Behold Jesus Christ the Lamb of God

Tags

atonement, cross, Evangelism, faith, Gospel of Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Lamb of God, repentance, Robert M. Norris, salvation, sinner, sins

The next day he [John the baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! – John 1:29

“The minister today must learn the clear and well-defined conception of the message that he has to give. Like that of John the Baptist, the call is first to repentance, then the coming of the kingdom of Heaven, and above all, the exaltation of the person and the work of the coming King. Today in a generation unsure of the Bible and its teaching, the human soul requires a very sure and clear presentation of truth accompanied by duty. The preacher must point unerringly toward Jesus Christ the Lamb of God; all sermons that are absent of that are unconsecrated. Indeed, no sermon is worthy of the name that does not have an eye to the glory of Christ, for it is His person and work which must always have preeminence. Once this is established, then and only then will there be the appropriate homage of intellect and heart.”  -  Dr. Robert M. Norris (Leading a Ministry Without Miracles)

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing

Tags

Blessing, Blood, debtor, Fernando Ortega, grace, Heart, Hymns & Songs, Love, mercy, Praise, Redeemed, Redeemer, Redemption

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
Streams of mercy never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above
Praise His name! I’m fixed upon it
Name of God’s redeeming love

Hitherto Thy love has blessed me
Thou hast brought me to this place
And I know Thy hand will bring me
Safely home by Thy good grace
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wandering from the fold of God
He, to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood

Oh to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to Thee
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here’s my heart, oh take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above

Credits: sung by Fernando Ortega
Original Words by Robert Robinson (1758), music by Asahel Nettleton (1825)
Public Domain.

El Shaddai

Tags

God, Gospel, Gospel of Jesus Christ, Hymns & Songs, Jesus Christ, Messiah, Michael Card, Praise, Worship

El Shaddai by Michael Card

El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
El-Elyon na Adonia,
Age to age You’re still the same,
By the power of the name.
El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
Erkamka na Adonai,
We will praise and lift You high,
El Shaddai.

Through your love and through the ram,
You saved the son of Abraham;
Through the power of your hand,
Turned the sea into dry land.
To the outcast on her knees,
You were the God who really sees,
And by Your might,
You set Your children free.

El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
El-Elyon na Adonia,
Age to age You’re still the same,
By the power of the name.
El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
Erkamka na Adonai,
We will praise and lift You high,
El Shaddai.

Through the years You’ve made it clear,
That the time of Christ was near,
Though the people couldn’t see
What Messiah ought to be.
Though Your Word contained the plan,
They just could not understand
Your most awesome work was done
Through the frailty of Your Son.

El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
El-Elyon na Adonai,
Age to age You’re still the same,
By the power of the name.
El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
Erkamka na Adonai,
I will praise and lift You high,
El Shaddai.

El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
El-Elyon na Adonai,
Age to age You’re still the same,
By the power of the name.
El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
Erkamka na Adonai,
I will praise and lift You high,
El Shaddai.

by: Michael Card and John Thompson

El Shaddai means God Almighty

Call to Christ is Repent and Believe

Tags

believe, Evangelism, Gospel, Gospel of Jesus Christ, preaching, repentance, salvation, sinner, sins, Timothy Keller

“Repent” and “believe” go together as two sides of the same coin.”

“The call to Christ is never to simply begin trusting Christ for your salvation. You have to also stop trusting other things for your salvation. “Repent” and “believe” go together not as two completely different things, but as two sides of the same coin.”  – Timothy J. Keller

The Light shines in the darkness

Tags

Children, Creator, Deity of Christ, Glory of God, God, Gospel of Jesus Christ, Incarnation, Jesus Christ, Light of the World, Word of God

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  …The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.  – John 1:1-5. 9-14

How Firm a Foundation

Tags

faith, faithful, Faithfulness, Fernando Ortega, God, Gospel of Jesus Christ, grace, Health, Health and Wealth, Hymns & Songs, Love, mercy, Obedience, Omnipotence, Poverty, Praise, rejoice, Righteousness, sickness, sovereignty, Trials, Tribulations, Trouble, trust, Unchangeable, Wealth, Word of God

How Firm a Foundation

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

In every condition, in sickness, in health;
In poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth;
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

Even down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.

