Preaching the Great Hymns of Easter: Victory in Jesus

Text: 1 Cor. 15:57 “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Theme: Victory in Jesus

In every “favorite hymn” poll taken among Baptists, Victory in Jesus has always been in the top five of those favorites. And rightly so. It encapsulates the tenants of the gospel story and the core of our salvation experience. It is a hymn that has both a stirring melody and poignant lyrics. "Victory in Jesus" stands as a triumphant anthem of redemption and spiritual conquest, resonating with the resounding message of Christ's transformative power and the ultimate triumph over sin and death. It is an anthem that we sing with noticeable increase of volume and joy.

The author of Victory in Jesus is Eugene Monroe Bartlett. He was born on December 24, 1885 just south of here in Waynesville, Missouri. Not long after, his parents relocated to Arkansas, and Bartlett always considered Arkansas home. He did however return to Missouri for his college education, graduating from William Jewell College in Liberty. He was an aspiring songwriter and after college went to work for the Central Music Company which was noted for (pun intended) producing “shaped-note” hymnals. Eventually moving to Little Rock, Bartlett and two friends formed the Hartford Music Company which publishes Christian music to this day.

E.M. Bartlett was a devout Christian and wrote just over 800 hymns. Many of them he wrote in mere minutes or hours. His most famous hymn, Victory in Jesus was his last. In 1939, at the age of 54, he suffered a life-altering stroke that left him mostly paralyzed, unable to speak, and confined to his bedroom. He was no longer able to teach music or attend church. Both arms were seriously affected, and it was a monumental task for him to write. One day, while reading his bible, he thought back to the day of his salvation, and he penned the words, “I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from glory.” Bartlett, writes, “At that moment, I felt the Holy Spirit urging my to write the next verse, ‘I heard about His healing, of His cleansing pow’r revealing.”

Accustomed to producing a hymn in minutes our hours, Eugene Bartlett took a month to pen the lyrics and write the music. It is a hymn that has stood the test of time. It was the last song he would write. Bartlett passed away in 1941 from complications from the stroke. The first person to sing the hymn publically was Eugene Monroe Bartlett, Jr. He sang it at a revival meeting in East Texas, and at the end of the meeting 50 men and women accepted Christ as their Savior.

Though it quickly became popular among Baptists and Methodists, it took a while to be included in major denominational hymnals. The 1956 Baptist Hymnal was the first Southern Baptist hymnal to include the hymn, and it’s been in every Baptist Hymnal since. The Scripture verse associated with the hymn is 1 Cor 15:57 “He gives us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ.” Let me give you five takeaways from this hymn.

I. TAKEAWAY #1: I Was a Wretch

1. in the 1st stanza we read these words, How He gave His life on Calvary To save a wretch like me

a. the word wretch seem like such a harsh word, and it’s a word we rarely use in our culture unless were speaking for the very worst of the worst characters in our society

b. Bartlett is echoing the words of another famous hymn by John Newton—”Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me”

ILLUS. But hey, if you know anything about John Newton’s life, he really was a “wretch.” After he came to Christ, Newton would described his previous life as “arrogant, rebellious, and living a recklessly sinful life: “I sinned with a high hand,” he wrote, “and I made it my study to tempt and seduce others.”

c. but what about you? and what about me? Are we wretches, too?

1) you may have been, but certainly wasn’t

2) I was a “good person” ... I mean, I made it through the sixties without becoming addicted to drugs, alcohol or tobacco. That ought to count for something! I was a decent student, worked hard, and became an Eagle Scout. I kept myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.

2. but in reality, yeah, I was pretty wretched because like every human being born, I was

a sinner coming short of the glory of God

A. OUR RIGHTEOUS STANDARD IS CHRIST JESUS

1. probably the most famous sermon in American history is Jonathan Edward sermon, “Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God”

a. in it he describes human character—even the best of us—as inherently sinful, thoroughly corrupt, powerless to change our nature, deserving of judgment and hell’s damnation, and worse of all—blind to danger

2. I have discovered in my own walk of faith, that one of the ironies of the Christian life, is that the closer I come to Christ the more sinful I become

a. that doesn’t mean that Im picking up new sins or sinning more as I grow older

b. it does mean that the increasing glory of Christ in me continually reveals how truly dark is the indelible stain of sin in my soul

1) what I call an accident; God calls an abomination

2) what I call a blunder; God calls a blot

3) what I call a defect; God calls depravity

4) what I call an error; God calls enmity

5) what I call an infirmity; God call iniquity

6) what I call a liberty; God calls lawlessness

7) what I call a mistake; God calls malicious

8) what I call a weakness; God calls wickedness

c. I find myself crying out with the Apostle Paul, “ ... when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 [Oh] Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! ... .” (Romans 7:21–25, ESV)

