 If you have been through the Connection Center lobby of Mount Airy Bible Church, you have likely seen the banner advertising Reformation Day. Most Evangelical Christians are not only unfamiliar with the figures of the reformation at the bottom (L to R - Zwingli, Huss, Knox, Luther, Calvin, Tyndale, Wycliffe), but also the doctrines that came out of that time. Christianity had degraded to a point where it would be barely recognizable by the early church. Doctrines and practices were corrupted and the whole world was in a spiritual environment of darkness.
“Post tenebras lux” is a latin term meaning “Out of Darkness… Light”. This is a term often used to describe what the Reformation meant to the world and to the doctrines of the church. The 5 solas are: Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) » The Roman Catholic Church taught that the foundation for faith and practice was a combination of the scriptures, sacred tradition, and the teachings of the magisterium and the pope. Luther and the other reformers stressed that nothing is as authoritative as “Thus sayeth the Lord”. That is why Luther, Tyndale, and others were so anxious to get the Word of God into the hands of the common man, in their common tongue, even if it cost them their lives. Sola Gratia (Grace Alone) » Catholic theology teaches that we are saved through a combination of God's grace, the merits that we accumulate through penance and good works, and the merits that the saints before us accumulated. Ephesians 2:8-9 is clear that we are saved by grace through faith alone. Sola Fide (Faith Alone) » While the Catholic Church taught that we are justified by faith PLUS the works that we do, the reformers made clear that we are justified by faith alone, not by works, lest any man should boast. Solus Christus (In Christ Alone) » The Church at the time falsely taught that we are saved by the merits of Christ and the saints, and that we approach God through Christ, the saints, and Mary, who all pray and intercede for us. This is not found in scripture for we are saved by the merits of Christ Alone, and we come to God through Christ Alone. Soli Deo Gloria (To the Glory of God Alone) » The final teaching the reformers protested against was the teaching that the glory for a sinner's salvation could be attributed partly to Christ, partly to Mary and the saints, and partly to the sinner himself, but, in the words of Jonathan Edwards, “We bring nothing to our salvation, but the sin that made it necessary.”
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 Key Players in The Reformation
John Wycliffe » John Wycliffe has been called “The Morning Star of the Reformation.” Wycliffe lived in the 1300’s, 150 years before Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenburg, but his influence was the spark that ignited the reformation flame. By the time Wycliffe was just a teen, he was at Oxford and eventually was on the faculty there. While at Oxford, he wrote 3 important works that targeted corruption in the Roman Catholic church: On Divine Dominion (1373–1374), On Civil Dominion (1375–1376), and On the Truth of Sacred Scripture (1378). The first attacked papal authority as having no scriptural basis, the second targeted the Catholic Church’s power over civil authority, and the third taught the authority of Scripture over all else. These were violently opposed to the teachings of the church that plunged Europe into the “Dark Ages”. Wycliffe also translated the “Wyclifffe Bible”. He died on December 30, 1384 after two strokes, but at the same council that martyred John Huss years later, Wycliffe’s bones were dug up, burned, and the ashes spread into the river. His followers came to be called Lollards and continued his message of reform long after his death. John Huss » John Huss was a Czech priest and preacher born in gooseland in the Kingdom of Bohemia around 1369. Upon seeing the wicked immorality in the priesthood, he began preaching “violent sermons” against the sins he saw around him, and was soon banned from preaching. Huss was greatly influenced by the works of John Wycliffe and because of their ties, he was excommunicated, tried for heresy in a mock trial, and burned alive. Greg Morse tells the story, “Lured to the Council of Constance under the promise of safety, (Huss) was immediately thrown into prison for six months, given a mock trial, and ordered to recant — which he refused. In July 1415, he was stripped naked, adorned with a dunce hat painted with devils and labeled “Arch-Heretic” — all as he prayed for his enemies. They then led him past a burning pile of his books and chained him to the stake. In response to being chained up like a dog, he said, “My Lord Jesus Christ was bound with a harder chain than this one for my sake, so why should I be ashamed of this rusty chain?” They told him once more to recant, but he refused, proclaiming, “What I taught with my lips I will now seal with my blood.” And that he did. As the flames climbed higher, he sang. After Huss was finally condemned to death, he proclaimed, “You may roast the goose, but a hundred years from now a swan will arise whose singing you will not be able to silence.” Exactly 102 years later, a sprightly monk nailed ninety-five theses to Wittenberg’s door.” Urlich Zwingli » Zwingli was a contemporary of Luther in the city of Zurich in Switzerland. While a priest at Grossmunster church, Zwingli came to believe the