Songs that Teach

With my new job as a worship leader and after thinking about my last blog I thought that perhaps I would expound on the whole good writing and bad writing thing. We had a discussion about the lyrics and quite frankly this is great practice to do from time to time. I had another experience similar to the last with the song Jesus Messiah.  I am glad these kind of discussion are happening. Jesus Messiah has a lyric in verse two that says:

The body the bread, the blood the wine
broken and pour out all for love
The whole earth trembles and the veil was torn
Love so amazing
Love so amazing

Now at first glance the verse is totally fine and I would agree even after the second glance that it still is just that, but a pastor friend of mine pointed out that the second line wasn't theologically correct. I immediately knew what he was talking about.

He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.” (John 19)

As much as I agree that theologically none of Jesus' bones were broken and that this is actually really important to the fulfillment of scripture prophecies I do not think that is what Chris Tomlin was doing. In other words I have never understood this song to be communicating against scripture. I have always taken it as a a two-fold metaphor.  Let me explain.

The line of the song is as much a reference to the Passover dinner and what will later become our own communion ceremony as it is to the crucifixion. In this this account Jesus referring to himself metaphorically says:

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Mathew 26)

Jesus says the bread is a picture of his body and then he breaks it. We are told to do this in remembrance of him. This brings up a similar issue if we want to be so wooden literal all the time. Would we say to a Pastor when walking through a line at receiving communion "Hey Pastor don't say his body was broken for me, didn't you know that none of Jesus' bones were actually broken?" He would probably just look at you and smile, hopefully, and later refer you to Mathew 26. Also in 1 Corinthians 11 when Paul recounts this story with teaching on how to receive the communion with the community he does say broken for you, some ancient manuscripts do say it that way and some do not, however I do not think Paul misunderstood the theology and made a mistake. So when this episode played out before me I wasn't too worried about the song but I understood the concern. We talked about it and in the end we came to the conclusion that the writing was fine. But this brings us a different issue. 

When we were talking about this I firstly said that I believed that the writing was poetical. In other words I believe that saying the body was broken is an appropriate picture albeit falling terribly short of what actually happened. But it is an apt metaphor that helps us understand the pain and suffering that Jesus went through. Poetical metaphor is simply a realty of musical writing and hopefully we as receivers of the music and lyrics understand this. This is why I don't demand my pastors say "given for you " instead of "broken for you" because honestly they both work. 

During our discussion it was said that music is so memorable that the lyrics should be correct. I would agree with this as well. It if often easier to remember the refrains from the songs sung rather than all the points of the sermon. This is the nature of music and why it can be so powerful. Sing something enough times and you have committed it to memory, when something is committed to memory your mind will go there as a foundation, so wouldn't it be wise if that foundation was a solid one? This is both the privilege and the challenge of any worship leader. To make sure the song selections both builds up in the faith and are true to the word of God. The third area is if they are musically pleasing, but this gets into many personal preferences and we have already gone that route before. Worship Wars

This is a task that I take seriously, the songs should be him focused not us focused. This can be difficult at times whereas songs sometimes are singing about God based on what he has done for us so the the cross-over is inevitable. But the question is where is the song going? Is it going towards offering honor and glory to him or is it more reflecting on how it makes us feel? This is a good question to ask as are all questions because we always have to come back to the goal. Honoring God. Because of the nature of music and the imprinting on our memories it can and often does develop into our theological understanding, people often just assume that the words in church songs are Biblically true. 

While I would try to teach away from this practice of relying on the songs to teach us, frankly, they do have a point. The songs we sing should reflect the truths of the Bible but we have to understand that there is a place for poetical license. Writers should be able to write poetically (this is how we get away from all our songs sounding the same) They after all are all taking from the same source material. So while we shouldn't expect our church music to be all Bible it should still be all true. As writers and singers let's have grace for the music to lead us to God without having to have a chapter and verse referent. Songs shouldn't need a bibliography at the end. 

Songs should accurately reflect the realities of God. The realities of God should then naturally lead us to the worship and praising of God. Our posture should be of one who recognizes our need to humble ourselves because we understand who it is we stand before. Let's worship God knowing that he is vastly superior to any of our descriptive language and far more deserving than us simply singing about how he makes us feel. This is a lesson from Job, he may make us feel good or he may cause us to go through a desert, he may allow us joy or allow a tragedy, do we recognize that despite all this he is holy and good? Do we bless his name anyway? because our music should always bless his name. 