Sung By Fernando Ortega

Words: From A Se­lect­ion of Hymns from the Best Au­thors, by John Rip­pon, 1787; at­trib­ut­ed var­i­ous­ly to John Keene, Kirk­ham, and John Keith. Music: Protection, from A Com­pil­a­tion of Gen­u­ine Church Mu­sic, by Jo­seph Funk (Win­ches­ter, Vir­gin­ia: J. W. Holl­is, 1832

Previous Similar Post on this hymn/song:

How Firm a Foundation

Every Promise of Your Word

Tags

Comforter, Covenant, Eternal, Eternity, faithful, fear, Forgiveness, Guilt, Guilty, hope, Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, Power, promise, Sanctification, sinner, sinning, sins, Stuart Townend, Trials

Every Promise of Your Word

From the breaking of the dawn to the setting of the sun,
I will stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word.
Words of power, strong to save, that will never pass away,
I will stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word.
For Your covenant is sure,
And on this I am secure—
I can stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word.

When I stumble and I sin, condemnation pressing in,
I will stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word.
You are faithful to forgive that in freedom I might live,
So I stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word.
Guilt to innocence restored,
You remember sins no more—
So I’ll stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word.

When I’m faced with anguished choice, I will listen for Your voice,
And I’ll stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word.
Through this dark and troubled land
You will guide me with Your hand
As I stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word.
And You’ve promised to complete
Ev’ry work begun in me—
So I’ll stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word.

Hope that lifts me from despair, love that casts out ev’ry fear,
As I stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word.
Not forsaken, not alone, for the Comforter has come,
And I stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word.
Grace sufficient, grace for me,
Grace for all who will believe—
We will stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word.

“Every Promise of Your Word”
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music

The King of Love My Shepherd

Tags

Comfort, cross, Good Shepherd, grace, Great Shepherd, Hymns & Songs, King of kings, Living Waters, Love, Praise, Ransom, Shepherd, Worship

The King of Love My Shepherd

The King of love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never,
I nothing lack if I am His
And He is mine forever.

Where streams of living water flow
My ransomed soul He leadeth,
And where the verdant pastures grow,
With food celestial feedeth.

Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love He sought me,
And on His shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me.

In death’s dark vale I will not fear
With Thee, dear Lord, beside me;
Thy rod and staff my comfort still,
Thy cross before to guide me.

Thou spread’st a table in my sight;
Thy unction grace bestoweth;
And O what transport of delight
From Thy pure chalice floweth!

And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise
Within Thy house forever.

Words: Henry W. Baker, (1868). Music: St. Columba, an­cient Ir­ish mel­o­dy

Performed by Michael Card on his album Starkindler

Fairest Lord Jesus

Tags

Angels, Compassion, Crown, Glory of God, Gospel, grace, Heaven, Hymns & Songs, Incarnation, Jesus Christ, Joy, Kingdom of God, Praise, Worship

Fairest Lord Jesus

Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.

Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

Fair is the sunshine,
Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels heaven can boast.

All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;
None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
Than Thou, my Savior, art to me.

Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.

Words: Written by Ger­man Je­su­its as Schön­ster Herr Je­su in the 17th Cen­tu­ry.
Pub­lished in the Mün­ster Ge­sang­buch, 1677, and trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by Jo­seph A. Seiss, 1873.Music: Cru­sad­er’s Hymn Si­le­sian folk song from Schles­ische Volks­lied­er, 1842;ar­ranged by Ri­chard S. Will­is, 1850

Additional Chorus Lyrics (Modern)

You are fairer than the fairest of ten thousand,
lovelier than all I’ve ever seen.
You are brighter than the brightest star in Heaven.
Jesus, You’re everything to me.
Jesus, You’re everything to me.

In Christ I Find

Tags

Blessing, Bread of Life, Gifts, Gospel, Gospel of Jesus Christ, Heart, Hungry, Jesus Christ, John Macarthur, Joy, Living Waters, Love, Peace, Praise, prayer, salvation, Soul, Thirsty, Trials, trust

In Christ I find the source of all earth’s loving, the universe of peace and trust divine. I find the satisfaction borne of knowing forever I am His and He is mine.

