Hymns4Him

America’s 2024 national election involved candidates and parties at many levels of government: President and Vice President, Senators, Representatives, state and local officials, and numerous amendments (included abortion and marijuana).  The political season preceding it was filled with sometimes extremely harsh rhetoric, interruptions from television commercials, and a seemingly never-ending delivery of campaign flyers in our mailboxes.

The result of the election, especially at the presidential level, caused relief and euphoria for some and inconsolable sorrow and anger for others.  Sadly, some candidates who claimed to be Christians fell far short of demonstrating the virtues associated with the fruit of the Spirit.  Having witnessed that, one of the reactions that should become even more present now is not only prayer for the nation, but also prayer for those candidates whose rhetoric and attitude showed a need for divinely-given repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus.

As Christians voted, most had deeply held convictions that shaped their selections at the ballot box.  And these varied, with some choosing on candidate and party, and others, even family members, divided as the selected the opposite.  So how should Christians on both sides be reacting now?  Certainly there should be no hostility between those with whom there was disagreement.  At this (and every) point, the biblical goal should be not unity (we still hold opposing convictions), but harmony (respecting those with whom we disagreed).

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Some might consider Thanksgiving “the American family holiday.” It might even surpass Christmas as the occasion for which family members gather together in greatest numbers.  Each year, we hear on the news that more people travel over Thanksgiving weekend than at any time during the year. And that travel often involves family members of multiple generations joining together at the home of their member for a traditional meal centering around roast turkey.  Part of the tradition frequently includes starting the day with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on television, and then after the sumptuous early afternoon feast, watching an afternoon football game while eating cold turkey sandwiches, and then getting started on Christmas decorations in the house and Christmas shopping in the stores on “Black Friday.”  And of course, throughout the day, everyone is taking turns helping out in the kitchen!   Right?

But as the real meaning of Christmas is too often lost amid the commercialism and consumerism of our increasingly secular culture, so too is the real meaning of Thanksgiving too often lost amid the increasingly self-centered hedonistic and entertainment-oriented atmosphere of modern America.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the revival we all pray for could begin by Christians leading the way, putting the Lord back at the center of these two holiday events, both of which had their origins in celebrating what God has done for us?  After all, the word thanksgiving has little meaning unless there is some conscious understanding of what it is for which we are thankful, and to whom our thankfulness is directed.

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One of the interesting linguistic “coincidences” of the English language is that we can sing of the “Son” of God also as the “sun” which brings such glorious light into our lives, the two words Son and sun sounding identical, even though spelled differently.  At the center of the Christian faith and the Christian life is joyful acclamation of and adoration toward the Lord Jesus Christ.  In one of the seven “I Ams” in the Gospel of John, Jesus said, “I am the Light of the World” (John 8:12). The best devotional writing, theological development, and musical praise all speak of His majesty and of our love for and dependence on Him.  In other words, as the sun is essential for material life, even more so is the Son essential for spiritual life in more ways than we can ever describe or fully appreciate.

And so it’s not surprising that lyrical poetry in our hymns does sometimes make this connection.  One example of that comes to us as a modern adaptation of the ancient writing of Ambrose of Milan (340-397).  It is found in our hymnals as “O Splendor of God’s Glory Bright,” whether as a hymn in praise of Jesus Christ, or as a hymn for the morning. The Christian tradition of morning and evening hymns customarily gravitates around prayers for God’s guidance and protection throughout the day or night. In the case of this hymn, these prayers gather around the theme of light, and move from the Son, Jesus Christ, considered here the Light of the World, to the Father who sends the light and from whom all blessings flow, with a passing mention of the Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, in the second stanza. This “theological organization” of the Trinity points, once again, to Ambrose’s goal of theological education in his hymns. The prayers directed towards Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are for illumination, sanctification, protection from sin, and guidance throughout the day’s decisions and interactions with others. These requests create a sung prayer of unique character and flow.

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There are several passages in the New Testament which bear the marks of not only being well-known quotations of that time, but also because of their poetical and lyrical character being likely examples of early Christian hymns.  The Bible contains many canticles and hymns beyond the Psalms. For example, Exodus, Deuteronomy and Luke include great canticles that contain a sense of the faith heritage to be remembered in coming generations. New Testament hymns in the epistles are usually creedal in content, sung versions from the emerging Christian church about what it believes based on the witness of Christ’s life.  Most commentators have agreed that one of those inspired passages is the absolutely beautiful and well-crafted section in Philippians 2:5-11. 

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This hymn lifts up “the name of Jesus” in a wonderful way that thrills the heart of every believer. Our hearts rejoice at the thought of the Lord Jesus being highly exalted.  This phrase, “the name of Jesus,” is of greater significance than we generally realize.  We find it quoted in a number of passages in the New Testament.  

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Every year, many churches celebrate the Protestant Reformation with special services focusing on the central doctrines that were brought into sharper focus as they were re-discovered in the 16^th century.  While we remember especially Martin Luther and his 95 Theses posted on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, 1517, we recognize that many additional evangelical doctrines were brought to the forefront, and remain so today. Among those are “The Five Solas:” Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Solus Christus, and Soli Deo Gloria.  In addition to Martin Luther, we are indebted to men like William Tyndale, John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, John Knox, Heinrich Bullinger, and many others whose names we ought to remember.

