I Love to Tell the Story by A. Katherine Hankey

Gregory:: 00:00

Today on Understanding Hymns for Everyday Life, we're talking about I Love to Tell the Story by A. Katherine Hankey. This hymn comes from a small portion of Katherine's poem, The Old Old Story. She wrote this long, beautiful poem when she was bedridden for 10 months. And the whole totals to 100 stanzas. 


Gregory:: 00:34

Later on, William G. Fisher selected a portion of her poem, set it to music, gave it a refrain, and that is how we have this beautiful song: I love to tell the story. 


Gregory:: 00:47

For those of you who like to dig into the research resources, I'll just make a quick note that there's a particular website I've been referencing to help in my research. But I was horrified today at the ads that they were using to monetize their site. I will no longer be referencing that site, and I have already removed all links to it from my other episodes. Purity is a very serious thing to God, and I want to apologize to anyone who referenced that website because of me, and thereby got exposed to their inappropriate advertisements. I would have never referenced it in the first place had I seen those the first time I used it. 


Gregory:: 01:23

Okay. Let's get into the themes of this song. The first verse highlights how the story of Jesus is true, even though we don't physically see God. "I love to tell the story of Unseen Things Above, of Jesus and his glory, of Jesus and his love. I love to tell the story because I know 'tis true. It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do." 


Gregory:: 01:53

Paul wrote to the Ephesians, "now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." He is worthy and deserving of glory. 


Gregory:: 02:19

Psalms says "many, Oh Lord, my God, are thy wonderful works, which thou hast done and thy thoughts, which are to us word. They cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." And because of that, because we know it's true-- and if you want more on that, see the episode about the Bible stands.-- Paul says, " I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek." Available to everyone: it is true. And even though we don't physically see God, we understand that he is real and he is working in this world. 


Gregory:: 03:09

The second verse of the song highlights that Jesus has changed my life. " I love to tell the story, more wonderful it seems, than all the golden fancies of all our golden dreams. I love to tell the story, it did so much for me, and that is just the reason I tell it now to thee." 


Gregory:: 03:33

You see this idea that it outweighs the dreams of the world, and if you want more about that, you can see the last episode about be thou my vision, but there's this key idea here that God's Word and God's truth changes you first. And because of that, you share it with others. It starts with God's working in your life. Jesus on this earth said to a man, "go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee and hath had compassion on thee." 


Gregory:: 04:08

He didn't just walk up to somebody who had no idea who he was and say, Hey, go tell everybody about who I am. No, Jesus directly told somebody, what you are to do is to go tell people how I have already changed your life. And that is what he says to us as well. Peter wrote, " we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty." He's saying, look. We're not making this stuff up because it gives us some position of power or because we just wanted to make up a random story. We have the confidence that we go forth with in Jesus Christ because we have seen him work in our lives. And that's what we're sharing with you. The disciples were testifying of what they had seen and heard in their own lives. 


Gregory:: 05:07

Peter also wrote, "sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." You see that hope has to get in you first for you to have a reason of the hope to share with somebody else. 


Gregory:: 05:28

Verse three highlights the unfortunate reality that some have never heard. "I love to tell the story, tis pleasant to repeat what seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet. I love to tell the story, for some have never heard the message of salvation from God's own Holy Word." 


Gregory:: 05:53

The Psalms say, "How sweet are thy words unto my taste, Yea, sweeter than a honey to my mouth." 


Gregory:: 06:00

God's word is sweet, but there is somewhat of a bitter reality that some people have never heard the message of salvation. Paul had to write to the Corinthian church to correct them. He says, "Awake to righteousness, and sin not. For some have not the knowledge of God, I speak this to your shame." In this particular case, this particular church had not been active in giving the gospel to others. And for that reason, they should have been ashamed because they were not sharing God's truth. 


Gregory:: 06:36

If you are regularly sharing God's truth, then you don't have to be ashamed, but there are people that have never heard and it's our fault. There are people that we have come across in our daily lives, and the Holy Spirit has prompted us to give them the good news of salvation, and we haven't. And for those scenarios, we should be ashamed. 


Gregory:: 07:00

But take courage in this. It is pleasant to repeat the story. And when we connect with what God has done in our lives, it empowers us to share what that very thing is with others so that he can work in their lives. 


Gregory:: 07:17

The fourth verse of the song highlights that the gospel will never lose its relevance. "I love to tell the story, for those who know it best seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest. And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song, t'will be the old, old story that I have loved so long." 


Gregory:: 07:42

Jesus taught, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." I hope that's the position of your heart, that you hunger and thirst for the things of God, and esteem them more than your necessary food. 


Gregory:: 08:01

Paul taught this interesting perspective, that "the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but to us which are saved, it is the power of God." You see, it's tempting for a Christian to get saved, hear the gospel many times throughout their life, and actually become cold to it, become indifferent to it. And that's exactly what Satan wants to happen, that we would become lukewarm. 


Gregory:: 08:30

But the reality is that the wonders of the cross, of Christ's story, should actually become more and more real to us over time. It should encourage us and empower us more and more as we grow closer to God, not one where it loses its relevance and it's like, yeah, that's something I dealt with a long time ago. I don't need to hear it again. No, those who know it best, those who have connected with God, the most are thrilled to hear it again. 


Gregory:: 08:59

Revelation teaches that in heaven, we will sing a new song. "Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood," speaking of Jesus. And later on, "worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing." We will be so overwhelmed with his goodness that we can't but for that moment, just pour out praise to him that he is so worthy of because of what he's done for us. Even in heaven, the gospel never loses its relevance. 


Gregory:: 09:45

Some of you cannot rightfully share the story because you have not accepted that story. You have not accepted the truth. You don't have your own story to tell because you haven't allowed his story to reach the depths of your soul and save you from your sin. 


Gregory:: 10:06

The story of Jesus is the only one that really matters, and your best life begins when you accept him as your Savior by calling out to him in faith to save you from your sin. 


Gregory:: 10:21

If you're a regular listener, you may be wondering why I always emphasize Jesus and the need to accept him as Savior. And the reason is many fold. First, I do love to tell the story. It's the only one that matters. So why would I share anything else? Second, It's one that I am passionate about because it has changed me. And third, I want you to receive Christ. 


Gregory:: 10:49

For those of you who have already received him as Savior, I want you to learn more and more effectively. to bow to him as Lord. Again, he already holds that position. He doesn't need your permission. You don't need to make him Lord. You need to acknowledge that he already is Lord. Yet he wants closeness to us. He wants that relationship with us. That's why we have this old, old story of God's truth that will never lose its relevance. It is to continue to change our lives each and every day. 


Gregory:: 11:23

I hope this is encouraging to you this week to challenge you to share your faith more, to give you the boldness to share your faith more, and to remind you of the wondrous works that God has already done in your life. 


Gregory:: 11:39

Let us go on to serve him together. See you next week.