection is tied to that of the Lord Jesus. Says Paul, “If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!” (vs. 17). “But now Christ is risen from the dead” (vs. 20). And “since [or because] by man [Adam] came death, by Man [Christ] also came the resurrection of the dead” (vs. 21).

God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that [because, since] while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Rom. 5:8

These are not truths discernible by human beings on their own. They are given to us by divine revelation, and illuminated to us by the Holy Spirit. “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (I Cor. 2:14).

When we’re saved, we experience a spiritual birth, and are indwelt by the Spirit of God. As those who belong to the family of God, we have a sense of our relationship to God, and a heart that’s in tune with His heart. “Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’” (Gal. 4:6).

As we walk in the Spirit, day by day, we grow and develop as Christians. As Paul says to the Thessalonian believers, “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other” (II Thess. 1:3).

“We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For [because] whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:28-29).

And we are also equipped for service, and called to serve the Lord. Paul’s testimony was, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry” (I Tim. 1:12).

All of that and more is made possible “because He lives”!

Questions:

  1. What are a few of the things that would not be true today, if Christ were still in the grave?
  2. What are some of the things that are certainties for the Christian, because Christ is risen?

Links:

Jehovah Tsidkenu

Words: Robert Murray McCheyne (b. May 21, 1813; d. March 25, 1843)
Music: Gordon, by Adoniram Judson Gordon (b. Apr. 13, 1836; d. Feb. 2, 1895)

Note: This wonderful seven stanza hymn was written by famed Scottish preacher Robert Murray McCheyne. Though he died shortly before his thirtieth birthday, the Lord used him to have a great impact on the church. The hymn is also called I Once Was a Stranger. The tune Gordon is the one that has traditionally been used with My Jesus, I Love Thee, but it is not the one I remember being used with McCheyne’s hymn. If you have a copy of Ira Sankey’s Sacred Songs and Solos, check out the tune used for Jehovah Tsidkenu there (#897).

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

The Hebrew word “Tsidkenu” (pronounced Sid-KAY-noo) is part of a messianic title. The prophesied coming One is called “the LORD our Righteousness [or Jehovah Tsidkenu]” (Jer. 23:5-6). In that glorious name is capsulized the message of the gospel. That Christ is the righteous One, and we have His perfect righteousness credited to our account by faith. He is our righteousness.

“My righteous Servant [Christ] shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities” (Isa. 53:11). “Of Him [God the Father] you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us… righteousness” (I Cor. 1:30). “Even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe” (Rom. 3:22). “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (II Cor. 5:21).

The problem Pastor McCheyne identifies is that the natural man, man in his unsaved, unregenerate state, does not have the spiritual sensitivity to grasp this great truth. “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (I Cor. 2:14).

(1) I once was a stranger to grace and to God,
I knew not my danger, and felt not my load;
Though friends spoke in rapture of Christ on the tree,
Jehovah Tsidkenu was nothing to me.

What is needed is the convicting and illuminating power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus spoke of sending Him to carry on this ministry. “I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin…because they do not believe in Me” (Jn. 16:7-9). It is a fearful thing to stand guilty before a holy God, and know that no work of ours can serve as a remedy.

(4) When free grace awoke me, by light from on high,
Then legal fears shook me, I trembled to die;
No refuge, no safety in self could I see—
Jehovah Tsidkenu my Saviour must be.

But it is also the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal Christ to us, in all His love and saving power. As Jesus said, “He will glorify Me [pointing sinners to the Saviour]” (Jn. 16:14). It is also by the Spirit of God that we receive the new birth (Tit. 3:5-6; cf. Jn. 7:37-39).

(5) My terrors all vanished before the sweet name;
My guilty fears banished, with boldness I came
To drink at the fountain, life giving and free—
Jehovah Tsidkenu is all things to me.

(6) Jehovah Tsidkenu! my treasure and boast,
Jehovah Tsidkenu! I ne’er can be lost;
In Thee I shall conquer by flood and by field,
My cable, my anchor, my breast-plate and shield!

Questions:

  1. Did you, or someone you know, go through the dramatic change of heart described in Murray McCheyne’s words:
    From “…Jehovah Tsidkenu was nothing to me.”
    To “…Jehovah Tsidkenu is all things to me.”     ?
    What life changes (from what to what?) accompanied this transforming turn-around?
  2. In the last line of (6), the author uses both a nautical and military imagery to describe what Christ means to him. How would you explain these two pictures?

Links:

Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken

Words: Henry Francis Light (b. June 1, 1793; d. Nov. 20, 1847)
Music: Ellesdie, ascribed to Wolfgang Mozart (b. Jan. 27, 1756; d. Dec. 5, 1791)

Note: Mozart was thought to be a possible composer of the tune, but the connection has not been authenticated. The original hymn had six stanzas. Of these, (1), (2), (3) and (6) are commonly used today. Henry Lyte’s publication of the hymn was headed by the words, “Lo, we have left all, and have followed Thee” (Mk. 10:28, KJV).

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

For too many professing faith in Christ, it seems a matter of “All this and Jesus too!” They have not felt inclined to abandon anything of their former lives. Not that we earn salvation by this. We are saved by grace alone, not by how much we sacrifice to earn God’s acceptance. But too often the Lord is simply a happy addition to it all. However, that is hardly the pattern set by Christ (Lk. 9:58; II Cor. 8:9). Nor is it true to the story of the martyrs, from Stephen and James (Acts 7:59-60; 12:1-2), down to the present day.

Sadly, our secular media rarely pays much attention to Christians around the world who are suffering for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in the twenty-first century. However, a Christian agency called Open Doors International keeps track of what is happening, and by various means seeks to help persecuted believers worldwide. An estimated 100 million Christians, across the globe suffer arrest, interrogation, torture, imprisonment, and death. Many more are exposed to cruel discrimination, and alienation by family and friends.

When Christ becomes everything, and all is sacrificed to one’s life and service for Him, following the Lord Jesus makes a stark contrast to anything that came before. That is the sober message of this hymn. Faced with it, many would draw back in horror, and their lives would echo Paul’s sad reference to a former travelling companion: “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world” (II Tim. 4:10).

Jesus declared, “Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Lk. 14:33). We are humbled when we see this kind of devotion played out in the lives of God’s faithful saints. Yet there’s no indication that it’s to be exceptional and unusual. Each of us only a steward of what God has given–time and talents, material things, and even relationships. And if we confess all to be truly His, then the Lord has a right to do as He pleases with His property!

(1) Jesus, I my cross have taken, all to leave and follow Thee.
Destitute, despised, forsaken, Thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every fond ambition, all I’ve sought or hoped or known.
Yet how rich is my condition! God and heaven are still mine own.

(2) Let the world despise and leave me, they have left my Saviour, too.
Human hearts and looks deceive me; Thou art not, like man, untrue.
And while Thou shalt smile upon me, God of wisdom, love and might,
Foes may hate and friends disown me, show Thy face and all is bright.

In a stanza not commonly used today, Henry Lyte voices this abandonment of all things in strong terms. Would we be willing to sing these words?

(3) Go, then, earthly fame and treasure!
Come, disaster, scorn and pain!
In Thy service, pain is pleasure; with Thy favour, loss is gain.
I have called Thee, “Abba, Father”; I have set my heart on Thee:
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather, all must work for good to me.

This is one who, with Paul, could say, “Indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Phil. 3:8), asserting with confidence that when “all things” are placed in the hands of God, He will work them together for our good and His great glory (Rom. 8:28-30).

The pain and loss suffered here are small when compared to the blessings of eternity up ahead. In that sense, we should not count losses and gains with too small a measure (Acts 20:24; Rom. 8:18; II Cor. 4:16-18).

(6) Haste thee on from grace to glory,
Armed by faith, and winged by prayer,
Heaven’s eternal day’s before thee,
God’s own hand shall guide thee there.
Soon shall close thy earthly mission, swift shall pass thy pilgrim days;
Hope soon change to glad fruition, faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

Questions:

  1. What does this kind of theme have to say about our values and priorities?
  2. What happens to a church or an individual when this message is rejected or ignored?

Links:

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