S2_EP12 - Grace Greater Than Our Sin

Transcript

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The Christian life starts with grace.

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It must continue with grace.

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It ends with grace, grace, wondrous grace.

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By the grace of God, I am what I am, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

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Martin Lloyd-Jones, this is the Bright Forever.

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Hello and welcome to the Bright Forever where each week, we rediscover the power and richness found in some of the greatest hymns of the faith.

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My name is Andy Peaveyhouse and I am your host and guide on this Our Adventure Through Hymnity.

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It is great to be back with you again this week.

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The last two weeks have been absolutely amazing.

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We have had more new listeners and more new downloads in a single week than ever before.

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I don't believe that this is in any way my doing, but actually the amazing special guests I have had.

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I would like to again thank my aunt, pam Eubank, for an amazing episode about the hymn Day by Day, and to my super amazing daughter, lily, for helping me co-host last week, for everything that they spoke about and everything that they shared.

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It has been truly amazing, and not just amazing in the episode itself, but in the response to it.

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So please keep it up.

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All of you listening out there are the key to this podcast going out to a larger and larger audience.

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Please make sure to like and subscribe, to post, to repost, to share and to review the podcast on all of your social media platforms.

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I believe what Paul says in Ephesians 3.20, that God can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.

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And I have a pretty big imagination, so I can't even begin to fathom what God could do with this podcast with the help of all of you listening out there.

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Like I said before, you can enter all of the five star ratings you want on Apple Podcast, on PodChaser or even on our very own website, thebrightforevercom.

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Thank you again, all of you out there, for listening week after week.

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Well, in today's podcast we dive into the rich history and theology of the hymn Grace Greater Than Our Sin.

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So come along.

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So come along with us as we explore the origins, story and profound gospel message of Grace.

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So come along with us as we explore the origins story and the profound gospel message of Grace.

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So let's begin by going back in time and uncovering the history behind this extraordinary hymn.

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Born in Salineville, ohio, in 1849, julia Harriet Johnston was the daughter of a Presbyterian minister.

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She authored numerous books on Christian missions and missionaries.

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In addition to composing over 600 hymns, many of Johnston's hymn texts found their way into published books, showcasing her prolific contributions to Christian worship music.

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Actively involved in her church's Sunday School and the Presbyterian Missionary Society of Peoria, johnston was deeply committed to her faith and had a desire to see that faith expressed through music.

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One of her most popular hymns, grace Greater Than Our Sin, she wrote around 1910, inspired by Romans 5, 20-21, where Paul writes Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded, all the more so that as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness, leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

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Johnston writes a beautifully lyrical picture of the abounding grace of God in the face of sin.

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In a time where societal restrictions were placed on women's roles in teaching, preaching, even in public prayer, johnston found the perfect medium for sharing her theological insights with others through writing hymns.

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Initially, her hymn was set to the tune Moody, composed by Daniel B Towner, and the hymn gained recognition.

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Interestingly, the tune was later renamed to honor Towner, himself a Methodist musician who held a prominent position at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.

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This renaming occurred when the hymnal committee for the Baptist hymnal in 1956 sought to acknowledge and pay tribute to Towner's significant contribution to Christian music.

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Johnston passed away in Peoria, illinois, in 1919, just nine years after writing this song.

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However, the message of this hymn and that of the transformative power of God's grace in the life of a believer continues to stand as a testament to her power forwards.

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Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt, yonder on Calvary's mount, out poured there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.

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In Ephesians, chapter 1, verse 7, we read In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace.

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This verse from Ephesians focuses in on the song's theme of redemption through the blood of Christ.

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It emphasizes that our forgiveness and redemption are not based on our own merit but are freely given to us through the abundant riches of God's grace.

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I love how beautifully she captures the idea of God's grace by saying grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt.

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I just love that phrase.

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Grace that exceeds, ah, this grace that exceeds was poured out for us on Calvary's mountain through the blood of the Lamb.

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It paints a vivid picture of the boundless grace we find through the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

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She then moves into verse 2 and says Sin and despair, like the sea waves, cold, threaten the soul with infinite loss.

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Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold points to the refuge, the mighty cross Grace.

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The image of sea waves evokes a sense of danger, unpredictability and vastness, demonstrating the devastating impact of sin and despair on our soul.

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Johnson's metaphor suggests that just as turbulent waves pose a threat to sailors at sea, sin and despair pose a threat to the well-being and salvation of our very souls.

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The sentiment of the hymn's text on the destructive power of sin is matched only by its confidence in the untold grace that points us to our refuge, the cross of Christ.

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Psalm 46 speaks to finding our refuge in God and it says God is our refuge and strength, a very present help.

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Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though the waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

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Even in the midst of the chaos and upheaval of the natural world, including the mountains being moved into the heart of the sea and the waters roaring and foaming, the psalmist expresses confidence and trust in God's protection and deliverance.

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And then in Hebrews, chapter 4, verse 16, we find where our confidence and trust should truly be placed.

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Let us then, with confidence, draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

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Hebrews reassures us that, despite our struggles with sin, we can find refuge and we can find grace at the throne of God, and Johnston's hymn aligns with this truth by reminding us of the surpassing greatness of God's grace, which points us to the refuge of the mighty cross, the source of our salvation and help in our time of need.

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Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace freely bestowed on all who believe, all who are longing to see his face.

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Will you, this moment, his grace receive?

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I love this verse.

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Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace.

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Romans, chapter 2, verses 8 and 9, say for by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of your own doing.

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It is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, freely bestowed on all who believe.

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We see in these verses that Paul emphasizes the foundational doctrine of salvation by grace, through faith.

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He reminds us that our salvation is entirely God's gift, not something we can earn through our own efforts or pay back through hard work.

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And Paul's words align perfectly with Johnston's proclamation of God's marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, freely bestowed on all who believe.

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Then the hymn extends an invitation.

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It extends an invitation to receive this free gift of grace.

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Will you, this moment, his grace receive?

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It's an invitation to those longing to be reconciled with God, urging them to receive his grace, not later, not when you get around to it, but in this very moment.

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Johnston, verse after verse, shows us a powerful picture of God's matchless grace that's pleading for us.

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And wait, don't wait.

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Will you, this moment, his grace receive?

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Grace, grace, god's grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within.

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Grace, grace, god's grace, grace that is greater than all our sin.

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For this refrain, let's jump back into Romans, chapter 5, verse 20 and 21.

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Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness, leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

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Here in Romans, paul magnifies this superabundance of God's grace in the face of sin.

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It declares that, no matter how great our sin may be, god's grace is infinitely better.

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This rings so true at the end of the hymn's refrain, as it proclaims God's grace is greater than all our sin.

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Repeated after each verse, the refrain encapsulates the profound truth that God's grace not only pardons and cleanses us, but also reigns triumphantly over sin and death leading us to eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

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This hymn continues to resonate with believers of all denominations worldwide, serving as a source of comfort, hope and assurance of God's boundless grace.

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May we carry with us the assurance that God's grace is indeed greater than all our sin.

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Let the truth of Johnston's words resound in your hearts as you face the trials and tribulations of this life, meaning that our refuge and strength, our promise and hope in God's grace is found in the mighty cross of Jesus.

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Please Grace God's grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within Grace.

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Grace God's grace, grace that is greater than all our sin.

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Motherless Chris, of all loving Lord, chris, that exceeds our sin and our guilt.

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Yonder on Calvary's mount, how poor there where the blood of the Lamb was spelt.

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Grace, grace, god's grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within Grace.

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Grace, god's grace, grace that is greater than all our sin.

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Sin and despair like the sea, waves, cold, threaten the soul Within vanilla's.

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Chris, that is greater.

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Yes, chris, untold Point to the refuge, the mighty cross.

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Grace, grace, god's grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within Grace.

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Grace, god's grace, chris, that is greater than all our sin.

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Motherless, infinite, matchless grace Freely bestowed on all who believe, all who are longing to see His face.

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God's grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within Grace.

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Grace, god's grace, grace that is greater than all our sin.

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Grace, grace, god's grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within Grace.

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Grace, god's grace, grace that is greater than all our sin.

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That was Grace Greater Than Our Sin, performed by Nathan Drake of Reawaken Hymns From the album Hymns of the Father.

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For more information about this song and all the amazing resources available at Reawaken Hymns, check out the links in the show notes for this episode.

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

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Thank you, thank you, thank you for listening.

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I can't say that enough.

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I really can't.

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You are amazing, everyone out there, some of you I have known my entire life and some of you I have no idea who you are.

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There are people in countries across this world who are listening to this podcast and that absolutely just is humbling.

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It's amazing.

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I seriously.

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I thank you from the bottom of my heart that you would listen and that you would listen every week, and it's amazing and I thank you for that.

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Thank you for listening.

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Thank you for listening.

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Thank you for listening.

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I hope you all have an amazing week, but before we go, let me close this in prayer.

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Lord, I thank you for your grace, that marvelous, infinite, matchless grace that, god, you pour out on us every day, and grace that draws us, that tells us who we truly are, that we are your children, you are our Father, and that we are made in your image, that our identity is found in you and in anything in this world.

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And, god, it's all because of your grace.

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Father, we thank you so much for your Son Jesus.

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We thank you for His finished work on the cross that gives us life and gives us hope and the promise of eternal life.

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And, god, we hold on to that hope.

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We thank you and we praise you that you don't give up on us, you don't just toss us aside, but, god, from the foundations of the world, you had a plan and a purpose.

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God, we thank you.

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God, move right now in every heart that is listening and remind them of your grace.

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Remind them of your mercy.

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Let us preach that grace to ourselves every day.

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God, we love you, we praise you.

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We give you all the honor and all the glory in your Son's name Jesus, we pray, amen.

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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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You're out.

S2_EP12 - Grace Greater Than Our Sin

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