same biblical doctrines as Luther but had a broader focus, including social reform with his doctrinal reform of the church. Zwingli was the first to declare that the bread and wine were merely bread and wine and were just a reminder of the blood and body of Christ. Unlike Luther, Zwingli’s path had much less struggle. In 1523, he was allowed to argue his doctrines before the public and won them over. Protestant teachings spread throughout the whole area, and while the doctrines were correct, the outworking of those doctrines were often full of iconoclasm (the destruction of all icons and religious art). Soon, the city authorities banned all images from churches. “Switzerland was a confederation of territories linked by a network of treaties” (The Essence of the Reformation, Kirsten Birkett). Peace was attempted through a couple of treaties in 1529 and 1531, and after 2 short battles, in which Zwingli and other protestant leaders lost their lives, the boundaries were set between protestant and catholic territories. Other people worth reading about in the reformation include: Peter Waldo Girolamo Savonarola Philip Melanchthon Menno Simmons Martin Bucer Thomas Cranmer Guillaume Farel John Knox Theodore Beza  Key Players in The Reformation
William Tyndale It is not an exaggeration to say that William Tyndale changed the course of history. If you own a copy of the Bible in English, you can thank Tyndale. While Luther was leading a reformation in Germany and Calvin was leading a reformation in Switzerland, Tyndale’s English translation of the Bible was changing Christianity in England. Tyndale was born in 1494, in Gloucestershire, in rural western England. At the age of 14, Tyndale entered Magdalen College, where he learned grammar, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music, rhetoric, logic, and philosophy. He excelled in the study of languages under the finest classical scholars in England. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1512 and a master’s degree in 1515. While at Cambridge University, Tyndale learned of, and embraced the teachings of Martin Luther and gathered regularly with other scholars at the White Horse Inn to discuss religion and theology. It was in these debates as well as his meetings with local Catholic clergy that Tyndale felt the deep desire to give the common man the Word of God in their own language. “During one meal, he fell into a heated argument with a Catholic clergyman, the latter asserting, 'We had better be without God’s laws than the pope’s.' Tyndale boldly responded: 'I defy the pope and all his laws.' He then added these famous words: 'If God spare my life ere many years, I will cause a boy that driveth the plough, shall know more of the Scripture than thou dost.'" (Foxe, Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, 77). To translate the Bible, Tyndale needed permission from the church, so he traveled to London to meet with the bishop of London, Cuthbert Tunstall. Tunstall would not give permission for fear of the upheaval in England that he saw in Germany. While Tyndale wanted to obey the authorities, he knew he was forced to choose between man’s word and God’s Word, so he became an exile and a fugitive for the last 12 years of his life as he began work on his unauthorized English translation. In 1525, he finished his translation of the New Testament in Cologne and found a printer to print six thousand copies of his New Testament, the first copies ever printed in English. Those copies were smuggled into England and were in high demand. After years of failed attempts at arresting Tyndale, his enemies tried another strategy. In early 1534, Tyndale moved into a house in Antwerp as the guest of Thomas Poyntz, a wealthy English merchant who was sympathetic to the reformation. Back in England, a man named Harry Phillips, who had racked up many gambling debts, was offered a large sum of money to find, befriend, and betray Tyndale. In his desperation, Phillips accepted the offer. Phillips lured Tyndale into a narrow passage, where soldiers arrested him. After twelve years as a fugitive, Tyndale was finally captured. Tyndale was executed on October 6, 1536. He was strangled, burned, and his body blown apart by gunpowder, but at some point before his death, he cried his famous last words: “Lord, open the king of England’s eyes” (Tyndale, cited in Foxe, Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, 83). We will forever owe a debt of gratitude to William Tyndale every time we memorize scripture, read a passage, or share the gospel from an English translation of the Bible.  Key Players in The Reformation
