"A BLESSING IN PRAYER"

"Giving thanks always...unto God...in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Eph. 5.20)

INTRO.: A song which mentions some of the benefits that we can gain when we bow our heads to give thanks to God through our Lord Jesus Christ is "A Blessing In Prayer" (#34 in "Sacred Selections for the Church"). The text was written by Eliza Edmunds Hewitt (1851-1920). Hewitt produced many hymns in our books, including "Sunshine in the Soul," "More About Jesus," "When We All Get To Heaven," "Will There Be Any Stars In My Crown," "For Christ And The Church," "Give Me Thy Heart," "Stepping In The Light," and Who Will Follow Jesus." The tune was composed by William James Kirkpatrick (1838-1921). Some books give a copyright date of 1889, but the song was first published in the 1887 "Glad Hallelujahs" compiled by Kirkpatrick and John Robson Sweney (although sometimes songs were added in later editions of such books).

The earliest book published by members of the Lord's church for use among churches of Christ in the 20th century in which I have been able to find this song is the 1935 "Christian Hymns" No. 1, edited by L. O. Sanderson and published by The Gospel Advocate Co. After that, it also appeared in the 1948 "Christian Hymns No. 2" and the 1966 "Christian Hymns No. 3," as well as the 1937 "Great Songs of the Church No. 2" edited by E. L. Jorgenson and the 1963 "Abiding Hymns" edited by Robert C. Welch. In addition to "Sacred Selections," it can still be found in the 1971 "Songs of the Church" and the 1990 "Songs of the Church 21st C. Ed.," both edited by Alton H. Howard, and the 1992 "Praise for the Lord" edited by John P. Wiegand.

The song suggests several reasons why prayer can be such a blessing.

I. According to the first stanza, prayer brings us rest to our souls

"There is rest, sweet rest, at the Master's feet, There is favor now at the mercy seat,

For atoning blood has been sprinkled there, There is always a blessing, a blessing in prayer."

A. Jesus invites us to come to Him for rest: Matt. 11.28-30

B. The reason that we can find rest in Christ is because He is our "mercy seat", antitypical of the covering of the ark of the covenant which symbolized God's presence among the people of Israel: Exo. 25.17-22, Lev. 16.1-16

C. Just as the blood of a goat was brought to the Old Testament mercy seat to make atonement for the people, so Jesus's blood was shed to make atonement for all mankind: Heb. 9.11-14. Thus, in many hymns, the term "mercy seat" is often used, figuratively and poetically, for prayer as the means by which we can approach God through the atoning blood of Christ.

II. According to the second stanza, prayer brings us grace to help in our needs

"There is grace to help in our time of need, For our Friend above is a friend indeed;

We may cast on Him every grief and care; There is always a blessing, a blessing in prayer."

A. Because of the atoning blood of Christ, we can go through Him as our High Priest to find grace to help in time of need: Heb. 4.14-16

B. Therefore, we can be assured that He will always be there for us as a Friend in time of need: Jn. 15.13-15

C. And as a result of this, we may cast all our burdens and cares on Him: Psa. 55.22, 1 Pet. 5.7

III. According to the third stanza, prayer brings us equanimity in our minds

"When our songs are glad with the joy of life, When our hearts are sad with its ills and strife,

When the powers of sin would the soul ensnare, There is always a blessing, a blessing in prayer."

A. Sometimes our lives are such that we are filled with songs of joy: Ps. 95.1-7; expressing thanks to God in prayer can increase our gladness

B. Other times our lives are such that we are sad because of ills and strife: Ps. 4.1-8; calling upon God in prayer can comfort us in our trials

C. And at all times we face temptations which would ensnare our souls: Jas. 1.13-15; going to God in prayer can give us strength to resist the evil one

IV. According to the fourth stanza, prayer brings us peace in our hearts

"There is perfect peace though the wild waves roll, There are gifts of love for the seeking soul,

Till we praise the Lord in His home so fair, There is always a blessing, a blessing in prayer."

A. God offers perfect peace to those who have the kind of relationship with Him where they can make their requests known to Him in prayer: Isa. 26.3, Phil. 4.6-7

B. Thus, through prayer we can receive gifts from God which demonstrate His love for us as a Father for His children: Matt. 7.7-12

C. And we can have this access to God in prayer as long as this life remains, while we look forward to that time when we shall praise Him in His home so fair: Rom. 5.1-2, Eph. 2.14-18

CONCL.: The chorus continues to remind us of the wonderful privileges that the child of God has in prayer:

"There's a blessing in prayer, in believing prayer, When our Savior's name to the throne we bear;

Then a Father's love will receive us there: There's always a blessing, a blessing in prayer."

There should never be a time in our lives when we cannot go to God and talk with our heavenly Father. Hence, may we always remember that no matter what may happen to us in this life, there is "A Blessing In Prayer."

"A GLORY GILDS THE SACRED PAGE"

"How will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?" (2 Cor. 3.8)

INTRO.: A song which talks about the glory of the ministry of the Spirit who revealed the word of God is "A Glory Gilds The Sacred Page." The text is taken from a poem that was written by William Cowper (1731-1800). It first appeared in the "Olney Hymns," Book II, published in 1779, which he put together with John Newton. Cowper is well known for such hymns as "There Is A Fountain" and "O For A Closer Walk With God."  The tune (Burlington) most often associated with it was composed by John Freckleton Burrows (1787-1852). It is believed to have first appeared in 1830. The eariest American usage seems to be in J. Ireland Tucker's 1872 "Hymnal with Tunes Old and New."

Among historic hymnals used by churches of Christ in the twentieth century, the song is found in the 1966 "Christian Hymns No. 3" in an arrangement by the editor, L. O. Sanderson. The only other use of this text in books published among churches of Christ that I have found is in the 1963 "Christian Hymnal" with a tune (Manoah) by Henry W. Greatorex usually associated with Samuel Stennett's "Majestic Sweetness." The song, almost exactly as found in "Christian Hymns No. 3" except without Sanderson's arrangement, is located in "Christian Praise," published by the Broadman Company, a Baptist publisher.

The hymn suggests some reasons why God's word is glorious.

I. Stanza one says that it is the sacred page

"A glory gilds the sacred page, Majestic like the sun,

It gives a light to every age; It gives, but borrows none."

A. It is the sacred page, the holy scripture, because is inspired of God: 2 Tim. 3.15-17

B. It is majestic like the sun because it reveals to us the "Sun of righteousness": Mal. 4.2

C. It gives a light to every age because it is a lamp to our feet: Ps. 119.105

II. Stanza two says that it is from God

"The hand that gave it still supplies The gracious light and heat;

"His truths upon the nations rise; They rise, but never set."

A. The same God who created the world and upholds all things by the word of His power, giving us light and heat, also gave us this word: Gen. 1.1, Heb. 1.1-3

B. It is in this sacred page that His truths upon the nations rise: Jn. 8.32, 17.17

C. And this truth never sets because the word of the Lord abides forever: Matt. 24.35, 1 Pet. 1.22-24

III. Stanza three says that it brings light to our day

"Let everlasting thanks be Thine For such a bright display,

As makes a world of darkness shine With beams of heavenly day."

A. It is a bright display because it came from Jesus who is the light of the world: Jn. 8.12

B. We need this light because the world is in darkness: 1 Jn. 5.19

C. And this light brings beams of heavenly day: 2 Pet. 1.19

IV. Stanza four says that it will lead us to brighter worlds above

"My soul rejoices to pursue The steps of Him I love,

Till glory breaks upon my view In brighter worlds above."

