Victory In Jesus –

See full series: 2021
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Victory In Jesus –

Sermon by  Thomas Thornhill Jr


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#229, Sacred Selections

This being the 5th Sunday of the month, I would like to continue a tradition I started a number of years ago, examining a song that we sing from time to time.  Tonight, I want to examine the song, “Victory In Jesus”.

This song was written and composed by Eugene M. Bartlett, Sr. (1885-1941).  He was a prolific songwriter and composer.  He also devoted much of his life to teaching sight music and other musical skills.  The song Victory in Jesus is likely his best known song, though his work is not foreign to us, including songs like “Everybody Will Be Happy Over There”, “It Won’t Be Very Long”, and “Just a Little While”, “After Death, What Then” and writing “Camping Toward Canaan’s Land.”   Interestingly, “Victory in Jesus” was his final song.  Two years before his death, he had a stroke which stopped his travels and teaching.  But during that time, he composed this song.

This is a song that reminds us about our Victory in Jesus.  Let us consider the message of this song, which is always our focus in these lessons.

 

  1. Jesus died for me
    1. I heard an old, old story – Jesus came to this earth some 2000 years ago. We know about His life through the gospels. And it certainly something that has been often repeated through the years.
    2. How a Savior came from glory – the account of Jesus begins with Him in heaven inhabiting eternity.  2 Corinthians 8:9 says, For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
      Philippians 2:5-8 in greater detail describes His humility – leaving heaven and coming to this earth as a man to serve us.  He “emptied Himself”.
    3. How He gave His life on Calvary – Calvary is mentioned only in Luke 23:33 as the place where Jesus was crucified. The word itself is actually based upon the Latin word for skull.  In the Greek it was the word, (κρανίον, kranion) from which we get our English word “cranium”.  The word “Golgotha” (Matthew 27:33, Mark 15:22, John 19:17) is the Aramaic word for skull (and similar to the Hebrew word).
      The point of our song is Jesus died on the cross – 1 Corinthians 15:3, Romans 5:8
    4. To save a wretch like me – In this 2 points come to mind:
      1. I am a sinner – Romans 3:23.  And my sins have made me guilty – Romans 6:23.
        Therefore, I NEED forgiveness.  Romans 7:24, “O wretched man that I am!  Who will deliver me from this body of death?”
      2. Jesus died for me – In coming to this earth Jesus provided the sacrifice God would accept for my guilt.   So often in the NT, when the death of Jesus is discussed, it is related to MY forgiveness (and available to all mankind).  Romans 7:25, “I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!”   Mark 10:45 notes that Jesus even declared that He came to serve and to give His life a ransom for many.
        1 Timothy 2:6 says of the man Jesus Christ, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,
    5. I heard about His groaning – the story of what Jesus went through ought to move us. We read about His groaning in the garden as He was preparing to be viciously tortured as our sacrifice.  Luke 22:44 describes how being in agony, He prayed earnestly.  His sweat became as drops of blood.
      Hebrews 5:7-9 speaks of his vehement cries and tears as He prayed to God.
    6. Of His precious blood atoning – His blood was shed for the remission of our sins (Matthew 26:28).
      The idea of atonement is a sacrifice that appeases. The NT (NKJV) does not use the word “atone” (KJV does 1x – Romans 5:11), but it speaks of reconciliation which is the result of an atoning sacrifice – Consider Colossians 1:19-22.
    7. Then I repented of my sins and won the victory – hearing what He did, it ought to move us to surrender our lives to Him. Acts 2:38, 3:19, 17:30-31.
      And in so doing, we gain the victory.
  2. Jesus lived for me and saved me
    1. I heard about His healing, of His cleansing power revealing – in this phrase I see descriptions of what Jesus has done for us from the standpoint of sin as addressed in vs. 1 of this song.
      Revelation 1:5 talks about how we are washed of our sins in His own blood.
      Again Hebrews 9:13-14 in describing the superior sacrifice of Jesus over that of Levitical animals we read about which did atone for sins, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
      In Him our sins are washed away (Acts 22:16)
    2. How He made the lame to walk again and caused the blind to see – Acts 10:38.
      Why can we with faith accept His spiritual healing?  Because Jesus proved Himself to be from God.  Jesus was a miracle worker, and those miracles were one of the sources of proof of Who He was.