John Calvin If Martin Luther was the heart of the Protestant Reformation, John Calvin was the mind. He is quit arguably the most important Protestant theologian of all time. Calvin was born in 1509 in Noyon in France, so he was still a child when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany, however, Calvin’s influence as a theologian, pastor, statesman, reformer, and teacher are second to none. At age fourteen, Calvin entered the University of Paris, to study theology and graduated with a master’s degree at the age of 19, and a law degree at the age of 23. It was through his studies of the works of Martin Luther that Calvin was converted, and because of his protestant views, he was forced to flee Paris in 1533. Calvin moved to Switzerland where he penned his theological masterpiece, Institutes of the Christian Religion. In 1536, Calvin decided to move to Strasbourg, in southwest Germany, to further his studies, but was forced to detour to Geneva, where he planned to spend only one night. While there, he was recognized as the author of “the Institutes”, and was convinced to stay and lead the newly protestant town. Calvin started out as a lecturer and then as a pastor. All went well, until Calvin instituted church discipline at the Communion table. He refused to serve some he knew were living in open sin and was forced out of the town. Calvin left for Strasbourg and was convinced by another reformer Martin Bucer, to continue his pastoral ministry there. While in Strasbourg, Calvin wrote what has been hailed as the greatest apologetic for the Reformation, A Reply to Sadoleto. After three years, Calvin was called back to Geneva, a city that had deteriorated politically and religiously since Calvin’s departure. Calvin was a verse-by-verse expositor of the scripture, and on his first Sunday back in the pulpit in Geneva, Calvin picked up right here he left off, on the very next verse following the last one he had covered before being exiled. Calvin faced many trials while in Geneva. Steve Lawson explains it this way, “He faced the resistance of the Libertines, people within Geneva who were antinomians, living in open sin and immorality. But most demanding by far was the ordeal caused by Michael Servetus in 1553. This known heretic was burned at the stake by the city fathers after Calvin had been called as an expert witness. In other trials during this time, Calvin’s son, Jacques, died only two weeks after his birth in 1542, and Calvin’s wife, Idelette, died in 1549 after only nine years of marriage.” However, the Lord brought Calvin through these tribulations and the last 9 years of his ministry were blessed with unity and growth. Calvin is most remembered as the theologian who picked up the theological mantle of Augustine as one who focused on the Sovereignty of God in all things. Bill Itzel For more information on the life of John Calvin, I recommend: The Expository Genius of John Calvin: Steven J. Lawson  Key Players in The Reformation
Martin Luther As we approach the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, I decided to take a break from exegeting the hymns for a few weeks, so I could focus on some key players in the most momentous event in church history since the Apostles left the scene. Sadly, I have found that very few churches spend much time looking back at the lessons and leaders of the past, and wind up making some of their same mistakes. It is true that if we ignore the lessons of the past, we are doomed to repeat them. So many amazing men and women have stood for truth, battled heresy, spread the gospel, and lost their lives so that we can have the freedom to worship in truth today. Men like Athanasius, Augustine, Chrysostom, Wycliffe, Hus, Tyndale, Luther, Calvin, Knox, Owen, Bunyan, Edwards, Whitfield, Spurgeon, Packer, Sproul, MacArthur, etc. have spent their lives and ministries studying, preserving, and preaching the truth in God’s Word. We owe them a debt of gratitude. The first leader of the Reformation I want to look at is Martin Luther. Luther as born in 1483 in Eisleben, Saxony. In accordance to the wishes of his father, Luther began to study law, but that was short-lived, for in July of 1505, he experienced the first of several events that changed his life forever. In the middle of a thunderstorm, a lightning bolt struck the ground just yards from where Luther was standing. In fear, he fell to the ground and cried “Save me, St. Anne, and I’ll become a monk!” Making good on his promise, Luther left the study of law and joined the order of St. Augustine. The second event that changed Luther’s thinking in a dramatic way, took place in Rome. Luther was sent there in 1510 where he witnessed the corruption of the Roman Catholic church in shocking clarity. There, he climbed the “The Holy Stairs” which were said to be the same stairs Jesus climbed when He appeared before Pilate 1500 years earlier. The belief was that God would forgive some of the sins of those who climbed the stairs on their knees. Luther did so, repeating the Lord’s Prayer, kissing each step, and seeking peace with God. But when he reached the top step, he looked back and his thought was, “Who knows whether this is true?” The third and final experience that led Martin Luther to that fateful day in October 1517 was the arrival of John Tetzel. Tetzel was a corrupt Dominican monk who offered the sale of indulgences. This was the practice where commoners could purchase from the church a letter that allegedly freed a dead loved one from purgatory. This enraged Luther and in an effort to start a conversation on the fraudulent practices of the Roman church, on October 31st, 1517, Luther nailed a copy of 95 grievances, or 95 Thesis to the “Church bulletin board” or castle church door, which was a common practice at the time. The 95 Thesis was not written in the common German language, but in Latin that most people could not read, but some of his students translated, copied, and distributed his writings and the rest, as they say, is history. Around this time, Luther was obsessed with Romans 1:17, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, 'The righteous shall live by faith.'" Luther said, “… by the mercy of God, meditating day and night, I gave heed to the context of the words, namely, In it the righteousness of God is revealed, as it is written, 'He who through faith is righteous, shall live.’ There I began to understand that the righteousness of God is that by which the righteous lives by a gift of God, namely by faith. And this is the meaning: the righteousness of God is revealed by the gospel, namely, the passive righteousness with which merciful God justifies us by faith, as it is written, 'He who through faith is righteous, shall live.' Here I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates.” (Luther’s Works, Vol. 34, 337) With this newfound understanding of Sola Fide, or salvation by faith alone and not faith plus works, Luther began to see the Word, AND the church in a new light. He attacked the papal authority itself, for he believed scripture alone (Sola Scriptura) was the final authority for the church. In the summer of 1520, the pope issued a “bull”, or edict, in which forty-one of Luther’s teachings were deemed to be heretical, scandalous, or false. Luther was called to repent and recant his writings at the “Diet of Worms”. His most famous words were spoken in answer to the charges, “Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. I cannot do otherwise, here I stand, may God help me, Amen.” These words became the “battle cry” of the Reformation and changed the world forever. Martin Luther was a professor, theologian, author, teacher, hymn writer, and preacher. He translated the Bible into German, and today remains the single greatest influence on all of western civilization.  Good Good Father
w/m - Anthony Brown / Joseph Patrick Martin Barrett I've heard a thousand stories of what they think you're like But I've heard the tender whispers of love in the dead of night And you tell me that you're pleased And that I'm never alone You're a good good father It's who you are, it's who you are, it's who you are And I'm loved by you It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am I've seen many searching for answers far and wide But I know we're all searching For answers only you provide 'Cause you know just what we need Before we say a word Because you are perfect in all of your ways You are perfect in all of your ways You are perfect in all of your ways to us You are perfect in all of your ways You are perfect in all of your ways You are perfect in all of your ways to us Oh, it's love so undeniable I, I can hardly speak Peace so unexplainable I, I can hardly think As you call me deeper still As you call me deeper still As you call me deeper still Into love, love, love At first listen to this song, I felt a bit like I was hearing an old record player that was skipping. There is so much repetition, even in weird places like “I, I can hardly speak” that it took a while before I was able to get that out of my mind enough to look at the truths in the song. To be honest, even after we had used this song in worship several times, I was still apathetic at best. The whole song is basically summed up in one truth, “God is a good Father”, and I didn’t think it took 5 minutes to say that. But one night, I was introduced to this song in a new way. Far removed from the worship stage or the rehearsal time, I was able to see how powerful this song can be in its simplicity. Late one night, I was driving home after an episode of the most tragic of circumstances in our family’s life. I was trying to console a member of our family who had just had his heart ripped from his chest, and nothing I could say would bring any comfort. For 10 minutes, there was nothing to assuage the agony… until he plugged in his phone, opened the music app, and sang through tears the last song I would have picked…Good Good Father. Over and over again on the hour ride home, I saw this simple truth, in this simple song console and soothe his soul. Then I got it. It’s a pretty melody, and that helps, but it is the straightforward, elementary reassurance that our Father loves us unconditionally that makes this song a healing balm in certain circumstances. Not surprisingly, when I hear this song, it takes me back to that night, and that truth… I've heard a thousand stories of what they think you're like. Everyone has ideas of who God is. But I've heard the tender whispers of love in the dead of night. Perhaps a reference to 1 Kings 19 where God spoke to Elijah audibly? Perhaps the writer just thinks of God’s love for him in the midst of trials? And you tell me that you're pleased, and that I'm never alone. When we are serving God, He is pleased with us, and it is true, we are never alone. You're a good good Father, it’s who you are, it's who you are, it's who you are. And I'm loved by you, it’s who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am. God is a good Father to His children, and we are loved, not because of who we are, but because He chose to love us. There is nothing in us that is deserving of His love. I've seen many searching for answers far and wide, but I know we're all searching for answers only you provide. Some say, “When there are no other answers, turn to God”. That’s terrible advice. We should be turned to God before the questions are even asked. Why seek anywhere else? It’s when we seek other places for answers that we are let down. God provides all we need in His Word, and we should be enveloped in it daily. ' Cause you know just what we need, before we