Dear Listening Friends,
Welcome to our podcast program Adore Him. We will release an episode each day of the following three days, instead of an episode a week.
Today's episode will feature the hymn, "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know." There is a well-known story about Karl Barth, a famous theologian, who was once asked to sum up the essential truth of Christianity. He answered, "Jesus loves me, this I know for the Bible tells me so." These words begin the lyrics in "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know."
The story behind the hymn is quite interesting. The poem was first shown in Say and Seal, written by Anna Warner and Susan Warner. However, Anna was the one who wrote the poem. When William B. Bradbury read it in Say and Seal, he decided not only to compose music for it but also to add lyrics for the refrain. Both Susan Warner and Anna Warner, as well as William B. Bradbury, significantly contributed to the spiritual growth and devotion of children and youth. Although we may not know much about their work, the unchanging and eternal truth - "Jesus loves me, this I know for the Bible tells me so" - has been ingrained in the hearts of God's people through this hymn.
1 John 3:16 states: "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us." Revelation 1:5-6 says: "... To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen."
Now, we invite you to listen to this hymn on piano duet performed by Vivien Lin and Judy Lin. Also, we pray that this endless truth remains with you forever. See you tomorrow!
*See Peterson, Randy, Be Still, My Soul: The Inspiring Stories behind 175 of the Most-Loved Hymns. Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House, 2014. Kindle.
❤️ We welcome feedback and comments: https://open.firstory.me/story/clrq2cwjl01k401v51igm6r6f?m=comment
❤️ 愛的凱歌 Adore Him: https://he-is-the-one-we-adore.firstory.io/
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Hi, 各位聽眾朋友們，平安！歡迎收聽愛的凱歌(Adore Him) 。在這集的Podcast開始，一連三天，要和大家分享的聖詩，分別為：「耶穌愛我，我知道」(”Jesus Loves Me, This I Know”)，「奇異恩典」(“Amazing Grace”), 以及「堅固保障」(“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”)。節目的尾聲，我和Vivien，會以鋼琴四手聯彈的演奏型態來呈現所分享的聖詩。
首先，這集要與大家分享的聖詩是「耶穌愛我，我知道」(“Jesus Loves Me, This I Know”)。據說，曾經有人要求神學家卡爾巴特(Karl Barth)對基督教信仰的基要真理作總結，他回答：「耶穌愛我，我知道，因有聖經告訴我。」(“Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”) 這段話正是聖詩「耶穌愛我，我知道」開頭的歌詞。
提及這首聖詩的誕生，有一段奇妙的旅程。「耶穌愛我，我知道」這首詩詞首次出現，是在1860年由安娜和蘇珊(Anna Warner & Susan Warner)兩個姐妹共同創作的小說Say and Seal第二卷的其中一個章節裡。而實際上，寫這首詩的是安娜。這對姐妹出生於富裕的家庭，1837年美國經濟陷入蕭條後，家庭經濟開始吃緊，當時兩姐妹十幾歲，為了幫助家庭還債，開始寫詩、寫歌和創作小說。而這對姐妹匿名發行的小說Say and Seal I, II在當時非常的暢銷。故事內容主要是描述小女孩費絲德瑞克(Faith Derrick)、熱心的主日學老師約翰恩狄考(John Endecott)、生病的小男孩強尼福斯(Johnny Fox)以及林頓(Mr. Linden)先生之間的故事）。其中小說的第二卷寫到患有嚴重心臟疾病的小男孩強尼，在生命垂危之際，請求林頓先生唱歌安慰他。林頓先生抱起強尼後，在房間裡一邊緩慢地走著，一邊輕聲地吟唱起詩歌：「耶穌愛我，我知道，因有聖經告訴我。凡小孩子主牧養，我雖軟弱，主強壯。」(“Jesus loves me—this I know, For the Bible tells me so: Little ones to him belong,—They are weak, but he is strong.”)。過不久，小男孩強尼就安然地歸回天家。
白德瑞(William B. Bradbury)—「耶穌愛我，我知道」的作曲者—在當時已經是美國很有名的指揮、管風琴師、歌曲創作者，並且發行許多音樂作品和教會詩歌本。我們現在所熟悉的聖詩，例如：「禱告良辰」(“Sweet Hour of Prayer”)、「耶穌領我」(“He Leadeth Me, O Blessed Thought!”) 和「賜福救主」(“Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us”)，就是出自於白德瑞的創作。其中，白瑞德對音樂教育與好的主日學詩歌的發展特別關心。當白德瑞讀到Say and Seal小說中的「耶穌愛我，我知道」這首詩時，立刻決定要為這首詩譜寫曲子，並加上副歌歌詞：「主耶穌愛我！主耶穌愛我！主耶穌愛我！有聖經告訴我。」(“Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.”)
