There seems to be a bit of a theme developing in my Lent music listening and posting here at Lent & Beyond. I am finding myself very drawn to “old hymns made new” (to borrow from the title of a great Scott Wesley Brown album of a number of years ago…!)
Recently at Vicar’s Versicles, James Gibson posted a lovely arrangement of a hymn by John Wesley which I’d never heard before: Come Sinners to the Gospel Feast. I really enjoyed it.
It would make a good song for a contemporary Good Friday worship service. The version below is performed by Jon Yerby and the band from The Journey in St. Louis, MO. (www.journeyon.net). It’s available at iTunes.
Here are the lyrics, including some additional verses from the original hymn not included in this recording.
Come, sinners, to the Gospel feast;
Let every soul be Jesus’ guest.
Ye need not one be left behind,
For God hath bid all humankind.
Sent by my Lord, on you I call;
The invitation is to all.
Come, all the world! Come, sinner, thou!
All things in Christ are ready now.
Come, all ye souls by sin oppressed,
Ye restless wanderers after rest;
Ye poor, and maimed, and sick, and blind,
In Christ a hearty welcome find.
[Come, and partake the Gospel feast;
Be saved from sin; in Jesus rest;
O taste the goodness of your God,
And eat His flesh, and drink His blood!
You vagrant souls, on you I call;
(O that my voice could reach you all!)
You all may now be justified,
You all may live, for Christ hath died.
My message as from God receive;
Ye all may come to Christ and live.
O let His love your hearts constrain,
Nor permit Him to die in vain.]
His love is mighty to compel;
His conquering love consent to feel,
Yield to His love’s resistless power,
And fight against your God no more.
See Him set forth before your eyes,
That precious, bleeding Sacrifice!
His offered benefits embrace,
And freely now be saved by grace.
This is the time, no more delay!
This is the Lord’s accepted day.
Come thou, this moment, at His call,
And live for Him who died for all.
Lent & Beyond 