****WE THREE KINGS

Christian music has always suffered a lot of criticism and some of it is deserved.  So, we should carefully examine lyrics for truth and doctrinal correctness.  Some of our available Christian music is so full of heresy that we should never use it in our worship.

But then there are some that aren’t necessarily heretical; they just contain some figurative or speculative or poetic language that might be misunderstood or are slightly, factually incorrect. 

WE THREE KINGS is one of those Christmas songs, and I have deliberately avoided it several years.   I was bothered by its inaccurate imagery: 

  

“Three Kings come from the Orient to visit the baby Jesus in His manger bed.” 

The Bible tells us none of that.  So, I have to admit, I never really paid much attention to it.  But once we get past the song’s title and the opening line, there is a lot of important prophetic doctrine in it. 

  

In fact, I have come to realize that my only legitimate dislike for this carol could be narrowed down to just TWO LITTLE LETTERS; “R” and “E.”  That’s right!  If the author had just written, “We THE Kings,” there wouldn’t be much left for me to criticize.  

John Henry Hopkins, Jr. was an author, book illustrator, stained glass window designer, clergyman, and editor of the New York Church Journal.  He wrote WE THREE KINGS for a Christmas pageant at the General Theological Seminary of New York City in 1857.  Six years later it was published in his book, Carols, Hymns and Song. 

Were there really three kings?  The Bible calls them Magi, so some would argue that they were pagan astrologers or sorcerers.

The suggestion that the Wise Men were kings comes from prophecies in Isaiah 49:7; “Kings shall see and arise,” and Isaiah 60:10; “Their kings shall minister unto thee.” 

There are other records that refer to the Wise Men as kings. The journals of Marco Polo contain a report from Persia about three kings who took gold, frankincense, and myrrh with them on a journey to visit a newborn prophet.

The term Wise Men, as used in the King James Bible, is from the Greek word that is translated, “magi” in English.  Some scholars think the Wise Men were priests in a Persian religious sect.  However, other biblical scholars have speculated that they might have been descendants of Nebuchadnezzar’s advisors who were influenced by Daniel during the captivity.  Having heard of Daniel’s prophecies and teachings they may have been true believers to whom God had revealed the birth of the promised Messiah.

The first four stanzas are a narrative.  The first verse starts with the account of the wise men following the star on their journey to find the baby.

Stanzas 2, 3, and 4 name three gifts they brought: 

Gold speaks of royalty.  This Baby is the King of kings.

  

Incense was used in the tabernacle as a symbol of prayer and worship.  Jesus is God in human flesh. 

Myrrh was used as an embalming spice.   It pointed to Christ’s death on the cross for sin.

The final stanza is a song of praise in which Hopkins summarized the three-fold offices of this Baby.  Jesus Christ is our King, He is our God, and He is our Sacrifice.  Praise the Lord!

****ONE DAY (GLORIOUS DAY)

The hymn, ONE DAY was written by Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman.  While he was a guest preacher at a Bible Conference around 1908, He handed the text to his organist, Charles Marsh, who composed the tune.  Chapman published it in 1910.

This is one of those songs that appear in many hymnbooks but, for some reason, always seems to be there just to take up space.  I don’t know why it is not one of our more prominent hymns.  Maybe it’s because of how it’s placed in the topical index.  It’s not categorized as a Christmas song, although the first stanza tells of Christ’s incarnation.  And neither is it listed as a resurrection hymn, although it sings of His death, burial, and resurrection.  It is just placed somewhere in the category, “The Life of Christ.”

ONE DAY is a hymn that recounts the glorious days in God’s story of redemption; the day of Christ’s birth, the day of His crucifixion, the day of His death and burial, and the day of His resurrection. 

The good news is that Chapman’s lyrics are making a comeback in a popular, new version titled, GLORIOUS DAY.  It was produced with a new music score, by Mark Hall and Michael Bleeker of Casting Crowns.  Except for the addition of a few lines, the original lyrics remain intact.

However, the new rendition has already generated some unfair criticism, mainly about the refrain:

“Living He loved me, dying He saved me, buried He carried my sins far away; Rising He justified freely forever; One day He’s coming, O glorious day.”

 

The critic’s objection is that Jesus’ living doesn’t equate to His loving; His death didn’t save us, our sins were not carried far away by His burial, and His resurrection did not justify us.

