S2_EP08 - Hymns of Advent Series (JOY)

Transcript

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God is not dead, nor dutty sleep.

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The wrong shall fail.

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The right prevail With peace on earth.

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Good will to men.

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Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

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This is the Bright Forever.

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Hello and welcome to the Bright Forever and our special series Hymns of Advent, where each week we will discover the power and richness of some of the greatest Advent hymns of the church.

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My name is Andy Peavey House and I am your host and guide on this journey through the Advent season.

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As I've said before, if you're wondering why we're doing as I've said before, if you're wondering why we're talking about this Advent thing and aren't really sure what it's all about, take a minute and go back and listen to Episode 6 about the theme of hope.

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In that episode, I give you a quick reference guide to understanding the Advent season found within many Christian denominations.

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For those of you who have been with us and are up to speed, I'm going to quickly recap about the themes we are centering these episodes around the word Advent, or Adventus means coming or arrival.

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It usually lasts for the four weeks leading up to Christmas Day.

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It is marked by four key elements expectant, waiting, repentance and reflection, scripture reading and the use of symbols.

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Within those symbols, we find the four themes upon which this season is based, and each themed week in Advent highlights a specific aspect of our journey with God.

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Week 1 is hope, as we anticipate the fulfillment of God's promises in the coming Messiah.

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Week 2, that was peace, reflecting on the peace that comes through the birth of the Prince of Peace.

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Week 3 is joy, celebrating the joy found in the good news of Jesus' birth and the salvation that comes through what he has done for us.

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These themes continue to guide us through this Advent season.

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Last week, we focused in on peace and found the beautifully poetic Let all mortal flesh keep silence.

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Each week, near the end of these Advent episodes, we share a practical way that you and your family can celebrate using the theme of that week.

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And, as I've said, each week my family is doing each of these ideas alongside all of you who are listening.

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This week, we delve into the theme of joy as we explore the powerful yet unconventional Advent hymn Come thou, fount of every blessing, and search for its significance in the Advent season.

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Isaiah 12, 2 through 3.

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Behold, god is my salvation.

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I will trust and will not be afraid for the Lord.

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God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.

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With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

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Zephaniah 3, 17,.

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The Lord, your God, is with you.

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The mighty warrior who saves.

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He will take great delight in you.

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He will quiet you by his love.

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He will rejoice over you with singing Luke 2, 10 through 11,.

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And the angel said to them Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people, for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord.

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In these scriptures we begin to glimpse the anticipation of joy rooted in salvation.

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Isaiah gives us a song of praise for God's salvation that anticipates the praise for God's salvation in Christ, the coming Messiah.

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It speaks of drawing water with joy from the wells of salvation.

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Zephaniah assures us of God's salvation and in saving us, god himself delights and rejoices over us.

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One ESV study Bible commentator put it like this this verse remarkably adds that God himself will rejoice over you with gladness, indicating that when God's people seek him and follow him and rejoice in him and trust him, then God personally delights in them.

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This is not an aloof, emotionless contentment, but it bursts forth in a joyful, divine celebration.

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In Luke, the angel announces the birth of the Savior, bringing good news that will cause great joy for all people.

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The hymn come thou found of every blessing beautifully resonates with these themes, expressing gratitude for God's abundant blessings and the joy that we find in our salvation.

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As we reflect on the words of Come Thou Fount, we recognize it's unconventional, and I keep saying unconventional, because it's just not thought of as an Advent hymn.

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We sing Come Thou Fount all of the time, and so to think of it as a Advent or something that in any way comes near the Christmas season is sometimes weird for some people, and so we recognize it's unconventional, yet profound expression of gratitude and joy.

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And while not explicitly an Advent hymn, its lyrics line up perfectly with this idea of the joy of Advent, a season of both reflection on the blessings already received and anticipation for the arrival of Christ.

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This hymn captures the dual nature of Advent as a time of thanksgiving for the blessings in Christ and eager anticipation for his coming.

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But more than that, this hymn takes us on an emotional and spiritual journey, beginning with recognizing that God is the source of every blessing.

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Then it reminds us of his faithfulness as we raise a stone of remembrance, and then it closes in a deep echo of the grace that covers our sins and binds us to our Savior.

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The journey this song takes us on is at the very heart of the joy of Advent, as it prompts every believer to rejoice as we reflect on the Savior who would come to seek and to save those who are so often prone to wonder, and reminds us that Jesus is truly our strength and our song as we look forward to the redemptive promise of our Messiah's birth.

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Come thou, fount of every blessing.

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Tune my heart to sing thy grace.

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Streams of mercy never ceasing Call for songs of loudest praise.

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Teach me some melodious sonnet sung by flaming tongues.

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Above Praise the mount, I'm fixed upon it, mount of God's unchanging love.

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The opening verse calls God the fount of every blessing, acknowledging Him as the source of all blessings.

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Ephesians 1-3 says Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord, jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

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This verse sets the tone for gratitude and joy in recognizing the abundance of God's grace.

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The second part of this first verse mirrors the verse we just read in Isaiah Jesus is our strength and our song.

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He is our song through redemption, teaching us to sing our praises back to Him.

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Here I raise my Ebenezer.