In Christ I find a harbor from the tempest, a refuge safe to guard throughout the test. I find in Him a shelter from the darkness as safely in His arms my soul does rest.

In Christ I find the bread that leaves no hunger, the wine that leaves no thirst within the heart. I find the warmth of love that Jesus gives, the blessing of its riches to impart.

In Christ I find an endless realm of beauty, a garden cool, assuaging sorted heat, I find a matchless wonder of His presence as I in prayer abide at Jesus’ feet.

In Christ I find the greatest human treasures, the washing white from sin, salvation free, in Him is found a joy that knows no measure, the gift of one who gave His all for me.

In Christ I find all love, all joy, all blessing, I find the peace that shares with doubt no part.

In Christ I find the gate to heaven’s glory, in Christ the Christ who dwells within my heart.

By John Macarthur, The Sufficiency of Christ – February 1987

I Will Glory In My Redeemer

Tags

atonement, Bob Kauflin, cross, eternal life, faithful, God, Gospel, Gospel of Jesus Christ, grace, Hymns & Songs, Jesus Christ, Justification, Lamb of God, Love, Praise, Redeemer, Redemption, salvation, sinner, sins, Steve and Vikki Cook, Substitutionary, Vicarious, Worship

I Will Glory In My Redeemer

I will glory in my Redeemer
Whose priceless blood has ransomed me
Mine was the sin that drove the bitter nails
And hung Him on that judgment tree
I will glory in my Redeemer
Who crushed the power of sin and death
My only Savior before the Holy Judge
The Lamb Who is my righteousness
The Lamb Who is my righteousness

I will glory in my Redeemer
My life He bought, my love He owns
I have no longings for another
I’m satisfied in Him alone
I will glory in my Redeemer
His faithfulness my standing place
Though foes are mighty and rush upon me
My feet are firm, held by His grace
My feet are firm, held by His grace

I will glory in my Redeemer
Who carries me on eagle’s wings
He crowns my life with lovingkindness
His triumph song I’ll ever sing
I will glory in my Redeemer
Who waits for me at gates of gold
And when He calls me it will be paradise
His face forever to behold
His face forever to behold
His face forever to behold

Words and music by Steve and Vikki Cook
© 2001 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP).

Similar Postings:

I Will Glory In My Redeemer – T4G 2008

I Will Glory In My Redeemer

Modern Evangelism: Perversion of the Blessed Evangel

Tags

Easy Believism, Evangelism, faithful, Gospel, Gospel of Jesus Christ, James Alexander Stewart, Jesus Christ, King of kings, Kingdom of God, Lord of lords, Lordship, repentance, salvation, sinner, sins

 

 

The Lordship of Christ: Shifting the Emphasis

by Stewart, James Alexander

“During  the past thirty years we have noticed a gradual, subtle shift in the emphasis of the ‘Gospel of the glory of Christ,’ which amounts to a complete perversion of the blessed evangel. The emphasis in our modern day evangelism has shifted from that of the lordship of Christ to an easy ‘believism.’ This shifting of the emphasis has led to an adulterated Gospel and changed the message and the ministry of the Church.

Both movements and men have so often given the impression that the acceptance of the lordship of Christ is a second experience of grace, or a sort of optional addendum to the Christian life. Peter declared in his apostolic message, ‘Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.’ (Acts 5 : 31). Christian workers today have reversed this Scriptural order and set forth Christ as Saviour first before His office as Prince. This teaching is nothing less than a complete sell-out to the world, Modernism and Satan. So great has been the perversion that many congregations are astounded when they hear the true Gospel of the lordship of Christ. They believe that we are preaching a new gospel. We know of a certain faithful evangelist who is preaching the same old Gospel which was taught him in his denominational seminary twenty-five years ago. Today that same evangelist, with his message, is rejected by the evangelical churches of that denomination. And for what reason? They accuse him of preaching a new gospel which is but the old Gospel of the lordship of Christ.