But the arguments are foolish.  It is not hard to understand that the author’s intention was to recap the full scope and purpose of Christ’s ministry; His incarnation and perfect sinless life, His crucifixion, His death, burial and resurrection, and His Second coming, as an all-inclusive, once for all, completed work of God’s redemptive grace.

In fact, it reads like a poetic paraphrase of these words in Paul’s, summary statement of the Good News of the Gospel: “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”

This hymn is rich in sound doctrine and packed full of allusions to Scripture.  One researcher broke it down and identified multiple scriptural referenced for almost every phrase.  He found over 75 supporting texts for this hymn.

Some of the more overt theological themes in this song include the doctrines of angels, sin, the virgin birth, the incarnation, atonement, propitiation, justification, redemption, resurrection, ascension,  and second coming. 

The song ends with a glorious proclamation of our hope.

ONE DAY the trumpet will sound for His coming.

One day the skies with His glories will shine;

Wonderful day, my Beloved One’s bringing;

Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine.

One day He’s coming, O GLORIOUS DAY!

****THOU DIDST LEAVE THY THRONE

THOU DIDST LEAVE THY THRONE was written by Emily (Elizabeth Steele) Elliott in the late 1800s.  She was the daughter of Charlotte Elliot who wrote, “Just As I Am.”

Emily had a passion for her work in rescue missions and teaching Sunday school, and she saw those occupations as opportunities to reach children with the gospel.

For six years, she edited a missionary publication for children’s ministries, in which she published a collection of 48 of her hymns.

But THOU DIDST LEAVE THY THRONE was different; it was printed separately and written exclusively for the children’s choir in her father’s parish in Brighton, England.  She wrote this hymn to clarify the meaning, of Advent and the Birth of Jesus, to the children she taught, and there are some great doctrinal truths to be discovered in it.

The text is based on Luke 2:7, “And (Mary) brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

In the structure of this hymn, Emily used a literary technique called rhetorical antithesis.  Two observations, in each verse, are intentionally contrasted to emphasize the difference.  And each contrast hinges on the same conjunction, “BUT.”

In the first stanza, Jesus left His glorious heavenly home, BUT there was no room for Him in Bethlehem.

In the second, He is described as the King surrounded by angels always singing His praises, BUT His birth on earth was lowly and humble.

Verse three is a poetic paraphrase of Matthew 8:20 “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, BUT the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

And in the fourth verse, He came from heaven bringing words of love and life BUT, on earth, He was mocked and scorned.

A similar contrast is implied in the refrain; there was no room for Him in the Inn, BUT there is room for Him in the hearts of believers. 

  The song is sometimes used as an invitation hymn because of the last phrase in each of the first four stanzas, “O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for Thee.”

But that usage misses the point.

This is not a hymn of invitation for sinners to come to the Savior; it emphasizes the reality that we have NOTHING big enough, grand enough, valuable enough, or good enough to offer that would impress God and merit His good grace and favor.  All we can do is come broken and needy and offer Him our hearts.

But, should God be pleased with that?

Well, frankly, I can’t think of anything dirtier; not even that filthy stable.  The words of Jeremiah the prophet, remind me what God thinks of my heart:

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked;

Who can know it?

"I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” (Jer. 17:9-10)

Nevertheless, the Spirit of God indwells His people anyway.  He has given us a new heart and while we are still in these sin-sick bodies, He is at work cleaning us and making us fit to live with Him.

  The point is, we have nothing to boast; ALL the glory for our sanctification belongs to Him.

The final stanza proclaims our Hope.  We are looking forward to that day when He will call us home to dwell with Him forever. 

****WHAT CHILD IS THIS?

William Dix was born in Bristol, England in 1837.  He wrote and published at least 40 hymns including “WHAT CHILD IS THIS?”

It was one of his best hymns but, unfortunately, modern publishers, thinking it was too dark and depressing for a Christmas carol, removed half the second stanza.  What remains is a bright, joyful song of the celebration of Jesus’ birth without the unpleasant gloom of the cross.

  

Before the alteration, there were three stanzas of eight lines each with no refrain.  Now there are three, four-line stanzas with a common refrain that was originally the last lines of the first stanza.  So, today, in most hymnbooks there is an abbreviated, inoffensive text that neglects an important doctrinal purpose of the song.

The carol starts with a rhetorical question.  These kinds of questions are often used to emphasize a truth or to make an expression of amazement.  Sometimes those kinds of questions are used in Scripture.

For example, when Jesus calmed the storm that was threatening the disciples, they asked themselves, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (Mark 4:41).