say a word. One of the great things about serving a sovereign God is that He not only knows what we need before we ask, He knew what we would need before day one of creation. You are perfect in all of your ways to us. Some have take exception to the vagueness of the “to us” as it could mean several things, but I think it’s clear the writer means “in His dealings with us”, God is perfect. Romans 8 says He works all things together for His children (Those whom He loves and are called according to His purpose). Oh, it's love so undeniable I, I can hardly speak. Peace so unexplainable I, I can hardly think. This verse speaks of being overwhelmed by God’s love and the peace He brings. As you call me deeper still into love. The more we go through these heart-wrenching circumstances in life, the more we find His love is faithful. The goal is that each time a new trial comes, we’ll be more and more prepared to trust in His love and obey His direction.  Lion and the Lamb
w/m - Leeland Mooring, Brenton Brown, Brian Johnson He's coming on the clouds, kings and kingdoms will bow down And every chain will break, as broken hearts declare His praise Who can stop the Lord Almighty? Our God is the Lion, the Lion of Judah He's roaring with power and fighting our battles And every knee will bow before Him Our God is the Lamb, the Lamb that was slain For the sin of the world, His blood breaks the chains And every knee will bow before the Lion and the Lamb Oh every knee will bow before the Lion and the Lamb So open up the gates, make way before the King of kings Our God who comes to save is here to set the captives free For who can stop the Lord Almighty? Who can stop the Lord Almighty? Who can stop the Lord Almighty? Who can stop the Lord Almighty? Who can stop the Lord Almighty? This is very solid song from the top 100 that we love to sing at Mount Airy. It aptly describes the fact that Jesus is described as both a Lion and a Lamb. He's coming on the clouds, kings and kingdoms will bow down. It’s interesting that the song actually starts at the end of the story, instead of the beginning. One day, when this world reaches the apex of its sin and wickedness at the end of the Great Tribulation, Jesus will split the skies and return in power and judgment. Revelation 19 describes it this way, “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The One sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, and He has a name written that no one knows but Himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which He is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the wine-press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh, He has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” This is a far cry from the Son of Man we see hanging on the cross, like a lamb, taking away the sin of the world. The next time He comes, it will be to rule and reign as a Lion. And every chain will break, as broken hearts declare His praise. Who can stop the Lord Almighty? When I think of breaking chains, I think of sin that binds us. We know, as Christians that we don’t have to wait for the Lord’s return to be free from the penalty and power of sin. We have that now through the shed blood of Christ. However, when He comes to set up His kingdom and rules and reigns physically here on the earth, He will bind Satan so that the wicked one will have no power over the world’s systems. Our God is the Lion, the Lion of Judah. He’s roaring with power and fighting our battles, and every knee will bow before Him. Philippians 2 says, “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Jesus is LORD and every knee will bow before Him because He is Lord. Too many times, we speak of “making Jesus Lord”, when in reality, He IS Lord, we can either choose to recognize it or not. One day, everyone will recognize it because every knee will bow to Him. I am so glad that Jesus fights my battles. In my power, I have nothing, but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Our God is the Lamb, the Lamb that was slain for the sin of the world, His blood breaks the chains, and every knee will bow before the Lion and the Lamb. Jesus was predestined to go to the cross from before the foundation of the world. He atoned for our sins on the cross so that we would not have to ever pay for them ourselves. The work was done… It is finished! He defeated sin and death and when we call on the name of the Lord to be saved, those chains of sin fall off and we serve Him in freedom. The song takes an evangelistic turn here in the second verse. So open up the gates, make way before the King of kings. Our God who comes to save is here to set the captives free. Obviously, this is not speaking of the physical return of Christ, since He has not yet physically returned. God does set captives to sin free even today. There are people who are saved and added to the Kingdom daily. It is such a thrill to see someone repent of their sin and trust in Christ. We rejoice when we see someone give their testimony and be baptized as a sign of what God has done. Who can stop the Lord Almighty? The bridge is simple and a bit repetitive and doesn’t add anything new to the song, other than the chance for the band to build musically, but this does not take away from the wonderful message of this song that shows both sides of the second person of the Trinity, the Lion… AND the Lamb.  What the Five Points of Calvinism AREN'T...