Satan has employed every seductive and deceptive force at his command to cause God’s messengers to bypass, or omit altogether, the lordship of the Redeemer. The reasons for this change of emphasis are not difficult to understand. May we mention some:

First, they want to preach a popular gospel of easy ‘believism’ in order to attract the world to God’s message. They set forth the joy of belonging to Christ, while deliberately omitting the dark background of man’s total depravity. The inference is thus: ‘That which our fathers taught is old-fashioned. They had a narrow view of the Gospel. It isn’t necessary to give up the pleasures of the world and sin. Just believe and be saved.’

Second, many honest and sincere Christian workers are so anxious to rescue lost men and women from eternal damnation that they seek to meet the sinner half way. ‘Yes, it is true,’ they say, ‘that Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords, but don’t let that upset you. You need not receive Christ as Lord now; just receive Him as Saviour and all will be well.’ How many times have we been severely pained when some eager evangelist or personal worker has cried out, ‘Do you believe that? Then you are saved!’ Such a parody of truth must not go unchallenged. A sinner can ‘believe that’ and go to hell. A sinner can believe John 3:16 and other Gospel passages and still go to hell.

Third, in our feverish haste to multiply results by mass production, we lower the standard of the Gospel proclamation. This is a great day of religious machinery, and the machinery must show huge, immediate results for its propaganda and organization. As never before the Christian press is panting after sensational news of great results from our evangelistic endeavors. Unlike our Master many workers fail to warn their audiences to count the cost. (Luke 14 : 25-33). A preacher’s success is judged today mainly by the size of the crowds he draws. In John, chapter six, the Saviour preached His crowd away! ‘Many therefore . . .when they had heard. . . said, This is an hard saying who can hear it ? From that time many . . . went back, and walked no more with him.’ (John 6:60-66).”

Stewart, James Alexander (13 Feb. 1910-11 July 1975), missionary, evangelist, and author, was born in Glasgow, Scotland.

You Are the Word of God the Father

Tags

atonement, Creator, cross, Forgiveness, Glory of God, God, God The Father, God The Son, Gospel, Gospel of Jesus Christ, grace, Heaven, Heavenly Father, hope, Hymns & Songs, Jesus Christ, Joy, Keith Getty, Lord of lords, Lordship, Love, rejoice, Resurrection, salvation, sinner, sins, Stuart Townend, Victory, Word of God, Worship

You Are the Word of God the Father

YOU’RE THE WORD of God the Father,
From before the world began.
Ev’ry star and ev’ry planet
Has been fashioned by your hand.
All creation holds together
By the power of your voice.
Let the skies declare your glory;
Let the land and seas rejoice!

You’re the author of creation;
You’re the Lord of ev’ry man;
And your cry of love rings out across the lands.

Yet you left the gaze of angels,
Came to seek and save the lost,
And exchanged the joy of heaven
For the anguish of a cross.
With a prayer you fed the hungry;
With a word you stilled the sea;
Yet how silently you suffered
That the guilty may go free.

With a shout you rose victorious,
Wresting vict’ry from the grave,
And ascended into heaven,
Leading captives in your wake.
Now you stand before the Father,
Interceding for your own;
From each tribe, and tongue, and nation,
You are leading sinners home!

Copyright © 2003 Kingsway’s Thankyou Music

The Power of The Cross

Tags

atonement, cross, Forgiveness, God, Gospel, Gospel of Jesus Christ, grace, Hymns & Songs, Jesus Christ, Justification, Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, Lamb of God, mercy, Praise, repentance, sinner, sins, Stuart Townend, Worship

The Power of The Cross

Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

CHORUS:
This, the pow’r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev’ry bitter thought,
Ev’ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees;
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
“Finished!” the vict’ry cry.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

FINAL CHORUS:
This, the pow’r of the cross:
Son of God—slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.

The Power of the Cross
Words and Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music

Previous Similar Post:

The Power of the Cross – Kristyn Getty

How Can We Find Forgiveness From a Holy God ?

