1 Timothy 2:4. Who will have (desires) all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Thank God for another Sunday! Yes friends, it’s Sunday once again. And yuh know what? For as long as the earth exists, every seven days will bring another glorious Sunday! That’s the way the Lord planned it, and that’s how it’s going to be…until He changes it! Now that means another day for fellowship and worship, for giving God thanks and praise for His monumental goodness to us undeserving children of men! And all of God’s children gave a loud and proud shout of… ‘Glory Hallelujah!’
And as always, we have a great song of praise and thanksgiving to open the proceedings. Today’s hymn is an ole favourite written by one of the greatest hymn writers of all times, the English pastor and poet, Isaac Watts (1674-1748). And this one is simply titled ‘At the Cross,’ but believe me, it packs a powerful punch. Some people sing it slow, but I don’t think it was meant to be sung slow because then it sounds like a dirge or heart-rending song. In fact, it’s a happy and joyful song of thanksgiving for Christ’s work on the cross at Calvary, and if you’re happy over something, you don’t want it to sound dirge-like. (smile)
So please, let’s offer up our sacrifices of praise in ‘At the Cross’ in a joyful, but soulful up-tempo riddim, allowing the thanks and appreciation we truly feel to pour out of our hearts and souls. As one sweet and trilling voice, let’s open up with a rollicking version of the chorus. ‘(Refrain: At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, And the burden of my heart rolled away, It was there by faith I received my sight, And now I am happy all the day!) ‘Alas! and did my Savior bleed And did my Sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred head For sinners such as I?
(Refrain: At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, And the burden of my heart rolled away, It was there by faith I received my sight, And now I am happy all the day!) Thy body slain, sweet Jesus, Thine— And bathed in its own blood— While the firm mark of wrath divine, His Soul in anguish stood. (Refrain) Was it for crimes that I had done He groaned upon the tree? Amazing pity! Grace unknown! And LOVE beyond degree! (Refrain) Well might the sun in darkness hide And shut his glories in, When Christ, the mighty Maker died, For man the creature’s sin.
(Refrain) Thus might I hide my blushing face While His dear cross appears, Dissolve my heart in thankfulness, And melt my eyes to tears. (Refrain) But drops of grief can ne’er repay The debt of LOVE I owe: Here, Lord, I give my self away ’Tis all that I can do. At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, And the burden of my heart rolled away, It was there by faith I received my sight, And now I am happy all the day! Now I am happy all the day…happy all the day…happy all the day…’
Oh my people, what beautiful, true and thankful lyrics, but also heart-hurting words for the ‘sufferation’ Jesus underwent on our behalf. Yes, we are indeed happy that He sacrificed His sinless life to save us, but nonetheless, we’d much prefer He didn’t have to face so much suffering to purchase our righteousness. As Isaac said in the lyrics above: ‘Was it for crimes that I had done He groaned upon the tree?’ But certainly! It was our sins His death paid for! And why did He do it, you ask? Isaac also answers that question beautifully: ‘Amazing pity! Grace unknown! And LOVE beyond degree!’
Now that’s the awesome truth! It was a LOVE so great that it cannot be measured which caused the Father and the Son to come together on that marvellous and miraculous operation. And though, for the first time in their lives they would be on opposite sides, with Jesus as the bearer of the world’s sin, they thought it so worthwhile that they made the sacrifice. Yes friends, the salvation of His most important creation was so important to our Creator that He was willing to give up His only Son to achieve it.
And we see this in Bruh Paul’s first letter to Timothy, as he exhorts him to prayer. ‘For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, Who will have (desires) all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time.’ (1 Tim. 2:3-6)
Ah mih bredrin, as the scholars so rightly say: ‘Jesus’ sacrifice is “proof” of God’s wish for all to be converted.’ And with our inherent frailties and shortcomings, we can never give enough thanks and praise to compensate for that magnificent outpouring of God’s goodness, grace and LOVE! No, we ‘can ne’er repay The debt of LOVE we owe:’
And the Lord knows that, because He created us and so knows what we are capable of. All He really wants in return is our obedience to His Word and faithful belief in His Son Jesus. But unfortunately, many of us refuse to comply, instead we engage in blasphemy and revilement, thus, despite His best efforts, many of us will not be saved, will not know the truth, and will therefore be separated from Him for all eternity, which is definitely the worst fate a human being can suffer in this life.
And what better way to end than with these awesome words of Bruh Paul on God’s LOVE, to the church at Rome. ‘For when we were yet without strength, in due time (at the right time) Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure (perhaps) for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his LOVE (demonstrated His own LOVE) toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Rom. 5:6-8) Now, if that doesn’t convince us of God’s great LOVE and compassion towards us, then I don’t what will nuh.
And please remember, that there comes a time in every man’s life when he will wake up and face the consequences of His actions on God’s great earth. So, a message to the wise; none of us know how much longer we have left down here, so it behooves us to make the most of it, meaning to bring our lives into compliance with God ‘s holy will asap, if we desire to spend eternity with Him. Much LOVE!
…that old rugged cross…what an amazing symbol of Christianity…
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