2. Introductory Statements
READ PSALM 116:15
A Saint has gone home
A Soul has gone to where she belongs
A Soul is now with the One Whom she loves
the most
A Soul that spent more of her life in Christ
than she did in the world has been heralded by
the heavenly host
Indeed, a tremendous Saint of God has gone
home – TO GOD BE THE GLORY
3. Introductory Statements
On the early morning of December 13, when the news of the
sudden death of our mother reached, I found myself in a
reflective mood some few minutes afterward
And there was one song that kept echoing in my mind yet I was
not singing it
For almost two weeks I could here this song being song
So I sad down one down to reflect on the song and three
valuable lessons came out of it, and that’s what I want to share
with you this morning
4. One oppressively hot afternoon in July, 1864, a man named Dr. Lowry was lying on a
lounge in a state of physical exhaustion
His imagination began to take itself wings. Visions of the future passed before him
with startling vividness.
The imagery of the apocalypse took the form of a tableau (graphic description)
Brightest of all were the throne, the heavenly river, and the gathering of the saints
He began to wonder why the hymn writers had said so much about the “river of
death” and so little about the “pure water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of
the throne of God and the Lamb.”
As he mused, the words began to construct themselves. They came first as a question
of Christian inquiry, “Shall we gather?”
Then they broke in chorus, “Yes, we’ll gather.” On this question and answer, the
hymn developed itself. The music came with the hymn.
STORY BEHIND THE HYMN
5. SHALL WE GATHER AT THE RIVER
1. Shall we gather at the river,
Where bright angel-feet have trod,
With its crystal tide forever
Flowing by the throne of God?
Chorus:
Yes, we'll gather at the river,
The beautiful, the beautiful river;
Gather with the saints at the river
That flows by the throne of God.
2. On the margin of the river,
Washing up its silver spray,
We will walk and worship ever
All the happy, golden day.
3. Ere we reach the shining river,
Lay we every burden down;
Grace our spirits will deliver,
And provide a robe and crown.
4. At the smiling of the river,
Mirror of the Saviour's face,
Saints, whom death will never sever,
Lift their songs of saving grace.
5. Soon we'll reach the silver river;
Soon our pilgrimage will cease;
Soon our happy hearts will quiver
With the melody of peace.
6. STORY BEHIND THE HYMN
There is another story supposedly behind the hymn, Shall we Gather at
the River” and that is where I want to begin my lesson from
A very severe epidemic was raging in Brooklyn, and hundreds were
passing over the river of death.
Dr. Lowry on a hot July day in 1864 was thinking of the sad scenes all
around him when the question arose in his mind, "Shall we meet
again?
We are parting at the river of death; shall we meet at the river of life?
With his heart full of these thoughts, he seated himself at his parlor
organ, and both the words and the music of the famous hymn came
to him as if by inspiration
7. TOPIC & ANALYSIS OF THE HYMN
The Question before us this morning is:
“Shall we meet our mother again?”
Shall we Gather at the River”
Shall we meet at the river of life?
That is the big question for us all to answer this morning and that is the
subject matter I am speaking to this morning “SHALL WE GATHER AT
THE RIVER”
Dr Lowry’s response to his question was in affirmative “Yes..
What about you and I? Shall our response be in affirmative or otherwise
when death knocks at our door and takes us away?
8. ANALYSIS OF THE HYMN
After that striking question in stanza 1, that
“SHALL WE GATHER AT THE RIVER”
Dr Lowry now goes on to paint vivid picture of
the river of life – but this is how John puts it
inspiringly in Rev. 21:4
9. LIFE AT THE RIVER OF LIFE
Every tear shall be wiped away at the river of Life
There is no death at the river of life
There is no mourning at the river of life
There is no crying at the river of life
Life is actually new at the river of Life
WHO WOULD NOT LIKE TO BE THERE?
11. YES, WE SHALL GATHER AT THE
RIVER IF WE DIE CHRISTIAN
The gospel truth is that one can be a Christian,
but in the sight of men but not in the sight of
God but one can be both as well
1.To God:
a) A Christian is NOT merely a good
person (Acts 10:1-2; 11:14)
b) Christian is NOT any religious person
(Acts 17:22)
12. YES, WE SHALL GATHER AT THE
RIVER IF WE DIE CHRISTIAN
2.To God:
a)A Christian is a new creature in Christ (Jn.
3:3-5; Mk 16:15-16; Acts 2:47)
b)A Christian is a Member of the Body of
Christ (Acts 2:47; 1 Cor. 12:20; c.f. Eph.
1:22-23)
c) A Christian is Living a New Standard (Acts
2:41-42 c.f. 2 Jn. 9)
d)A Christian is Living the New Life (Col. 3:1-
15. YES, WE SHALL GATHER AT THE RIVER
IF WE FIX OUR MINDS ON THINGS
ABOVE
There has been a sharp paradigm shift in the way those of us who
claim to be worshippers of God view and approach Christianity today
– it as become more physical than spiritual
The orientation has become physical in nature than Spiritual
This is evident in some preaching we hear, and the nature of their
worship we see – few words, then prophetic and testimony time cf.
John 4:24
Successful Christian life is no more judged by the quality of one’s
moral life but by the physical benefits that one enjoys such as
possessions, health, etc. c.f. Col. 3:1-4
16. YES, WE SHALL GATHER AT THE RIVER
IF WE FIX OUR MINDS ON THINGS
ABOVE
1) A mind fixed on God do things to please God at Worship
2) A mind fixed on God uses his/her money, talent, energy, cars,
house (s), knowledge, etc. to promote things of God more than
this of this world
3) A mind fixed on God uses all that he/she has to earn a place in a
permanent world than a temporal world
4) Don’t let us forget what Christ said in Luke 12:15 that…
5) A life well lived is not about how much of this world you have,
but how much of Christ you have
19. YES, WE SHALL GATHER AT THE
RIVER IF WE REMAIN FAITHFUL TILL
DEATH
A soul that dreams of having eternal rest in heaven would always take God serious
more than anything else, but sadly that is not the case among most Christians
Most of us are faithful to our Employers than God
Most of us are faithful at work place than in the church in the areas of: our Duties,
attendance, Giving, etc
At the same time most of us are not faithful God at workplace in the
areas of duties, attendance, monies, etc.
Most of us are not faithful to God in our Marriages, bachelorhood, spinsterhood,
singlehood, Business (buy and sell), etc.
21. VISITORS AND CONCLUSION
1) Paul pointed out in 2 Thess. 1:8-9 those who would not have share
in the gathering of Saints at the River of life, and they include:
a) Those who did not fear God
b) Those who did Not Obey the Gospel
2) You need obedience to the Gospel to be saved…
3) And to those of us who are already in Christ, how well do we fear
God – Heb. 11:6
4) Shall we gather at the river? Is your responds YES or NO?
