Every Monday around noon, I drive down to the LifeWay building downtown to go to seminary classes.  We park the car, get out our security tags and I lug in my over sized laptop and power cord.  We file into the Crowe room and a little guy named Micah Carter, that’s Dr. Carter to you, settles in behind the pupit-esk podium and makes us pull out the hymnals.  That’s right, hymnals.  35-50 men and women pick up the old Baptist Hymnal and sing one song or another loudly, poorly, and very achapello.  Every time we do it, I remember the old days at LHBC.  There was a time when everything we sang came from those dusty tomes.  Always singing the first two verses and then the last, never the third.  Always trying to figure out the notes, never even close to successfully.  Always completely confused and over matched by the lyrics. 

As these things often do, the second time around, after years of steady study and learning, I start to see the depth and reality of the words in these songs.  What strikes the soul more forcefully than Amazing Grace?  Where can I hide from the glaring light of Before the Throne of God Above or Rock of Ages?  When rehearsing these songs in my mind, my heart sings louder than my voice.  My soul rejoices.  My eyelids fall and my eyes of faith gaze out on majesty. 

One verse in particular, one of the verse threes that we usually skip for time, was quoted recently by a preacher named R.C. Sproul.  It’s the third verse of Joy to the World it says, “No more let sins and sorrow grow, nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found.” 

Sproul was talking about the joy, the electric, nuclear bomb, cosmic joy that comes from our wedding to Christ, how His righteousness, His clean record, His effort and perfect obedience are now ours.  We who were once cursed, the curse that was found on me, can take all the perfect identity and blessing of Jesus.  

Sproul says, “Gentleman I beg you, in this day and age, don’t ever negotiate the concept of the imputed righteousness of Christ.”  He’s speaking to pastors and warning them never to lose this foundation for joy.  He continues, “The Father looks at me and beyond the impurities and everything he sees the cloak of the righteousness of Jesus.  And now I am justified, not for today, not for this week, not till I commit another sin, but for eternity.”  “I despair of my righteousness.  I acknowledge my sin.  I put my trust in Christ and in Christ alone.  And the good news is the very instant I do that, all that He is, and all that He has…is mine.”

Rehearse in your mind these truths.  Again, go through and search them out in your mind.  Relive and worship our risen King, the curse breaker.  Far as the curse is found, we can have the obedience of Christ wrapped around and draped over us, hiding all our iniquity and allowing our sin to be forgiven.  Let your life be a hymn of praise as you let yourself gaze upon this truth.  Christ is now yours and you are now His. 

Peace and grace to you,

Ben

hymn

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 30th, 2009 at 12:48 pm and is filed under Uncategorized.