How Sweet The Sound - Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound) That sav’d a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears reliev’d; How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believ’d!

Thro’ many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come; ‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me, His word my hope secures; He will my shield and portion be As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail, And mortal life shall cease; I shall possess, within the veil, A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine; But God, who call’d me here below, Will be forever mine.

{Last verse later added} When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise, Then when we first begun.

Amazing Grace is one of the best known and loved hymns of our day. When it was first written it started off as a poem to illustrate a sermon on New Years Day 1773.

The poem was written by John Newton and is considered to be his spiritual autobiography in verse.

John Newton was born in 1725. His mother wanted him to be a clergyman and at her knee he memorized numerous Bible passages and hymns. She died when he was seven years old and he would later recall her tearful prayers over him.

After the death of his mother he alternated between boarding school, living with his stepmother and the high seas. At the age of 11, he joined his father on his boat and began a life on the seas. They were involved with capturing men from West Africa and selling them as slaves. Several years later he was pressed into the British Navy. He deserted, was captured, suspended for two days and then flogged. He admitted later his thoughts switched between murder and suicide. While a sailor he renounced his faith and openly mocked his Captain with obscene poems and songs that became so popular the crew would join in. He gained notoriety for being the most profane man the Captain had ever met and even went so far as to create new words to “exceed the limits of verbal debauchery.”

On March 9, 1748 a terrible storm came upon the slave ship he captained. It was so bad that he and another mate had to tie themselves to a pump to keep from being washed overboard. He cried out to God for help and the next day he began to read “The Imitation of Christ” by Thomas A Kempis. This book led to his conversion in Christ and eventually a dramatic change in life. He celebrated March 10 annually thereafter stating “The 10th of March is a day much remembered by me; and I have never suffered it to pass unnoticed since the year 1748–the Lord came from on high and delivered me out of deep waters.”

He continued his work, holding services onboard for his crew, and tried to justify the selling of slaves but eventually realized just how inhumane his work was. In time he felt a call for the ministry and began to crusade against slavery.

John Newton married his youthful sweetheart, Mary Catlett, on February 12, 1750. He left a life at sea and worked as a clerk at the Port of Liverpool for nine years while obtaining his education. He was 39 when he was ordained as a Minister of the Anglican Church. He served the illiterate and poor village of Olney, England {near Cambridge}.

Amazing Grace is based on

1 Chronicles 17:16–17 NLT

16 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 17 And now, O God, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! You speak as though I were someone very great, O Lord God!

1 Chonic

The song originally had six verses and was titled “Faith’s Review and Expectation”.

: “Then King David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said: “Who am I, O LORD God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O God; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the rank of a man of high degree, O LORD God.” The song originally had six verses and was titled “Faith’s Review and Expectation”.

The last stanza we know today {When we’ve been there ten thousand years} was added later and was a spiritual that had been sung and passed down orally for over fifty years in the African American communities. This stanza was included and published with the song for the first time in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe.

The Simple Gospel

The Simple Gospel

You WERE

But GOD

By HIS GRACE

Ephesians 2:1-

Ephesians 2:1 NLT

1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.

Ephesians 2:1–9 NLT

1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. 4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

#671 Something for Thee

The Sacrament of Communion

Pastor: The Lord be with you.

Pastor: The Lord be with you.

All: And also with you.

Pastor: Lift up your hearts.

All: We lift them up to the Lord.

Prayers of the People

#513 Thank you Lord

Charge:

Galatians 6:18 NLT

18 Dear brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.