They all knew the answer; This Man is God. 

  

The question asked in verse one is; “WHAT CHILD IS THIS?”   And, of course, we know the answer.  It’s plainly revealed in Scripture; “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”  (John 1:14).

   

This baby is Christ the King.

Verse two poses another important question; “Why is He lying in such mean estate?”  

The word, mean, doesn’t mean cruel or unkind; it describes His common, ordinary, or lowly birth.  A few years ago, my Pastor illustrated the “insignificance” of all the people and places surrounding Jesus’ humble arrival.  There was no pompous ceremony; there were no exalted dignitaries.  There were no fancy furnishings.  He was born in a smelly stable and laid in a filthy feeding trough.  

And the verse goes on to explain that this silent little Baby is the living Word of God, who is here “pleading” for our souls. 

And this is where the editors made their terrible cut.  In the original text, William Dix continued the account with the prophetic reason for this Baby’s coming.  “The nails and the spear shall pierce Him.”  

That’s an allusion to the crucifixion.  He came to bear the suffering and death on the cross for us.  This Baby, the Son of Mary, was born to die.

His birth in the manger is a reason to rejoice only because of His death on the cross.  So, we sing, “Come, peasant king to own Him.”

That is the invitation of the Gospel.   When Jesus came to His own people, they rejected Him.  But the insignificant, lowly shepherds and the wise men from far countries came to worship Him.   And so, the final stanza is a song of Joy; Jesus came to bring salvation to all who will believe.

WHAT CHILD IS THIS?

(Here are all the original lyrics.  

The green lines are the ones that have been removed.)

1. What Child is this who laid to rest,

On Mary's lap is sleeping?

Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet,

While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King,

Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing;

Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

2. Why lies He in such mean estate,

Where ox and ass are feeding?

Good Christians, fear, for sinners here

The silent Word is pleading.

Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,

The cross be borne for me, for you.

Hail, hail the Word made flesh,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

3. So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,

Come peasant, king to own Him;

The King of kings salvation brings,

Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

Raise, raise a song on high,

The virgin sings her lullaby.

Joy, joy for Christ is born,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

COME, THOU ALMIGHTY KING (appropriate for Christmas)

Most people would not recognize this as an appropriate hymn for the Christmas season.  But it really is.

While looking for Christmas hymns, one thing I noticed is that most hymnbooks arranges them topically, starting with Advent and then proceeding to hymns about the birth of Jesus. 

I’m not very familiar with the liturgical calendar, but, apparently, in many Christian traditions, these four weeks leading up to Christmas day is called the Advent season.

But ALL these hymns, regardless of how they are categorized, are about His birth, so I wondered what was it that distinguished advent hymns from other songs about the birth of Jesus?

I looked to the dictionary for a definition of advent and it is a word that implies expectation or the waiting for an appearance or an event. In Christianity, it is the anticipation of the arrival of the Messiah, the promised One from God.

I found that to be somewhat curious because He has already come so, I wondered, how is it that we are still waiting?   Well, in my research, I learned a few things about the advent season.

In church tradition, Advent reminds us of ancient Israel's anticipation as they waited and hoped for the coming of Messiah. This is a time to recount the stories of Zechariah, Elizabeth, Simeon, and all the pre-Church saints. We think about all the promises that God made and how they looked forward to their coming salvation.

But that is just part of the anticipation. The Advent season, today, is a reminder that there is still more to come. 

John Piper explains this two-part appearance like this:

“When Emmanuel arrives — when the Dayspring rises — we learn that redemption has only begun.

“To be sure, it is magnificent.

  

“The final blood is shed. The debt is paid. Forgiveness is purchased. God’s wrath is removed. Adoption is secured. The down payment is in the bank. The first fruits of harvest are in the barn. The future is sure. The joy is great.

  

“But the end is not yet. Death still snatches away. Disease still makes us miserable. Calamity still strikes. Satan still prowls. Flesh still wars against the Spirit. Sin still indwells. 

"And we still ‘groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies’ (Romans 8:23). 

"We still ‘wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (1 Corinthians 1:7). 

"We still wait for final deliverance ‘from the wrath to come’ (1 Thessalonians 1:10). 

"We still ‘wait for the hope of righteousness’ (Galatians 5:5). 

"The longing continues.”

The Advent season is a time for rejoicing; Our Savior was born in Bethlehem. But the birth of Jesus is meaningless and irrelevant without His sacrificial death, burial, and His resurrection. It was all part of God’s plan that will culminate when Jesus Christ returns for His Church and finishes His work of redemption. 

