Driscoll "comes off as a smart-aleck former frat boy," according to The Seattle Times. Guilty as charged. If he hasn't offended you, you've never read his books or listened to his sermons. On any given Sunday at Mars Hill, it's possible that a visiting fire marshal will get saved. But it's just as likely that a guest will flip him off before walking out.Nevertheless. Driscoll doesn't sugar-coat his message, and while I don't always agree with him, I certainly respect him. He loves Jesus and takes the Bible seriously, and I like that in a guy, so I listen to his podcasts.
Which brings me back to 'The Rebel's Guide'... In the opening sermon of the series, we hear the story of Robert Robinson, writer of one of my favourite hymns.
Robert Robinson was born in England in 1735. Eight years later, his father died. Robert’s mother could not control him so she sent him to a trade school in London. When he arrived, he spent most of his time raising hell and getting drunk.
One night, when Robert was about 17, he and his friends decided to go to an old gypsy fortune-teller’s shop. They got her drunk so she would tell their fortunes for free. The fortune-teller pointed her finger at Robert and told him that he would live a long life, and would see both his children and his grandchildren born. Robert thought ‘If this is true, I can’t keep living like this’.
George Whitefield, a great revival preacher was speaking one night, and Robert and his friends went to heckle him and torment the crowd. The preacher was quoting John the Baptist as he confronted the overly religious, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?’ Whitefield burst into tears, yelling ‘Oh my hearers, the wrath to come, the wrath to come’.
Whitefield’s message haunted Robert for three years before he finally gave his life to Jesus. Robert immediately felt a call to pastoral ministry. Over his lifetime, he pastored a number of churches, wrote volumes on theology and also penned several hymns.
In 1 Samuel 7:12, we read how Samuel set up a stone altar commemorating God’s help and salvation after a victory of God’s people over the Philistines. He called the stone ‘Ebenezer’, which means stone of help. These verses resonated with Robert, inspiring the song ‘Come Thou Fount’, which is literally his altar of remembrance for the saving work of Jesus in his life. It is a plea for the Spirit to fill us, enabling to remain faithful in spite of our wandering hearts.
the quirky but adorable Sufjan Stevens,
or perhaps you'd prefer
the David Crowder Band's version - the quality isn't perfect, but it remains one of my favourites.
and the lyrics (which Robinson wrote at the tender age of 22)...
Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
mount of thy redeeming love.
Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I'm come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.
O to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here's my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.
Robert Robinson (1757)
2 comments:
It would seem that Sufjan Stevens (the guitarist, I presume) - and his trumpet partner - would benefit immensely from about 15 years in music school :-)! But oh what wonderful lyrics! That is truly music to the ears. Thanks Li'l Sis.
Heeehee! Definitely not the most melodious version of that song, I'll admit Michael, but I DO love it! Call me odd... :)
Post a Comment