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KIDS TALK: AND CAN IT BE

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Hymn of the Month – And can it be

Powerpoint Pictures: Pictures/Video of famous rescues (e.g. Chilean Miners; Jessica McClure; Miracle on the Hudson

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History is full of some incredible rescues.

You may have heard about some of them.

Do you remember those Chilean miners who were trapped underground for 68 days before they were rescued?

May you know the story of an 18-month-old girl called Jessica McClure who fell into an abandoned well and spent 58 hours at the bottom before she was rescued?

Or the time when an aeroplane after taking off in New York hit a flock of Canadian geese damaging the plane and forcing the pilot to crash land into the Hudson River where the passengers were rescued?

How do you think the miners and their families, the little girl and her parents, the passengers and their relatives felt after they were rescued?

It may be hard for them to put it into words.

Now each of us who trust in Jesus have been rescued. We have been saved from sin and death and hell because Christ died for us. And it can be hard to put it to words how it feels that “The Son of God, loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20).

Which is why it is great that there are some hymns and songs they give us words we can use to express this, and our hymn of the month for this month is one that does this.

The hymn is And can it be? which was written by Charles Wesley most likely a couple of days after his conversion and expresses the amazement that he had been saved by Jesus.

Here’s how the hymn begins. 

And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Saviour’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me? 

When we sing these words, we are expressing how amazed we are that God would love us so much that His Son would die for us – because it our sin that caused Him to die.

The next verse describes how incredible what God has done is.  How the One who is God’s Son, who is immortal, dies.  There’s so much we can’t understand, but that doesn’t stop us from adoring God for His mercy. 

’Tis mystery all! The Immortal dies!
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love Divine!
’Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.

In verse 3 we get an explanation of how God has rescued us. First, the Son of God left heaven, humbling Himself by taking on flesh, and becoming a man, so He could die for us, and God’s mercy could find us.

He left His Father’s throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.

Then in verse 4 we now get words to express what it feels like when God’s mercy finds us.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee. 

We were dead in our transgressions and sins.  We were slaves to sin and Satan.  But God has made us alive, freeing us from Satan’s grip and sins power so we are able to believe in Jesus and follow Him.

We now no longer need to fear the future.  One day we will be with God forever. 

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness Divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

So, And can it be? is our hymn of the month.  Here are words we can use to express how it feels to be saved by God.  Let’s do that now.

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More talks from The Hymn of the Month series can be found HERE.

(Photo: Aaron Burden)

HYMN OF THE MONTH – AND CAN IT BE

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“Pastors, parents, worship leaders: Are you teaching any songs that can be sung acapella around a hospital bed in 50 years?” (Kevin DeYoung)

Taking inspiration from Getty Kids Hymn of the Month, we’re doing our own version at Banstead Community Church.

Each month I’ll choose a hymn and do a kids talk based on it and encourage all the church to learn it.  The hymns old and new will be those that can be sung acapella around a hospital bed!

This month – And can it be – below are some great versions of the hymn.

Together for the Gospel

Reawaken Hymns

PHATFISH and Lou Fellingham

EMW Aber Conference

(Photo: Aaron Burden)

KIDS TALK: ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS’ NAME

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Hymn of the Month – All hail the power of Jesus’ Name

Powerpoint Pictures: Video of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

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Watch the following video.  It is of something that happened before I was born.  In fact, it actually happened over 67 years ago.

It was a really important event in the history of this country.

What is happening in the video?

It is the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.  Her father, King George VI had died and Elizabeth became queen, and this is moment that formally marked that occasion.

And because she is queen, we are to respond to her in certain ways.  We are to address her as, “Your majesty”.  Men are to give her a neck bow and women a small curtsy.

Now as impressive as the Queen’s coronation was, it simply doesn’t compare to another coronation that has taken place.

The most impressive, glorious, majestic one of all.

The coronation of King Jesus when he sat down on the throne in heaven.

When did this happen?

“After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:3)

This coronation took place after Jesus took on flesh, lived a perfect sinless life, died on the cross to save people from their sins, and rose again defeating death and opening up the way for people to live with Him in heaven.

After Jesus did that, He ascended into heaven and there he now reigns as King of kings.

And because he is king, we are respond to him by calling him King and praising Him with our lives and our lives.

Our ‘Hymn of the Month’ is one that reminds us that Jesus is the King and the right way to respond to him is say that He is our King by what we say and do.

The hymn goes like this.

All hail the power of Jesus’ name!
Let angels prostrate fall.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown Him Lord of all.

This first verse tells us we are to acknowledge, like the angels of heaven, that Jesus has all authority, by saying Jesus, you are the King.

