“Jesus Will Outshine Them All”

"Jesus Will Outshine Them All"   

    

    

   He walked to the microphone with an appearance that bore no indication of the wonder to come.  A somewhat round man, short and unassuming in appearance, he faced the congregation as musical accompaniment began to echo through the sanctuary of the church.  Few knew what to expect, and I feel certain that many like myself wondered, "This fellow is going to sing?"  Then he opened his mouth, and yes indeed, he was going to sing…

"Mansions will glisten on the hills of glory.

Happy reunions on streets of gold.

Angel choirs singing glad praises forever

But Jesus will outshine them all.

Oh, what glory awaits me in heaven's bright city,

When I get there such sights I'll behold!

A million scenes of rare beauty will demand that I view them,

But Jesus will outshine them all.

Mansions will glisten on the hills of glory.

Happy reunions on streets of gold.

Angel choirs singing glad praises forever

But Jesus will outshine them all.

A sparkling river is flowing, happy faces all glowing

Land of splendor where night never falls;

A golden glass gives reflection to that city's perfection,

Still Jesus will outshine them all."

    I'm pretty sure I've had some musical experiences that were comparable.  After all, I get to hear Frances sing!  Rarely, however, have I experienced as much pure beauty of melodic and lyric glory as issued forth from that brother who now more than forty years ago sang the words above.  The round little fellow had a voice that could escort hearers into those Heavenly places about which he sang.  Most importantly, he genuinely helped all to remember and realize that amid all the glories of eternity to come, the Lord Jesus Christ will most definitely outshine them all.  

   "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us… Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Romans 8:18; Colossians 1:27).

    The Lord Jesus will in fact be the glory of every Heavenly glory.  Not only will He "outshine them all,"  He will shine forth in all.  God's "eternal purpose" revolves around the revelation and honoring of His beloved Son.  He will "gather together in One all things in Christ."   The Father purposes that in all things Christ "might have the preeminence" (Ephesians 3:11; 1:10; Colossians 1:18).  He made the universe through the Lord Jesus, He sustains it through Him, and every atom exists to serve as the holy means whereby the glory of God's beloved Son and our beloved Savior will glimmer and gleam in all things.  

    My brother of old sang of such glory.  He didn't look the part, but how often the Lord Jesus shines forth through vessels that seem the most unlikely.  The passing years have not diminished the blessedness of that holy hour when those who heard "Jesus will outshine them all" realized that we were experiencing a foretaste of such glory as we listened.  I don't know what happened to that brother, or whether he is still on the planet and still singing the song so perfectly suited to his voice.  I do look forward to hearing him sing Up There what he sang down here.  I'm sure it will be even more beautiful, thrilling, and Christ honoring.  But as I hear the sublime echoes of that special hour from so long ago, I'm not sure how, except that our brother will sing his song in the direct presence of the One who will indeed "outshine them all."

"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

(Philippians 2:9-11)

"Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us."

(Psalm 90:17)

Weekly Memory Verse 

    In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and He did hear my voice out of His temple, and my cry did enter into His ears.

(II Samuel 22:7)