"MORE ABOUT JESUS"
"But grow in grace and...knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 3.18)
INTRO.: A song which speaks of the work of the Holy Spirit in revealing the will of Christ by which we grow in grace and knowledge is "More About Jesus" (#406 in Hymns for Worship Revised, and #43 in Sacred Selections for the Church). The text was written by Eliza Edmunds Hewitt who was born on June 28, 1851, in Philadelphia, PA, the daughter of Capt. James S. and Zeruiah Edmunds Stites. Educated in the Philadelphia public schools and graduated from the Girl's Normal School as a valedictorian, she became a school teacher for a number of years and also served on the staff at the Northern Home for Friendless Children. While teaching school one day, she was trying to correct an incorrigible boy, who struck her across the back with a heavy slate, thus giving her a severe injury. As a result, she became an invalid for an extended period of her life.
After the injury, Eliza was placed in a heavy cast for six months. Following her confinement, the doctor let Eliza go for a short walk in nearby Fairmount Park on a warm spring day. Her heart overflowing with joy for her recovery, she returned home and penned one of her first and best-known hymns, "There's Sunshine In My Soul Today." Out of this experience she developed a desire to share her feelings with others through writing poetry and became a prolific writer of children's verses. Various musicians began setting her words to music. Some of her children's poems came to the attention of composer John Robson Sweney (1837-1899). Sweney produced several well-known melodies, such as that used with Fanny Crosby's "Tell Me the Story of Jesus." As a result of this initial contact, Sweney and Mrs. Hewitt collaborated on many well-known hymns, including "More About Jesus," for which Sewney composed the tune (Sweney). The song was first published in Glad Hallelujahs co-edited by Sweney in 1887 with William James Kirkpatrick (1838-1921). Kirkpatrick also given us many famous melodies, including the one used with Fanny Crosby's "Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It."
In her later years, Eliza's physical condition greatly improved, and she was able to be even more active in her writing. Another well-known Hewitt-Sweney collaboration included in many of our books is "Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown?" Also, she provided texts for Kirkpatrick, Bentley DeForest Ackley, Charles Hutchinson Gabriel, Edmund Simon Lorenz, and Homer A. Rodeheaver. Originally a member of the Olivet Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, when she married and moved to another section of the city she joined the Calvin Presbyterian Church, where she taught the primary class in Sunday school until her death in Philadelphia on Apr. 4, 1920.
Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, "More About Jesus" appeared in the 1921 Great Songs of the Church (No. 1) and the 1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 both edited by E. L. Jorgenson; the 1948 Christian Hymns No. 2 and the 1966 Christian Hymns No. 3 both edited by L. O. Sanderson; the 1963 Abiding Hymns edited by Robert C. Welch; and the 1963 Christian Hymnal edited by J. Nelson Slater. Today it may be found in the 1971 Songs of the Church, the 1990 Songs of the Church 21st C. Ed., and the 1994 Songs of Faith and Praise all edited by Alton H. Howard; the 1978/1983 Church Gospel Songs and Hymns edited by V. E. Howard; the 1986 Great Songs Revised edited by Forrest M. McCann; and the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand; in addition to Hymns for Worship, Sacred Selections, and the 2007 Sacred Songs of the Church edited by William D. Jeffcoat.
According to this song, the Holy Spirit reveals to us several things about Jesus Christ in the scriptures:
I. According to stanza 1, we learn of His grace
"More about Jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love Who died for me."
A. Paul commends us to the word of God's grace which is able to build us up: Acts 20.32
B. The result of this grace is the saving fullness of Christ: Eph. 2.8
C. And God's grace is manifested through the love of Christ who died for us: 1 Jn. 3.16
II. According to stanza 2, we learn of His holy will
"More about Jesus let me learn,
More of His holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my teacher be,
Showing the things of Christ to me."
A. Christ came to do God's will, and we must determine to do His will also: Heb. 10.9-10
B. But how do we know God's will? The Spirit is our teacher: Jn. 16.13
C. And how do we learn God's will from the Spirit today? By the word revealed to inspired apostles and prophets: Eph. 3.3-5, 6.17
III. According to stanza 3, we learn about His word
"More about Jesus; in His Word,
Holding communion with my Lord;
Hearing His voice in every line,
Making each faithful saying mine."
A. It is through the word that we can come into a right relationship with the Lord and have communion with Him: 1 Pet. 2.1-2
B. It is through the word that we hear His voice: Matt. 17.5
C. And it is through the word that we can make each faithful saying ours by obedience: Heb. 5.8-9
IV. According to stanza 4, we learn about His coming
"More about Jesus; on His throne,
Riches in glory all His own;
More of His kingdom’s sure increase;
More of His coming, Prince of Peace."
A. The word tells us that Jesus is now on His throne in heaven: Acts 2.30-32
B. The word also tells us that His kingdom increases whenever lost souls are saved and translated into it: Col. 1.13
C. But the word also tells us that He shall return from heaven, and so we need to be waiting and preparing for Him: Phil. 3.20-21
CONCL.: The chorus echoes the desire that each of us should have to know more about Jesus through His word.
"More, more about Jesus,
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love Who died for me."
So the Holy Spirit, as the third member of the Godhead, is important to us because it is through His revelation of the scriptures that we can learn "More About Jesus."