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The Songs We Sing



Sunday, May 31, 2009 pm        The Songs We Sing

“TIS SO SWEET TO TRUST IN JESUS”, #559

Tonight, we examine another sermon in song.  In our singing we are called upon to sing with the Spirit and understanding (1 Cor. 14:15).  So as we sing it is important that the message we are encouraging one another with be scriptural.  That is why from time to time we want to examine some of the songs we sing.

Tonight, “Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus”.  This song was written around 1879-1880 by Mrs. Louisa M.R. Stead.  She was born in Dover, England but immigrated to the United States when she was 21.  She met and married and lived in New York where they had a daughter.  Shortly before writing this hymn her husband drowned while attempting to save a child.  After this Mrs. Stead and her daughter moved to South Africa as a missionary.  It was here that it is believed she wrote this song probably still struggling with the loss of her husband.  This is the only well known hymn she wrote (the chorus of this song is also found in another song entitled, “All for Jesus”).

 I.                     Verse 1, “Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word…”

a.       What it means to trust in Jesus
The word, “trust” is a word that means to have confidence.  In this hymn the word trust is associated with confidence in Jesus.  As we sing this song we can see a confidence that not superficial but engrained within us and behind all that we do.
To understand the word trust consider the word, faith.  The term faith is a word we often describe as involving two things: believing God (not just believing in Him) and trusting Him.
Proverbs 3:5 says, “
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.”
1 Tim. 5:5 speaking of godly widows it notes that she, “
trusts in God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day.”
1 Tim. 4:10, “For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we
trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.”
1 Tim. 6:17, “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to
trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.”
Keep this in mind as we address trust in this song.  It speaks of the confidence we have in Jesus to be there fore us.  The song also mentions a number of reasons WHY we trust Him as we do.

b.       Just to take Him at His word – It is truly sad that we live in a world where we cannot always take man at his word.  Man will often say something and mean something else.  And there are others whose words mean NOTHING as demonstrated by their actions. 
But when it comes to our Lord, everything He says – we can TRUST.
When our Lord speaks, it is always important.  We can trust what He says.
Matthew 24:35 says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”
While on earth, Jesus never lied or let down His disciples.  Everything He said He would do, He did.  And the greatness of what He did is seen what He gave up (Phil. 2:5-7) and what He went through for us (John 15:13).  John 17:4, “I have finished the work which You gave Me to do…”

c.        Just to rest upon His promise
Just as we can count upon whatever He said, we can believe His promises to us.  Throughout His ministry our Lord made many promises and He fulfilled them for His disciples. 
He has also made promises to us that we can count on.  2 Peter 1:2-4 speaks of the exceedingly great and precious promises He has given to us.
1 John 2:25, “And this is the promise that He has promised us – eternal life.”

d.       Just to know, ‘Thus saith the Lord.’
Our part in trusting Him and His word is to do what He says.  Luke 6:46 says, “But why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ and not do the things which I say?
If we trust our Jesus we will be like Peter whom Jesus early in His ministry told to let down the nets (Luke 5:4-6).  Even though they had caught nothing all night Peter said, “Nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.
John 12:48 warns us that the words our Lord has spoken will judge us in the last day.
Do we trust our Lord enough to do what He tells us to do?

 II.                  Verse 2, “O how sweet…to trust His cleansing blood

a.       This verse addresses our Lord as our Savior.  As we sing this song may we NEVER forget that Jesus is our ONLY hope of salvation.  Acts 4:12 tells us, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
John 14:6, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

b.       Just to trust His cleansing blood
From the time that man sinned, blood has had a part in man’s forgiveness.  Heb. 9:22 tells us that “without the shedding of blood there is no remission”.  Of course, the blood that saves us is the blood of Jesus – Hebrews 9:11-14 addresses the coming of Christ and how HIS blood can cleanse us.
Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”

c.        Just in simple faith to plunge me, ‘neath the healing cleansing flood.
This expression address our need for faith to save us – John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8, etc.
But how do we come in contact with that blood by faith?  The answer is baptism. 
The expression of this verse seems to point to baptism.   Romans 6:3-6, Acts 22:16, etc. 
Baptism is NOT simply getting wet, but rather it is an act of faith TRUSTING Jesus to save us as we obey His commands (1 Peter 3:20-21).