1. TOTAL DEPRAVITY: All men are as bad and wicked as they can possibly be. Everyone acts like Charles Manson. 2. UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION: God sits up in heaven and decides..."You go to heaven...you go to hell", and God would deny entrance to heaven to someone who wants to go there if they are not elect. 3. LIMITED ATONEMENT: God shows no love or grace to those who will never be saved or that Jesus only had enough power to save some. 4. IRRESISTABLE GRACE: God forces people against their will to choose him, and people never have to make a willful decision for Christ. Also, God will save whom He will save, so we need to ignore the commands to evangelize. 5. PERSEVERENCE OF THE SAINTS: If you ever walked an aisle, said a prayer, made a decision, even if there is no change or you have no fruit in your life, you are definitely saved. Plus, since you can't lose your salvation, you can live however you want. These are straw man arguments used to debate those who hold to the doctrines of grace...straw man because only a few fringe false teachers hold to some of these views, certainly no Calvinist of note believes these...  All I Have is Christ
w/m - Jordan Kauflin I once was lost in darkest night Yet thought I knew the way The sin that promised joy and life Had led me to the grave I had no hope that You would own A rebel to Your will And if You had not loved me first I would refuse You still But as I ran my hell-bound race Indifferent to the cost You looked upon my helpless state And led me to the cross And I beheld God’s love displayed You suffered in my place You bore the wrath reserved for me Now all I know is grace Hallelujah! All I have is Christ Hallelujah! Jesus is my life Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone And live so all might see The strength to follow Your commands Could never come from me Oh Father, use my ransomed life In any way You choose And let my song forever be My only boast is You I am so excited, not only to be “exegeting” this song, but to be introducing it to our congregation soon. The Itzels recorded this song back in 2015 and without a doubt, THIS IS MY FAVORITE WORSHIP SONG! No song I’ve ever heard captures my lost state and God’s sovereign grace in saving me like this one. I once was lost in darkest night, yet thought I knew the way. How apt a description of a “Romans 1” sinner. Blind, lost, dead and yet, we think we are just fine. Without the conviction of the Holy Spirit, we aren’t even aware of our sin, of the pending just wrath headed our way. Just stand on a street corner one day, and realize that most of the people you see going about their business have no clue about their condition. The sin that promised joy and life had led me to the grave. The world says, “live for today’s happiness, eat, drink, and be merry”, when in reality that broad path leads to hell and death. I had no hope that You would own a rebel to Your will. The old hymn by Isaac Watts “How Sweet and Aweful is the Place” says “While all our hearts and all our songs join to admire the feast, each of us cries with thankful tongues, ‘Lord, why was I a guest?’” Jesus bought us out of the slave market of sin with His blood when we were still in rebellion to Him, and He now owns us. We serve Him. And if You had not loved me first, I would refuse You still. Romans 3 tells us that there are none that seek after God. A person dead in their trespasses and sins will not, can not call out to God unless God moves in their heart and changes their will that is in bondage to sin. John 6 says that “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him”. We love Him because He first loved us, not the other way around. He doesn’t wait for a dead, depraved person to show love before He shows love to us. Without God’s calling, we would continue to refuse Him in our sin. But as I ran my hell-bound race, indifferent to the cost, You looked upon my helpless state and led me to the cross. Those people we see on the streets, going through their lives unaware of their condition…that was us. We were hurling, at a break-neck pace toward the hell we so deserved, but God poured out His love to to His enemies and drew us to the cross. And I beheld God’s love displayed You suffered in my place. When God calls us, He opens our eyes, makes the dead alive, and we see our need for Him and the atonement He provides. You bore the wrath reserved for me, now all I know is grace. Jesus stood in the way (interposed) of God’s wrath that was justly aimed at us, and bore it all for us. Now we walk in that state of grace. Hallelujah! All I have is Christ, Hallelujah! Jesus is my life. I believe all good choruses of songs should be the heart’s response to the doctrine taught in the verses. When we see, so vividly pictured in these verses, what Jesus did for us and rescued us from, our only response can be “All I have is Christ” and “Jesus is my life”. Everything in our life should pale in comparison to serving Him. When Jesus saved us from ourselves, our sin, Hell’s flames, and God’s wrath, how important is spending all of our time on this earth focusing on football or the latest gossip on movie actors, really? Jesus should be our life! Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone, and live so all might see the strength to follow Your commands could never come from me. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And that (the salvation, the grace AND the faith) is not yourselves; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Not only does the ability to call on the name of Christ come from outside of ourselves, but even the ability to follow God’s commands as a believer can not be achieved in our strength alone. Our prayer should be “Lord, I want to be Yours alone”. Oh Father, use my ransomed life in any way You choose, and let my song forever be “My only boast is You”. We should be praying every day that God would use us for His glory alone. Soli Deo Gloria! (To the glory of God alone).  Great is Thy Faithfulness