3. the human capacity for self-delusion is nearly limitless

a. Scripture says we are all sinners, and we don't mind being called sinners as long as the sins are nameless and faceless

1) when we actually begin giving names to our sins—pride, sloth, lust, anger, greed—it is as though we are confronted by muggers in the back alley of our souls

2) and, when we see ourselves in the light of Jesus’ moral perfection, any pretense we have of our own goodness or personal righteousness comes crashing down

b. so yes ... without Christ I am a wretch and wretched in my character, and so are you, and so are all men

c. but I was not beyond redemption and neither are you

ILLUS. If you were to visit John Newton’s grave in Olney, England, you would read the following inscription on his gravestone: "John Newton, clerk, once an infidel and Libertine, a servant of slavers in Africa, was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the Faith he had long labored to destroy."

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” (Romans 5:8, NIV)

... I’m a Wretch ... and So Are You ... but We Are Redeemable

II. TAKEAWAY #2: He Sought Me and Bought Me with His Redeeming Blood

1. when I had absolutely nothing to offer Christ, he offered up everything on my behalf

2. don’t you love the love of Christ “shed abroad in our hearts?”

a. as he thought about his salvific experience with Christ, E.M. Bartlett add the refrain “he sought us and bought us!”

b. in John 15:16 Jesus says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”

A. JESUS IS THE ATONING SACRIFICE AND SCAPEGOAT FOR OUR SIN

1. the Day of Atonement was the most important day in the year of the Jewish calendar

a. on that day the High Priest would take two unblemished goats

b. one was sacrificed upon the altar, its blood collected in a basin, it was taken inside the temple to the Holy of Holies and sprinkled atop the Ark of the Covenant which was called the Mercy Seat

c. the High Priest would take the second goat, lay his hands upon it confessing the sins of Israel over it upon which it was led by a priest out into the wilderness and there released in order to bear away Israel's sins

1) this goat was called the scapegoat

2. but there was a problem: "But in those [sacrifices there is] a remembrance again [made] of sins every year." (Hebrews 10:3)

a. the sacrifice of goats could not permanently take away sin, but the sacrifice of God's only son can!

"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:14, NIV)

ILLUS. The well-known Southern Baptist preacher, R.G. Lee was once visiting the sight of Calvary, near Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified. Lee told his Arab guide he wanted to walk to the top of the hill. At first the guide tried to discourage him, but when he saw that Lee was determined, he went along with him. Once on the crest, the old preacher removed his hat and stood with bowed head, tears flowing down his cheeks. It was obvious to the guide that Lee was deeply moved. "Sir," the guide asked abruptly, "have you been here before?" "Yes," replied Dr. Lee, "Two thousand years ago."

"And not only [so], but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." (Romans 5:11, NIV)

ILLUS. Last year the Web4-U company came out with a new iPhone “app” designed specifically for Catholics. It’s the “Confession App.” that helps Catholics in confession, which—in their belief system—is one of the ways the Church administers grace. The app takes the user through the Ten Commandments, with a slew of questions attached to each, a process known as an examination of conscience, which penitents are to undergo before confession.

Questions range from "Have I wished evil upon another person?" to "Have I used any method of contraception or artificial birth control in my marriage?" and users can check a box next to each sin they've committed.

Once that's done, the app lists the user's sins and displays a suggested act of contrition, and a prayer to be recited by the penitent. From there, it walks the user through the rest of the steps of confession and even advises when to say "amen." When you're done, an inspirational message pops up.

3. wouldn’t it be nice if we could dispose of our sin and guilt so easily?

a. but we cannot fix ourselves—there is no “app for that”

b. that which makes it possible to be forgiven, to be cleansed, to be healed, that which makes it possible for us to receive our life back again, fresh and clean and new, is the power of God's Grace in the Cross of Jesus Christ

... Jesus Sought Me and Bought Me with His Redeeming Blood

III. TAKEAWAY #3: All My Love Is Due Him

1. all our love for Christ is a response to His love for us—freely given and full of grace

a. our love is a response to his love

"We love because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19

b. how do we not love the one who suffered and died for us?

2. love for Christ is a central theme in Christian theology and practice

a. it reflects the believer's devotion, commitment, and affection towards Jesus Christ

b. the question, of course, is “How does the Christian express his or her love for the Savior?”