A. It is in the word that the example of Jesus which is given for us to follow is found: 1 Pet. 2.21-25

B. Following His example is intended to lead us in the strait and narrow way which will bring us to the place where glory breaks upon our view: Matt. 7.13-14

C. And when we get to the brighter worlds above, we shall be where there will never again be any night: Rev. 21.22-25

V. There is another stanza, actually the first of the stanzas of Cowper's poem, which I have seen in a some denominational hymnbooks; it says that the word is glorious because it was given through the Spirit.

"The Spirit breathes upon the Word And brings the truth to sight;

Precepts and promises afford A sanctifying light."

A. On first reading, the stanza seems to be saying that some direct operation of the Spirit is necessary upon the already revealed word to bring the truth to sight in the mind of the reader, a common denominational doctrine (which may be why our books omitted it). However, it is also possible that the poet is here simply using the present tense figuratively to talk about the revelation of the scripture in which the Spirit breathed upon the word as He made it known to those who were chosen by Christ to bring the truth to sight: Jn. 14.26, 15.26, 16.13

B. Thus, the Spirit guided the holy apostles and prophets as they brought the truth to sight through first their preaching, and then their writing: Eph. 3.3-5

C. The Spirit's breathing upon the word could be looked upon as His giving those inspired men the very words by which to speak and write God's will: 1 Cor. 2.10-13

CONCL.: Christians, of course, believe that the Bible is the sacred page, the revealed word of God, given through Christ by the Holy Spirit to inspired apostles and prophets. We sing other songs which refer to the message of the Bible as "Wonderful Words of Life" and in which we make the request, "Give Me The Bible." And one of the reasons that we revere the Bible so much is that "A Glory Gilds The Sacred Page."

"A SOUL WINNER FOR JESUS"

"I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some" (1 Cor. 9.22).

INTRO.: A song which exhorts us to do everything that we can by all means save some is "A Soul Winner for Jesus" (#568 in "Hymns for Worship Revised" and #93 in "Sacred Selections for the Church"). The text was written and the tune was composed both by James W. Ferrill (1879-1973). A native Texan whose family were members of the church of Christ, he began his study of music at age 15 and after graduating from college began conducting singing schools. His love for music brought him employemnt with first the Trio Music Co., and then the Quartet Music Co. In 1905, he was taking a thorough music course with The Analytical New Light Normal School of Music in Waco, TX, in which the class was given the assignment to write words to the title, "I Want To Be A Soul Winner For Jesus." After the class, he continued to work on it for two years before submitting it to a publisher. It was copyrighted in 1907 by the Quartet Music Co. During his life, he published around 40 hymns and spent his last days in the Park Place Nursing Home in Mart, TX, where he died at the age of 94.

This hymn, probably his best known, gives several reasons for being soul winners.

I. According to stanza 1, we should be soul winners because Jesus who died for us wants us to be

"I want to be a soul winner for Jesus every day, He does so much for me;

I want to aid the lost sinner to leave his erring way, And be from bondage free."

A. I once read a question where someone asked if it were scriptural to talk about soul winning and call Christians who work at it soulwinners; the Bible says that he who wins souls is wise: Prov. 11.30-31

B. And we should want to be soul winners for Jesus every day because He has done so much for us: Rom. 5.8, 1 Tim. 1.15

C. Thinking about what He has done for us, we should want to aid lost sinners to leave their erring ways so that they too can be from bondage free: Rom. 6.18-19

II. According to stanza 2, we should be soul winners because the lost need to be brought to Christ

"I want to be a soul winner and bring the lost to Christ, That they His grace may know;

I want to live for Christ ever and do His blessed will, Because He loves me so."

A. We need to remember how Andrew brought his brother, Simon (Peter) to Jesus and strive to follow that good example: Jn. 1.35-42

B. The purpose for which we seek to bring the lost to Christ is that they His grace may know: Eph. 2.8-9

C. But it is also important to remember that this is needed so that both we and they may live for Christ ever and do His blessed will: Matt. 28.18-20

III. According to stanza 3, we shouild be soul winners because we want to receive a shining crown

"I want to be a soul winner till Jesus calls for me To lay my burdens down;

I want to hear Him say, 'Sinner, you've gathered many sheaves, Receive a shining crown."

A. We need to be soul winners till Jesus calls us to lay our burdens down, because we must work while it is day: Jn. 9.4

B. Our hope in this is that we will be able to gather many sheaves in His service: Jn. 4.36-38

C. And when we have laid our burdens down, if we have done what we can to gather many sheaves, we can receive a shining crown: Rev. 2.10

CONCL.: The chorus impresses upon us the importance of being soul winners for Jesus each day because of what He has done for us.

"A soul winner for Jesus, a soul winner for Jesus, O let me be each day;

A soul winner for Jesus, a soul winner for Jesus, He's done so much for me."

What a great way to begin the new year--resolve to do as much as we can in the year 2000 to introduce as many souls to Jesus as we possibly can! So one very important aspect of the lives that we are to live for the Lord is being "A Soul Winner For Jesus."

"BRIEF LIFE IS HERE OUR PORTION"

"Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them....There will be no more pain, for the former things have passed away" (Rev. 21.3-4).

INTRO.: A song which pictures heaven as a place where God will dwell with His people and there will be no more pain is "Brief Life Is Here Our Portion." The text is attributed to Bernard of Cluny, also known as Bernard of Morlaix (early 12th century, c. 1122-1156). It is taken from a section, Hic breve vivitur, of a 3,000 line medieval poem, De Contemptu Mundi (On the Contemptableness of the World), beginning Hora novissima, tempora pessima, sunt, vigilemus, which was produced around 1140-1145. The English translation was made by John Mason Neale (1818-1866). He found 95 lines of the poem in Trench's 1849 Sacred Latin Poetry and translated portions of it in his own 1851 Medieval Hymns and Sequences. Due to the splendid response to his efforts, he translated 218 more lines from the original poem in his 1858 Rhythm of Bernard of Morlaix, Monk of Cluny. Eight hymns have been taken from Neale's translation, including "Jerusalem the Golden" and "For Thee, O Dear, Dear Country."

The tune (St. Alphege) to which this song is usually set, at least in the books used among churches of Christ, was composed by Henry John Gauntlett, who was born, the son of an Anglican minister, at Wellington in Shropshire, England, on July 9, 1805, and was playing the organ at age nine. After being educated in both law and music, he was admitted to the bar, but was awarded an honorary Mus.D. degree in 1843 by the Archbishop of Canterbury for his contributions to church music and gave up his law practice in 1844 to devote his life to music. An important figure in Victorian church music, he became an organist and produced over 10,000 hymn tunes, publishing at least five works. This tune first appeared in the 1852 Church Hymnal and Tune Book which he edited with W. J. Blew. He died at Kensington in London, England, on Feb. 21, 1876.

Among hymnbooks published in the 20th century for use in churches of Christ, this hymn was found in the 1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 edited by E. L. Jorgenson, and the 1965 Great Christian Hymnal No. 2 edited by Tillit S. Teddlie. Today, it can be found in the 1986 Great Songs Revised edited by Forrest M. McCann and Jack Boyd, and the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand. The tune was used with a hymn "Lead, Holy Shepherd, Lead Us" by Clement of Alexandria in the 1925 edition of Great Songs of the Church No. 1 also edited by Jorgenson. Of the twelve stanzas that Neale translated for this hymn, only five have been in common use.

The hymn points our minds to what awaits us in heaven contrasted to earth.

I. Stanza 1 refers to the tearless life

"Brief life is here our portion; Brief sorrow, short lived care;

The life that knows no ending, The tearless life, is there."

