At the Name of Jesus - Hymn

 

The link for this week's streamed service is here.

Celebrations: Diane has a birthday; Linda and Albert, Alice and Tore have wedding anniversaries this week.

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The recent survey of the congregation showed strong support for congregational hymns. Hardly a surprising result when one considers how enthusiastically our congregation sings the familiar hymns. 

Some years ago, Dr. Kirk emceed an evening of hymn singing that was very popular. I can't recreate that event, but I do have the ms for his book on hymns for the church year. I found his choice of a hymn to compliment Ephesians 1:15-23 (our scripture reading this Sunday.) "At the Name of Jesus," by Caroline Maria Noel. Here is an excerpt from Dr. Kirk's unpublished work.

Caroline was the daughter of Canon G.T.Noel and the niece of the Rev. Baptist Noel who left the Church of England to become a Baptist minister, and a very prominent one. . . The hymn deals in successive verses with the pre-existence of Jesus, His condescension in becoming man, His Saviourhood, His call to service and His coming again. It is interesting to note that the author reluctantly changed the first line to "In the Name of Jesus" to avoid the complication that she merely meant genuflection at the word. In effect the reference is to adoration at our contemplation of the person of Jesus as the manifestation of the divine nature and glory. Happily, the original wording has been restored.

The hymn is a commentary on the scripture. It is "the Father's pleasure" that all people shall bow before Jesus the King of Glory and acknowledge Him as Lord. From before the beginning of time, He "was the mighty word" that called the worlds into existence. Jesus is the eternal Son of God . . . If we do not accept this fact, then we have only a man who is not also divine, and no mere man can redeem the human race. Jesus was willing to be humbled for a season and receive a human name from those He came to save. He bore that name spotless to the last in that while He lived among sinners, He himself did not sin and in fact, came to bear the sins of many (Is. 53:12). The name He bore was brought back victorious when Jesus rose from the grave, triumphant over sin and death.

Jesus is the Saviour and Lord who should be "worshipped, trusted and adored." We can trust Him because of what He has done on our behalf. We must also offer Him our obedience and service as Lord. We must not take lightly what He has done for us, but rather look on Him with "awe and wonder", enthroning Him as king within our hearts so that He may subdue everything that is false within us. Because He himself was tempted, He can assist us in the time of temptation if we "crown him as . . . captain" and allow Him to have control over our wills.

The hope of the Christian community lies in the fact that "this Lord Jesus will return again." That coming will be in absolute contrast to His first coming. Then it was in weakness and humility to a cattle shed but when He comes again it will be "with His Father's glory, with His angel train." Then He will come in power to reign for he will be crowned, not with thorns as at His crucifixion but with the "wreaths of empire" and, as Paul wrote, "every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil.2:11)

This is a hymn of victory and assurance to inspire hope in the breast of every believer. As Jesus knew weakness and apparent defeat so do we. But we also know that the final victory has been won, that Christ reigns and that He will return to take His own unto Him. Then we shall be pure with His purity and victorious with His victory and we shall reign with Him for ever. That is cause for celebration and worship.

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It's lilac season

At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow,

every tongue confess Him King of Glory now;

this the Father's pleasure, that we call Him Lord,

who from the beginning was the mighty word.

 Humbled for a season, to receive a name

from the lips of sinners unto whom He came;

faithfully He bore it spotless to the last,

brought it back victorious when from death He passed.

 Name Him, brothers, name Him, with love strong as death,

but with awe and wonder, and with bated breath;

He is God the saviour, He is Christ the Lord,

ever to be worshipped, trusted and adored.

 In your hearts enthrone Him; there let Him subdue

all that is not holy, all that is not true;

crown Him as your captain in temptation's hour,

let His will enfold you in its light and power.

Brothers this Lord Jesus shall return again

With His Father's glory, with His angel train;

for all wreaths of empire meet upon his brow,

and our hearts confess Him King of Glory now.