Stand Up for Jesus   

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.” - 1 Corinthians 16:13-14
“Tell them to stand up for Jesus.” Those were the final words of a twenty-nine-year-old minister, Dudley Tyng, as he spoke from his deathbed to a group of sorrowing friends and fellow ministers.
A great citywide revival swept across Philadelphia in 1858. Some called it “the work of God in Philadelphia.” Of the participating ministers, none was more powerful than the Dudley Tyng, known as a bold and uncompromising preacher.
In addition to preaching at his own congregation, Tyng began holding noonday services at the downtown YMCA. Great crowds came to hear this dynamic young preacher. On Tuesday, March 30, 1858, over five thousand men gathered for a mass meeting to hear Tyng preach from Exodus 10:11, which says, “Go now ye that are men, and serve the Lord” (KJV). Over one thousand of those men committed their lives to Christ. At one point in the sermon the young preacher shouted, “I must tell my Master's errand, and I would rather that this right arm were amputated at the trunk than that I should come short of my duty to you in delivering God’s message.”
A tragic irony occurred the following week. While visiting in the country and watching the operation of a corn threshing machine in a barn, the young preacher accidentally caught his loose sleeve between the cogs. His arm was lacerated severely, with the main artery severed, and the median nerve injured. As a result of shock and a great loss of blood, Tyng died four days later.
On the following Sunday, Tyng's close friend and fellow worker, George Duffield, who was also a preacher in Philadelphia, prepared his morning sermon as a tribute to his departed friend. He chose Ephesians 6:14 as his text:
“Stand, therefore, having your loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.”
Mr. Duffield closed his sermon by reading a poem that he had just finished writing. He told his congregation that it had been inspired by the dying words of his esteemed friend. Soon the challenging words found their way into the hearts and hymnals of God’s people around the world, the now very well known song entitled, “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus.”
Stand up, stand up for Jesus! Ye soldiers of the cross; lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss; From victory unto victory His army shall He lead, till every foe is vanquished, for Christ is Lord indeed.
Stand up, stand up for Jesus! The trumpet call obey; forth to the mighty conflict in this His glorious day; Ye that are men now serve Him against unnumbered foes; let courage rise with danger and strength to strength oppose.
Stand up, stand up for Jesus! Stand in His strength alone; the arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own; Put on the gospel armor and watching unto prayer, where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there.

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