"Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ..., to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen." (Rom. 16:25 & 27)
This is from one of my Epistle readings today, "....the preaching of Jesus Christ..., to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever." This expression is Historic Christianity. There have been heretic additions to and eliminations of what the Bible calls, "the faith of Jesus," but our text survives today as the pillar of our word to a dying world. I found today all the verses to Bernard of Clairvaux's great song, "Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee." The song is one of the greatest expressions of worship you will ever encounter, and is in the finest tradition of our text. Now I know you may be tempted to not read and pray the complete song, but only to your loss.
Bernard has had naysayers over the centuries, especially among the more modern self-appointed critics of such historic personages. But I can tell you that Bernard was opposed to, and intervened in the attempt to stop the slaughter of the Jews during the Second Crusade. Though he held to the doctrine of Mary as mediatrix, He was "skeptical of the doctrine of the "immaculate conception of Mary." There are many things in Bernard's writings which led Luther and Calvin both to consider him and much of his theology as forerunner to the Reformation. At any rate, today, as I read yet again, "Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee," I wondered, Where have such men gone?
"Jesus, the very thought of Thee
This is from one of my Epistle readings today, "....the preaching of Jesus Christ..., to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever." This expression is Historic Christianity. There have been heretic additions to and eliminations of what the Bible calls, "the faith of Jesus," but our text survives today as the pillar of our word to a dying world. I found today all the verses to Bernard of Clairvaux's great song, "Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee." The song is one of the greatest expressions of worship you will ever encounter, and is in the finest tradition of our text. Now I know you may be tempted to not read and pray the complete song, but only to your loss.
Bernard has had naysayers over the centuries, especially among the more modern self-appointed critics of such historic personages. But I can tell you that Bernard was opposed to, and intervened in the attempt to stop the slaughter of the Jews during the Second Crusade. Though he held to the doctrine of Mary as mediatrix, He was "skeptical of the doctrine of the "immaculate conception of Mary." There are many things in Bernard's writings which led Luther and Calvin both to consider him and much of his theology as forerunner to the Reformation. At any rate, today, as I read yet again, "Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee," I wondered, Where have such men gone?
"Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast;
But sweeter far Thy face to see,
And in Thy presence rest.
But sweeter far Thy face to see,
And in Thy presence rest.
"Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find
A sweeter sound than Thy blest Name,
O Savior of mankind!
Nor can the memory find
A sweeter sound than Thy blest Name,
O Savior of mankind!
"O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek,
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!
O joy of all the meek,
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!
"But what to those who find? Ah, this
Nor tongue nor pen can show;
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but His loved ones know.
Nor tongue nor pen can show;
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but His loved ones know.
"Jesus, our only joy be Thou,
As Thou our prize will be;
Jesus be Thou our glory now,
And through eternity.
As Thou our prize will be;
Jesus be Thou our glory now,
And through eternity.
"O Jesus, King most wonderful
Thou Conqueror renowned,
Thou sweetness most ineffable
In Whom all joys are found!
Thou Conqueror renowned,
Thou sweetness most ineffable
In Whom all joys are found!
"When once Thou visitest the heart,
Then truth begins to shine,
Then earthly vanities depart,
Then kindles love divine.
Then truth begins to shine,
Then earthly vanities depart,
Then kindles love divine.
"O Jesus, light of all below,
Thou fount of living fire,
Surpassing all the joys we know,
And all we can desire.
Thou fount of living fire,
Surpassing all the joys we know,
And all we can desire.
"Jesus, may all confess Thy Name,
Thy wondrous love adore,
And, seeking Thee, themselves inflame
To seek Thee more and more.
Thy wondrous love adore,
And, seeking Thee, themselves inflame
To seek Thee more and more.
"Thee, Jesus, may our voices bless,
Thee may we love alone,
And ever in our lives express
The image of Thine own.
Thee may we love alone,
And ever in our lives express
The image of Thine own.
"O Jesus, Thou the beauty art
Of angel worlds above;
Thy Name is music to the heart,
Inflaming it with love.
Of angel worlds above;
Thy Name is music to the heart,
Inflaming it with love.
"Celestial Sweetness unalloyed,
Who eat Thee hunger still;
Who drink of Thee still feel a void
Which only Thou canst fill.
Who eat Thee hunger still;
Who drink of Thee still feel a void
Which only Thou canst fill.
"O most sweet Jesus, hear the sighs
Which unto Thee we send;
To Thee our inmost spirit cries;
To Thee our prayers ascend.
Which unto Thee we send;
To Thee our inmost spirit cries;
To Thee our prayers ascend.
"Abide with us, and let Thy light
Shine, Lord, on every heart;
Dispel the darkness of our night;
And joy to all impart.
Shine, Lord, on every heart;
Dispel the darkness of our night;
And joy to all impart.
"Jesus, our love and joy to Thee,
The virgin's holy Son,
All might and praise and glory be,
While endless ages run."
!!
The virgin's holy Son,
All might and praise and glory be,
While endless ages run."
!!
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
