ROOTS: The Hymns of Charles
Wesley
Wesley
09/18/2016 Christ Mountain Top
Call to worship, Psalm 121
Children, Luke 18.35-43
Message, Genesis 32 (reading
32.21-32)
32.21-32)
This is quite a story, but to get
the full picture we have to know a little more about Jacob than what we have
here. It is a fascinating account, worth a whole series of messages, but I will
only summarize it here, since we are concerned with a separate series: The Hymns
of Charles Wesley, who was one of the founding figures of the Methodist
movement, the writer of over 9000 hymns, and the youngest of 18 children!
the full picture we have to know a little more about Jacob than what we have
here. It is a fascinating account, worth a whole series of messages, but I will
only summarize it here, since we are concerned with a separate series: The Hymns
of Charles Wesley, who was one of the founding figures of the Methodist
movement, the writer of over 9000 hymns, and the youngest of 18 children!
Jacob and his brother Esau are
twins, and Jacob is the youngest. In the
womb, he and his brother Esau were wrestling each other. God declared, in conflict with typical
practice in the culture, that the older would serve the younger. In the culture, the oldest son received two
special considerations. First: The
birthright, the right to a double share of the inheritance. Second: The blessing, a special blessing
conferred by the father on the oldest that granted him status as head of the
family and conferred other blessings as well.
twins, and Jacob is the youngest. In the
womb, he and his brother Esau were wrestling each other. God declared, in conflict with typical
practice in the culture, that the older would serve the younger. In the culture, the oldest son received two
special considerations. First: The
birthright, the right to a double share of the inheritance. Second: The blessing, a special blessing
conferred by the father on the oldest that granted him status as head of the
family and conferred other blessings as well.
The
boys grew up, Jacob as mama’s favorite and Esau as daddy’s boy, Jacob as the
farmer and Esau as the hunter. One day,
Jacob took advantage of Esau’s hunger and traded a bowl of soup for the
birthright. Esau went away angry, angry
at his brother and probably angry at himself but, like many folks, he was more
comfortable blaming someone else for something he could easily have prevented.
boys grew up, Jacob as mama’s favorite and Esau as daddy’s boy, Jacob as the
farmer and Esau as the hunter. One day,
Jacob took advantage of Esau’s hunger and traded a bowl of soup for the
birthright. Esau went away angry, angry
at his brother and probably angry at himself but, like many folks, he was more
comfortable blaming someone else for something he could easily have prevented.
Then,
when the father, Isaac, now blind and infirm, became ill, Jacob, with mama’s
help, presented himself in Esau’s place and stole the blessing from Esau. Esau declared that he would kill Jacob as
soon as their father died, so Jacob left the country and lived with his
mother’s family in another land.
when the father, Isaac, now blind and infirm, became ill, Jacob, with mama’s
help, presented himself in Esau’s place and stole the blessing from Esau. Esau declared that he would kill Jacob as
soon as their father died, so Jacob left the country and lived with his
mother’s family in another land.
There, he fell in love and
married his cousins, the two daughters of Laban, who showed himself to be a
match for Jacob in many ways. Things
escalated over time – Jacob spent 14 years working for his uncle to pay off the
bride price and more time after that to make his fortune – and Jacob fled with
his family and livestock back to Palestine.
Uncle Laban finally caught up with them, with his sons and armed men,
but God appeared to Laban and prevented him from harming Jacob.
married his cousins, the two daughters of Laban, who showed himself to be a
match for Jacob in many ways. Things
escalated over time – Jacob spent 14 years working for his uncle to pay off the
bride price and more time after that to make his fortune – and Jacob fled with
his family and livestock back to Palestine.
Uncle Laban finally caught up with them, with his sons and armed men,
but God appeared to Laban and prevented him from harming Jacob.
Jacob burned his bridges and
there is no going back. But ahead of him
is his brother Esau with a welcoming party of 400 armed men. No wonder he sends gifts ahead, divides up
his family and livestock, and is left alone to face . . . not Esau, not his
demons, but a man who comes to wrestle with him.
there is no going back. But ahead of him
is his brother Esau with a welcoming party of 400 armed men. No wonder he sends gifts ahead, divides up
his family and livestock, and is left alone to face . . . not Esau, not his
demons, but a man who comes to wrestle with him.