A. The life that we know here on earth is brief: Ps. 90.9-10

B. Yet, brief as it is, it is often filled with sorrow and care: Job 14.1-2

C. In contrast, the tearless, neverending life is there, as opposed to here: Mk. 10.30

II. Stanza 2 refers to the everlasting reward (orig. #5)

"And now we fight the battle, But then shall wear the crown

Of full and everlasting And passionless renown."

A. As long as we live in this life, there will be battles to be fought: 1 Tim. 6.12

B. But then, we shall have won the victory and receive the crown: Rev. 2.10

C. And once we win this victory, we shall have everlasting life: 2 Jn. 2.25

III. Stanza 3 refers to the morning (orig. #9)

"The morning shall awaken, The shadows flee away,

And each true hearted servant Shall shine as doth the day."

A. After the night of sorrow, we can look forward to the joy that will come in the morning: Ps. 30.5

B. Of course, this morning shall awaken only for those who are true hearted servants of Christ: Rev. 22.1-3

C. But those servants shall shine as doth the day: Dan. 12.3

IV. Stanza 4 refers to the presence of God (orig. #10)

"There God, our King and Portion, In fullness of His grace,

We then shall see forever, And worship face to face."

A. The dwelling place of God, our King and Portion, is heaven: Matt. 6.9

B. When we are gathered to Him in His dwelling place, we shall sin Him forever: Matt. 5.8

C. And like the angels, they will worship Him face to face: Rev. 4.1-11

V. Stanza 5 refers to the sweet and blessed country (orig. #11)

"O sweet and blessed country, The home of God's elect!

O sweet and blessed country, That eager hearts expect!"

A. Heaven is referred to as a country or a city: Heb. 11.16, 13.14

B. It is the home of God's elect, those who have been chosen by Him because they have chosen His way: Rom. 8.33

C. The elect expect it with eager hearts because their citizenship is in heaven: Phil. 3.20-21

CONCL.: Some have objected to hymns like this, saying that they reflect a medieval and thus outmoded concept of heaven. Therefore, our modern ideas of religion and heaven make it necessary to retranslate the medieval symbols. However, the fact is that those who wish to please God must still understand the distinction that must be made between the transitoriness of this world and the eternal verities of heaven. Forrest M. McCann aptly states of this hymn, "It stands a blessed affirmation of hope in a world that needs hope so desparately." It is just as true, as it was in medieval times and even in the first century, and we need to remember that in contrast to the eternal life of heaven, "Brief Life Is Here Our Portion."

"BRINGING IN THE SHEAVES"

"He that goeth forth...bearing precious seed, shall...come...rejoicing, bring his sheaves...." (Ps. 126.6)

INTRO.: A song which compares the idea of preaching the gospel and winning souls to bringing in sheaves of grain is "Bringing In The Sheaves" (#571 in "Sacred Selections for the Church"). The text was written by Knowles Shaw (1834-1878). It was first published anonymously in his 1874 work "The Golden Gate for the Sunday School" and first appeared with his name in "The Morning Star, A New Collection of Sunday School Music" of 1877. Shaw was a well-known evangelist and song-writer among churches of Christ and Christian Churches during the late 19th century who lived in Ohio and Indiana, and died in a train wreck near McKinney, TX. Some of his other hymns which are still used today are "I Am The Vine," for which he provided both words and music, and tunes for Anne Richter's "We Saw Thee Not" and Carolyn Smith's "Tarry With Me."

The tune (Harvest) that we use is usually identified as having been composed by George Austin Minor, who was born on Dec. 7, 1845, in Richmond, VA. Educated at a military academy in Richmond, he served in the Confederate army during the American Civil War. Afterwards, he taught singing schools in VA, and about 1875 co-founded the Hume-Minor Company of Richmond and Norfolk which manufactured pianos and organs. His wife Jennie, whom he married in 1886, was the daughter of Capt. J. H. Prince of Green Plain, VA. A member of the First Baptist Church of Richmond, he led singing for the Sunday school and published several volumes of Sunday school music, including "Golden Light for Sunday Schools #1" of 1879, which first included this melody, two more editions of "Golden Light," "Standard Songs," and "The Rosebud," before his death in Richmond on Jan. 29, 1904.

Shaw had published his own music with the poem, but most books credit Minor with the present tune. Actually, Minor's tune is quite similar to Shaw's original melody and almost seems to be based on it, so that it could be called somewhat of an arrangement. In "The Cross and Resurrection in Song" Flavil Hall wrote, "'Bringing in the Sheaves' was written, both words and music, by Knowles Shaw....Mr. Geo. A Minor later made a few 'minor' changes in it, transposing it from C to B-flat, and published it in a little leaflet with a few of his own pieces." Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church for use in churches of Christ during the twentieth century, the song was included in the 1921 "Great Songs of the Church" No. 1, and has been in almost every other book since then with the exception of "Hymns for Worship" edited by Dane K. Shepard and R. J. Stevens and "Songs of Faith and Praise" edited by Alton H. Howard.

The song encourages us to keep sowing the seed that we might reap the harvest.

I. Stanza 1 emphasizes the importance of sowing the seed

"Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness, Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eves,

Waiting for the harvest and the time of reaping--We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves."

A. A sower must go forth to sow: Lk. 8.5; some might argue that Jesus or the apostles are the sower since they revealed the word, but the truth is that the Lord wants all Christians to be sowers: 2 Tim. 2.1

B. The seed which the Lord wants us to sow is the word: Lk. 8.11; so the "seeds of kindness" that we sow must be based on the teaching of God's word

C. The aim of our sowing is to anticipate the harvest and the time of reaping: Mt. 13.39

II. Stanza 2 emphasizes the attitude that we need in sowing the seed

"Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows, Fearing neither loss nor winter's chilling breeze;

By and by the harvest and the labor ended--We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves."

A. We are to sow in the sunshine and the shadows, that is, everywhere, because the gospel is for all people: Mk. 16.15

B. We are to sow, fearing neither clouds or winter's chilling breeze; indeed, we have nothing in this life to fear: Mt. 10.28

C. And we are to sow at all times, because the time of our labor's ending will come when we can sow no more: Jn. 9.4

III. Stanza 3 emphasizes the harvest that will result from sowing the seed

"Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master, Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;

When our weeping's over He will bid us welcome--We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves."

A. We need to remember that the Master for whom we sow is the Lord Jesus: Col. 3.23-24, 4.1

B. Sometimes, the work that we do doesn't bear the kind of fruit that we hope, and we grieve: 1 Cor. 3.6-15

C. However, if we have labored for Him faithfully, He will bid us welcome at the time of harvest: Mt. 25.21

IV. A number of years ago, I saw an old hymnbook with Shaw's original version in it; it had his own tune and I thought a fourth stanza. I've looked through all the books I have and even searched the Internet but never found a fourth stanza by Shaw, if there was one. However, I do have one book with a fourth stanza written by Charles R. Scoville in 1911 which emphasizes the invitation extended in sowing the seed

"Blessed whosoever is the invitation, We are all included, grace is full and free;

Men of every nation swell aloud the chorus--'We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.'"

A. The gospel invitation is extended to "whosoever will": Rev. 22.17

B. Therefore, everyone is included in the offer of salvation by grace: Eph. 2.8

C. And men of every nation who respond to this invitation by obeying the gospel will join in the chorus: Matt. 28.19

CONCL.: The chorus continues to remind us of the need for sowing the seek that we might reap the harvest:

"Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,

We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves" (repeat).