III.               Verse 3, “Yes, tis sweet…just from sin and self to cease

a.       This verse calls for a changed life.  Because we trust our Jesus, we are going to become different than what we were before. 

b.       Just from sin and self to cease.
A key doctrine we must understand as we obey the gospel is repentance.  Repentance is not just saying you are sorry; it is changing your mind about the sinful life you have lived. 
In Acts 3:19 Peter said, “Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out, …” 
The meaning  of the Greek word for conversion is to turn around.  It is the product (result) of repentance.  You are changed.   It is a clearly visible difference in what you do and who you have become.  Consider - 1 Cor. 6:9-11, 1 Peter 4:3-4.  That is the product of repentance. 
Friends that is why repentance is found BEFORE baptism and being right – Acts 2:38, 2 Cor. 7:10-11
OUR VERSE speaks of ceasing from sin and SELF.  Putting our trust in Jesus – AND REPENTING - means we not trust in our own ways.  Like Jeremiah said, “It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” (Jer. 10:23).   Notice Galatians 2:20.

c.        Just from Jesus simply taking, Life, and rest, and joy, and peace.
As you surrender your past sinful life, you MUST replace it with wholesome things and letting Jesus rule your life – Hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7, 2:13 – looking for the blessed hope…, 1 Thess. 1:3); looking forward to an eternal rest (Matt. 11:28); a joy that the world cannot understand (John 15:11, 1 Thess. 2:19); and an inner peace where you know you are alright (John 14:27, 2 Thess. 3:16, Phil. 4:6,7).
TRUSTING in Jesus provides these things and many more.

 IV.                Verse 4, “I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee, precious Jesus, Savior, Friend…”

a.       In this verse we find a maturity as one has learned from our Lord what He has done for us and can do.  As a result of this, there is a determination to keep trusting Him throughout this life.

b.       I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee
 Psalm 34:19 says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.” 
Paul at the conclusion of his life recognized all that he had faced and he said, “And out of them all the Lord delivered me.”  It is my desire for you that as you live for Jesus it will NOT be something that you EVER regret!  May trust in Him always bring you gladness.

c.        Precious Jesus, Savior, friend
When we learn to trust our Lord, He becomes more than just a high acquaintance; He becomes our friend!  And not just any friend – but PRECIOUS! 
John 15:15 says, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for His friends.  You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.  No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”  Spoken to His apostles, it also describes His relationship with us – IF we allow it!

d.       And I know that thou are with me
He promised His disciples that though He had to leave, He would be back – John 14:1-3; Hebrews 13:5 says, “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’  So that we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?

e.        Wilt be with me to the end

He will ALWAYS be there, even to the end (Matt. 28:20).  Again note Heb. 13:5, “I will never leave you nor forsake you…”

 V.                  Chorus: “Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er; Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! O, for grace to trust Him more

a.       The chorus reminds us what we are singing about – TRUSTING HIM! 

b.       We can trust Him because He has continually proved Himself trustworthy.  We have tested Him and He has come through!  He has NOT let us down and we have the confidence that what lies ahead is even greater hope because of Him.

c.        May our trust in Him continually grow. 
As Christians, we must never be content where we are at.  Let our trust in Him grow more and more, even to the very end.
“Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God” (1 Thess. 4:1)
2 Peter 3:18, “But GROW in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
May our trust in Him, as in every other avenue of our lives as Christians, mature greatly as time goes on.

 

And thus we can see another hymn and the scriptural message it can portray.  It is a song reminding us to trust our Lord Jesus at all times.  What about you?  Do you trust Him?  Let us once again sing this song!

Invitation!