Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
Read: Romans 6:5-11; Isaiah 9:6-7
The very first churches I knew were Methodist. Most every Sunday for the first eighteen years of my life, I could be found somewhere around East Cross United Methodist Church in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. One of the many blessings I received from that heritage was a knowledge of John and Charles Wesley. Though the Wesleys never set out to start “Methodism,” God used them to reform the Church of England and call it to both passion and application. If Luther’s reform in Germany was about orthodoxy then the Wesleys’ reform in England 200 years later was about orthopraxy . . . as much about what we do as what we believe.
While John Wesley preached, Charles Wesley was best known for his hymns. One of the eighteen Christmas carols Wesley wrote was “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.” This song not only laid out sound theology and Scriptural references, but called followers of Jesus to act in certain ways.
The first verse points out that Jesus has released us from our “fears and sins” (Romans 6:5-11). This is a theological truth . . . but the application of this truth is that we would find “our rest in Thee.”
In the second verse, Jesus is described as “a child, and yet a King” (Isaiah 9:6-7). Charles takes the next line, though, and drives it home, stating that Jesus was “Born to reign in us forever . . . Rule in all our hearts alone.” The application is not just to say that Jesus is the “King of Kings,” but to have Him be our King – the ultimate authority in our lives.
This Christmas, as we sing Wesley’s song, may we have a reformation of our practices, and find our rest in Jesus, the ultimate authority in our lives!
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
Come, thou long expected Jesus
born to set thy people free
from our fears and sins release us
let us find our rest in thee
Israel’s strength and consolation
hope of all the earth thou art
dear desire of every nation
joy of every longing heart
Born thy people to deliver
born a child and yet a King
born to reign in us forever
now thy gracious kingdom bring
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone
by thine all sufficient merit
raise us to thy glorious throne
You draw the hearts of shepherds
You draw the hearts of kings
Even as a baby
You were changing everything
You called me to Your Kingdom
Before Your lips could speak
And even as a baby
You were reaching out for me
And now we are awaiting
The day of Your return
When every eye will see You
As heaven comes to earth
Until the sky is opened
Until the trumpet sounds
The bride is getting ready
The church is singing out
Come, thou long expected Jesus
born to set thy people free
from our fears and sins release us
let us find our rest in thee
Come Thou long expected King
To access all 30 days of “The Christmas Carols” devotional in pdf format, click here.
To access playlists for all 30 songs and for more information about how to worship with Wildwood Community Church this Christmas season, click here.