So, now we look forward to His Second Coming. And the next time He comes, He is coming as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  

COME, THOU ALMIGHTY KING.

****FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH

I read, this week, that The Church of Sweden has urged its clergy to use more gender-neutral language when referring to God and to avoid referring to the deity as “Lord” or “he.”

The move is one of many made by the national Evangelical Lutheran Church, which is in the process of updating a 31-year-old handbook, which will outline how services should be conducted in terms of language, and that will include necessary revisions to the hymns they sing.

It is not unusual that many of our older hymns have gone through some revisions.  Sometimes those changes have been improvements but there are some that were made for the wrong reasons.

In 1864, Folliot Pierpoint published an eight-stanza poem, “The Sacrifice of Praise.”  It was originally meant to be used as a communion hymn.

In the original refrain, “Christ, our God, to Thee we raise, This, our sacrifice of praise,” reflected the author’s intent for a communion hymn.  But it was changed to “Lord of all, to Thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise.”

As it turns out, that was a good change, but it was forced by political correctness.  There were heresies then, like now, that denied the deity of Christ and there were spineless publishers who were uncomfortable with the way the text equated Christ with God.

 

Pierpoint stood firm in his defense of the original text.  He argued that there had been a long tradition of Christians singing hymns to Christ as God; and, besides, the Fifth Ecumenical Council (553), referencing 1 Cor. 2:8, affirmed that our Lord Jesus Christ, who was crucified in the flesh, is true God, and the “Lord of glory”.

Nevertheless, the hymn was changed and, I think, for the better.  Two stanzas, that weren’t very good, have been omitted and two have been combined. 

So, now, FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH, is a five-stanza hymn with a new refrain.  And the focus of the original hymn has been broadened from a communion hymn to a song of praise and thanksgiving to the “Lord of all.”

The progression in the imagery of this hymn makes it a good teaching aid for children.  The thanksgiving starts with the natural creation; the world around us and then progresses to thanks for human relationships, then the Church, and finally, to the incarnation; the Gift of God’s own Son in human flesh.

****ONCE FOR ALL (Free From The Law)

Some Christian music historians have ranked Philip Bliss as the second greatest Christian songwriter in history.  In just twelve years, he had written several hundred hymn lyrics and music scores including:

I Gave My Life For Thee
It Is Well With My Soul
Almost Persuaded
Hallelujah, What A Savior!
Hold The Fort
Jesus Loves Even Me
Let The Lower Lights Be Burning
The Light Of The World Is Jesus
Wonderful Words Of Life
and ONCE FOR ALL

Philip died in a tragic train wreck at the age of 38 but, had he lived, he probably would have passed his peers, Fannie Crosby, Charles Wesley and Ira Sankey, in terms of the sheer number of compositions produced.  And he wanted his works to be freely used and enjoyed by the Church so none of his songs were ever copyrighted.

For Christmas in 1871, his wife gave him a bound copy of English periodicals called “Things New and Old.”  One of the articles referenced Romans 8:1-2 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”

Another passage, in that piece, was Hebrews 10:10. …we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

That article inspired Philip to write the hymn, ONCE FOR ALL (sometimes titled Free from The Law).

There is a lot of confusion about this subject and many people have perverted the doctrine of God’s grace, to imply that, once we are saved, we have the freedom to do whatever we want with no fear of His condemnation or wrath.

So, what does it mean to be “free from the law?”

The Law is a strict prison master; It is consequential and unmerciful.  It is impossible to keep, and any infraction requires a death penalty.  That’s the environment we live in when we think that we can merit God’s favor by our own good works.  But God is merciful and has provided His free gift of undeserved grace for all who would believe. 

That is the Gospel; Jesus suffered, bled, and died so that anyone whose faith is in Christ alone, is free from the grip and the penalty of the Law.   There is no more sacrifice for sin; the penalty has been paid. 

Paul wrote to the Christians at Rome, “…for you are not under law but under grace.”  But that doesn’t mean that we can go on ignoring His revealed laws or that we can live according to our own desires.  Paul’s words are prefaced by the phrase, “… For sin shall NOT have dominion over you…”

Freedom from the Law also means that, after He saves us, His Spirit lives in us and He gives us the power to resist sin, obey Him, and serve Him.          

Christ has redeemed us ONCE FOR ALL. 

****TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE CONSECRATED

What we call Contemporary Christian Music got its start in the middle of the twentieth century.  Baby boomers who were bored with the old music of the church brought new styles into the mainstream of American evangelical churches.

 

Much of the music deserved the criticism it got.  It was sometimes silly, doctrinally anemic, and borderline heretical; it was often man-centered and appealing to the flesh.  But, something amazing happened in the latter part of the century.   Contemporary Christian Music grew up. 

In the midst of all the clamor, emerged a plethora of excellent Christian composers, writers, and singers who brought us some of the best and most inspiring, classical and contemporary, God-honoring music in our lifetime.

 

It was in that musical environment, that a frustrated, renegade music professor developed a new, revolutionary approach to choral conducting.  Most of his contemporaries were highly critical but Dr. Gary Bonner’s master’s program produced hundreds of graduates who launched a rebirth in Church choir music throughout the Christian world.

Children’s music was elevated too.  A man named Ernie Rettino painted his face blue, put on some blue tights and a big foam costume in the shape of a book; and the character, Psalty, the Singing Hymnbook, was created.   Ernie and his wife, Debby, produced dozens of musicals designed to teach children biblical principles and doctrines using new and traditional hymns.

In one of their most successful productions, the characters took a Hymnological Adventure in a Time Machine.  They traveled back in history, to meet some famous hymn writers like David, the Shepherd King, Isaac Watts, and Fanny Crosby.  That musical resulted in teaching some of the greatest old hymns of our faith to a whole generation of children.

 

One of those hymns, TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE, is a prayer of consecration written by Frances Havergal.   It may have been inspired by these words in Leviticus; “Consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am holy. “

In Paul’s letter to the church at Rome, he wrote, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1).

 

In this hymn, Frances Havergal holds nothing back in her offering to the Lord.  She starts with a dedication of her life but then she gets specific; not only her life but all her days and every moment.  When she offers her hands and her feet, she is asking God to direct everything she does and everywhere she goes.  She submits every word from her lips and every thought to His control.  Her treasures, her will, and her heart; everything she has is Consecrated to God for His use and His glory. 

O GLORIOUS LOVE

O GLORIOUS LOVE

If you ever sang in a church choir during the latter part of the 20th century, you are probably familiar with the works of John W. Peterson.

As the president of Singspiration Music Company, he compiled several hymnals, composed the words and music for over 1,000 gospel songs, and he wrote over 30, easy to sing, Christmas and Easter cantatas.  

Of all John W. Peterson’s songs, O GLORIOUS LOVE is my favorite. It is a simple worship song with a majestic feel that reminds us of God’s great love for us.  

In my darkness Jesus found me;

Touched my eyes and made me see;

Broke sin’s chains that long had bound me;

Gave me life and liberty!

(Refrain)

Oh, glorious love of Christ my Lord divine,

That made Him stoop to save a soul like mine.

Through all my days, and then in heaven above,

My song will silence never, I'll worship Him forever,

And praise Him for His glorious love.

Oh, amazing truth to ponder;

He whom angel hosts attend,

Lord of Heaven, God’s Son, what wonder;

He became the sinner’s friend!

“…God commendeth His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom. 5:8

I am surprised that this song never really became popular.  Here it is recorded by John's grandson, Scott Strader.

****TRUST AND OBEY

In my commentary last week, about the hymn, TRUSTING JESUS, I pointed out the necessity of trusting completely in Jesus Christ alone for our salvation.  There is nothing we can do to earn or merit God’s grace.   Jesus paid it all.  Ours is to repent and believe.

Throughout Church history, there have been many who have distorted that Doctrine of salvation by Grace Alone, in ways that are destructive and heretical.  The official word for the heresy is antinomianism which is literally translated, “against law.”  That is the teaching that says, “We are now in an age of grace and are no longer under the law.”

You might recognize some other names for the heresy such as ”Easy Believism,” or  “Free Grace.”  It’s the practice of encouraging people to repeat a simple, anemic, unrepentant prayer to ask Jesus into their lives and then convince them that they are saved and safe and eternally secure when there has been no real new birth.   

It is offensive to the Gospel and destructive to people when we allow them to believe that they can be positionally right with God while continuing in their sins without consequence; that Jesus paid the penalty for all their sins without telling them that God expects them to stop sinning.

I’m sure you have heard many variations of that, especially today, when so many churches, in the name of political correctness or tolerance, are welcoming and celebrating all kinds of gross unrepentant immorality into their memberships because, “after all, that’s the way God created them and who are we to judge?”

