My brother, Dennis, and I worshiped in a downtown church in Orlando, Florida last Sunday because years ago Dennis had collaborated with the church’s newly-installed minister of music. We attended the service because Dennis wanted to spend whatever time he could with the noted musician, and because I wanted to see what accommodations a downtown church made to her surroundings. My brother was thrilled to spend a few minutes with an old acquaintance, I was lifted and moved spiritually, intellectually, and sensually as the music master led the congregation into a deepened appreciation for the grace of God. It was so timely because Dennis and I had discussed in depth about how easy it is to focus on style rather than substance, on "how" rather than "what," and human responses rather than divine presence.
The downtown church building was gorgeous, but dated. Vaulted ceilings, 20' tall windows allowed too much sunlight into the sanctuary to show quality videos, teal green carpet, and white enameled pews point to another time, and pipe organs are simply relics of another era. The first anthem was Charles Wesley’s "O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing," an Evangelical’s "Golden Oldie." The first verse was sung without emotion nor much apparent interest.
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of His grace!
At the end of the first verse the worship leader did something which makes most pastors begin to pray, seriously and intently, he waved off the musicians and began to talk! Worshipers learned the history of the song in a few short sentences! Charles Wesley wrote the lyrics on the morning of the first anniversary of Wesley’s salvation experience. After completing the stanzas Charles Wesley then rushed into the room where his brother John was very ill and fearing death. Charles read to John –
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name.
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
’Tis music in the sinner’s ears,’Tis life, and health, and peace.
He breaks the power of canceled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.
He speaks, and, listening to His voice,
New life the dead receive,
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
The humble poor believe.
Hear Him, ye deaf; His praise, ye dumb,
Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Savior come,
And leap, ye lame, for joy.
In Christ your Head, you then shall know,
Shall feel your sins forgiven;
Anticipate your heaven below,
And own that love is heaven.
Glory to God, and praise and love
Be ever, ever given,
By saints below and saints above,
The church in earth and heaven.
On this glad day the glorious Sun
Of Righteousness arose;
On my benighted soul He shone
And filled it with repose.
Sudden expired the legal strife,
’Twas then I ceased to grieve;
My second, real, living life
I then began to live.
Then with my heart I first believed,
Believed with faith divine,
Power with the Holy Ghost received
To call the Savior mine.
I felt my Lord’s atoning blood
Close to my soul applied;
Me, me He loved, the Son of God,
For me, for me He died!
I found and owned His promise true,
Ascertained of my part,
My pardon passed in heaven I knew
When written on my heart.
Look unto Him, ye nations, own
Your God, ye fallen race;
Look, and be saved through faith alone,
Be justified by grace.
See all your sins on Jesus laid:
The Lamb of God was slain,
His soul was once an offering made
For every soul of man.
Awake from guilty nature’s sleep,
And Christ shall give you light,
Cast all your sins into the deep,
And wash the Ethiop white.
Harlots and publicans and thieves
In holy triumph join!
Saved is the sinner that believes
From crimes as great as mine.
Murderers and all ye hellish crew
In holy triumph join!
Believe the Savior died for you;
For me the Savior died.
With me, your chief, ye then shall know,
Shall feel your sins forgiven;
Anticipate your heaven below,
And own that love is heaven.
Time allotted for music allowed the congregation to sing only four of Wesley’s 18 verses. This worshiper has been musing on the effect of a brother sweeping heavy curtains aside and the sunlight of a new morning pouring into a sickroom. John, on that morning was certain of imminent death, lived for more than 50 years afterward! Imagine Charles excitedly saying, "John, listen to this!" and powerful presence of the Eternal God filling a death chamber with life!
Fears and sorrows have met their Master. Jesus is the music to this sinner’s ears! Sin is canceled, deaf sing, the church in heaven and earth sing of wondrous glory. Once harlots, murderers, and thieves, we now feel our sins forgiven! That’s the message! That ought to be the consuming thought and theme of song and sermon, GRACE! Political systems have thrived and tumbled, monetary systems have known boom and bust, movements have peaked and plummeted, but the grace of God endures forever! Peter was the Lord’s spokesman when he reported, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." (1 Peter 2:9-10) Let us rise up and worship because of the Message of GRACE!
We have an opportunity to recalibrate our tone, renew an emphasis on the message of GRACE! The marketplace has heard enough shrill demands of entitlement. Our message is GRACE!
More about our Orlando church experience next time . . .
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