Would you join me in welcoming Dr. R.C. Sproul and Mr. Jeff Lippencott? (Latin chorus) One hammer in the hand of an obscure Augustinian monk changed the world forever. Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany, calling his fellow professors to examine issues of supreme theological importance. Thus began the Reformation through which the light of God’s Word was brought out of the darkness to shine with clarity once more. One of the central cries of the Protestant Reformation was this: “The just shall live by faith.” Luther’s development of the doctrine of justification by faith alone recovered the gospel that had been hidden during the Middle Ages. And at the center of that gospel is the affirmation that the righteousness by which we are declared just before a holy God is not our own. It’s a foreign righteousness, an alien righteousness, a righteousness that Luther said is “extra nos” – apart from us. Namely, it’s the righteousness of Jesus Christ – that righteousness that is imputed or counted for all who put their faith in Him. Because of that affirmation Luther was involved in serious controversies – controversies that culminated in his being brought to trial before the princes of the Church and even before the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Charles V. And there at the Diet of Worms, summoned in Germany, Luther was called upon to recant his views. He answered his interlocutors by saying, “Revoco? You want me to say revoco? That I recant? “I will not recant unless I’m convinced by sacred Scripture or by evident reason. “I cannot recant for my conscience is held captive by the Word of God, “and to act against conscience is neither right nor safe. “Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me.” In every generation the gospel must be published anew with the same boldness, the same clarity, and the same urgency that came forth in the 16th century Reformation. The Church has always done this in both the spoken word and in song, producing hymns that tell us of the great salvation that is wrought by God alone through Christ alone. These hymns that you hear tonight are sacred music for the Church giving glory to the Holy One. Seated on the heav’nly throne
Above all mortal view The King supreme in glory sat
Bathed in resplendent hue “Holy, Holy, Holy”
Cried the seraph throng Glory to the Holy One
Join in heaven’s song All around the mercy seat
The heav’nly creatures sang “Glory to our God on high”
Their poignant anthem rang “Holy, Holy, Holy”
Cried the seraph throng Glory to the Holy One
Join in heaven’s song Shielded eyes and covered feet
The angels hovered high Glory shook the portal walls
And smoke rose to the sky “Holy, Holy, Holy”
Cried the seraph throng Glory to the Holy One
Join in heaven’s song “Angel come now, purge my lips
Make pure my soul anew Now I’ll rise and stand again
In grace to go for you” “Holy, Holy, Holy”
Cried the seraph throng Glory to the Holy One
Join in heaven’s song Come, O Lamb of God, to save Our hearts are chilled with fear Raise our souls from torpid daze And send Thy Spirit near Enflame our spirits by Thy power Our zeal to perservere Give life and breath to passive saints To truth that You hold dear We rise to Thee from bended knee To do whate’er You say We give our love, our hearts, our all Your summons to obey We love Thy law, O precious Lord It brightens ev’ry path In it we see Thy perfect rule Thy mercy and Thy wrath We rise to Thee from bended knee To do whate’er You say We give our love, our hearts, our all Your summons to obey Roar forth, Thou King of Judah’s need That we might never fall Give strength and might that we may heed Thy sacred royal call We rise to Thee from bended knee To do whate’er You say We give our love, our hearts, our all Your summons to obey Chosen first among the priests To serve within the temple walls Zacharias stood in awe As he heard the angel call Benedictus, Benedictus Blessed is the Lord Benedictus, Benedictus God’s incarnate Word Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God Will come to raise salvation’s horn God Incarnate, Word made flesh To a virgin shall be born Benedictus, Benedictus Blessed is the Lord Benedictus, Benedictus God’s incarnate Word Christ brings light to sin’s dark night Our Dayspring, Jesus, from on high Saints and angels sing God’s praise All the earth and heav’ns reply Benedictus, Benedictus Blessed is the Lord Benedictus, Benedictus God’s incarnate Word Benedictus, Benidictus Fallen race in Eden fair Exposed and full of shame Fled we naked from Thy sight Far from Thy holy Name Clothe us in Your righteousness Hide filthy rags of sin Dress us in Your perfect garb Both outside and within Sent from the garden in the east Outside of Eden’s gate Banished there from Thy pure light Were Adam and his mate Scarlet souls are now like snow By Thy atoning grace Crimson hearts become like wool For Adam’s fallen race Clothe us in Your righteousness Hide filthy rags of sin Dress us in Your perfect garb Both outside and within No work of ours is good enough For evil to atone Your merit, Lord, is all we have It saves, and it alone Clothe us in Your righteousness Hide filthy rags of sin Dress us in Your perfect garb Both outside and within Come, Thou Savior, spread Thy table Feed Thy helpless, starving sheep Give Thy grace to saints unable To drink Thy cup so deep For Thy bride is weak in spirit As her Groom will soon appear With her spotted soul and wrinkled gown She trembles to draw near Jesus, Jesus, we adore Thee Gift of heaven’s Bread Jesus, Jesus, we adore Thee Keep our spirits fed Keep the feast of Paschal Lamb His presence sure and real His own death for us we now recall With sacred sign and seal We taste Thee now as death doth Wait to bring us to Your side