4 Lessons from “Rejoice-the Lord Is King!”

Rejoice, the Lord is King! Your Lord and King adore;
Rejoice, give thanks, and sing, and triumph evermore;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice; rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Jesus, the Savior, reigns, the God of truth and love;
When He had purged our stains He took His seat above;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice; rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

His kingdom cannot fail, He rules o’er earth and Heav’n,
The keys of death and hell are to our Jesus giv’n;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice; rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Rejoice in glorious hope! Jesus the Judge shall come,
And take His servants up to their eternal home;
We soon shall hear th’ archangel’s voice;
The trump of God shall sound, rejoice!

Date: 18^th century

Writer(s): Charles Wesley 

Background for writing: This hymn writer is responsible for 6,5000 hymns that the church has sung. This particular hymn was written for the church so Christians could better manifest a spontaneous joy as they thought about the return of Christ. Philippians 4:4 seems to be the biblical inspiration for this hymn.

4 Lessons:

1. The Lordship of Christ demands our worship.
2. The Saviorhood of Christ demands our worship.
3. The sovereignty of Christ demands our worship.
4. The judging work of Christ demands our worship.

8 Truisms About Christ That We Learn from “Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us”

Savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need Thy tender care;
In Thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use Thy folds prepare.

We are Thine, Thou dost befriend us, be the Guardian of our way;
Keep Thy flock, from sin defend us, seek us when we go astray.

Thou hast promised to receive us, poor and sinful though we be;
Thou hast mercy to relieve us, grace to cleanse and pow’r to free.

Early let us seek Thy favor, early let us do Thy will;
Blessed Lord and only Savior, with Thy love our bosoms fill.

Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast loved us, love us still.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast loved us, love us still.

Date: 18^th century

Writer(s): Dorothy A. Thrupp

Background for writing: This English woman wrote many children’s hymns and poetry but rarely signed any of her works. If she did, she would use a pseudonym. Thus, some speculate that she is the composer of this hymn, but we cannot be for sure.

8 Lessons:

1. Jesus Christ is the Great Shepherd.
2. Jesus Christ is Our Friend.
3. Jesus Christ is Our Protector.
4. Jesus Christ is merciful.
5. Jesus Christ will hear our prayers.
6. Jesus Christ is Lord.
7. Jesus Christ is love.
8. Jesus Christ will not change.

7 Lessons from “My Jesus I Love Thee”

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine; for Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou; if ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me, and purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow; if ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,

And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow, if ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight, I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow, if ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

Date: 19^th century

Writer(s): William R. Featherston

Inspiration for writing: The author of this hymn was a Canadian teenager when he wrote it. He was 16. It is rumored that his aunt sent his words off to be published in an English hymnal titled The London Book. The melody was written and improved upon by American Baptist pastor A.J. Gordon.

7 Lessons:

1. Jesus wants, allows, and calls Himself “our own.”
2. When we come to Christ, we renounce the sins that previously enraptured us.
3. Jesus’ love “began” in time past; we love Him because of His eternal love.
4. Jesus’ death of the cross saves us.
5. The suffering of Jesus was necessary for us to be saved.
6. Our devotion to Jesus will be eternal. Not even death will end our love for Him.
7. Our love for Jesus Christ should be maturing, deepening, and widening.

5 Lessons from “Jesus Paid It All”

I hear the Savior say, “Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray, find in Me thine all in all.”

For nothing good have I whereby Thy grace to claim;
I’ll wash my garments white in the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.

And now complete in Him, my robe, His righteousness,
Close sheltered ’neath His side, I am divinely blest.

Lord, now indeed I find Thy pow’r, and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots and melt the heart of stone.

When from my dying bed my ransomed soul shall rise,
“Jesus died my soul to save,” shall rend the vaulted skies.

And when before the throne I stand in Him complete,
I’ll lay my trophies down, all down at Jesus’ feet.

Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

Date: 19^th century

Writer(s): Elvina M. Hall

Inspiration for writing: While sitting in a choir loft in a Methodist church in Baltimore, Maryland during the sermon of her pastor and after singing a congregational hymn titled “All to Christ I Owe”

5 Lessons:

1. We are at our weakest when we are without Christ.
2. We aren’t good enough to be accepted by the Father. We need a Mediator.
3. The righteousness of Christ becomes our righteousness – our standing – when we are saved.
4. The blood of Christ can make anyone a new creation.
5. Our arrival into the eternal presence of Christ will involve a time of reward.

7 Lessons from “The Church’s One Foundation”

The church has one foundation, ’Tis Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is His new creation, through water by the word.
From heav’n He came and sought her to be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died.

Elect from every nation, yet one o’er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation— one Lord, one faith, one birth.
One holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food;
And to one hope she presses, with every grace endued.

Yet she on earth hath union with God the Three in One,

And mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won:

O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we,

Like them, the meek and lowly, on high may dwell with Thee.

Date: 18^th century

Writer(s): Samuel J. Stone

Inspiration for writing: This hymn was written to counter theological liberalism. Penned by an Anglican minister, this hymn celebrates the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It is one of 12 hymns that are compositions about the Apostles’ Creed. Stone was said to have “created a beautiful place of worship for the humble folk and made it a center of light in dark places.”

7 Lessons:

1. The Lead Pastor of every church is Jesus Christ.
2. The church was designed by Jesus Christ.
3. Jesus Christ died for the church and made her His bride.
4. The church is filled with Christians who were elect before the foundation of the world.
5. The church is a group of gathered saints that believe in the same essentials.
6. The trinity’s unity is a model for the church’s unity.
7. All these truths should lead us to a place of humility.