And we are to especially to do that because by His death, He saved us from our sins.

O seed of Israel’s chosen race
now ransomed from the fall,
hail Him who saves you by his grace,
and crown Him Lord of all.

But we’re not the only ones who are to acknowledge that Jesus is King.  Everyone in the world who has heard Jesus call them to come to Him and be saved, are to do that by following Him.

Let every tongue and every tribe
responsive to His call,
to him all majesty ascribe,
and crown Him Lord of all.

The hymn then closes by looking forward to the day when we will join with every follower of Jesus, every member of God’s family, everyone who has been saved, in singing a song that goes on for ever giving praise and honour and glory and power to King Jesus.

Oh, that with all the sacred throng
we at His feet may fall!
We’ll join the everlasting song
and crown Him Lord of all.

Every time we time gather as a church, it is a tiny reminder of what is coming for us who trust in Jesus and who can truly say we are crowning him Lord of all.

So, All hail the power of Jesus’ Name is our hymn of the month. Let’s use this song now to remind us of who Jesus is and how we are to respond to Him.

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More talks from The Hymn of the Month series can be found HERE.

(Photo: Aaron Burden)

HYMN OF THE MONTH – ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS’ NAME

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“Pastors, parents, worship leaders: Are you teaching any songs that can be sung acapella around a hospital bed in 50 years?” (Kevin DeYoung)

Taking inspiration from Getty Kids Hymn of the Month, we’re doing our own version at Banstead Community Church.

Each month I’ll choose a hymn and do a kids talk based on it and encourage all the church to learn it.  The hymns old and new will be those that can be sung acapella around a hospital bed!

This month – All hail the power of Jesus’ Name – below are some great versions of the hymn.

The Getty’s

Grace Community Church

EMW Aber Conference

(Photo: Aaron Burden)

KIDS TALK: HOW GREAT THOU ART!

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Hymn of the Month – How Great Thou Art!

Powerpoint Pictures: Grand Canyon; Sunset; Football Goal; Orchestra

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There are lots of things that might make you go “Wow!”

The grandeur of creation or the beauty of creation.

Something incredible you see or hear like a great achievement or a moving piece of worship.

But “Wow!” shouldn’t just be our response.  It should be “Wow!” Isn’t God great?”  Isn’t God so amazing that He would create a world which is so vast and wonderful and where people can do incredible things?

Now there are other things that should make us go “Wow! Isn’t God great?”

Like Jesus’ death on the cross – that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

And how one day Jesus will return to take all His people to live with Him in heaven.

Should they make us say “How great and glorious and good God is”?

To worship Him because as Deuteronomy 10:21 reminds us “He is your praise and he is your God, who has done for you these great and awe-inspiring works your eyes have seen.”

And there is a great hymn to help us to do that, which is going to be our hymn of the month, and it would be really great if we all could learn it, so that we can use the words to glorify our great God  for what He has done.

It goes like this:

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

This verse reminds us of the power of God seen in creation.  The vastness of the universe, the thunder echoing through the mountains.  But His greatness also comes through in the gentleness of the breeze and the songs of the birds, and the next verse reminds us.

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze.

The hymn then shifts our gaze from creation to the cross.  To our sins and God’s solution to them.

And when I think that God, his Son not sparing,
Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

What beautiful words to praise God our Saviour for His grace and mercy that He should send His Son to be the perfect sacrifice to take away the sins of who trust in Him.

And because of what Christ has done, look at the hope His followers have which the hymn ends with.

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, My God, how great thou art!

Our God will make all things new when Jesus returns and then we will be home.  “Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee: How great thou art!  How great thou art!”

So, How great Thou art! is our hymn of the month.  Let’s use the words to sing and praise God for His greatness seen in His creation, Christ’s cross, and His coming again.

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More talks from The Hymn of the Month series can be found HERE.

(Photo: Aaron Burden)

HYMN OF THE MONTH – HOW GREAT THOU ART!

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“Pastors, parents, worship leaders: Are you teaching any songs that can be sung acapella around a hospital bed in 50 years?” (Kevin DeYoung)

Taking inspiration from Getty Kids Hymn of the Month, we’re doing our own version at Banstead Community Church.

Each month I’ll choose a hymn and do a kids talk based on it and encourage all the church to learn it.  The hymns old and new will be those that can be sung acapella around a hospital bed!

This month – How Great Thou Art! – below are some great versions of the hymn.

Phil Moore

Reawaken Hymns

Shane and Shane

Anthem Lights

(Photo: Aaron Burden)

KIDS TALK: THERE IS A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD

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Hymn of the Month – There is a fountain filled with blood

Powerpoint Pictures: Soap or Hand Sanitiser; Shampoo & Shower Gel; Daz Powder; Cillit Bang

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What do the following items clean?