One man, I know, after leaving his wife and shacking up with another woman, said to me, “I don’t care, I accepted Jesus into my heart when I prayed that prayer and I know I’m going to heaven anyway so it doesn’t matter what I do.”

So I need to make a statement, here, which may seem like a paradox.   "While it is true that no one will ever get to heaven by their good works, it is also true that no one will get to heaven without them."

One night at a D. L. Moody evangelistic meeting a young man stood up to testify about the uncertainty of his salvation.  He said, “I am not quite sure, but I’m going to trust, and I’m going to obey.”

That statement was the inspiration for the hymn, TRUST AND OBEY.  It emphasizes two aspects of our salvation—first, our faith and then, our willingness to subject ourselves to God’s Word in obedience. 

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”  Eph 2:10

That’s what we were redeemed for; to walk in good works.   Salvation is just the beginning.  When God saves us, He begins the process of cleansing us and making us fit to live with Him forever.  With the Word of God and the indwelling Spirit of God to convict us, we begin to see ourselves as God sees us.  If our sins don’t bother us; if we are not changed, and if we are not turned from our old ways to walk in obedience to Him, then there is a good reason to question the reality of our salvation.

“TRUST AND OBEY, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, But to TRUST AND OBEY.”

****TRUSTING JESUS

There’s an old story about a tightrope walker who walked a line across Niagara Falls.  When he reached the other side, he turned around and pushed a wheelbarrow back across.  The crowd cheered and marveled at his ability.  Then he turned to the crowd and asked, “Who believes I can push this across with someone sitting in the wheelbarrow?” 

They all raised their hands.  Then he asked, “Who believes enough to get in the wheelbarrow and go with me?"

All the hands went down and no one would volunteer.

In 1989, for our 20th anniversary, our daughter, Dawn, gave us a gift that we have never forgotten.  She arranged for us to experience the exhilarating thrill of bungee jumping.

When our friends heard about it, some of them thought we were careless, irresponsible, and foolish.  We've all heard stories of fatal accidents.  Shortly after our jumps, a veteran bungee jumper fell several hundred feet to his death when he jumped from a hot air balloon.   He had fastened his own ankle straps and checked his own equipment and when he was confident in all his preparations, he jumped.  He no doubt had great faith but his faith was in his own works; no one had checked to ensure that the other end of his cord was secured to the gondola.

For Kathy and me, jumping from that cage was an act of faith that required a complete commitment but we weren’t afraid.  We had seen others go before us and we had heard their own accounts of their experiences.  Before we entered the cage, the attendants worked, systematically, through a written checklist of procedures to ensure that everything was right.  They selected the properly sized cords that were calculated for our weights.  Then they fastened them to our ankles with primary attachments and secondary attachments as a failsafe.  They passed every inch of the cords through their hands as they visually examined them for flaws, cuts, or breeches.  When they reached the end of the cords, they attached them to the cage with a primary attachment and a secondary backup.  They explained each step of what they were doing as they worked through their checklist.  And every detail of the preparation was carefully executed and double-checked by the attendant’s supervisor.

So, the faith we placed in the equipment was not a foolish, ignorant kind of “hope so” faith.   Based on the experiences and testimonies of others, the integrity of the equipment, and the qualifications of the operators, we had substantial assurance for our faith.   

For Christians, saving faith is not a matter of how much or how great our faith is.  People with great faith make deadly commitments all the time.  My own grandmother was one.  She was a practitioner, with great faith in a false religion that is not anchored in Truth.   When she became very ill, she exercised her faith by rejecting needed and available medical attention.  Not only did she die physically, but she also died in her sins and is condemned to eternal judgment.  

Our salvation is not based on the quantity or greatness of our faith nor is it earned by anything we have done. A Christian's faith is a complete trust in Jesus Christ only.  Saving faith is a “know so” faith because He is reliable, trustworthy, and all-powerful.  

TRUSTING JESUS was written by Edgar Stites put to music by Ira D. Sankey. In the first stanza is this phrase that particularly caught my attention:  "Even when my faith is small, Trusting Jesus, that is all."

He can be trusted in all things.

Jesus said, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of Him who sent me. And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that He has given Me, but raise it up on the last day.  For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” Jn. 6:37-40

Our Savior is able and reliable and His resurrection is proof of His power over sin and death.  If you want to get to the other side, you must “get in the wheelbarrow,” and Trust only Jesus for your salvation.