Through the years, when a script for a western movie called for a church scene on the frontier, most often the hymn was "Bringing In The Sheaves." The argument offered for the omission of this famous hymn from many modern denominational hymnals is that it's a throwback to our rural, agrarian past and just isn't meaningful to very many in our more urban, technological society. Maybe, maybe not. But the acid test isn't whether it's old or new but whether it's scriptural. And the thought of this song is taken directly from the Bible. If we can appreciate what God's word says in Ps. 126, then we should be able to understand the picture of the song and the importance of "Bringing In The Sheaves."

"BY CHRIST REDEEMED, IN CHRIST RESTORED"

"For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He come" (1 Cor. 11.26)

INTRO.: A song which talks about showing the Lord's death in the Lord's supper until He comes is "By Christ Redeemed" (#152 in "Hymns for Worship Revised" and #294 in "Sacred Selections for the Church"). The text was written by George Rawson, who was born in Leeds, England, on June 5, 1807. Educated at Manchester, for a number of years he maintained a law practice in Leeds. A member of the Congregational Church, he also assisted a group of Congregational ministers in compiling "Psalms, Hymns, and Passages of Scripture for Christian Worship--the Congregational Collection" in 1853, commonly called the Leeds Hymn Book. It contains fifteen of his hymns, including what is probably his most famous hymn, an adaptation of Rowland Hill's "Cast Thy Burden On The Lord."

In addition, Rawson helped compile "Psalms and Hymns for the Use of the Baptist Denomination" in 1858, contributing 27 hymns. "By Christ Redeemed" is dated 1857 and was first published in it. Eighty of his own hymns were published in his "Hymns, Verses, and Chants" in 1876, and most were reprinted in his "Songs of Spiritual Thought" in 1885. Very modest about his hymn writing, he signed his early hymns simply with "A Leeds Layman." However, John Julian said that his hymns are distinguished by refinement of thought, delicacy, and propriety of language. Julian's conclusion was that while Rawson's hymns may not rank first among the songs of the Christian Church, many are of great excellence, including this one. After his retirement, Rawson made his home at Clifton, England, where he died on Mar. 25, 1889.

The tune (Troyt's Chant No. 1) used in most of our books for his hymn was composed by Arthur Henry Dyke Troyt (1811-1857). Most of his hymn tunes and chants were produced for his "Salisbury Hymn Book" of 1857. However, this one is known to have been written in 1848 but was not published until 1860, after his death, in "Forty-eight Hymn Tunes." Rawson's original hymn was in six stanzas. Some of our books use the original chant with four stanzas whereas others have a version in which some alterations to the text where two stanzas, one each about the bread and cup, have been combined into one and an arrangement of Troyt's chant appear to have been done for "Christian Hymns No. 2" by editor Lloyd Otis Sanderson (1901-1992).

This song is obviously designed to help us prepare our minds for the Lord's supper.

I. Stanza 1 shows that the purpose of the Lord's supper is to remember Christ's death.

"By Christ redeemed, in Christ restored, We keep the memory adored,

And show the death of our dear Lord, Until He come."

A. It is through the blood of Christ that we have been redeemed: Eph. 1:7

B. Therefore, in the Lord's supper we keep the memory of what Christ did for us: 1 Cor. 11.24-25. One of the alterations by Sanderson was to change "memory adored" to "supper of the word"

C. The aim of this is to show the death of our dear Lord: 1 Cor. 15.3

II. Stanza 2 shows that the purpose of the bread is to remind us of Christ's body.

"His body given in our stead Is seen in this memorial bread,

And so our feeble love is fed, Until He come."

A. The body of Jesus Christ hung and died on the cross for us: Jn. 19.31-38 (the original said "broken in our stead" using the language of the King James Version of 1 Cor. 11.24)

B. The bread which we break is a communion of the body of Christ: 1 Cor. 10.16

C. The phrase "And so our feeble love is fed" simply means that our love for Christ is strengthened by remembering the His death which showed God's love for us: Rom. 5.8 (Sanderson replaced this phrase with "And as we drink we see the blood" and then omitted the third stanza about the fruit of the vine entirely)

III. Stanza 3 shows that the purpose of the cup is to remind us of Christ's blood.

"His fearful unknown agony, His life-blood shed for us we see;

The wine shall tell the mystery, Until He comes."

A. "His fearful, unknown agony" undoubtedly refers to the anguish that Jesus suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane before His death: Lk. 22.39-44

B. As we drink the cup, we remember this suffering but even more so we remember the blood that Jesus shed on the cross as an atonement for our sins: Matt. 26.27-29

C. Some object to using the word "wine" with reference to the Lord's supper, assuming that it is speaking of a fermented drink and thinking that this would encourage social drinking. It is true that the word "wine" is never used in the scriptures with reference to the Lord's supper, but we often make the point that in Hebrew, Greek, and English the word "wine" can refer simply to the juice of the grape without reference to whether it is fermented or not, even when still in the grapes: Isa. 65.8. Therefore, if we understand the word "wine" in songs referring to the Lord's supper as simply the juice of the grape, then this should not be a problem.

IV. Stanza 4 shows that the purpose of observing the Lord's supper is to link the death of Christ with His second coming.

"And thus that dark betrayal night With the last advent we unite,

By one bright chain of loving rite, Until He comes."

A. In the Lord's supper, our minds are pointed back that dark betrayal night which resulted in His death: Matt. 26.47-57

B. Yet, at the same time, they are pointed forward to the last advent that He promised after His resurrection from the dead: Acts 1.11

C. These two concepts are united "By one bright chain of loving rite" (the original read "The shame, the glory, by this rite). Some might object to using the word "rite" saying that the Lord's supper should be more than just a ritual, a form, a mere customary procedure. Yet, the first definition of the word "rite" is "a solemn, ceremonial act or observance in accordance with prescribed rule." Since Jesus commanded us to eat the bread and drink the cup, and this is to be done on the first day of the week when the disciples come together, the Lord's supper is a solemn, ceremonial act in accordance with prescribed rule: Acts 20:7

CONCL.: The two other stanzas which none of our books have included are:

(5) "Until the trump of God be heard, Until the ancient graves be stirred

And with the great commanding word, The Lord shall come."

(6) "O blessed hope! with this elate, Let not our hearts be desolate,

But strong in faith, in patience wait, Until He come."

Indeed, the Lord's supper is an act of praise to God because in it we are thankfully reminded that as Christians we have been "By Christ Redeemed, In Christ Restored."

"CAST THY BURDEN ON THE LORD"

"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee..." (Ps. 55.22)

INTRO.: A hymn which encourages us to cast our burdens upon the Lord so that He can sustain us is "Cast Thy Burden On The Lord." The exact authorship of the text is somewhat difficult to determine. The original is often attributed to John Cennick (1718-1755). It was supposed to have first appeared in the 1745 "Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs" edited by William Hammond (1719-1783). Some sources ascribe it to Hammond. The basic form in common use today first appeared anonymously with five stanzas in "A Collection of Psalms and Hymns, chiefly intended for Public Worship" published in 1783 by Rowland Hill, who was born at Hawkstone, near Shrewsbury, England, on Aug. 23, 1744, the son of Sir Rowland Hill, Bart. After receiving his education at Shrewsbury Grammar School, Eton, and St. John's College in Cambridge, where he received the B.A. in 1769, he served as an Anglican minister at Kingston near Taunton. Leaving this work, he became an itinerate preacher for some twelve years, preaching mostly in Wilts, Gloucestershire, Somersetshire, and London.

