Hello OCBC Family! 

Let me share a wonderful passage.  “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:5-11).

You are familiar with the name of John Newton.  He was a pastor in England who wrote the very popular hymn “Amazing Grace,” but during his time as a pastor he wrote several hymns, and with his dear friend William Cooper, created the Olney Hymns collection.  A hymn that is not as popular as “Amazing Grace” is “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds” using the Song of Songs 1:3 as inspiration.

When Newton was eighty years old, he was quite deaf and almost blind, but he still continued preaching in his church.  For his final messages, Newton had an assistant next to him at the pulpit; this person would read the next point of Newton’s sermon outline, and then Newton would expound on that point.

On one particular Sunday, just a few weeks before he died, the assistant read the first point and Newton said to the congregation, “Jesus Christ is precious.”  He paused and waited until the helper read the second point.  Newton said again, “Jesus Christ is precious.”

The assistant reminded Newton that he had already said that.  “Yes, I said it twice,” the old pastor replied, “and I’ll say it again!  Jesus Christ is precious.”  Then he asked the congregation to sing this lovely hymn, “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds.”

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
in a believer's ear!
It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds,
and drives away our fear.

It makes the wounded spirit whole
and calms the troubled breast;
'tis manna to the hungry soul,
and to the weary, rest.

O Jesus, shepherd, guardian, friend,
my Prophet, Priest, and King,
my Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
accept the praise I bring.

How weak the effort of my heart,
how cold my warmest thought;
but when I see you as you are,
I'll praise you as I ought.

Till then I would your love proclaim
with every fleeting breath;
and may the music of your name
refresh my soul in death.

In His service,

Israel

Hello OCBC family,

Two weeks ago in our evening worship service, we sang several hymns and songs learning about how worship music changed in style throughout the centuries. It was a blessing!

One hymn that we sang that night was, “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent” and I want to share with you a little background of this ancient hymn.

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.  1 John 3:8 said, “The one who commits sin is of the Devil, for the Devil has sinned from the beginning.  The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the Devil’s work” (HCSB).  Yes, He came to save us from the sins, and that is why we can worship Him with this hymn.

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded,
For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
Our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
As of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
In the body and the blood;
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
That the powers of hell may vanish
As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six wingèd seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
Alleluia, Alleluia
Alleluia, Lord Most High!

This hymn was written in the 4th century to be used in the liturgy of St. James, originally to be used for the Eucharistic celebration, or as we call it in our Baptist tradition, The Lord’s Supper.  Nobody knows who the author was.

The melody is a French melody from the 17th century with some influence of Gregorian chants; it was Ralph Vaughn Williams, the British composer, who made it more popular with his rich harmony that we can find in our modern hymnals.

Although the hymn can be used as a communion hymn any time of the year, it is a beautiful advent hymn, pointing us to stand in awe as the King of kings and Lord of lords descends to earth to vanquish the powers of hell.

You can use this hymn as a personal prayer, and I am encouraging you to do so during your devotional time.

May the Lord bless you.

In His service,

Israel