I. Introduction
John W. Peterson (1921- ) has written over 1,000 gospel songs
as well as many other musical works. This all the biographical
information I have found on him.
II. Verse 1- Oh, what a wonderful, wonderful day-Day
I will never forget! After I'd wandered in darkness away, Jesus,
my Savior, I met. Acts 2:38-41, 16:33-34, 8:36-39.
The birth of a child is a great event. The day you are married
is a great event in your life. But the day that you, your spouse,
or your children obey the Lord is the greatest event in any lifetime.
This is because it's the basis for our faith and hope in eternal
life. I would venture to say that we all can remember the day
that we obeyed Jesus by believing, confessing his name, repenting
of our sins and being baptized for the remission of our sins.
Also, if we have left him for a time and then came back to him,
that day is one we will remember. I can still remember clearly,
walking down the aisle at the church of Christ in Jonesboro, Arkansas,
sitting on the front pew, seeing the face of my father, who was
the preacher there, and confessing Jesus as the Christ and being
baptized for the remission of my sins. Of course, the next Wednesday
night, at the age of 11, they put me to work leading the singing.
I mention this because I have always felt it to be important to
immediately put new members to work for the Lord, while the passion
burns bright. This is not just for male members either, there
is work that we can find for young women to do. Acts 26:1-29.
Jesus is the light of the world. When we met Jesus on his terms,
his light will eliminate the darkness of Satan that enslaves our
souls, and give us freedom in his light.
Oh, what a tender, compassionate friend! He met the need
of my heart, shadows dispelling, with joy I am telling, he made
all the darkness depart. Psalms 145:8-13, James 5:11, Heb.
2:6-18, Acts 2:46-47, Psalms 23:1-4, Matthew 4:12-17, Rom. 13:12.
Earthly friends have the ability to disappoint us, desert us,
betray us, deceive us and draw us away from the true path. But
our friend Jesus will always be true, dependable and trustworthy.
He endured so much for us, that he is the ultimate friend. He
understands our spiritual needs, and has the formula to help us
be successful in obtaining eternal life. He is the ultimate light.
His light can eliminate the darkness that sin has cast over our
soul, no matter what it is. It is so powerful that we can use
it to cleanse ourselves of the spiritual consequences of sin.
We should feel like shouting with joy, the good news.
III. Verse 2- Born of the spirit with life from above
into God's family divine, justified fully thru Calvary's love,
oh what a standing is mine. John 3:1-13, I John 4:1-16, Acts
13:38-39, Rom. 3:23-26.
Because we are God's children, because we are justified through
the blood of Christ, we stand justified in the sight of God. (I
John 1:7) We may have a good standing in our local community,
we may be a great leader in this world, we may have fame fortune
and anything our society prizes highly, but if our standing in
the sight of the Almighty is not what it should be, all other
things are vanity!! (Eccl. 12:13-14)
And the transaction so quickly was made, when as a sinner
I came, took of the offer of grace he did proffer, he saved me!
Oh praise his dear name! Acts 3:19-21, Rom. 1:1-6, 3:24, 5:15-17.
The word proffer means to present and to endorse. Jesus did not
just offer us grace through him, he endorsed it by his death and
the shedding of his blood. Notice that there is action on our
part. We must take him up on his offer by obeying him!! Being
a Christian is not a spectator sport!!!!!!!
IV. Verse 3- Now I've a hope that will surely endure
after the passing of time; I have a future in heaven for sure,
there in those mansions sublime. Acts 24:10-15, Rom. 8:24-25,
15:13, I Cor. 15:16-20, John 14:2.
The hope that we have in the promises of God and of Christ, cannot
be changed by anyone but ourselves. God and Christ will not change,
they are constant. It is our unbelief that can destroy the hope
of eternal life that we have. Hope will last in us, if we follow
him, until hope becomes sight, in the day of judgment, when we
enter the sublime mansions prepared for us in heaven.
And it's because of that wonderful day when at the cross
I believed; riches eternal and blessing supernal from his precious
hand I received. Matt. 10:37-38, 16:24, Gen. 17:1-8, Eph.
1:1-6, Psalms 24:4-5, Gal. 3:14, James 1:12.
The great benefits that accrue to us because of the straight and
narrow path that we follow in this life, will so overshadow any
problems we might encounter that we, throughout eternity will
bless the wonderful day that we believed and took up our cross.
When we proclaim Christ as our Savior, by confessing his name,
we then have the assurance that he will claim us in the presence
of the father. What greater comfort can we have here in this world
and in the world to come?
V. Chorus-Heaven came down and glory filled my soul,
when at the cross my Savior made me whole. My sins were washed
away and my night was turned to day. Heaven came down and glory
filled my soul. Phil. 1:11, Rom. 2:8-11, Acts 4:8-12, Rev.
1:5-6, I Thess. 5:1-8, Rev. 21:24-25.
Just as the impotent man was cured by the power of Jesus Christ,
we can be made spiritually whole by the cross of Christ. Our sins
are washed away through his blood (we will not suffer the spiritual
consequences of sin) and our night is turned to day (the darkness
of sin is replaced by the light of Jesus Christ). Jesus left the
joys of heaven and the presence of the Father, to glorify the
Father through his death on the cross. We can be filled with the
glory of the Son and the Father by obedience to demands placed
on us by this great sacrifice.