In 1774, Hill published his first hymnbook, "A Collection of Psalms and Hymns for the Use of the Poor." At some point he built a chapel at Wotton-under-Edge where he preached, and then in 1783, the same year he published his second hymnbook, opened the well-known Surrey Chapel in London, where he labored for nearly fifty years. Interested in evangelical and mission work, he was one of the founders of the London Missionary Society and a member of the first committee of the Religious Tract Society. His other hymnbooks include "Divine Hymns attempted in easy language for the Use of Children" (1790), a Supplement for "A Collection of Psalms and Hymns" (1796), "A Collection of Hymns for Children" (1808), and "Hymns for Schools" (1832). About a year after the last one was published, he died in London on Apr. 11, 1833. Most scholars today believe that Hill should be credited with the hymn.

The hymn was rewritten by George Rawson (1807-1889). Two stanzas of Hill's were retained, though in altered form, and three stanzas were added by Rawson. Further alterations were introduced, using one stanza by Hill, one by Rawson, and two others by unknown hand, in the 1874 "Hymns and Songs of Praise" published in New York. This is the version that has appeared in most books used among churches of Christ. The tune (Mercy) to which these words are almost always sung was composed by Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829-1869). It is taken from his 1865 piano composition "The Last Hope." The arrangement as a hymn tune was first done in 1865-1867 by Hubert Platt Main (1839-1925). The usual harmonization was made around 1880 by Edwin Pond Parker (1836-1925). It first appeared in the 1896 "In Excelsis" edited by Charles S. Robinson.

This same tune was found with William Cowper's "'Tis My Happiness Below" in the 1921 "Great Songs of the Church" No. 1 and the 1937 "Great Songs of the Church No. 2" both edited by E. L. Jorgenson. The text and tune as described here appeared in the 1935 "Christian Hymns" No. 1, the 1948 "Christian Hymns No. 2," and the 1966 "Christian Hymns No. 3" all edited by L. O. Sanderson, as well as the 1963 "Abiding Hymns" edited by Robert C. Welch and the 1963 "Christian Hymnal" edited by J. Nelson Slater. The hymn today can be found in the 1986 "Great Songs Revised" edited by Forrest M. McCann, and the 1992 "Praise for the Lord" edited by John P. Wiegand.

This hymn can be a great source of encouragement in times of weakness.

I. Stanza 1 (Hill and Rawson #1) tells us why we should cast our burden on the Lord

"Cast thy burden on the Lord, Only lean upon His word;

Thou shalt soon have cause to bless His eternal faithfulness."

A. We are encouraged to cast all our cares upon the Lord: 1 Pet. 5.7

B. We do this by leaning upon His word, which symbolizes our trust in Him: Ps. 37.3, Prov. 3.5

C. And the reason that we can trust Him to cast our cares on Him is because of His eternal faithfulness: 1 Cor. 10.12, 1 Jn. 1.9

II. Stanza 2 (Rawson #2) tells us when we should cast our burden on the Lord

"Ever in the raging storm Thou shalt see His cheering form;

Hear His pledge of coming aid: 'It is I, be not afraid.'"

A. We often find ourselves tossed about on the stormy seas of life just as the apostles were in the boat during a storm on the Sea of Galilee: Matt. 14.22-24

B. Through what is revealed about Jesus in the scriptures we can still see His cheering form even though Jesus does not literally appear to us today, as He did to them walking on the water: Matt. 14.25-26

C. And through that same revealed word, we can still hear Him comfort us as He did the apostles when He said, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid" Matt. 14.27-33

III. Stanza 3 (unknown) tells us where we should cast our burden on the Lord

"Cast thy burden at His feet; Linger at His mercy seat;

He will lead thee by the hand Gently to the better land."

A. Casting our burdens on the Lord is pictured as laying them at His feet, which is often used as a symbol of utter humility and subjection: Mk. 5.22, 7.25

B. Bringing our burdens to the Lord is also figuratively described as coming to His mercy seat, based on the Old Testament scene of the ark of the covenant in the tabernacle: Exo. 25.17-22

C. As we cast our burdens at His feet and linger at His mercy seat, He will lead us by His hand in the way that will ultimately take us to the better land: Ps. 27.11

IV. Stanza 4 (Hill #5) tells us upon whom we should cast our burden

"Jesus, Guardian of the flock, Be Thyself our constant Rock;

Make us, by Thy powerful hand, Strong as Zion's mountain stand."

A. Casting our burden on the Lord means looking to Jesus as the Guardian of the flock: Jn. 10.11-14

B. Using another figure of speech, it also means looking to Jesus as our constant Rock: 1 Cor. 10.4

C. When we do this, He will make us strong: Eph. 3.16-19

V. Stanza 5 (unknown) tells us how we should cast our burden on the Lord

"He will gird thee by His power, In thy weary, fainting hour;

Lean then, loving, on His word: Cast thy burden on the Lord."

A. We cast our burden on the Lord by letting Him gird by His power: Col. 1.9-11

B. We cast our burden on Him by turning to Him in every weary, fainting hour: Matt. 11.28-30

C. And we cast our burden on Him by leaning on His word because it will

build us up and give us an inheritance with the saints: Acts 20.32

CONCL.: You might be interested in some of the other original stanzas in Hill's collection:

2. "He sustains thee by His hand, He enables thee to stand;

Those whom Jesus once hath loved From His grace are never moved."

3. "Human counsels come to naught; That shall stand which God hath wrought;

His compassion, love, and power Are the same for ever-more."

4. "Heaven and earth may pass away, God's free grace shall not decay;

He hath promised to fulfill All the pleasure of His will."

And here are two other stanzas added by Rawson:

2. "Wouldst thou know thyself a child? Is thy proud heart reconciled?

Is it humbled to the dust, Full of awe and full of trust?"

3. "Dost thou not rejoice with fear? Never be high-minded here;

Heed not what the tempter saith, Cling to Christ in lowly faith."

This song is not as well-known as it evidently once was, even among us, given the fact that it is not found in many of the more recent and popular hymnbooks used among churches of Christ. But it is a wonderful hymn of dependence on God and His providence as it gently exhorts us to "Cast Thy Burden On The Lord."

"CHRIST FOR THE WORLD WE SING"

"God was in Christ, reconciling the world...and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 5.19).

INTRO." A hymn which points out the need for the word of reconciliation to be proclaimed to the whole world is "Christ For The World We Sing" (#209 in "Hymns for Worship Revised" and #572 in "Sacred Selections for the Church" ). The text was written by Samuel Wolcott (1813-1886). A Congregationalist minister who worked as a missionary in Syria for a time, he attended a convention in Cleveland, OH, where he was living at the time, and saw a banner which said, "Christ for the world and the world for Christ." While walking home from the convention on Feb. 6, 1869, he thought up these words and set them down on paper later that evening. The lyrics were written to fit an existing tune (Italian Hymn, Trinity, or Moscow), composed in 1769 by an Italian immigrant to England, Felice de Giardini (1716-1796). The song seems to have had its first appearance in "Songs of Devotion for Christian Associations," published in 1870 by Biglow and Main of New York City, NY, and compiled by William Howard Doane.

This hymn challenges us to have a vision for the spiritual needs of the entire world.

I. Stanza 1 pictures the world's condition--lost

"Christ for the world! we sing; The world to Christ we bring With loving zeal!

The poor and them that mourn, The faint and overborne, Sin-sick and sorrow-worn, Whom Christ doth heal."

A. It mentions the poor and them that mourn--this world is full of sadness and sorrow, but there is something to alleviate it: Mt. 5.4

B. It mentions the faint and overborne--the people of this world are weary and heavy-laden, but again God offers a solution: Mt. 11.28-30

C. It mentions the sinsick and sorrow-worn--the reason for the sadness and heavy burdens is sin; but there is something that can be done: Rom. 3.23, 6.23

II. Stanza 2 identifies the remedy for this lost condition--redemption

"Christ for the world! we sing; The world to Christ we bring, With fervent prayer;

The wayward and the lost, By restless passions tossed, Redeemed at countless loss From dark despair."

