Sunday's Hymn: There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood

Still more William Cowper. My youngest son, who lives with me now, chose the Willie Nelson. He’s on a bit of a Willie Nelson kick right now. (Come to think of it, he chose the Buddy Greene, too.)

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 may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away:
Wash all my sins away,
Wash all my sins away;
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away.

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:
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.

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:
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, stamm’ring tongue
Lies silent in the grave,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save:
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save,
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save;
then in a nobler, sweeter song
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save.

—William Cowper

Other hymns, worship songs, or quotes for this Sunday:

• Have You Not Known Have You Not Heard at The Happy Wonderer
• Jesus Shines Brighter at The Outspoken Tulip
• Lord’s Day 16, 2020 at The Thirsty Theologian

Selected Reading, April 18, 2020

Here are a few pieces I read this week and now recommend to you. 

Theology

Theological Primer: Limited Atonement
Another entry in an occasional series by Kevin DeYoung: “The doctrine of particular redemption is worth defining and defending because it gets to the heart of the gospel. Should we say “Christ died so that sinners might come to him”? Or, “Christ died for sinners”? Did Christ’s work on the cross make it possible for sinners to come to God? Or did Christ’s work on the cross actually reconcile sinners to God? In other words, does the death of Jesus Christ make us save-able or does it make us saved?”

Suffering Well in Union with Christ
So many people I know are going through truly dark circumstances. Gabe Fluhrer’s post comes at exactly the right time. “[I]n ways none of us will understand this side of glory, suffering is God’s design for our lives. The pathway to a mature, lasting faith—the type of faith that gives way to resurrection sight—is paved with the rough stones of suffering (Col. 4:12; Heb. 6:1). The only way to keep putting one foot in front of the other on this dark road is through union with Christ and with the promise of resurrection to light the way. Here we see the Spirit manifest His power in our lives. No one but God Himself could keep us on the resurrection road when such difficulties loom in front of us. The Spirit indwells us to enable us to suffer well in union with Christ.”

Biography

Diet Eman — Holding on to God’s Promises
Simonetta Carr again: “For Dutch Christians like Diet (pronounced Deet) Eman and her family, the German invasion of the Netherlands generated new, urgent questions. Queen Wilhelmina had left for England, taking her whole government with her. What were the Dutch supposed to do? Stay loyal to her or obey the new German government?”

Theological Term of the Week: Benediction

benediction
Words of blessing given by God or his representative to God’s people. They are often used to conclude public worship. Many examples are found in scripture, especially in New Testament epistles. 

• Two benedictions found in scripture:

  Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24, 25 ESV)

  May God be gracious to us and bless us
  and make his face to shine upon us,
  that your way may be known on earth,
  your saving power among all nations. (Psalm 67:1-2 ESV)

Learn more:

1. Compelling Truth: What is a benediction?
2. H. B. Charles: What Is a Benediction?
3. H. B. Charles: Blessings and Praise: Benedictions and Doxologies in Scripture
4. Drew Hunter: 5 Reasons to Recover Benedictions at Church
5. Aaron L. Garriott: The Benediction of God
6. Jon Payne: Gospel Benediction
7. David King: May the Lord Bless and Keep You

Related terms: 

• corporate prayer
• liturgy
• preaching
• regulative principle of worship
• worship

Filed under Ecclesiology

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