Tags

atonement, cross, Evangelism, Forgiveness, God, Gospel of Jesus Christ, grace, Holiness, Justification, Lamb of God, mercy, Muslim, preaching, repentance, salvation, sinner, sins, sovereignty, Thabiti Anyabwile

Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile, in a Muslim-Christian Dialogue held in Dubai,  answering the question : How can we find forgiveness from a Holy God ?

The atonement work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross as the perfect Lamb of God provides the means of propitiation and satisfaction to a Holy God. (Rom 3:25, Heb 2:17, 1Jn 2:2, 1 Jn 4:10)  It is the only way that a Holy God can remain as just and also the justifier of the ungodly sinners. (Rom 3:26) This is the “scandal of grace”. Forgiveness of ungodly sinners brought about by God demonstrating amazing grace in imputing the sinners’ sins upon His only Son Jesus Christ (Rom 5:8) and then  pouring out His righteous wrath in executing penal judgment  on His Son and thereby crushing  Him on the cross (Rom 5:9). That was what the Old Testament sacrificial system of bloody animal sacrifices has always meant to point to. (Heb 9: 11-15) God will provide a sacrifice, a perfect Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world.

In a post titled  A Bloody Religion – Pure Church, Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile wrote that Christians must remember and be constantly reminded by their pastors  that their forgiveness and acceptance by a Holy God  is on solely on the basis of the Lord Jesus Christ’s bloody,  perfect,  penal and sacrificial atonement on the cross. Jesus Christ is that  perfect sinless Lamb which was slaughtered by God. Jesus Christ shed His blood to bring about the remission of sins. A Holy God already judged and duly canceled the past and future sins of the ungodly sinners elected by His sovereign grace. That is how ungodly sinners can find forgiveness from a Holy God.

“That’s the Old Testament sacrificial system.  It’s bloody.

But do we imagine Christianity to be an less bloody?  Do we imagine the fulfillment of those patterns and prophesies to bring a more sanitary, sterile, cleaner religion?  If we do, we’ve lost sight of significant realities.

Is not our salvation purchased with blood?  The blood of the Son of God still flows.  It flows to the chief of sinners.  It still washes and cleanses.  It doesn’t drain into a basin, but reaches the nations.  And without the shedding of His blood, there is no remission of sins.  ….

What about you, pastor?  Does not our continuing ministry require blood?  Do your daily ministrations involve less blood than the blood Old Testament priests once put their hands in?  If so, you’re doing it wrong.  Are our people any less broken by sin?  Do they need repentance less?  Can they leave off confession and forget to seek a good conscience?  Certainly not.  But how will they be comforted?  How will they be assured of their forgiveness?  What will they do with their guilt?  Do we not return them to that precious fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins?  Do we not stand awash in blood and with our hands of counsel rub blood–not on an altar–but on our people?  And are they not cleansed of all unrighteousness when they’re taught to confess, repent, and return to a faithful and just God who is pleased at the sight of His Son’s blood?  We remind them that atonement has been made, which is to remind them of blood–Jesus’ blood.

Ours is a bloody religion.“

Past related  posts on Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile‘s participation in previous Muslim-Christian Dialogue also held in Dubai.

Who is God and how are we saved? – Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with Muslims

Who is Jesus Christ ? – A former Muslim explaining the Gospel of Jesus Christ

There is a Fountain – T4G 2008

Tags

atonement, Bob Kauflin, cross, eternal life, faith, Forgiveness, God, Gospel, Gospel of Jesus Christ, grace, Heaven, hope, Hymns & Songs, Jesus Christ, Justification, Lamb of God, Love, mercy, Praise, rejoice, repentance, salvation, sinner, sins, T4G, Worship

There is a Fountain

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.

E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.

Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.

Words: Will­iam Cow­per, in Con­yer’s Col­lect­ion of Psalms and Hymns, 1772.

What is the Great Commission?

Tags

Discipleship, Evangelism, Feed, Gospel, Gospel of Jesus Christ, Great Comission, Jesus Christ, Michael Horton, Missions, preaching

“Go therefore into all the world and make disciples.” This is the version of the Great Commission that many of us memorized. However, it leaves out a great deal. To begin with, it leaves out the whole rationale for the commission in the first place. Although it sounds a little corny, a good rule of thumb in reading the Scriptures is that whenever you find a “therefore” you need to stop and ask “what it’s there for.”