A. Jesus Christ came to redeem us from our sin: Gal. 4.4-5

B. This redemption is available through His blood to provide for the forgiveness of our sins: Eph. 1.7

C. The remission of sins made possible by Christ's redemption is to be preached to all the world: Lk. 24.44-47

III. Stanza 3 points out the need--for all Christians to be involved in proclaiming the message

"Christ for the world! we sing; The world to Christ we bring, With one accord,

With us the work to share, With us reproach to dare, With us the cross to bear For Christ our Lord."

A. There is work that we all must share: 1 Cor. 15.58, Gal. 6.7

B. There is reproach to bear: 1 Tim. 4.10, 1 Pet. 4.14

C. And there is the cross to bear for Christ our Lord: Matt. 16.24, Gal. 6.5

IV. Stanza 4 reveals the results--joy over newborn souls

"Christ for the world! we sing; The world to Christ we bring, With joyful song;

The newborn souls, whose days Reclaimed from error's ways, Inspired with hope and praise, To Christ belong."

A. Even the angels of heaven are filled with joy over just one sinner who is saved: Lk. 15.7

B. We also need to be happy for those newborn souls, whose days have been reclaimed from error's ways because they have believed on Christ to be saved throug Him and have everlasting life: Jn. 3.16-17

C. When we do, like Paul we should be inspired with hope and praise that these now belong to Christ and consider them our joy and crown: Phil. 4.1

CONCL.: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16.15). Someone has said, "Go ye," means "Go me." As Christians, our aim should be, "The world for Christ." To that end, we should continue to preach and live the message of salvation in Christ before a lost and dying world in order that we might truly be able to say, "Christ For The World We Sing."

"CHRIST, THE LORD, IS RISEN TODAY"

"Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept" (1 Cor. 15.20)

INTRO.: That Christ is risen from the dead is one of the most important facts of the Bible, and it is unfortunate that not more songs which are directly about His resurrection have found their way into our hymnbooks (perhaps from fear of having "Easter" songs). One of the best-known is "Christ, The Lord, Is Risen Today" (#53 in "Hymns for Worship Revised"). The text was written by Charles Wesley (1707-1788). It was produced in 1739 and first published a year later in the" Foundry's Collection." The tune (Easter Hymn or Worgan) is sometimes attributed to an otherwise obscure musician named John Worgan. It first appeared anonymously in a 1708 London hymnbook "Lyra Davidica," published by John Walsh (1695-1736). There it was identified as a 14th century air and used with another hymn. Wesley's words were joined to this melody in the 1741 collection, the "Compleat Psalmist," published by John Arnold (1720-1792). The word "hallelujah" at the end of every line was not put there by Wesley but added to fill in the extra measures, perhaps by Martin Madan (1726-1790). In 1760, Madan published the hymn in his popular work "A Collection of Psalms and Hymns" with several changes to the text, and his revisions remain.

Historically, this has been one of the most popular resurrection hymns ever written.

I. The first stanza emphasizes the truth of the resurrection

"Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Hallelujah! Sons of men and angels say, Hallelujah!

Raise your joys and triumphs high, Halleljuah! Sing, ye heavens; thou earth, reply Hallelujah!"

A. Because Jesus Christ arose from the dead, He is still risen today: Mk. 16.9

B. His resurrection from the dead is the crowning proof of the fact that Jesus is the divine Son of God: Rom. 1.3-4

C. Therefore, it is something that we should always remember: 2 Tim. 2.8

II. The second stanza reflects the battle that Christ won by His resurrection

"Love's redeeming work is done, Hallelujah! Fought the fight, the battle won, Hallelujah!

Lo! our sun's eclipse is o'er, Hallelujah! Lo! He sits in blood no more, Hallelujah!"

A. Because of Jesus's love in dying on the cross and shedding His blood, we can have redemption: Eph. 1.7

B. This fight appeared lost when Jesus died, but it was finally won by His resurrection: Rev. 1.17-18

C. While "He sits in blood no more," the power of that blood is still available to provide remission of sins: Matt. 26.28

III. The third stanza refers to the measures taken by the Jews to prevent removal of the body

"Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Hallelujah! Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Hallelujah!

Death in vain forbids His rise, Hallelujah! Christ hath opened paradise, Hallelujah!"

A. The stone, watch, and seal were all rendered ineffective by the resurrection: Mt. 27.59-66, 28.1-2

B. The reason for this is that Christ burst the gates of hell or Hades, just as He promised He would: Matt. 16.18

C. And by His resurrection, Christ has given us assurance of a future resurrection from the dead with the hope of a home in paradise: Rom. 8.11

IV. The fourth stanza echoes Paul's exultant climax to his teaching about the resurrection

"Lives again our glorious King, Hallelujah! Where, O death, is now thy sting? Hallelujah!

Once He died our souls to save, Hallelujah! Where's thy victory, boasting grave? Hallelujah!"

A. Because Christ arose from the dead, we have nothing to fear from death or the grave: 1 Cor. 15.1-4, 55

B. We need to remember the words of the angel, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!": Lk. 24.1-6

C. And again, based on His resurrection, followers of Christ will themselves conquer death when we are raised with Him: 2 Cor. 4.14

V. The fifth stanza makes the application to our own hope of the resurrection

"Soar we now where Christ hath led, Hallelujah! Following our exalted Head, Hallelujah!

Made like Him, like Him we rise, Hallelujah! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Hallelujah!"

A. Because Christ has been raised from the dead, we can now have the hope of soaring where Christ has led: 1 Cor. 15.5-19

B. In doing this, we shall simply be following our exalted Head: Eph. 1.19-23

C. When this happens, we shall be made like Him and rise to be with Him forever: Phil. 3.20-21, 1 Thess. 4.13-17

CONCL.: In the denominational world, this is often thought of as an "Easter hymn." Of course, there is no scriptural authority for such a religious holiday in the first place. However, the resurrection of Christ from the dead is a key fact of history and a vital doctrine of Christianity. Therefore, it is only right and proper that we sing about it. Furthermore, the song is not affirming that Christ arose on a particular date or even day of the week to be celebrated as some kind of anniversary. While it is true that Jesus arose on the first day of the week, that is not necessarily what the author had in mind. Rather, this hymn is teaching that because nearly 2,000 years ago Jesus Christ arose from the dead according to the scriptures, right now, whether it be Sunday, Monday, spring, fall, or whatever, "Christ, The Lord Is Risen Today."

"CLOSER TO THEE"

"Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living" (Psa. 142.5)

INTRO.: A song that expresses a request to be nearer to Him who is our refuge and portion in the land of the living is, "Closer To Thee" (#76 in "Hymns for Worship Revised" and #37 in "Sacred Selections for the Church"). The text was written and the tune (Taylor) composed both by Austin Taylor (1881-1973). Born in Morgantown, KY, to parents who had been baptized in 1886 at Cain Ridge, KY, he moved with his family to Sherman, TX, in 1890, where he studied music, taught his first singing school when he was 18, and began his career as a songwriter. His first songbook was published in 1905. One day in 1911, he was sitting in his study trying to compose a new song. Several attempts had been cast into the wastebasket. A preacher friend came by for a visit and during the conversation picked up one of the discarded sheets, read it, and pronounced it worthwhile, so Taylor decided to publish it as "Closer To Thee."

It first appeared later that year in his "New Songs of Victory." During his lifetime, Taylor was widely used as a songleader among churches of Christ in the South and Southwest, wrote some 200 songs, published about 25 songbooks himself, and edited other books for the Firm Foundation Co. of Austin, TX. Also, he never missed a day in 27 years of attending the Texas Normal Singing School at Sabinal, TX, and taught his last singing school in 1972 at 91 years of age. His final years were spent in the home of his daughter at Uvalde, TX.