w/m - Thomas Obediah Chisholm, William Marion Runyan Great is Thy faithfulness O God my Father There is no shadow Of turning with Thee Thou changest not Thy compassions they fail not As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be Great is Thy faithfulness Great is Thy faithfulness Morning by morning New mercies I see All I have needed Thy hand hath provided Great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me Summer and winter And springtime and harvest Sun moon and stars In their courses above Join with all nature In manifold witness To Thy great faithfulness Mercy and love Pardon for sin And a peace that endureth Thine own dear presence To cheer and to guide Strength for today And bright hope for tomorrow Blessings all mine With ten thousand beside When I was going through preparation for my spinal surgery back in February of 2016, this was the one hymn, above every hymn ever written in all of the church age that was in my mind day and night. At the time, I didn’t know if I would sing again. The surgeon was going to cut into my throat right next to my vocal chords. I know another, very similar singer, who had this exact surgery and lost a great amount of His range. Our cases were very similar, so what would keep our results from also being the same? That’s the question I kept asking over and over in my head, but then I’d go back to this song and remember God’s sovereignty and God’s providential plan and that, above all brought peace. Great is Thy faithfulness O God my Father. There is no shadow of turning with Thee. God has had a plan for this world as a whole and also for every single detail. Not even a sparrow falls without Him. Note, it doesn’t say without His knowledge, it says without Him, or in the HCSB version, “without His consent”. God isn’t sitting up in heaven waiting for His angels to bring Him news of the days events. He isn’t even looking down to see what happens. He knows and either determines or allows (gives consent) for everything that transpires in His universe before it happens. He has always known, even before He created this world. In God’s providence, He has made promises to His people and God is faithful. He never turns away or backs down from a promise. Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not. As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be. One of the attributes of God is His immutability. That is defined as an attribute that God is unchanging in his character, will, and covenant promises. The Westminster Shorter Catechism says that "[God] is a spirit, whose being, wisdom power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth are infinite, eternal, and unchangeable." Those things do not change. God’s love and compassion for His children never changes. Great is Thy faithfulness, Great is Thy faithfulness. Morning by morning new mercies I see. Another favorite hymn said “Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before”. Every day we spend in the Word and in prayer (communicating with God), we learn more about Him and see for ourselves His faithfulness on display. Every day we need new mercies because every day we fail Him, but even when we are faithless, He remains faithful. All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me. We pray “give us this day, our daily bread” and God provides us so much more every day. He meets our needs, both physical and spiritual. Summer and winter and springtime and harvest. Sun moon and stars in their courses above, join with all nature in manifold witness to Thy great faithfulness mercy and love. When we recorded this song back in 2011, we didn’t do this verse, but it is worth remembering that God’s faithfulness is shown in much more than our checkbooks, jobs, health, and families. The fact that the earth keeps spinning, the sun keeps giving us warmth and light, the plants keep giving us oxygen to breathe should be call for our gratitude. The heavens do declare the glory of God. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth. Of all the blessings I have, for this I am most thankful. Without pardon for sin, I truly would be living my best life now instead of in eternity. Because of that pardon, every other blessing is icing on the cake. My eternity is secure and I can enjoy a life of serving Him. Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide. The presence of God brings joy as well as direction. Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. I can’t tell you what it meant to sing that phrase over and over again in my mind, on the way to the hospital that cold, early morning in February. I prayed for God’s will to be done, but that if He wanted to keep using my voice for His Kingdom, He’d need to give me strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow! And He did. It would have been okay if He didn’t, but He did, so my goal is to be faithful to the time He has given me and use wisely the Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside! |
AuthorBill Itzel has been a worship leader and singer/songwriter for almost 30 years and is based in Westminster, MD. His family tours and leads worship, not only in their home church (Mt. Airy Bible Church), but around the country. This is a blog about congregational worship and the latest news in the The Itzel's ministry. 
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