When we see an imperative such as “Go therefore,” we need to go back and look at what has already been said leading up to it. There is no reason for us to go into all the world as Christ’s ambassadors apart from the work that he has already accomplished.

The Great Commission actually begins with the declaration, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matt. 28:18). This is the rationale for everything the church is called to do and to be. The church’s commission is indeed directed by a purpose (“making disciples of all nations”), but it is driven by a promise  ……………….

The church’s mission is grounded in God’s mission, which he fulfilled objectively in his Son and whose subjective effects he is bringing about in the world through his Spirit. Because the Father sent the Son and then the Spirit, we are sent into all the world with his gospel…..

And God is the original missionary. He was a missionary in creation: speaking the world into being by his Word, in the power of his Spirit. Adam was commissioned to bring the whole earth under submission to God’s righteous rule, but he forfeited this calling. Israel too was called out by God as “a light to the Gentiles.” Yet, “like Adam, Israel transgressed the covenant” (Hos. 6:7). In the fullness of time, however, the Father sent the Son into the world to save sinners. In his post-resurrection appearances to the disciples, Jesus not only preached himself as the center of Scripture (Luke 24:27, 44), he made their proclamation of him part of that mission as well: “‘This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem’” (vv. 45-47). And after his ascension, the Son together with the Father sent the Spirit at Pentecost. God’s mission, of course, is qualitatively distinct from ours. The triune God is the Redeemer; we are the redeemed. But the redeemed are given the privilege of participating in God’s mission to the world by proclaiming the gospel, administering the sacraments, and caring for the expanding flock of Christ.

The Great Announcement – “All Authority in Heaven and on Earth Has Been Given to Me” By Michael S. Horton

Before The Throne of God Above

Tags

atonement, Blood, cross, Forgiveness, God, Gospel, Gospel of Jesus Christ, grace, Great High Priest, Heaven, hope, Hymns & Songs, Jesus Christ, Just, Justification, Lamb of God, Love, mercy, Pardon, Praise, Redeemer, Redemption, repentance, salvation, Satan, sinner, sins, SoundForth Singers, Temptations, Throne, Unchangeable, Worship

Before the throne of God above

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!

Words: Charitie L. Bancroft, 1863.Updated Music arranged by Vikki Cook

Three Other similar posts on this hymn:

Before The Throne Of God Above

Before the Throne of God Above

Before the Throne of God Above

I Stand Amazed In The Presence

Tags

atonement, calvary, cross, God, Gospel, Gospel of Jesus Christ, grace, hope, Hymns & Songs, Jesus Christ, Joy, Love, mercy, Praise, rejoice, salvation, sinner, sins, Substitutionary, Vicarious, Worship

I Stand Amazed In The Presence

I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me,
A sinner, condemned, unclean.

Refrain
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!

For me it was in the garden
He prayed: “Not My will, but Thine.”
He had no tears for His own griefs,
But sweat drops of blood for mine.

In pity angels beheld Him,
And came from the world of light
To comfort Him in the sorrows
He bore for my soul that night.

He took my sins and my sorrows,
He made them His very own;
He bore the burden to Calvary,
And suffered and died alone.

When with the ransomed in glory
His face I at last shall see,
’Twill be my joy through the ages
To sing of His love for me.

Words: Charles H. Gab­ri­el, in Prais­es, by Ed­win O. Ex­cell (Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: 1905)

How Deep The Father’s Love For Us

Tags

atonement, cross, Forgiveness, God, Gospel of Jesus Christ, grace, Hymns & Songs, Jesus Christ, Justification, Lamb of God, mercy, Praise, salvation, sinner, sins, Stuart Townend

How Deep The Father’s Love For Us

How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

How Deep The Fathers Love For Us -lyrics by  Stuart Townend

Other similar postings on this hymn:

How Deep The Father’s Love For Us – Stuart Townend

How Deep The Father’s Love For Us