1) the good news is that the Bible answers that question for us

A. OBEDIENCE TO HIS COMMANDS

1. love for Christ is demonstrated through obedience

"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." (John 14:15, NIV)

a. this obedience is not merely a legalistic adherence to rules but a heartfelt response to Christ's love and sacrifice

2. now, just so you know, Jesus gave his disciples 40 different commandments that are meant to define our spiritual journey

a. many of them can be found in Christ’s Sermon on the Mount and include things like

1) repenting

2) rejoicing

3) living by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God

4) let your light shine through your good works

5) seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness

6) love God with all you heart, and with all you soul and with all your mind

b. the list, obviously goes on

3. virtually every command Christ gives us is a call for contemporary Christians to live in a counter-cultural way

a. you want to be a real rebel? Discover the commands of Christ and be obedient to them

... “How does the Christian express his or her love for the Savior?”

B. DEVOTION AND WORSHIP

1. believers express their love for Christ through worship and devotion

a. this includes personal prayer, communal worship, and celebration of the ordances

2. in John 4:23 , Jesus speaks of true worshipers who "will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him."

a. now think about that ... we are to worship in spirit and in truth

1) that means there is a counterfeit way of worship—it’s worship in the flesh and in error

b. I’m going to be brutally honest with you ... I believe that much of the worship in American churches today is worship in the flesh and in error

c. I say that because many, if not most, American Christians believe that worship is all about making them feel good—receiving a spiritual euphoria of some kind

3. worship is not about making you feel good ... it’s about exulting God

a. worship in the New Testament is related to the Greek word proskunew which means “to crouch, to fawn at the Master’s feet, to prostrate oneself, to do reverence or homage”

b. to worship God, is to come face to face with Jesus; bowing before Him in reverence and trust; allowing His Spirit to take the pre-eminence in our thoughts, feelings, emotion, actions, decisions and reactions

c. Psalm 100 says it this way: “Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before Him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are His.”

... “How does the Christian express his or her love for the Savior?”

C. SACRIFICIAL LIVING

1. love for Christ often involves a willingness to sacrifice personal desires and comforts for the sake of the Gospel

a. in Matthew 16:24 , Jesus calls His followers to "deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me"

... “How does the Christian express his or her love for the Savior?”

D. LOVE FOR OTHERS

1. a genuine love for Christ naturally extends to love for others.

a. in John 13:34-35 , Jesus commands, "A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another."

2. what is it that make that commandment “new”? after all, God tells Israel Leviticus 19:18 to love one another

a. what makes the command in John 13:34-35 “new” is the caveat as I have loved you

b. Jesus said this on the same evening he washed the feet of his disciples

3. when we sacrificially love each other and sacrificially ministry to each other we’re doing it unto Christ

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” (Matthew 25:34–40, ESV)

... He Loved Me Ere I Knew Him, and All My Love Is Due Him

IV. TAKEAWAY #4: I Have A Home

I heard about a mansion

He has built for me in glory

And I heard about the streets of gold

Beyond the crystal sea

About the angels singing

1. the Bible reminds the Christian, that as homey and as natural as life in this world feels, the Christian’s true citizenship and true home is in heaven

a. this life is nothing more than the practice field for the main event

b. if you or I should live to a ripe old age, the time spent in this world is infinitesimal compared to the time we will spend in eternity

1) the main event is eternity

2) in this world we get ready for it

ILLUS. My favorite Gospel Hymn reminds us of this great truth. In 1946 J.R. Baxter wrote: This world is not my home, I'm just-a-passing through. My treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open door And I can't feel at home in this world anymore. Oh Lord you, know, I have no friend like you, If heaven's not my home, oh Lord what will I do. The Angels beckon me to heaven's open door, And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

c. and getting ready for eternity is so easy . . .

“because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:9–10, ESV)

d. it is through that simple confession of faith you and I make our reservation in the Kingdom

2. in the book of Hebrews, we find this description of heaven . . .

“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,” (Hebrews 12:22–23, ESV)

a. heaven is a wonderful place

1) it is a place of perfect fulfillment

2) it is a place of perfect knowledge

3) it is a place of perfect comfort

4) it is a place of perfect love

5) it is a place of perfect joy

6) heaven is a place where we will experience perfect and uninterrupted fellowship with God our savior

7) it is a place where we will never have a selfish thought or utter hurtful words

8) it is a place where we will never perform an unkind deed or do anything but that which is absolutely righteous

b. heaven is a place where the pain and suffering of this life are displaced by wholeness

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”” (Revelation 21:3–4, ESV)

... I Have a Home in Glory

V. TAKEAWAY #5: My Victory Is In Jesus

And some sweet day I'll sing up there The song of victory

1. E.M. Bartlett based this him on 1 Cor. 15:57 “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

2. even though bed-ridden by a stroke, and unable to speak, he was able to communicate his utmost faith in God’s redemptive work in his life through Christ

Let me end this Easter message by encouraging you to read this verses and meditate on how God has given you the victory over sin and death through Christ.