COME, O THOU TRAVELER UNKNOWN
by
Charles Wesley, selected verses
Charles Wesley, selected verses
Come, O thou Traveler unknown,
whom still I hold, but cannot
see!
see!
My company before is gone,
and I am left alone with thee;
with thee all night I mean to
stay
stay
and wrestle till the break of
day.
day.
I need not tell thee who I am,
my misery and sin declare;
thyself hast called me by my
name,
name,
look on thy hand and read it
there.
there.
But who, I ask thee, who art
thou?
thou?
Tell me thy name, and tell me
now.
now.
Isaac Watts, the first great
English-language hymn writer, died 6 years after this hymn was published (40
years before Charles) and remarked “that single poem, Wrestling Jacob, was
worth all the verses he himself had written” (United Methodist Hymnal,
#387). Brother John tried to teach this
hymn two weeks after Charles’ death but broke down at the lines, “my company
before is gone, and I am left alone with thee”.
English-language hymn writer, died 6 years after this hymn was published (40
years before Charles) and remarked “that single poem, Wrestling Jacob, was
worth all the verses he himself had written” (United Methodist Hymnal,
#387). Brother John tried to teach this
hymn two weeks after Charles’ death but broke down at the lines, “my company
before is gone, and I am left alone with thee”.
“Left alone”. We experience it with grief, a unique gift
that has been profound and painful in our family story this year.
that has been profound and painful in our family story this year.
Aside
from grief, however, Jacob experienced being “left alone” in the classic way of
the successful American male – successful at work and a failure in
relationships. As Neil Diamond sings, “I’ll
be what I am, a solitary man” (“Solitary Man”).
Jacob and his brother are rivals from the beginning, and mom and dad
only participate in the rivalry. He
marries sisters and sets up a rivalry.
His children develop a destructive rivalry. It’s a family systems nightmare.
from grief, however, Jacob experienced being “left alone” in the classic way of
the successful American male – successful at work and a failure in
relationships. As Neil Diamond sings, “I’ll
be what I am, a solitary man” (“Solitary Man”).
Jacob and his brother are rivals from the beginning, and mom and dad
only participate in the rivalry. He
marries sisters and sets up a rivalry.
His children develop a destructive rivalry. It’s a family systems nightmare.
He
craves his father’s approval, but that is given only to Esau. He gets the blessing, but only by deception,
and finds himself still empty, and left alone. The Hebrew word “alone” is used earlier in the
book of Genesis, in the story of the creation of the first man and woman. The LORD says, “It is not good for the man to
be alone” (2:18). God created us to
connect with love and trust, but Jacob is broken, unable to connect with
others.
craves his father’s approval, but that is given only to Esau. He gets the blessing, but only by deception,
and finds himself still empty, and left alone. The Hebrew word “alone” is used earlier in the
book of Genesis, in the story of the creation of the first man and woman. The LORD says, “It is not good for the man to
be alone” (2:18). God created us to
connect with love and trust, but Jacob is broken, unable to connect with
others.
One
of my favorite current rock bands is NEEDTOBREATHE, was founded by two
brothers, Bear and Bo Rinehart, with friends. Their music consistently places
in both Billboard and Christian charts and they are Grammy-nominated. These
pastor’s sons from Possum Kingdom, South Carolina, became sibling rivals, even
in the band. They got into fistfights, with one of them in the ER afterwards.
They came back from their tour and didn’t speak with each other for six weeks.
Fortunately for them as people, and for folks like me who hope to enjoy their
music for a few more years, they finally saw the light, made their confession,
and reconciled. One of their newest songs reflects the new hope in their
relationship:
of my favorite current rock bands is NEEDTOBREATHE, was founded by two
brothers, Bear and Bo Rinehart, with friends. Their music consistently places
in both Billboard and Christian charts and they are Grammy-nominated. These
pastor’s sons from Possum Kingdom, South Carolina, became sibling rivals, even
in the band. They got into fistfights, with one of them in the ER afterwards.