This song talks about the desire to be closer to God.

I. We learn from stanza 1 that being close to God gives us access to His grace

"Closer to Thee, near to Thy side, Closer, dear Lord, I would abide;

Hold me in Thy embrace, 'Neath every smile of grace, Grant me, Thy child, a place Closer to Thee."

A. We are saved by God's grace: Rom. 3.23-24, Eph. 2.8-10

B. But even after being saved from sin, we continue to need God's grace: 1 Cor. 1.4-8

C. Only those who are close to God can come before His throne to find grace to help in time of need: Heb. 4.14-16

II. We learn from stanza 2 that being close to God allows us to have rest and guidance

"Closer to Thee, near to Thy breast, Closer to Thee, Lord, let me rest;

Guide me when I would stray, Keep me from sin each day, Draw me, dear Lord, I pray, Closer to Thee."

A. Jesus promises to give rest to those who come to Him: Mt. 11.28-30

B. Thus, those who remain close to God and trust in Him will be kept in perfect peace: Isa. 26.1-3

C. Also those who draw close to God in submission to His will can find the help that they need to resist sin: 1 Cor. 10.13, Jas. 4.7-8

III. We learn from stanza 3 that being close to God will help us escape the clutches of the world

"Closer to Thee, closer each day, In from the world, draw me away;

Let me abide with Thee, Blest Lamb of Calvary, O let me ever be Closer to Thee."

A. This closeness to the Lord should be something that we desire every day as we daily bear our cross for Him: Lk. 9.23

B. As we stay close to Him He will help us not to be conformed to this world but be transformed: Rom. 12.1-2

C. In this way, we shall be able to resist the devil and not sin against God by looking to the blest Lamb of Calvary who is our Advocate: 1 Pet. 5.8-9, 1 Jn. 2.1-2

IV. We learn from stanza 4 that being close to God permits us to call on Him for every need

"Closer to Thee, happy and free, Grant me, O Lord, ever to be;

Hear me in every cry, Stand near when I must die, Then take me home on high, Closer to Thee."

A. God wants His people to cry unto Him in prayer: Phil. 4.6-7

B. And God has promised to hear and answer the prayers of His people: Mt. 7.7-8, 1 Pet. 3.12

C. Those who are close to God can call upon Him for direction here in this life and afterward for a home in glory: Psa. 73.23-24

CONCL.: As Christians, we should strive each day to draw closer to God. This is accomplished, of course, as we talk with God in prayer, let Him talk to us by studying His revealed word, and then seek to live according to His will. And we can have greater peace in our hearts the more we tell the Lord that we want to be "Closer To Thee."

"COME, YE SINNERS, POOR AND NEEDY"

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters" (Isa. 55:1)

A song that encourages sinners who are thirsty, poor, and needy to come to the waters to receive the blessings of the Lord is "Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy." The text, originally beginning "Come, ye sinners, poor and wretched," was written by Joseph Hart, who was born in London, England, in 1712. His early life is somewhat obscure, but he was brought up in a godly home and received an excellent education. His brother-in-law, John Hughes, said that he became "a teacher of the learned languages" in a school at London. However, according his own account, he seems to have lapsed into a dissolute life. During these years, he wrote a pamphlet entitled, "The Unreasonableness of Religion, Being Remarks and Animadversions on the Rev. John Wesley's Sermon on Romans 8:32."

Yet, Hart continued searching and in 1757 was converted at the Moravian Chapel on Fetter Ln. in London. Two years later, he became minister with the Jewin St. Independent Chapel in London, where he remained until his death. An ardent Calvinist, he was a powerful preacher who was widely known and well loved. In 1759 he published "Hymns Composed on Various Subjects, with the Author's Experience," which included this one, probably his most famous hymn. A Supplement was added to the book in 1762. Others of Hart's well known hymns include "That Dreadful Night Before His Death" and "Come, Holy Spirit, Come." Hart died in London on May, 24, 1768, and is buried in Bunhill Fields. Through the years, a lot of tinkering and altering has been done with "Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy."

Often, as in "Great Songs of the Church No. 2," it is set to a tune (Greenville or Rousseau's Dream), composed by the French philosopher-musician Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778). Coming from a pantomime in his opera "Le Devin du Village," finished in 1750 and first performed in 1752, it was arranged in 1818 by Jean Baptiste Cramer (1771-1858). The first appearance as a hymn tune seems to be in the 1823 "Handel and Haydn Collection of Church Music," second edition. Other times, as in "Great Songs Revised," the song is set to a traditional American folk melody (Resignation), taken from Walker's 1835 "Southern Harmony" with the chorus, "I will arise and go to Jesus." Both of these versions are found in "Praise for the Lord." Also, as in "Christian Hymnal," it has been set to a Welsh tune (Bryn Calfaria) by William Owen.

In the past, this hymn was often used as an invitation song to encourage sinners to come to the Lord.

I. Stanza 1 invites sinners to come because they are poor and needy

"Come, ye sinners, poor and needy, Weak and wounded, sick and sore;

Jesus ready stands to save you, Full of pity, love, and power.

He is able, He is able, He is willing: doubt no more."

A. Before we can even see the need to be saved, we must have a poverty of spirit: Matt. 5:3

B. But Jesus is ready to supply what we need because He is able to save us: Lk. 19:10

C. Not only is He able to save us, but He is as willing to save as He was to heal the leper: Matt. 8:1-3

II. Stanza 1 invites sinners to come because they are thirsty

"Come, ye thirsty, come and welcome, God's free bounty glorify;

True belief and true repentance, Every grace that brings you nigh;

Without money, without money, Come to Jesus Christ and buy."

A. Those who are spiritually thirsty need to come and receive God's free bounty: Matt. 5:6

B. Coming to Jesus to satisfy our thirst requres true belief and repentance: Mk. 1:14-15

C. However, it does not require money because we are not redeemed with silver or gold but with the price already paid by Jesus with His blood: 1 Pet. 1:18-19

III. Stanza 3 invites sinners to come because they are weary and heavy laden

"Come, ye weary, heavy laden, Lost and ruined by the fall;

If you tarry till you're better, You will never come at all:
Not the righteous, not the righteous; Sinners Jesus came to call."

A. The guilt of sin is pictured as a burden that makes us weary and heavy laden: Matt. 11:28-30

B. Some people think that they should wait to come to Jesus to have this burden lifted until they can make themselves better, but this is not how it works, so they should not tarry: 2 Cor. 6:2

C. We must remember that Jesus did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance: Matt. 9:12-13

IV. Stanza 4 invites us to come because Jesus suffered for us

"View Him prostrate in the garden; On the ground your Maker lies.

On the bloody tree behold Him; Hear Him cry before He dies,

"It is finished, it is finished!" Sinner, will not this suffice?"

A. Jesus suffered anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane: Matt. 26:38-39

B. He also suffered the agony of a cruel death upon the bloody tree at Calvary: Mk. 15:33-37

C. When He thus died and paid the full price that will suffice for our sins, He cried, "It is finished": Jn. 19:30

V. Stanza 5 invites us to come because of the merit of Jesus's blood

"Lo! th'incarnate God ascended Pleads the merit of His blood;

Venture on Him venture wholly, Let no other trust intrude.

None but Jesus, none but Jesus Can do helpless sinners good."