安娜和蘇珊除了Say and Seal，也創作了許多本在當時頗受大眾歡迎的小說。而除了繼續創作小說，兩姐妹也開始發展另一個事工。美國經濟蕭條後，兩姐妹和家人搬家後住的地方、跨河的正對面就是美國西點軍校。他們的舅舅當時是西點軍校的校牧。1875年，安娜和蘇珊開始教授聖經課程，幫助西點軍校生的靈性教育與成長。爾後四十年，每個主日下午，人們便會看到一群西點軍校生過河到對岸，參加聖經課程的場景。安娜和蘇珊過世後，安葬在西點軍校；他們兩位是唯一以「非軍人」身份安葬在西點軍校的平民。
或許現今人們未曾聽過Say and Seal 這部小說，也不清楚安娜和蘇珊兩姐妹以及白瑞德是誰，更不會清楚他們在兒童或青少年的靈性教育侍奉上所做的努力與奉獻，但可以肯定的是，「耶穌愛我，我知道，因有聖經告訴我」(Jesus loves Me, this I Know for the Bible tells me so.)—這個亙古不變的真理，藉由這首聖詩，深深地影響著我們。
聖經約翰壹書3:16說到：「主為我們捨命，我們從此就知道何為愛。」啟示錄1:5-6說到：「…他愛我們，用自己的血使我們脫離罪惡，又使我們成為國民，作他父神的祭司。但願榮耀、權能歸給他，直到永永遠遠。阿們！」節目最後，邀請大家來聆聽這首深受大人與小朋友喜愛的聖詩「耶穌愛我，我知道」。
＊ 參見 Peterson, Randy, Be Still, My Soul: The Inspiring Stories behind 175 of the Most-Loved Hymns. Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House, 2014. Kindle.
＊ 耶穌愛我，我知道～中英歌詞對照
1. Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so.
耶穌愛我，萬不錯，因有聖經告訴我；
Little ones to Him belong. They are weak but He is strong.
凡小孩子主牧養，我雖軟弱主強壯。
(Refrain) Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
(副歌) 主耶穌愛我，主耶穌愛我，
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.
主耶穌愛我，有聖書告訴我。
2. Jesus loves me! He who died. Heaven’s gate to open wide
耶穌愛我，捨生命，將我罪惡洗乾淨；
He will wash away my sin. Let His little child come in.
天堂榮門替我開，把祂小羊引進來。
3. Jesus loves me! Loves me still. Though I’m very weak and ill.
耶穌愛我，不改變，疾病軟弱祂衿憐；
That I might from sin be free. Bled and died upon the tree.
白日遭難主搭救，黑夜睡覺主看守。
4. Jesus loves me! He will stay Close beside me all the way;
耶穌愛我，到永遠，一生路程祂陪伴；
Thou hast bled and died for me. I will hence-forth live for Thee.
倘若生前我愛祂，死後領我到祂家。
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✏️ Hymn Piano Duets, Jesus Loves Me
🎼 Music by William Batchelder Bradbury
🎼 Words by Anna Warner and William Batchelder Bradbury
🎼 Arranged by Raluca Bojor
🎼 Performed by Vivien Lin and Judy Lin
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✏️ 背景音樂 (Background Music)：주가 일하시네 （主正在行奇事）
Words and Music by 이혁진 （李赫鎭）
Performed by Judy Lin
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✏️ 封面照片(Cover Photo): Judy Lin
❤️ 愛的凱歌 Adore Him: https://he-is-the-one-we-adore.firstory.io/
❤️ 留言告訴我你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/clpko33470143010vfumkgdhr/comments
