I Know Whom I Have Believed / Daniel W. Whittle / James McGranahan
I know not why God's wondrous grace
to me he hath made known,
nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
redeemed me for his own.
I know not when my Lord may come,
at night or noonday fair,
nor if I walk the vale with him,
or meet him in the air.
But I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he is able
to keep that which I've committed
unto him against that day.
2 Timothy 1:8-12:
So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
I prayed, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Then, I read John 1:1-18, 23:
The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’” 16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known…
John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”
My Understanding: Looking first of all at the context of this song and the scripture from which it was taken, Paul is speaking of how he, in relation to the gospel of Jesus Christ, was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.
Apostle - the English transliteration of a Greek word meaning ‘one who is sent out.’ An apostle is a personal messenger or envoy, commissioned to transmit the message or otherwise carry out the instructions of the commissioning agent [Harper's Bible Dictionary].
Herald – God’s ambassador or proclaimer of the divine word [Strong’s].
Teacher – teaches concerning the things of God; shows men the way of salvation [Strong’s].
John the Baptist, in this first chapter of the gospel of John is referred to as giving testimony in this manner:
- Concerning the Light (Jesus Christ), so that through him all men might believe
- That grace and truth come through Jesus Christ
- To make straight the way for the Lord
- That Jesus Christ is the one who takes away the sin of the world
- That Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit
- That Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God (the perfect sacrifice for our sins)
- To lead people to follow Jesus, not to gather followers for himself
- To call people to repent of their sin and to declare that the kingdom of God is near (see Matt. 3:2)
Then, we read these scriptures that tell us, as Christ’s disciples, what we are called (or commissioned) to do:
2 Corinthians 5:20-21:
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Luke 10:2:
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”John 20:21:
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”Matthew 28:19:
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…Acts 1:8:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”I believe very much that the Bible teaches us that, as Christ’s followers, we have been sent out, as well. We have been commissioned by Jesus Christ to go and to make disciples of all nations. We are Christ’s ambassadors as though God were making his appeal through us to implore people to be reconciled to God. We are to proclaim the truths of God’s word and to show men the way of salvation, so that through Jesus Christ all men might believe. We are to lead people to follow Jesus, not to gain followers for ourselves. And, we are to call people to repent (turn from sin and to God) and to believe in Jesus Christ. We are to let them know that we do not receive this salvation because of anything we have done (not by works), but because of God’s own purpose and grace in providing a way of salvation through Jesus Christ for us. We are commissioned by God to be his witnesses, but we are also called to make disciples, i.e. to assist believers in their walk with the Lord and to help them to grow.
Paul said he was not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, i.e. he was not afraid to tell people of what Jesus did for them in dying on the cross for their sins and being resurrected and thus conquering death, sin, hell and Satan. He was not shy about telling them of their need of Jesus, their need to repent of their sin, and their need to be reconciled with God. The reason he was not afraid and not ashamed to tell people about Jesus, knowing that he would suffer persecution for his testimony, is because he was confident of whom he believed in that God was able to keep that which he had committed to him against that day. What we commit to God is our very lives; our souls; and our spirits to him and to his work of salvation in our lives against the day of judgment and against the day of his return. This is why Paul could be so confident in his testimony and his witness. He believed God! He knew from personal experience the transformation of the inner man wrought by Jesus’ death and resurrection and his conquering of sin in sinful man, and he wanted other people to know that same Jesus and that same power in their lives to be free from not only the penalty of sin, but to be free from the control of and bondage to sin in their lives. We, too, should not be ashamed to share the testimony of what Jesus did in our lives in setting us free so that others can know him in his fullness and can experience his saving grace, too.
Then Will the Very Rocks Cry Out (If We Keep Our Voices Silent) / Mark Hayes
- Based off of Luke 19:37-40
From the corners of creation come the people of the Living God.
Every tongue and every nation gather now to praise the Lord.
From a world of tribulation, come and let your voice be raised.
Join us now in congregation. Let the Living God be praised.
If we keep our voices silent, all creation will rise and shout.
If we fail to praise you, Father, then will the very rocks cry out!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Unto Him we offer praise.
Alleluia! Alleluia! This song of joy to him we raise.
Alleluia! Alleluia! In the heavens angels sing.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Give glory to the most high King!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlNnB4pqQ3o
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