Colossians 3:16 Let the words of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 

One purpose of having the music reflect him truly is because it would be easy to not sing. It would be easy to sit and think about all the tragedy and all the suffering and all the like that affects us personally. It is very easy not to sing, or perhaps to change the tenor of the song so that it reflects how we are feeling. Now the Psalms do recognize the reality of the individual but they always come back to praise. But this is a great thing about worship. We have the choice and the invitation to leave all that behind and come and sing to the one that there is nobody else like. To the one that causes all that to fall away. Who he is brings peace in the storm. He is that arresting, he is that resetting, he is that consuming, he is that rejuvenating, he is that Good! 

I don't believe that all the singing to God in heaven we hear about is because the only thing to do up there is go to a concert. All the singing is due to simply coming face to face with God. Standing or trying to stand before the being that has so much power so as to speak and cause a universe into existence, so much knowledge to know every single one of us intimately and the workings of everything in the created order and so much love to intervene into his creation and save us from our destinies in hell will be overwhelming to say the least. You cannot help but sing. After all we love him because he first loved us.  

God has told us what is true, so let us sing what is true, because one day we will be with him who is true. Truly. 

thanks

I Hold the Light

This will be a short one because it is Christmas, so go have Christmas! 

The Light has come into the world. The Light came to us in the form of a baby. He grew to be a man so that he could reach out to his creation. He humbled himself to become like his creatures though he himself is God. This is the miracle of Christmas. Now he has returned to the Father but he left us behind to shine in his place. Do you hold his light?

Similar to a lightsaber we can wield it or not. We can use it or not. We can hide it or not. The new Starwars was so good I had to have another entry mention it. 

We shine but does it illumine? They want to call our light darkness. We live in an age that calls darkness light. The Light came into the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it. The darkness does not overcome it. So the darkness tries to redefine it.

John 3:19-21
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.

Jesus says he is the light that shines in the darkness he shines and those who follow will not walk in darkness. 

The darkness is not however overwhelming. 

As Jesus commands in Mathew Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. He tells us that we are a city on  hill that guides the people home. 
 
Psalm 18:28 
For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness.

Jesus teaches that he is the light of the world and that the world is consumed in darkness. But he has passed the baton to us. We hold the light. We shine. What a huge privilege and responsibility. We reflect his radiance, at least we are supposed to. There is another option. We can hide it under a basket. Or perhaps we can attempt to let the light shine but while is it turned to dim. 

I want to shine. I want to shine as light is meant to, with abandon. This is light unfiltered, unobstructed, unrestricted, uncovered. 

Light extinguishes darkness. Darkness does not stand in the light. The light is not the issue, but the bearer is. The challenge of being a light beaer is that our world wants to call the darkness light. They want to call our light as the darkness. But that is easy to counter because light will always extinguish darkness. Truth will always win out, even while the shadow grows. But as we move forward sometime we are tempted to reconsider our light. Maybe we have been told that our light is not loving or not helpful. This is why we return to the source of the light so that he can recharge and inform us. Jesus says in John 8:12 That those that follow him will not walk in darkness. He can give testimony that what he says is true. Man's faithlessness does not cause him to be unfaithful. As Paul writes "Let God be true and every man a liar." Our failure to be light and the world's failure to recognize the light does not in any way undermine the light. 

As Jesus taught our good deeds put to shame the foolishness of men. The truest way for good deeds to be shone is in doing it for our brother or neighbor. The good Samaritan's good deeds could not be denied by the haters. His conduct pointed to a more excellent way, his light shined and the darkness could not stand before it. In first John we are reminded that if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship with one another and his love cleanses us from out sins. 

My good deeds in isolation do not speak much. It is as they find testimony in others. Others can look on and say that God is good. This is why the New Testament tells us to love and serve and do good deeds especially to the brotherhood. To the fellow believers. They can testify to the goodness of God where as someone else can write it off as charity. This doesn't ignore others absolutely not, but the light shines, and we overcome by our testimony. This is why Peter tells us we are a royal priesthood, a holy nation so we will display praises to God who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. 

The time of Christmas is reflective of this truth. God led the wise men by the light of a star to find the true king. We see that God in his mercy has reached out to us as well. He provides grace, he gave of himself for the purpose of others. This is why we at Christmas time do so as well. We give because we were given to. We love because he first loved us and gave himself as a ransom for many. As Luke writes in Acts 13:47 it is true for us well. "I have placed you as light for the gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth."

So your lightsaber, is it out?

