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For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but
have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world
through him. -John 3:16-17
When Gray told me he wanted "Jesus Saves!" to be one of our hymns this Sunday, I had to admit I have never sung or played it before. Many of you know that I was Lutheran before I became a Presbyterian, and, well, that one just isn't in our hymnal. In fact, it's not in our Presbyterian hymnal either. Is it a Baptist hymn? Methodist? Time to do some research!! While digging through my hymnals, I found a copy of The Hymnbook (otherwise known as the 1955 Presbyterian "Red Hymnal"), with Larry Wood's name on the front, and there it is--#503!! (Larry, if you're looking for your hymnal, give me a call!)
This hymn text was written by Priscilla Owens in 1882. She lived in Baltimore all her life, taught public school for 49 years, and was a member of Union Square Methodist Episcopal Church with a special interest in Sunday School work. Every verse of this hymn is about spreading the good news:
We have heard the joyful sound-- Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Spread the tidings all around-- Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Bear the news to ev'ry land, climb the steeps and cross the waves;
Onward! 'Tis our Lord's command-- Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Give the winds a mighty voice-- Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Let the nations now rejoice-- Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Shout salvation full and free, highest hills and deepest caves;
This our song of victory-- Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
I think it's particularly fitting that we should sing about spreading the news to all nations, especially now that we are in the season of Epiphany, which began yesterday (after the twelfth day of Christmas). Israel had been waiting a long, long time for the promised Messiah, but imagine everyone's surprise when the three wise men from the East showed up... the first non-Israelites to bow down and worship the newborn king, representing the rest of the nations (including us!), the world that God so loved, that he would die to save.
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