19/01/05

Mark loves to show us

The Man of whom they could say

"He does all things well!”.

QUESTIONS

“How shall this be?” the virgin asked
When told of how she had been tasked.
“The Spirit” Gabriel said, “shall be
On thee, and power will shadow thee”.

“Where is the King?” the magi said,
Expecting some soft royal bed;
His star led to the Lord of all
Laid in a manger in a stall.

“Who then is this?” whispering in awe
Those on the sea with Jesus saw
The calm His speaking spread abroad
And recognised the Son of God.

“When shall He die?” the world replied,
Only content when Jesus died;
Yet we can gladly understand
The time, and death, were in god’s hand.

“Why dost thou weep?” The risen Man
Showed care that was not other than
Care shown before - while now He could
Bring saints into new realms of good.

“What shall I do?” the jailer called,
Fearing as one whom sin enthralled;
No longer fearful and depraved,
Through faith in Jesus He was saved.

JESUS IS GOD

If as a Man  He never will ignore
Those who repent  nor spurn those who implore,
Not only as  a perfect Man He bore
Sorrows and sins  and all that men deplore;
Not only as a Man  could He restore
And add to all  that had been God’s before,
Deliver us  to that celestial shore,
Or be for us  Shepherd or Friend or Door;
Jesus is God  - blessed for evermore!
- And has a glory  which no man can explore
Since it transcends  sublimest human lore:
What can we do  but worship and adore!

MORNING STAR

O dark, dark, dark  - irrecoverably dark:
Darkness that can be felt  invests the land;
Darkness that can be felt  encumbers man.
But we have light  in which we are apart:
The Morning Star  arising in our hearts!
The day is near  - while we await its start
Jesus the Lord  has this peculiar charm:
The Morning Star,  brilliantly coruscant.
Among our pressures  the Lord Himself imparts
To overcomers  joys that are sure to last:
Imparts Himself  so that, exuberant,
They praise Him as the Bright  and Morning Star.

THE LAMB OF GOD

Behold the Lamb of God,  taker away
Of sin by which the world  has been debased!
Behold the Lamb of God  whose graceful gait
Attracts the souls  who follow in the Way!
Worthy the tender Lamb  who stands as slain
Since by His sacrifice  He overcame
And thus acquired  an ambience of grace
Where His redeemed,  as kings and priests, shall reign;
And thus acquired  His wife with whom to share
His heart of love  and an eternal place.
Worthy the Lamb  whose fineness will engage
His own through this  and every coming age.

THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH

Behold the Lion,  that of the tribe of Judah,
The One in whom  king David’s line is rooted,
Who overcame  through warring resolutely
And has secured  God’s glory in its fulness:
Towards His God  His victory is fruitful;
Towards His own His victory is goodness;
Towards the devil  His victory is ruthless.
Since none withstand  the Lion’s stately footsteps
Throughout the universe  let praise be bruited
To Him who made  this glorious revolution:
Toward His Name  let praises be effusive
Since He has brought  God’s counsels to conclusion.

AMEN

You cannot trust  what other men aver
Nor rest in what  they strenuously assert,
But Jesus was  the witness in Himself
Of everything  He audibly expressed;
The Name of Jesus  requires no epithet
Since in that Name  God’s love is manifest
And in His life  God’s heart is evident
Because obedience  informed each step;
Where love grows cold  and life becomes pretence
Faithful and true  He patiently presents
His endless grace  towards rekindling them:
He is the source  and He is the Amen.




This goes back to the series "Touching the King".

ASCENDED

Like someone who has fought and won
So that peace reigns for all his own
Christ, with His work for sinners done,
Sits now upon the Father’s throne.

As the sun’s warmth and vigour beam
From its pavilion in the sky
The Father had the Spirit stream
From Christ as glorified on high.

As Israelites could hear the bells
On Aaron in the holiest place
So, as the Holy Spirit tells,
We know Christ acts as Priest through grace.

As a rich king delights to give
Favour and grace where he resides
The Lord is glad that we should live
In blessings from where He abides.

Here on the earth from which His life
Was taken, and men thought Him dead,
The Lord now has His faithful wife
Linked to Him as her heavenly Head.

The Bridegroom waits to take His Bride
Who with the Spirit lifts her voice,
“Lord Jesus, come”; and at His side
In love’s delight they will rejoice.

He will come out as Conqueror
With all His saints, establish peace,
Heal nations, and abolish war,
Giving this groaning earth release.