Soap or hand sanitiser?  Been using this a lot over the last 5 months – it’s your hands.

Shampoo and shower gel?  Hair and body.

Daz – famous for its door step challenge?  Clothes.

Cillit Bang – Bang!  And the dirt is gone.  Different parts of the house.

Those items clean different things.  But there’s something else that cleans.  That makes things that are filthy, white as snow.

And that’s blood.

Blood.

Not any kind of blood.  The precious blood of Jesus can make people who are filthy before God because of their sins, clean and acceptable to Him.

Look at this verse from Revelation 7.  “They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:14)

If we trust in Jesus, His death on the cross will wash away all our sins, every single one of them will be forgiven, and God will not punish us for them.

Isn’t this brilliant news something to sing about?

And there is a great hymn to help us to do that, which is going to be our hymn of the month, and it would really good if we could all learn it, so that we can use the words to praise God for Jesus’ blood without which our sins could not be forgiven.

It goes like this.

There is a fountain filled with blood
drawn from Emmanuel’s veins
and sinners plunged beneath that flood
lose all their guilty stains.

That verse is saying that If we trust in Jesus, His blood, His death will remove our sin and guilt before God.

The dying thief rejoiced to see
that fountain in his day
And there have I, though vile as he,
washed all my sins away.

One person who trusted Christ and had his sins washed away was the thief who died beside Him.  And like him, we who are sinners too can have sins removed by Jesus.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
shall never lose its pow’r
Till all the ransomed church of God
be saved, to sin no more

Here we have the reminder that Christ’s precious blood is powerful.  That it doesn’t just save everyone who trusts in Him from death and hell, it saves them to live holy and obedient lives following Christ.

E’er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply
Redeeming love has been my theme,
and shall be till I die

Once we see what Jesus has done to save us, nothing should be more important to us, and that will be true even when we have died and gone to heaven because there we will be singing our praise to Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

When this poor lisping, stammering tongue
lies silent in the grave
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save

So, There is a fountain filled with blood is our hymn of the month. Let’s use the words to sing and praise God for Jesus whose blood can wash away our sins if we repent and believe in Him.

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More talks from The Hymn of the Month series can be found HERE.

(Photo: Aaron Burden)

HYMN OF THE MONTH – THERE IS A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD

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“Pastors, parents, worship leaders: Are you teaching any songs that can be sung acapella around a hospital bed in 50 years?” (Kevin DeYoung)

Taking inspiration from Getty Kids Hymn of the Month, we’re doing our own version at Banstead Community Church.

Each month I’ll choose a hymn and do a kids talk based on it and encourage all the church to learn it.  The hymns old and new will be those that can be sung acapella around a hospital bed!

This month – There is a Fountain Filled with Blood – below are some great versions of the hymn.

Norton Hall Band

Together for the Gospel

Shane & Shane

(Photo: Aaron Burden)

TWO GREAT HYMNS TO SING ON REFORMATION SUNDAY

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LutherIt is Reformation Sunday today.

Here are two great hymns – one old, one new – to be singing at your church service.

1) A Mighty Fortress is our God (Martin Luther) – listen to a new arrangement HERE.

2) Glory be to God Alone (David L. Ward) – lyrics and suggested tune HERE.

SONGS ARE SERMONS

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1374033_79721327Matt Boswell:

“Songs are sermons.

They don’t work like homiletical exegesis, but they articulate, exegete, and pronounce biblical truths.

Our hymns teach and shape the way people view God, man, Christ, and how we are to live in light of the gospel.”

(Photo: ba1969)

Missing Verses to ‘O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing’

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Last Sunday morning we closed the service by singing the great Charles Wesley hymn ‘O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing’.  He wrote this hymn to commemorate the first anniversary of his conversion to Christ.

What I didn’t realise is that there are lots of verses to the hymn that we don’t usually sing.

Here are some of my favourites:

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!

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.

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.

There is a fountain filled with blood

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I sang this hymn by William Cowper for the first time at EMA yesterday – and love it!

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains.
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
and there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away.
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.

O Lamb of God, your precious blood shall never lose its power,
till all the ransomed church of God, be saved to sin no more.
Be saved to sin no more, be saved to sin no more.
Till all the ransomed church of God, be saved to sin no more.

And since, by faith, I saw the stream your flowing wounds supply,
redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die.
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.

When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave,
then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing your power to save.
I’ll sing your power to save, I’ll sing your power to save.
Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing your power to save.