Christianity has always been a faith based on history and understood through doctrines.  The 20^th century Presbyterian theologian and author R. C. Sproul is remembered not only for his dozens of books, DVD courses, and conference lectures (and frequent expressions in Latin!).  He is also remembered for reminding people that great doctrinal knowledge about Jesus is not enough, unless it is joined with a sincere and genuine love and affection for Jesus.  In other words (as R. C. expressed it), the question is not just “Do you know Jesus?” but “Do you love Jesus?”  After all, didn’t Jesus say that the first and greatest commandment is that we love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind (Matthew 22:37)?

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The nineteenth century has been called “the century of foreign missions,” since there was such an impressive surge of men and women going into all the world with the message of the gospel.  Missions has been at the heart of Christianity since Jesus gave the church His departing assignment in “The Great Commission” in Matthew 28:18-20.  While the movement into distant fields has not always been as prominent as it should have been, it did begin afresh with the Moravian missions of the mid-18^th century, at the same time as the Great Awakening produced evangelists like John Wesley and George Whitefield.  A missions-consciousness grew in English-speaking Christendom from the time of William Carey, “the father of modern missions,” when he went to India in 1793.  His 41 year ministry there was phenomenal, especially as he used his ability as an extraordinarily gifted linguist who translated the Bible into multiple dialects.

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How often do you think about heaven?  Jesus said that He’s gone there to prepare a place for us, and that He’s coming back to take us to be with Him (John 14).  The thought of that should absolutely thrill us, especially as we grow older and our health deteriorates, and as we hear more and more about the increasing uncertainty and wickedness in the world around us. What a glorious future lies before us, and which draws nearer every day.   Shouldn’t we think of it often, and shouldn’t we be frequently considering it in sermons and Bible studies?

But how often do we think about heaven?  We hear that sometimes Christians are ridiculed for being “so heavenly minded, they’re no earthly good.”  Of course, that’s never been true, but have we overreacted against that to the point that we feel guilty if we find ourselves deliberately thinking about heaven?  Our future is guaranteed by Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, as well as His promise to take us there.  And since His Word tells us quite a bit about heaven, surely He wants us to keep that in view to encourage and comfort us as we go through this “veil of tears” before arriving home.

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The Protestant Reformation has been recognized, even by secular historians, as one of the most influential events in “modern” history in the west. When Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, 1517, he lit a fuse that soon led to a glorious “explosion” of gospel truth that spread fruits of freedom widely throughout western civilization (please pardon the mixed metaphors here!).  Few took note of it on that evening of All Saints’ Day, but within a few weeks, local printers had made copies of it, which were quickly and widely distributed so that these matters spread all across Germany.

The lasting impact was much broader than the theological issues Luther addressed.  Under the second-generation Reformation influence of John Calvin (1509-1564) in Geneva, Reformation principles led directly to such things as quality university education (beyond literacy to liberal arts, beginning with the Geneva Academy), modern democracy (government by elected representatives), care for the needy (through diaconal mercy ministry to widows, orphans, the elderly, and inform), as well as evangelistic missions (with many young men trained and sent out from Geneva into France – most of whom were martyred – and across the Atlantic to Brazil).

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The word “great” is a simple, and often over-used and under-appreciated word.  But how fitting an adjective to describe everything about God!  His name is great.  His salvation is great.  His love is great.  His mercy is great.  His justice is great.  His glory is great. His patience is great.   His power is great.  His knowledge is great.  His creation is great.  His majesty is great.  On and on we could go with every one of His attributes.  Think of applying that descriptive word to the Westminster Shorter Catechism’s classic definition of God in question number 4.  “God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.”   Great wisdom, great power, great holiness, great justice, etc.

Our world and our everyday lives are filled with so many things that are ordinary, mundane, and anything but great.   These range from having the same thing for breakfast each morning to having mail delivered to our front yard each day. And not only that, we too often look at truly great things without recognizing just how great they actually are.  What about how great it is that there are a dozen different kinds of ice cream at the supermarket.  Or that we can drive just a few minutes to get gasoline for our car (even if it has grown much more expensive in the last few years!).  Or that we have access to the finest health care in the world, and insurance to pay for it.  All of this is because of the greatness of God’s mercy toward us.

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We live in a world that is worrisomely agitated, causing significant emotional unrest in the hearts of great portions of this globe’s population.  It is caused by widespread racial unrest, universal economic hardships, transnational tensions, open warfare, the threat of invasion across established borders, and the fear of escalation to the use of nuclear weapons. While most people are not heading to a shelter in the mountains to try to get away from it all, many are seeking some mode of escape from the fears deep in their hearts that seem to be rising exponentially each month.

Add to all that the current (2024) volatility in the political landscape of the American presidential race.  The depth of divisions between people because of the policies promoted by each candidate have greatly intensified fears of what could happen in our land if the opposing candidate were to win the White House, further dividing regions, communities, and even families.  And we can be sure that there will be even greater fear and anxiety the morning after the voting, regardless of which candidate wins.

None of this is entirely new, though it may be taking different forms.  Conflict and danger has always been a part of human life, from the home to the nation, since the fall.  It began with the conflict in the Garden of Eden, and was tragically evident in the jealous hostility that broke out between Cain and Abel that resulted in the first recorded case of fratricide in the Bible.  Such has been the fallout from Adam’s first act of defiance of God, which has been passed on to every member of the human race, according to Romans 5:12-21.

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