6-9-19 A Musical Message

Scripture   Psalm 134:1-2

INTRODUCTION

          Instead of taking a Sunday off at the end of vacation, because I have 3 weeks of vacation and two other weeks of American Baptist camps and conferences over an 8-week period, it is time to do what Ashland is now known for - being creative.

          I asked Becky to have the choir select their 4 favorite songs over the past year and I will use those to create a sermon. I didn’t want to just introduce songs - I want the songs to be an integral part of a message from scripture. I didn’t think about the fact that I would have no say in what they chose, even a song they worked on but never got to sing - so I have never heard it.

          So I studied the lyrics, researched the origin of the songs and prayed - a lot.

          During a year where we strongly emphasize worship, it makes sense to begin a song that is simply about Jesus. It is a song that may lean to much toward the soft side of worship but nonetheless it calls us to completely focus on our fairest Lord Jesus. The song captures several important characteristics of who Jesus is: 1) Ruler of all nature 2) Is completely God and completely man 3) Greater than all nature 4) brighter that any light 5) Lord of all nations and the ruler of all!

The tune, originally a Silesian folk song, and the German text were printed for the first time in 1842

Fairest Lord Jesus

Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature
O thou of God and man the Son
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor
Thou, my soul's glory, joy, and crown

Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all
Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all

Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands
Robed in the blooming garb of spring
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer
Who makes the woeful heart to sing

Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all
Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all

Fair is the sunshine, fairer still the moonlight
And all the twinkling starry host
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels heaven can boast

Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all
Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all

Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations
Son of God and Son of Man
Glory and honor, praise, adoration
Now and forevermore be thine

Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all
Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all

Songwriters: Richard Storrs Willis

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The song was originally composed as an instrumental piece and titled "Silent Story". The song was made by and for Løvland himself and performed for the very first time at the funeral of Løvland's mother. With no lyrics, you can’t call it a Christian song and even with the lyrics it is not a Christian song until we ascribe it to Jesus. HE is the one who comes to us when we are weary or burdened and raises us up. Matt 11:28-30   "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

It is in the midst of worship that we can bring our life storms, out heartache, our anxiety, our troubles and we become amazed that even though we felt down like nothing could help - Jesus raises us up - Be still and know that I am God!

You Raise Me Up (Be still my soul)

When I am down, and, oh, my soul, so weary
When troubles come, and my heart burdened be
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence
Until you come and sit awhile with me

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
I am strong when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
I am strong when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
I am strong when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
I am strong when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be

You raise me up to more than I can be

Songwriters: Brendan Graham / Rolf Lovland

Retell the story of the WALLS OF JERICHO

Like the veil of the temple being torn in two - entrance into the promised land.

The origin of this well-known African American spiritual is lost to time, but it was probably composed on the fly by a slave or slaves working on a plantation in the Deep South. The walls came a tumblin’ down are a metaphor to the end of slavery. For us who have worshiped the fairest Lord Jesus, who has rasied us up now sets us free from what stands in our way to live life adundant.

Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho

Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
Jericho Jericho
Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
And the walls come tumbling down

God knows that
Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
Jericho Jericho
Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
And the walls come tumbling down

Good morning Sister Mary
Good morning brother john
Well I wanna stop and talk with you
Wanna tell you how I come along

I know you've heard about Joshua
He was the son of nun
He never stopped his work until
Until the work was done

God knows that
Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
Jericho Jericho
Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
And the walls come tumbling down

You may talk about your men of Gideon
You may brag about your men of Saul
There's none like good old Joshua
At the battle of Jericho

Up to the walls of Jericho
He marched with spear in hand
Go blow them ram horns, Joshua cried
'cause the battle is in my hands

God knows that
Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
Jericho Jericho
Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
And the walls come tumbling down

You may talk about your men of Gideon
You may brag about your king of Saul
There none like Joshua
At the battle of Jericho

They tell me, great god that Joshua's spear
Was well nigh twelve feet long
And upon his hip was a double edged sword
And his mouth was a gospel horn

Yet bold and brave he stood
Salvation in his hand
Go blow them ram horns Joshua cried
'cause the devil can't do you no harm

Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
Jericho Jericho
Joshua fit the battle of Jericho
And the walls come tumbling down

Up to the walls of Jericho
He marched with spear in hand
Go blow them ram horns, Joshua cried
'cause the battle is in my hands

Then the lamb ram sheep horns began to blow
The trumpets began to sound
Old Joshua shouted glory
And the walls came tumblin' down

God knows that
Joshua fit the battle of jericho
Jericho jericho
Joshua fit the battle of jericho
And the walls come tumbling down

Down, down, down, down, down
Tumblin' down

Songwriters: . Dp / Carol Tornquist

We started with a quiet praise of our Fairest Lord Jesus and now end with a bold praise.

Aaron, the first High Priest, raised his hands in prayer as he blessed the Israelites when the sanctuary was first established. The book of Psalms speaks of raised hands regularly: "I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on your name" (Psalms 63.3-4). Further, the congregation is exhorted to lift their hands in worship of God: "Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord . . . lift up your hands to the holy place, and bless the Lord" (Psalms 134.1-2).

Raised hands are symbolic of our dependence on someone else. Raising hands during worship can be similar to children who lift their hands to be picked up, comforted, protected, or carried: "I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land" (Psalm 143.6).

Another significant meaning of raised hands is to bless God, much like Aaron's blessing of the people. In Psalm 63 the psalmist says he raises his hands to bless God. This symbolizes both gratefulness and joy for the blessings God has given.

Finally, the lifting of a hand may signify a vow. This is similar to our custom of raising our hand in court and promising to tell the "truth." This is practiced throughout scripture: "Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them that he would make them fall in the wilderness" (Psalms 106.26)

The custom of raising hands during worship was a common practice in the early church. In Paul's letter to Timothy he writes, "I desire, then, that in every place the people should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument" (1 Timothy 2.8).

Feel free to lift your hands or not - in either case give praise to Jesus! We encourage you to stand and sing (and maybe raise your hands) near the end of the song - we will let you know when that time has come.

In the Sanctuary

We lift our hands in the sanctuary.
*We lift our hands to give You the glory.
*We lift our hands to give You the praise,
And we will praise You for the rest of our days;
Yes, we will praise You for the rest of our days.

Jesus, we give You the praise.
Emmanuel, we lift up Your name,
Heavenly Father, coming Messiah;
And we will praise You for the rest of our days,
Yes, will praise You for the rest of our days,

Vamp 1:
Yes,
Yes, Lord for the rest of our days.

Vamp 2:
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
Hallelujah for the rest of our days.

Ending:
And we will praise You for the rest of our days.

* additional verses: (we clap our hands, we sing our song, hallelujah)

Songwriters: Kurt Carr