Song – None of Self and All of Thee

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Song – None of Self and All of Thee

Sermon by  Thomas Thornhill Jr


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#431 Hymns for Worship

Tonight, being a 5th Sunday, we continue our examination of songs we sing from time to time.  This particular lesson is different as it is a song we are still trying to learn.  And it is a song that goes along with our theme for 2022, “Closer to God”.   Tonight, I would like to consider the wording of this song.  It is a song of examination describing 4 different stages in our spiritual life.  As we sing and examine this song, we should be asking ourselves, “Where am I?”.

This song was written by Theodor Monod in 1874.  The original poem was put to music in 1876.  The song then had an extra line in each stanza.  The tune we sing was composed by James McCranahan also in 1876, and a line of each stanza was removed.

 

  1. All of Self, and None of Thee
    1. This verse describes one who has not yet surrendered to Christ. His life is one of pride and self. He is as far from God as he can be.
      1. Pride is a great destroyer of faith – Proverbs 16:18 says, Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.
      2. 1 Peter 5:5 and James 4:6 tells us that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.   IOW, the proud turn God away.
    2. O the bitter pain and sorrow that a time could ever be –
      1. First, consider the sorrows that this world brings upon us – 2 Corinthians 7:10 speaks of how the sorrow of this world produces death. We know the troublesome ways of this world.
      2. Consider also how one recalls his past – like Paul, who often considered his former conduct 1 Timothy 1:12-13, 1 Corinthians 15:9, etc. (he remembered it enough to keep him from going back there).
      3. As we think about our prideful past, before God – does it cause us to cringe realizing what might have happened had we not changed?
    3. When I proudly said to Jesus, all of self and none of Thee –
      1. Consider the arrogance of this one – with pride he says, “I am satisfied with my life right now.” I do not need God.
      2. This is the hardened soil in the parable of the Sower (Luke 8:12). This is the rebellious attitude that wants to live for the now.  Consider Ephesians 4:17-19 – those who have their understanding darkened and have given themselves over to lewdness, etc.
      3. And while it is truly sad to find one in the world who denies God, what is sadder, is a professed Christian who is self-obsessed and prideful. Even though he professes to be a Christian, he is still selfish, and it is all about what he wants
        • Titus 1:16 speaks of those who profess to know God, but in works they deny Him.
        • I think of the praying Pharisee in Luke 18:9-14.
        • Consider the prodigal as he left home – Luke 15:12-13. He was selfish in his thinking.
      4. Many continue to make this boast against God and Jesus. Sadly, some will never overcome it, but we MUST or we will face eternal condemnation.
  2. Some of Self and Some of Thee
    1. Yet He found me, I beheld Him, bleeding on the accursed tree –
      1. I am also reminded that Jesus is searching and knocking – It is the reason He died.
        1. He desires all to saved (1 Timothy 2:4).
        2. Revelation 3:20 – He is knocking.
        3. Galatians 3:13-14 describes the cross as a curse – hence the phrase “accursed tree” in our song.
      2. The cross of Christ touches lives.
        • We have here the one who is cut to the heart – Acts 2:37
        • 1 Corinthians 1:17-18 – while the cross is foolishness to the world (see vs. 1 of our song), it is the power of God to save to us.
        • God forbid that I should boast (glory – KJV) except in the cross – Galatians 6:14
    2. And my wistful heart said faintly, some of self and some of Thee –
      1. Wistful – a sad yearning, melancholy desire.
      2. There is surrender as one is beginning his walk with the Lord. He has taken that step to give his life to Christ.
      3. This is one who obeys the gospel – Galatians 3:27 – he is baptized into Christ and puts on Christ.
      4. There is a genuine change that takes place in his heart and leads one to obey the gospel. NOTE: This is why we must make sure one knows what they are doing and WHY when they obey the gospel.
      5. CONSIDER: Remember that while this one has a good and honest heart, he also has baggage that he is struggling with.
      6. Furthermore, he is a babe in with so much more to learn. But he wants to grow – 1 Peter 2:1-2
  3. Less of Self and more of Thee
    1. Day by day, His tender mercy, Healing, helping, full and free
      1. We must keep growing as Christians. We cannot remain spiritual babes and be pleasing to God. 2 Peter 3:18. Hebrews 5:12-14, etc.
      2. Be reminded of Paul as he describes his past – 1 Timothy 1:12-15 – note how he describes God exceedingly abundant grace. God is gracious and patient in dealing with His children.
      3. CONSIDER: There is also something to be said about the babe in Christ – obviously he is not yet mature, so he is going to make mistakes. He is going to stumble and may slip back into an old habit.  We must be patient with a young child of God, encourage them and give them time and room to grow.  (NOTE: This is NOT to say we tolerate sin, but we understand where they are at)
    2. Brought me lower while I whispered, “Less of self, and more of Thee”
      1. As we keep maturing in the faith, God’s will takes over more and more. We keep maturing, and we sin less and less.  WE see sin for what it is. We know more about how Satan works and have taken measures to stop him.  We gain greater control over former lusts and are more easily able to overcome them.
      2. We see issues of the heart and are humbled as we appreciate the power of sin and temptation more. This causes us to turn to God more fervently.
      3. BUT we also appreciate His grace and mercy more and more. Matthew 5:3 – the poor in spirit.
      4. This causes us to be thankful and strengthen our resolve to give ourselves entirely to Him.
      5. Day by day, our lives become more and more about Him and less about us.
  4. None of self and all of Thee
    1. Higher than the highest heavens, deeper than the deepest seas
      1. First be reminded that God’s ways are higher than ours ALWAYS (Isaiah 55:8-9). Consider also Psalm 103:10-13, He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
      2. God’s love for us cannot be equaled – Ephesians 3:18-19. Neither can His grace – Ephesians 2:4-10.
      3. What a wonderful thing to fathom the greatness of God’s love, mercy and grace toward us.
    2. Lord at last, Thy love has conquered, “none of self, and all of Thee”
      1. Do we grasp the greatness of His lover toward us? Has His love conquered us? Romans 8:35-39
      2. We love Him because He first loved us. – 1 John 4:18-19
      3. This is a life of complete surrender. You have reached a point where NOTHING is going to stand in your way of serving God.
        1. This is Abraham offering Isaac – Hebrews 11:17-19
        2. This is Paul as he goes to Jerusalem – Acts 21:13
      4. Galatians 2:20 – It is no longer I who live, but Christ living in me…, Romans 12:1-2
      5. Ephesians 3:17-21 – we are rooted and grounded in His love. Consider the context that describes the greatness of God’s love.  We are rooted and grounded in that love.

And thus we see another song to consider its message.  Let us, as we sing this song, examine where we are and if we have not yet reached that pinnacle, let us strive to move toward the next plateau.  Where is Christ in your life?  Think about it!

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