They came back from their tour and didn’t speak with each other for six weeks.
Fortunately for them as people, and for folks like me who hope to enjoy their
music for a few more years, they finally saw the light, made their confession,
and reconciled. One of their newest songs reflects the new hope in their
relationship:
Brother let me be your shelter
Never leave you all alone
I can be the one you call
When you’re low (“Brother”, from Rivers in the Wasteland)
Do you find yourself unfulfilled
in broken relationships? Do you find
yourself alone in the world at the exact time when you most need a friend, a
partner, a spouse? Perhaps, like Jacob,
your family system is broken and you need to do what he did not do – figure out
how to be different, transformed, in the midst of a broken system. Perhaps, like Jacob, your relationship with
God is distant, you are looking to wealth and success (like Jacob) or to a
string of relationships to fulfill you.
Until you come to terms with the legacy of your family system, until you
trust in Jesus to fulfill your deepest needs, you won’t be able to connect with
others in love and trust, you will find yourself – over and over – alone.
in broken relationships? Do you find
yourself alone in the world at the exact time when you most need a friend, a
partner, a spouse? Perhaps, like Jacob,
your family system is broken and you need to do what he did not do – figure out
how to be different, transformed, in the midst of a broken system. Perhaps, like Jacob, your relationship with
God is distant, you are looking to wealth and success (like Jacob) or to a
string of relationships to fulfill you.
Until you come to terms with the legacy of your family system, until you
trust in Jesus to fulfill your deepest needs, you won’t be able to connect with
others in love and trust, you will find yourself – over and over – alone.
‘Tis all in vain to hold thy
tongue
tongue
or touch the hollow of my thigh;
though every sinew be unstrung,
out of my arms thou shalt not
fly;
fly;
wrestling I will not let thee go
till I thy name, thy nature know.
What though my shrinking flesh
complain
complain
and murmur to contend so long?
I rise superior to my pain:
when I am weak then I am strong,
and when my all of strength shall
fail
fail
I shall with the God-man prevail.
God shows up in Jacob’s life, but
Jacob does not know how to pray, to worship.
Jacob does not know how to be blessed.
All he knows how to do is fight.
So he fights with God, with this man, wrestling all night.
Jacob does not know how to pray, to worship.
Jacob does not know how to be blessed.
All he knows how to do is fight.
So he fights with God, with this man, wrestling all night.
Ever
pick a fight with God? Over unanswered
prayers, over undeserved suffering? Just
because you’re mad and need to take it out on someone?
pick a fight with God? Over unanswered
prayers, over undeserved suffering? Just
because you’re mad and need to take it out on someone?
“When
the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob” (NRSV), “When the man saw
that he could not overpower him” (NIV).
The word for “prevail” or “overpower” is a word for raw ability. The man “was not able”. This expression reveals a mystery about God
and God’s dealings with people: God will not force us to submit. God
will not win over us by power, though God may win us over by love.
the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob” (NRSV), “When the man saw
that he could not overpower him” (NIV).
The word for “prevail” or “overpower” is a word for raw ability. The man “was not able”. This expression reveals a mystery about God
and God’s dealings with people: God will not force us to submit. God
will not win over us by power, though God may win us over by love.
At
the same time, God knows that Jacob must not win the blessing he craves by
force. He has already done that once,
and only found himself more empty and alone.
If Jacob is to be blessed, he must first be powerless. Only then can this stubborn, hard-headed,
fierce competitor know that he has been given a gift. So the man strikes Jacob on the hip, making
him limp. Still, Jacob cries out, “I
will not let you go unless you bless me”.
the same time, God knows that Jacob must not win the blessing he craves by
force. He has already done that once,
and only found himself more empty and alone.
If Jacob is to be blessed, he must first be powerless. Only then can this stubborn, hard-headed,
fierce competitor know that he has been given a gift. So the man strikes Jacob on the hip, making
him limp. Still, Jacob cries out, “I
will not let you go unless you bless me”.
