Thinking Theologically about Memorial Day

Kevin DeYoung on "Thinking Theologically about Memorial Day"

Turn My Tears to Praise

Salvation, Oh, Melodious Sound
Phillip Doddridge, 1702-1751

Salvation, oh, melodious sound,
To wretched, dying men!
Salvation that from God proceeds,
And leads to God again.

Rescued from hell's eternal gloom,
From fiends, and fires, and chains;
Raised to a paradise of bliss,
Where love triumphant reigns.

But, oh, may a degenerate soul,
Sinful and weak as mine,
Presume to raise a trembling eye
To blessings so divine?

The luster of so bright a bliss
My feeble heart o'erbears;
And unbelief almost perverts
The promise into tears.

My Savior God, no voice but Thine
These dying hopes can raise;
Speak Thy salvation to my soul,
And turn its tears to praise.

My Savior God, this broken voice,
Transported shall proclaim;
And call on the angelic harps,
To sound so sweet a name.

We Teach No New Thing

When the Roman Catholic Church accused the Reformers of teaching novelties and inventing new doctrines, Martin Luther's reply was simply this:

We teach no new thing, but we repeat and establish old things, which the apostles and all godly teachers have taught before us.

Oh, that more pastors today would be content with restoration rather than innovation!

Ponder Anew

Think about what we are communicating to one another when we sing these words by Joachim Neander (translated into English by Catherine Winkworth):

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper
Thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy
Here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

We are reminding ourselves (and those within hearing distance) that it is the Lord who both prospers our work and defends us from evil and temptation. We are also reminding ourselves (and others) that His goodness and mercy are not just theological attributes or divine characteristics; they are actively present with us even now, attending to us daily. They are working in our lives even as we sing those words.

And as a result of that truth, we should ponder anew what God can do if we know it to be true that he has befriended us in love. If the thrice-holy God of the universe can befriend sinners with His love in and through His only Son, ponder what else He can do. And what He will do.

And ponder it anew. Oh, I'm sure you may have thought about that before, but think about it again. Think about it today. Think about it right now. Make it fresh. Ponder anew what the Almighty can do, if you know that He has befriended you in love.

There's No Shame in the Gospel

One of the reasons we should not be ashamed of the gospel is because it graciously reminds us that if there is a Savior for sinners, then there's no shame in admitting we're sinners in need of a Savior. The gospel frees us from feeling like we have to hide in the shame of our sin. It liberates us from having to suppress what we (and everyone close to us) already knows to be true, because admitting that bad news leads to savoring the good news. The dire nature of this bad news is what makes the gospel such gloriously good news.

And the sooner we realize this, the better.

Joys Like Those Above

Joy Is a Fruit That Will Not Grow
John Newton, 1725-1807

Joy is a fruit that will not grow
In nature’s barren soil;
All we can boast, till Christ we know,
Is vanity and toil.

But where the Lord has planted grace;
And made His glories known;
There fruits of heavenly joy and peace
Are found, and there alone.

A bleeding Savior seen by faith,
A sense of pard’ning love;
A hope that triumphs over death,
Give joys like those above.

To take a glimpse within the veil,
To know that God is mine;
Are springs of joy that never fail,
Unspeakable, divine!

A Path Worn by the Feet of Many Pilgrims

"Thousands and tens of thousands have sought for pardon at the mercy-seat of Christ, and not one has ever returned to say that he sought in vain. Sinners of every name and nation—sinners of every sort and description—have knocked at the door of the fold, and none have ever been refused admission.

If the way which the Gospel sets before us were a new and untraveled way—we might well feel faint-hearted. But it is not so. It is an old path. It is a path worn by the feet of many pilgrims, and a path in which the footsteps are all one way. The treasury of Christ’s mercies has never been found empty. The well of living waters has never proved dry."

--J.C. Ryle

HT: Of First Importance

The Name of Jesus

Consider the multitude of ways hymnwriters have incorporated the power and comfort of Jesus' name into many of our most beloved hymns.

Charles Wesley:

Jesus, the name that charms my fears,
That bids my sorrows cease;
‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears;
‘Tis life and health and peace.

John Newton:

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believer's ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.