      Matthew 4:23 notes how He went about Galilee teaching, preaching and healing.
      We have specific accounts of Him making the lame walk (John 5) and giving sight to the blind (John 9).
      His miracles were so spectacular that they could not be denied
    3. And then I cried, “Dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit” – to be saved, we must turn to Him – Acts 4:12. Note Matthew 9:1-8 how the miracles of Jesus SHOWED He has power to forgive our sins.
      As I sing this song, in this expression I think of see the realization that I need Him.
      A part of obeying the gospel is that realization.  We see that on Pentecost as they were cut to the heart and asked, “What shall we do?” (Acts 2:37) We see that in the Eunuch of Acts 8:35-36.
    4. I then obeyed His blest commands and gained the victory – Hearing of His sacrifice for us and His invitation, we need to obey the gospel. Again, note Hebrews 5:9. Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, 22:16, etc.
      It is in obedience of the gospel that we find our victory.
      NOTE: The original of this hymn read different, “And somehow Jesus came and brought to me the victory” – this phrase implies a faith only or feelings-based salvation.  That is contrary to God’s word.   Which is why I prefer the version of this song that we sing.  Most song books written by brethren have adopted this phrase.
      The Bible does NOT teach “faith only”.  It teaches an obedient faith – James 2:14-26.
  3. Jesus has prepared a place for me –
    1. I heard about a mansion He has built for me in glory – the life of a Christian is not always comfort in this life. In fact, at times it is filled with tribulations and troubles.  We learn of the seriousness of our commitment to God in His word.
      But whatever we endure in this life is not without hope.  We live with hope of a better life after this one.  That is what this verse reminds us about.
      John 14:1-3 – Jesus told His apostles about going to prepare a place for us.
      2 Corinthians 5:6-8 speaks of our living knowing that on this earth we are absent from our eternal home with Him.  Philippians 1:23 speaks of Paul’s desire to depart and be with the Lord which is far better.
    2. And I heard about the street of gold beyond the crystal sea – descriptions associated with the dwelling place of God found in Revelation 21:21, 22:1. I believe this is descriptive of the type of home heaven is going to be like.
    3. About the angels singing – associated with the throne of God is angels and others worshipping Him. Revelation 5:11, 7:11
    4. And the old redemption story – going back to the beginning of our song. His story is story of redemption.
    5. And some sweet day I’ll sing up there the song of victory – Revelation 15:2-4. In heaven we are not exactly sure what it will be like or even what we will be doing, but it will involve singing praises to God continually.
    6. Romans 8:18 – we began with glory, and here we end with it.
  4. Chorus – Victory in Jesus –
    1. Victory in Jesus – the point of the song is in Him we will have ultimate victory. – 1 Corinthians 15:57.
      In Jesus we can overcome sin.  And regardless of what we endure in this life, if we remain faithful, we have hope of the ultimate victory.  Hebrews 12:18, 22-24.  The writer’s point?  Don’t give up!
    2. My savior, forever – there will be no other Savior – Philippians 3:20, 2 Timothy 1:8-10. And He is eternal!  1 Thessalonians 4:17 in describing His return notes that we will be caught up together with Him in the clouds, “And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”
    3. He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood – Titus 2:14, 1 Peter 1:18 tells us that we are redeemed with the precious blood of Jesus.
    4. He loved me ere I knew Him – Romans 8:6-8, Galatians 2:20, John 3:16.
    5. And all my love is due him – 1 John 4:19. My life of service to Him needs to be based upon that love.  Anything less will make the journey miserable.
    6. He plunged me to victory, beneath the cleansing flood – Romans 6:3-4 speaks about how baptism puts us inContact with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. But let us understand that we cannot separate this from His blood which is what cleanses us (Revelation 1:5).

And thus, we see a song that in times of despair and troubles, can lift us up and encourage us to keep going.  In this world, it genuinely seems like wickedness is winning – and in some ways it is.  But Satan and his followers will NOT have the final say – 1 John 4:4 – Jesus is greater.  Even before His death He declared, These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

What about you?  Have you found victory in Jesus?  And are you living like it?  Think about it!

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