We now long to enter heaven’s gate And e’er with You abide Jesus, Jesus, we adore Thee Gift of heaven’s Bread Jesus, Jesus, we adore Thee Keep our spirits fed To heaven’s gate our souls fly To sup with You anew Now with all saints from our labors rest To find our peace with You Jesus, Jesus, we adore Thee Gift of heaven’s Bread Jesus, Jesus, we adore Thee Keep our spirits fed Heavy is our Savior’s cross Weighed down by human sin His blood so pure, no earthly dross Is borne by only Him Mocked, scourged, with thorns for a crown The Lamb is led away A cross to bear for sinners bound On this, His final day Heavy is our Savior’s cross Weighed down by human sin His blood so pure, no earthly dross Is borne by only Him Rough, hewn, unpolished the wood A cross for all man’s sin Will hold the pain no mortal could A death reserved for Him Life torn from flesh and from bone Yet still a pain far worse For all of sin He must atone The weight of heaven’s curse Heavy is our Savior’s cross Weighed down by human sin His blood so pure, no earthly dross Is borne by only Him Death, loss, the dark shadows day His work now almost done Naught else will do, no other way Salvation must be won Heavy is our Savior’s cross Weighed down by human sin His blood so pure, no earthly dross Is borne by only Him His blood so pure, no earthly dross Is borne by only Him The stone rolled clear, a grave so bare The women filled with fear The Lord of life, an empty tomb No Savior lying there No more the grave can yield its sting No more is death our foe Our souls can now with gladness sing Now gone all curse and woe The mortal parts, immortal comes Corruption flees our hearts Our death is His, His life is ours Eternal life to start No more the grave can yield its sting No more is death our foe Our souls can now with gladness sing Now gone all curse and woe He once was dead but now He lives A Groom now fit to wed The Alpha and Omega reigns Beginning to the end No more the grave can yield its sting No more is death our foe Our souls can now with gladness sing Now gone all curse and woe How can it be, this truth divine, Declared by God above That all things by His grand design Work good for us by love Called by our Lord in purposed ends No tragedy shall win No curse for those He calls His friends He saved us from our sins What shall we say to these great things? Of mystery sublime That if He is for us we can sing Now and for all time Foreknown by Him with hearts made new To His Son we conform No pow’r on earth can this undo For those He’s made reborn What shall we say to these great things? Of mystery sublime That if He is for us we can sing Now and for all time First He did choose, and called He then To surely justify For those of the faith beyond our ken He soon will glorify What shall we say to these great things? Of mystery sublime That if He is for us we can sing Now and for all time Who dwells within His most secret place Is never far from His blessed grace ’Neath His great shadow all will be well No better place now for us to dwell The secret place of God Most High The shadow of our mighty King The dwelling place where angels cry Is where our praise will forever ring Fear not the terror that comes at night Nor flaming arrows by morning light His truth is always our sword and shield Against His power, all foes must yield The secret place of God Most High The shadow of our mighty King The dwelling place where angels cry Is where our praise will forever ring A thousand fall now at ev’ry side Ten thousand more may have yet to die Yet plague and sword can ne’er kill the soul His angels guard us now safe and whole The secret place of God Most High The shadow of our mighty King The dwelling place where angels cry Is where our praise will forever ring Refuge and fortress for all who trust No safer pasture for men of dust ’Neath wings and feathers of Holy Lord No greater comfort can He afford The secret place of God Most High The shadow of our mighty King The dwelling place where angels cry Is where our praise will forever ring The veil of heaven opened wide The scene was clearly set John saw a scroll writ either side Where seven seals were met With booming voice the angel said To now unseal the scroll But none was found to meet the task Not even one lone soul Worthy, worthy Worthy is the Lamb Worthy, worthy Is the Lamb who was slain Convulsed with tears and broken heart John’s hope was now assailed “Weep not,” the elder counseled him, “A Lion has prevailed!” No lion came to take his claim No beast of royal reign Instead there stood a bloodied Lamb Like one who had been slain Worthy, worthy Worthy is the Lamb Worthy, worthy Is the Lamb who was slain Ten thousand times, ten thousand more The host of heaven cried All blessing, honor, glory and pow’r To Christ, the Lamb that died Worthy, worthy Worthy is the Lamb Worthy, worthy Is the Lamb who was slain Christ the Lamb, who was slain Above the mists of highland hills E’en far above the clear blue skies The end of pain and earthly ills When we shall see His eyes Lutes will sing, pipers play When we see Him face to face On that day His face now hidden from our sight Concealed from ev’ry hidden gaze In hearts made pure from sinful flight Is the bliss that will amaze Lutes will sing, pipers play When we see Him face to face On that day We know not yet what we will be In heaven’s final blessed state But know we now that we shall see Our Lord at heaven’s gate The beatific glory view That now our souls still long to see Will make us all at once anew And like Him forever be Lutes will sing, pipers play When we see Him face to face On that day Amen, amen We come to You, amen Thy Word is true, amen Amen, amen We kneel to You, amen Our lives we yield, amen Amen, amen; amen, amen Amen, Amen Amen