Jacob
triumphs, through his weakness, not his strength. Jacob is blessed, but only after he is
broken.
triumphs, through his weakness, not his strength. Jacob is blessed, but only after he is
broken.
Yield to me now–for I am weak
but confident in self-despair!
Speak to my heart, in blessing
speak,
speak,
be conquered by my instant
prayer:
prayer:
speak, or thou never hence shalt
move,
move,
and tell me if thy name is Love.
‘Tis Love! ‘tis Love! thou diedst
for me,
for me,
I hear thy whisper in my heart.
The morning breaks, the shadows
flee,
flee,
pure Universal Love thou art:
to me, to all, thy mercies move–
thy nature, and thy name is Love.
The Hebrew language is vivid and
physical. The root for “blessed” is also
the root for “kneel”, as in, “kneel before the LORD”. So, as I meditate on this story, I imagine
Jacob limp, writhing in pain, clutching the man for support, refusing to let
him go. I remember mom – Robin’s mom, Joyce
Grimm – breaking her hip a few years ago, and I remember – before we knew her
hip was broken – dad and I trying to help her stand. She was tough, she wanted
to stand. She was in a wheelchair, we knelt beside her. Ben Gay, heat lamps,
ice packs, massage, naproxen, lifting together – whatever might help.
physical. The root for “blessed” is also
the root for “kneel”, as in, “kneel before the LORD”. So, as I meditate on this story, I imagine
Jacob limp, writhing in pain, clutching the man for support, refusing to let
him go. I remember mom – Robin’s mom, Joyce
Grimm – breaking her hip a few years ago, and I remember – before we knew her
hip was broken – dad and I trying to help her stand. She was tough, she wanted
to stand. She was in a wheelchair, we knelt beside her. Ben Gay, heat lamps,
ice packs, massage, naproxen, lifting together – whatever might help.
And
in my imagination, I see this man who wrestled Jacob, kneel before Jacob to
bless him. This God who refuses to force
us to submit, this God who refuses to overpower us, has the humility and
gentleness to kneel before us and all our brokenness, and to BLESS.
in my imagination, I see this man who wrestled Jacob, kneel before Jacob to
bless him. This God who refuses to force
us to submit, this God who refuses to overpower us, has the humility and
gentleness to kneel before us and all our brokenness, and to BLESS.
“So
he called the name of the place Peniel, for I have seen God face to face and
yet my life was spared.” Too often we
think of God as angry and vindictive. That’s not the God that Jacob met at
Peniel. There’s a possible double
meaning to that final phrase. I haven’t
found any translations that reflect it, but the phrase “my life was spared”
could be translated “my soul was delivered”.
Yes, Jacob survived his encounter with God. But this encounter, though it wounded him,
also blessed and saved him.
he called the name of the place Peniel, for I have seen God face to face and
yet my life was spared.” Too often we
think of God as angry and vindictive. That’s not the God that Jacob met at
Peniel. There’s a possible double
meaning to that final phrase. I haven’t
found any translations that reflect it, but the phrase “my life was spared”
could be translated “my soul was delivered”.
Yes, Jacob survived his encounter with God. But this encounter, though it wounded him,
also blessed and saved him.
The
man who knew nothing but winning and losing, the man who knew nothing but being
alone, the man who never knew his father’s approval . . . has finally received
the blessing.
man who knew nothing but winning and losing, the man who knew nothing but being
alone, the man who never knew his father’s approval . . . has finally received
the blessing.
My prayer hath power with God;
the grace
the grace
unspeakable I now receive;
through faith I see thee face to
face,
face,
I see thee face to face, and
live!
live!
In vain I have not wept and
strove–
strove–
thy nature, and thy name is Love.
Benediction:
Lame as I am, I take the prey,
hell, earth, and sin with ease
overcome;
overcome;
I leap for joy, pursue my way,
and as a bounding hart fly home,
through all eternity to prove
thy nature, and thy name is Love.