Edward Perronet:

All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown him Lord of all.

Frederick Whitfield:

There is a name I love to hear,
I love to sing its worth;
It sounds as music in my ear,
The sweetest name on earth.
Oh, how I love Jesus...

Luther Bridgers:

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Sweetest name I know;
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.

Lydia Baxter:

Take the name of Jesus with you,
Child of sorrow and of woe;
It will joy and comfort give you,
Take it then where’er you go.
Precious name, O how sweet!
Hope of earth and joy of heav’n!

Dr. Albert Mohler at FBC Jackson

We will have Dr. Albert Mohler, President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, as our guest preacher this Sunday morning, May 22, at First Baptist Church, Jackson, TN.

For those of you in and around Jackson, you are more than welcome to join us. Our morning worship is at 9:00am.

A New Look

Theology in Verse got a new look over the weekend. Most of the changes are simply cosmetic, though you can follow the blog by email now (see that option on the right hand side of your screen if you're interested).

Boasting Only in Christ

No More, My God
Isaac Watts, 1674-1748

No more, my God, I boast no more
Of all the duties I have done;
I quit the hopes I held before,
To trust the merits of Thy Son.

Now, for the love I bear His name,
What was my gain I count my loss;
My former pride I call my shame,
And nail my glory to His cross.

Yes, and I must and will esteem
All things but loss for Jesus’ sake:
O may my soul be found in Him,
And of His righteousness partake!

The best obedience of my hands
Dares not appear before Thy throne;
But faith can answer Thy demands
By pleading what my Lord has done.

The King's English

There are numerous ways people are celebrating the 400th anniversary of the King James Version of the Bible. The King's English is a blog that explains a popular phrase each day from the KJV (and some that should be more popular than they are). Below is a great video from this site that uses 100 phrases from the KJV in 3 minutes.



HT: Tim Challies

A Leveler of Persons

"The gospel is a leveler of persons. Those who embrace the gospel will boast only in Christ, and they will be inclined to celebrate their own folly and weakness that Christ might be seen as strong and wise."

--Jim Hamilton, "The Lord's Supper in Paul" in The Lord's Supper: Remembering and Proclaiming Christ Until He Comes

Sinner, Look to Christ and Live

As the Serpent Raised By Moses
John Newton, 1725-1807

As the serpent raised by Moses
Healed the burning serpent’s bite;
Jesus thus Himself discloses
To the wounded sinner’s sight:
Hear His gracious invitation,
“I have life and peace to give,
I have wrought out full salvation,
Sinner, look to Me and live."

“Pore upon your sins no longer,
Well I know their mighty guilt;
But My love than death is stronger,
I My blood have freely spilt:
Though your heart has long been hardened,
Look on Me—it soft shall grow;
Past transgressions shall be pardoned,
And I’ll wash you white as snow."

“I have seen what you were doing,
Though you little thought of Me;
You were madly bent on ruin,
But I said—It shall not be:
You had been for ever wretched,
Had I not espoused your part;
Now behold My arms outstretched
To receive you to My heart."

Well may shame, and joy, and wonder,
All your inward passions move;
I could crush thee with My thunder,
But I speak to thee in love:
See! your sins are all forgiven,
I have paid the countless sum!
Now My death has opened Heaven,
Thither you shall shortly come.

Dearest Savior, we adore Thee
For Thy precious life and death;
Melt each stubborn heart before Thee,
Give us all the eye of faith:
From the law’s condemning sentence,
To Thy mercy we appeal;
Thou alone canst give repentance,
Thou alone our souls canst heal.

National Day of Prayer

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

Praying for Bible Translation in Sudan

Take a moment to stop what you're doing and pray for the work of Wycliffe Bible translators and their work in Sudan.

• Pray for a peaceful transition to independence in South Sudan.
• Pray for the safety and security of children and families.
• Pray for the progress of translation teams throughout Sudan.

For more information about Wycliffe, click here. For other ways you can pray for this ministry, click here.

Only Very Few Are Not Enslaved to Things

"There are many who have acquired a high degree of political and social liberty, but only very few are not enslaved to things. This is our constant problem - how to live with people and remain free, how to live with things and remain independent."

--Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath