Hallelujah Hope!
Ready for some
music, last Lord’s Day, I sat with my friend and waited for the music to begin. The first song declared, “Jesus is alive, Jesus is alive, Happy Day,
I’ll never be the same, I have been changed.
Celebrate, Jesus is alive!”
And I remember…why every day is a happy day since I was eight years old for
my sins were washed away. As the songs
continued, the lyrics of each one permeated my heart and soul and I remember
Whose I am and will always be.
music, last Lord’s Day, I sat with my friend and waited for the music to begin. The first song declared, “Jesus is alive, Jesus is alive, Happy Day,
I’ll never be the same, I have been changed.
Celebrate, Jesus is alive!”
And I remember…why every day is a happy day since I was eight years old for
my sins were washed away. As the songs
continued, the lyrics of each one permeated my heart and soul and I remember
Whose I am and will always be.
Memories of Mother, playing hymns on the piano as I drifted
off to sleep each night as a child, came to mind. Then came the older hymn I did not remember –
a hymn written by Philip Bliss in 1875, Hallelujah,
What a Savior. The verses give the
gospel story, sung with an unpretentious simple melody. I sat with my eyes closed and listened to the
500 voices around me. I gave myself to
the worship of our Lord with thousands before me, and thousands after me.
off to sleep each night as a child, came to mind. Then came the older hymn I did not remember –
a hymn written by Philip Bliss in 1875, Hallelujah,
What a Savior. The verses give the
gospel story, sung with an unpretentious simple melody. I sat with my eyes closed and listened to the
500 voices around me. I gave myself to
the worship of our Lord with thousands before me, and thousands after me.
Each time Hallelujah,
What a Savior was repeated, it sank deeper into my soul, Hallelujah, Praise the Lord, What a
Savior. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. Although Praise the Lord is a phrase often
repeated in the Bible, I did not find Hallelujah
until the book of Revelations.
What a Savior was repeated, it sank deeper into my soul, Hallelujah, Praise the Lord, What a
Savior. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. Although Praise the Lord is a phrase often
repeated in the Bible, I did not find Hallelujah
until the book of Revelations.
I am drawn to the Psalms, and found in Psalm 146:1-2 – † Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord,
O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will
sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Praise the Lord,
O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will
sing praises to my God while I have my being.
† Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the end
of the earth, you who
go down to the sea, and all
that fills it, the coastlands
and their inhabitants. Isaiah 42:10
of the earth, you who
go down to the sea, and all
that fills it, the coastlands
and their inhabitants. Isaiah 42:10
† For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes
what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness
and praise to sprout
up before all the nations. Isaiah 61:11
what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness
and praise to sprout
up before all the nations. Isaiah 61:11
† Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock
of our salvation! Psalm 95:1
let us make a joyful noise to the rock
of our salvation! Psalm 95:1
Philip Bliss
wrote the Gospel Story in Song….
wrote the Gospel Story in Song….
“Man of Sorrows!” what a
name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
† He was
despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him
and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Isaiah 53:3
despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him
and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Isaiah 53:3
† Jesus
responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown
himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son
of Man came to seek and save those who are lost. Luke 19:9-10
responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown
himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son
of Man came to seek and save those who are lost. Luke 19:9-10
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
† Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with
Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They shouted back, “Crucify
him!” “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he
committed?” But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify
him!” Matthew 27:22-23
Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They shouted back, “Crucify
him!” “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he
committed?” But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify
him!” Matthew 27:22-23
† A sign was fastened above him with these words:
“This is the King of the Jews. ”One of the criminals hanging beside him
scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us,
too, while you’re at it!” Luke 23:38-39
“This is the King of the Jews. ”One of the criminals hanging beside him
scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us,
too, while you’re at it!” Luke 23:38-39
Guilty, vile, and helpless we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
“Full atonement!” can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
“Full atonement!” can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
† For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious
standard. Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He
did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our
sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for
sin. Romans 3:23-25
standard. Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He
did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our
sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for
sin. Romans 3:23-25
† Can we boast, then, that we have done
anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on
obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God
through faith and not by obeying the law. Romans 3:27-28
anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on
obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God
through faith and not by obeying the law. Romans 3:27-28
Lifted up was He to die;
“It is finished!” was His cry;
Now in Heav’n exalted high.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
“It is finished!” was His cry;
Now in Heav’n exalted high.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
† A jar of sour wine was sitting there,
so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his
lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released
his spirit. John 19: 29-30
so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his
lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released
his spirit. John 19: 29-30
When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew His song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew His song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
† And the
one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he
said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and
true.” And he also said, “It is
finished! I am
the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I
will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are
victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they
will be my children. Revelation 21:5-7
one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he
said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and
true.” And he also said, “It is
finished! I am
the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I
will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are
victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they
will be my children. Revelation 21:5-7
† Then
I heard what seemed to be the
voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.
Revelation 19:1
I heard what seemed to be the
voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.
Revelation 19:1
Comments? eacombs@att.net