Read a short biography (40 pages) from the link in the article below (John Newton 3). Tomorrow I will post a contemporary biographical account of John Newton’s life, given in a sermon by John Piper, delivered at Bethlehem Church’s 2001 Pastors Conference. You can find a treasure trove of material on John Newton at http://www.JohnNewton.org (includes his complete works, sermons, hymns, poems, correspondence and journals, etc)
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ’d!
Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.
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Amazing Grace: The Scripture Texts
from JohnNewton.org
John Newton based his hymn Amazing Grace on this passage in 1 Chronicles 17.
He took his 3 sermon points for the New Year from this passage of Scripture:
1. Look back
The Lord reminded David what he had been, I took thee … from following the sheep (verse 7). David marvels that God has brought him from such a lowly position, Who am I, O Lord God? So Newton is astonished:
Amazing grace…that saved a wretch like me.
2. Look around
The Lord tells David, I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and cut off all thine enemies from before thee… (verse 8). David considers how the Lord hast brought me hitherto. So Newton reflects:
3. Look forward
The Lord promises that He will build thee a house… I will raise up thy seed… I will establish his throne for ever (verses 10-12). David is overawed that God has spoken of thy servant’s house for a great while to come… thou… hast promised this goodness unto thy servant (verses 17, 26). So Newton rejoices:
John Newton, Olney Hymns (London: W. Oliver, 1779)
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Amazing Grace: The Sermon Notes
John Newton’s own sermon notes for his hymn
New Year’s Morning
1 January 1773
1 Chronicles 17:16,17
And David the king came and sat before the LORD, and said, Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And yet this was a small thing in thine yes, O God, for thou hast also spoken of thy servant’s house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O LORD God.
„They lead us to a consideration of past mercies and future hopes and intimate the frame of mind which becomes us when we contemplate what the Lord has done for us.”
CLICK here to READ the REST of John Newton’s SERMON NOTES…
- The Man & The Story Behind Amazing Grace – a downloadable tract in PDF format.
- Olney Hymns by John Newton– the complete lyrics of this hymnal (in a variety of formats including HTML, PDF, Microsoft Word, Palm eBook, plain text, etc). It includes the hymn, „Amazing Grace” (Book 1, Hymn 41), one of 348 hymns listed and presented in three books.
- Amazing Grace Sheet Music – sheet music in PDF format (courtesy of The Bible Study Website). This is a 21kB file – to download, right-click on this link and select „Save Target As…” or „Save Link As…” depending on your Web browser.