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Hither, by thy help I'm come and I hope, by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home.

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Jesus sought me when a stranger wandering from the fold of God, he, to rescue me from danger, interposed his precious blood.

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The second verse references raising an Ebenezer which originates from the Old Testament, in 1 Samuel 7-12,.

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It says Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mishpa and Shen and called its name Ebenezer.

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For he said Till now the Lord has helped us and Ebenezer is a stone of remembrance.

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It reflects on God's faithfulness and becomes a source of joy in remembering his goodness.

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And as an aside, let's be honest, none of us can sing verse 2 without thinking of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

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I have to believe that the choice of the name Ebenezer for the main character holds some sort of symbolic significance.

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While Dickens himself did not expressly state the reason for the name, the use of Ebenezer suggests a deliberate choice, an plausible connection to this biblical reference, or possibly the song which was written 85 years before Dickens' classic.

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The biblical Ebenezer is a marker of God's goodness and help, bringing joy to those as they remember God's faithfulness to them.

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I can't help but think that by naming his character, ebenezer Dickens in some way intended to symbolize our potential for redemption and transformation.

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Scrooge's journey throughout the story involves a deep introspection, a lot like the song, and a transformation from a miserly selfish individual to one who in the end was redeemed and who stands as a reminder of generosity and compassion.

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And as Dickens put it, he became as good a friend, as good a master and as good a man as the good old city ever knew.

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But I digress.

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The best part of this second verse, to me at least, comes in the second half.

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Jesus sought me when a stranger wandering from the fold of God.

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My heart overflows when I'm reminded that even in the midst of my sin and rebellion, jesus searched for me.

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He found me and, through his blood, rescued me from danger.

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O to grace.

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How great a debtor, daily I am constrained to be.

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Let thy grace now, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee.

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Prone to wonder, lord, I feel it prone to leave the God I love.

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Here's my heart.

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O take and seal it.

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Seal it for thy courts above.

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This final verse acknowledges our dependence on God's grace and recounts the joy found in the realization of our indebtedness being covered by His grace.

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It reflects the profound joy of redemption.

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As we meditate on the words of verse 3, we are reminded that salvation is by grace, through faith.

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Ephesians 2, 8, and 9 tell us for by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not your own doing.

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It is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

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Our dependence on God's grace is not a cause for despair, but it's the source of our joy and it's this grace that binds our hearts to the very heart of God.

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This verse highlights the joy found in God as our salvation and the redemption acknowledged through Jesus, and it invites us to rejoice in the grace that covers our sin and to rejoice in the redemption secured by our Savior.

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I hope as you contemplate these three verses, you will begin to appreciate the unconventional beauty of Come Thou Fount of every blessing as an important song during the season of Advent.

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Its themes of gratitude, joy and response to God's goodness and faithfulness seamlessly connect to the season of expectation and anticipation of the Savior's birth.

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Its a reminder that Advent joy can be found in unexpected places and expressions.

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To my heart you sing like grace.

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Streams of mercy never ceasing.

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Call for songs of out his praise.

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Teach me some melody, a song about flaming tongues above.

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Raise the mountain, fixed upon the mount of Thy reason in love.

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Here I raise my Ebenezer, here, by Thy great help I've come, and I hope by Thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home.

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Jesus saw me when a stranger wandering from the fold of God, he, to rescue me from danger, interposed his precious blood.

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Oh, that day when, free from sin, I shall see Thy lovely face, clothing in the blood wash linen, how I'll sing Thy wondrous praise.

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Come my Lord, no longer tarry, take my ransom soul away.

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Send my angels now to carry me to realms of endless death.

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O to grace, how great a dead daily I am constrained to be.

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Let Thy goodness, like a feather by my wandering heart to me.

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Come to wonder what I feel.

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Come to leave the God I love.

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Here's my heart.

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Oh, take and seal it.

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Seal it for Thy courts above.

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That was Come Thou Found of Every Blessing, performed by Nathan Drake of reawakenhemscom.

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For more information about this and many other hems from reawakenhems, check out the show notes or you can go to wwwreawakenhemscom.

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As we reflect on the theme of joy and the blessings that we have in Christ, let's respond as families by creating a jar of Advent joys.

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Throughout the Advent season, take moments to write down blessings or expressions of joy on small pieces of paper and place them in a jar.

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Then, on Christmas Day, gather as a family to read and to celebrate the joy found in God's goodness together.

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Thank you so much for joining us this week on the Bright Forever.

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Remember to follow us, review us and, of course, subscribe.

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You can always email us at podcast at thebrightforevercom.

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Thank you again for joining us for this Advent special series.

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May the joy of the Lord be your strength and your song, and may the blessings of God fill your hearts and homes.

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Eu Use.

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Pray.

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Heavenly Father, we thank you for the joy we find in your blessings and the anticipation of celebrating the birth of our Savior.

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May our hearts overflow with gratitude and joy as we continue to walk through this Advent season.

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It's in Jesus' name we pray.

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Amen, Until next time.

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May your Advent journey be filled with the joy that comes from knowing the fount of every blessing.

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God bless you all.

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Have a great week and I'll see you back here next week.

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We are out.

S2_EP08 - Hymns of Advent Series (JOY)

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