A. It was the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for many for the remission of sins: Matt. 26:28

B. Therefore, we should put our trust wholly in Him and no other: Eph. 1:12

C. No one but Jesus can do helpless sinners good because God sent Him to taste death for us: Heb. 2:9

VI. Stanza 6 invites us to come because of what He promises to give us

"Let not conscience make you linger, Nor of fitness fondly dream;

All the fitness He requireth Is to feel your need of Him.

This He gives you, This He gives you: 'Tis the Spirit's glimmering beam."

A. Again, some people linger because they feel they need to "lift themselves up by their own boostraps" first, but today is the day to hear His voice and respond: Heb. 3:15

B. While, as indicated earlier, true repentance must be involved in our coming to Christ, we do not bring ourselves to "fitness" but simply recognize that we are sinners in need of His mercy: Lk. 18:13

C. When we do this and come to Him in obedience to His word, He gives us remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit: Acts 2:38

VII. Stanza 7 invites us to come because it will cause the angels of heaven to rejoice

"Saints and angels, joined in concert, Sing the praises of the Lamb,

While the blissful seats of heaven Sweetly echo with His name,

Hallelujah! hallelujah! Sinners here may do the same."

A. Jesus said that when one sinner repents, the angels of heaven rejoice: Lk. 15:7

B. They are joined by the saints of all the ages echoing praise to the name of Jesus Christ the Lamb who makes our salvation possible: Rev. 5:9

C. Yet, what is even a greater wonder is that the sinner who comes to Christ even here may do the same in showing thanks to God for saving Him in Christ: 1 Tim. 1:12-15

CONCL.: The traditional chorus expresses the proper response that God wants on the part of those invited:
"I will arise and go to Jesus, He will take me in His arms;

In the arms of my dear Savior, O, there are ten thousand charms."

There is no greater problem that mankind has to deal with in this life than sin. And there could be no greater remedy provided than that given to us in Jesus Christ. Therefore, God invites all who are lost, saying, "Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy."

"CROWN HIM WITH MANY CROWNS"

"...And on His head were many crowns" (Rev. 19.12)

A hymn which identifies Christ as the King of kings and Lord of Lords with many crowns upon His head is "Crown Him With Many Crowns." The original text was written by Matthew Bridges (1800-1894). Born at Malden in Essex, England, he was a member of the Church of England and a writer whose interests lay in literature, history, and politics. Later he became a member of the Roman Catholic Church and is best known for his religious poetry. This hymn first appeared in 1851 in the second edition of his "Hymns of the Heart" and consisted of six stanzas.

The tune (Diademata) was composed for this hymn by George Job Elvey (1816-1893). He was music director at St. George's Chapel in Windsor, England, where the British royal family often attended. It first appeared with Bridges's text in the 1868 Appendix to "Hymns Ancient and Modern." Then, in 1874, six additional stanzas were written by Anglican minister Godfrey Thring (1823-1903). These first appeared in his 1874 "Hymns and Sacred Lyrics." Most books today use a composite of stanzas drawn from both Bridges and Thring.

The song was found in the 1937 "Great Songs of the Church No. 2" (#365) edited by E. L. Jorgenson, and the 1963 "Christian Hymnal" (#154) edited by J. Nelson Slater. Among books still published today, it is located in the 1971 "Songs of the Church" (#362), the 1990 "Songs of the Church 21st Century Edition" (#63), and the 1994 "Songs of Faith and Praise" (#'s 193, 305), all edited by Alton H. Howard; and the 1992 "Praise for the Lord" (#115) edited by John P. Wiegand.

This hymn presents several possible reasons for the crowns on Jesus' head.

I. The first crown represents kingship in general and is said to be on the Lamb

"Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne; Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns All music but its own!

Awake, my soul, and sing Of Him who died for thee, And hail Him as thy matchless King Through all eternity."

A. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God: Jn. 1.29, 1 Pet. 1.18-21

B. And this Lamb of God is now upon His throne: Acts 2.29-32, Heb. 8.1

C. As the victorious Lamb upon His throne, He is worthy of our praise:

Rev. 5.6-7, 11-12

II. The second crown belongs to Christ as both Son of God and Son of Man

"Crown Him the Son of God Before the world began, And ye, who tread where He hath trod, Crown Him the Son of man;

Who every grief hath known That wrings the human breast, And takes and bears them for His own, That all in Him may rest."

A. Jesus Christ is certainly the divine Son of God: Matt. 16.16, John 20.30-31

B. However, Jesus is also the Son of Man in that He became flesh and lived as a man: Jn. 1.14, Phil. 2.5-8

C. And one stated purpose of His becoming a man is that He might be able to aid those who are tempted: Heb. 2.14-18

III. The third crown is that of love, as demonstrated in His death for our sins

"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."

A. Certainly, Jesus is the supreme embodiment and expression of God's love for sinful mankind: Jn. 3.16

B. And that love was shown by His willingness to die for our sins: Rom. 5.8

C. Thus, because of this great love, we can have salvation: Eph. 1.3-7, 2.4-10

IV. The fourth crown is that of life, as manifested by His resurrection from the dead

"Crown Him the Lord of life, Who triumphed o'er the grave, And rose victorious in the strife For those He came to save;

His glories now we sing Who died, and rose on high, Who died, eternal life to bring, And lives that death may die."

A. The Bible records the resurrection of Christ from the dead as a historical fact: Lk. 24.1-10

B. Thus, the central message of gospel preaching in the first century was that Jesus Christ arose from the dead: Acts 2.22-24, Rom. 1.3-4, 1 Cor. 15.1-4

C. And because Jesus Christ thus showed Himself to be Lord of life, He can give us life: Jn. 1.4, 10.10

V. The fifth crown belongs to Jesus as the Lord of peace

"Crown Him the Lord of Peace, Whose power a scepter sways From pole to pole, that wars may cease, Absorbed in prayer and praise;

His reign shall know no end, And round His blessed feet Fair flowers of paradise extend Their fragrance ever sweet."

A. It had been prophesied that the Messiah would be the Prince of Peace: Isa. 9.6-7

B. Indeed, Jesus came to bring peace: Lk. 2.10-14

C. While worldly peace between warring nations is something to be desired, the peace of Christ is more than that because it makes it possible for sinful mankind to be a peace with God: Eph. 2.13-14

VI. The sixth crown is His as the Lord of Heaven

"Crown Him the Lord of Heaven, One with the Father known, And the blest Spirit, through Him given, From yonder glorious throne!

No angel in the sky Can fully bear that sight, But downard bends his burning eye At mysteries so bright."

A. Jesus Christ ascended back to heaven: Dan. 7.13-14, Acts 1.9-11

B. Having ascended to God, He now has all rule and authority: Eph. 1.19-21

C. And as the Lord of Heaven, He has opened the way to eternal life with God to all mankind who would obey God's will: Rev. 22.1-5

CONCL.: Some brethren have objected to this song, perhaps assuming that it is talking about crowning Christ when He comes again. One might mistakenly think that, but this is not what the song says. It pictures the crowning of Christ in heaven following His resurrection and ascension, and thus refers to the fact that He has been crowned and is therefore King upon His throne today. However, it might also be said that we continue to crown Him in the sense that we make Him the King of our lives by yielding our hearts to Him and also by our praises to Him.

Jesus Christ was crowned as Savior and King following His death and resurrection, upon His ascension when He sat down on His throne at the right hand of the Father on high. Today, He is crowned by each individual as we make Him the King of our hearts and Lord of our lives in obedience to His will. And in heaven, the redeemed of all ages, along with the angelic hosts, will crown Jesus forever and ever as the Son of God with their eternal praises to His name. Therefore, it is fitting that, with thoughts of all that Jesus has done for us, we sing, "Crown Him With Many Crowns."