We give gifts after our Father in heaven so go and do likewise. Arise shine for the light has come and the glory of the Lord will rise upon you. Merry Christmas.

thanks

to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/From-Darkness-To-Light#sthash.3XTUhLiF.dpuf

for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/From-Darkness-To-Light#sthash.3XTUhLiF.dpuf

for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/From-Darkness-To-Light#sthash.3XTUhLiF.dpuf

for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/From-Darkness-To-Light#sthash.3XTUhLiF.dpuf

Worship (preference) wars 4 of 4

Of the many church problems one problem seems to always rise to the top. I have tried to emphasize the importance of Church unity already but this issue really needs its own blog. Why? Because music is a polarizing thing, it shouldn't be but in the church it is. Some like classic, some like instrumental, some like country? Some like pop. Some like hip hop, Some like alternative, yes! Not only this but there are so many sub genres of music that the ones I already mentioned are already archaic, it is impossible to keep up. Some like this, some like that, some speaks to some and some speaks to others. This unfortunately bleeds into the church when it comes to worship. Some is more holy than others, wait, what the!?

Some churches are not even aware of it while some are fighting over how it should be done. Some don't even realize that others do it differently. This seems to be the major problem. While some churches have the concert model down they don't realize others are still struggling to get there, or to get somewhere. We have failed to realize that we have made our music preferences into a war of worship. 

In our culture we have put our preferences of how it should work over what it actually is.

Biblically speaking worship is offering to God his due. On the most basic level worship is literally bowing down. Which person with what music preference would be more comfortable with a half hour of silence on your face in the sanctuary every week? In the Old Covenant part of this submission surrounded the offering system, this was worship, to offer his due of our allegiance, our repentance, our peace. But under the New Covenant we do not operate on the sacrificial system because Christ made the final perfect sacrifice of his Son.  So what do we do?

Well, another way Old Testament Jews worshiped God was through songs of praise. The book of Hebrews in chapter 13:15 affirms that this is what our worship looks like now instead of burnt sacrifice.  In case that is difficult, we have a whole book of music written to bring God praise. We have a whole collection of songs to God in the book of Psalms. Not to mention that many instruments are often assigned to play them and a church organ isn't one of them.  So we can safely agree that now worship looks like singing to God. 

Here is one of my favorites from psalm 118:

"A Song of Ascents. I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand."

The first instances of praise is simply the Israelites praising God for his victories by recounting his deeds when God delivers the Israelites from the Egyptians from Exodus 15.

20Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing. 21Miriam answered them, "Sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea."

We have two camps of worship unfortunately, one that believes it is better to sing theologically thick words with little variation in meter and tone while reading from a book, while the other camp is a little more free form with less theology and more emotion and modern instrumentation. 

Sometimes the two meet but not always. I am not talking about content of the actual song. That is a separate issue, a song with bad theology should not be used despite it being a hymn or contemporary tune.  But this is part of the problem. One kind of music is assumed to be better which is simply not the case.  Just because a song is newer does not mean it is theologically bad nor does an aged song mean it is theologically sound. The issue is bad writing not bad genre, let's stop confusing the two and making sweeping arguments for one over the other.  

The argument usually begins from the older generation liking what they are used to and the younger generation likes what they can relate to.  

Biblically however it seems to be a song either just reflecting God's deeds and attributes. Sometimes it is a lament that cries out to God about the pain and misfortune they are experiencing. The great thing is that it always ends with joy and with a recognition of God's greatness such as Psalm 73.

Worship is always about God but our wars over it have made it about us, our preferences, our feelings, our music. But worship is foremost about humility because without humility we can never ascribe to God his due worth. Without humility we are never concerned about anything but our self.

Let me add one more point to this which is hard to write. This unfortunately has ended up with old churches with little to no youth in them and young churches with little to no old people in them. With the mid-lifers having to draw lines in the sand of where to go. I have seen this many times across the country. Why? Because the music reflects the tone of the tradition and the tradition sets the tone of the decor. The traditional takes on the decor of a Cathedral and the contemporary takes on the decor of a concert hall. And the appropriate people report for roll-call. This is sadly a large degree of simply ageism in the church. Some churches wonder why they can't attract/keep certain demographics into their churches without realizing they have tailor made them for the people who are already there. Slowly the people who do not fit slide out the back door if they were ever there in the first place.

Now having preferences isn't really the problem as I have already said, we should have different churches with different flavors. This only becomes a problem when we have churches with people who don't want to share.

But if worship is about God then it isn't about what you prefer or what I prefer.  It is sad, but a blended service really should minister to us all, but it still bothers us if it isn't completely about us. 

Unless we can come to a cease fire and make some sort of agreement, we will continue to not worship, because his people are not looking up to him. Let's unfold our arms, un-clench out fists and raise up our hands to God. 

The style will always be the issue when God's glory isn't. So let's see about making worship about God again, then perhaps the style won't be as big a deal, because it isn't he is. 

thanks