Category Archives: worship

The Power of the Cross

Posted on by
Reply

As we celebrate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, contemplate the lyrics of this powerful worship song… Performed here (YouTube).
pdb

The Power of the Cross
Words & Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

Chorus:
This, the pow’r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev’ry bitter thought,
Ev’ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees;
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
“Finished!” the vict’ry cry.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

Final Chorus:
This, the pow’r of the cross:
Son of God—slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.

© 2005 Thankyou Music.

Monday Medley…

Posted on by
Reply

Perhaps this can be a new feature: A “medley” of interesting stuff found online? On Mondays (my “day off”) I try to catch up on my blog reading (I use Google Reader to gather lots of posts in one place). I can try to share somethings here with my own brief listing… but don’t look for it until I break away for lunch! — pdb

• Dr Russell Moore has a post today on the diminished presence of references to blood in our hymns and worship “Is Your Church Loosing Blood”. His blog typically addresses ethical and theological questions (in a superb way). I plan to add a link for him to my blog roll. Here’s his opening…

American Christianity is far less bloody than it used to be. Songs like “Power in the Blood” or “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood” or “Are You Washed in the Blood?” are still sung in some places, but fewer and fewer, and there aren’t many newer songs or praise choruses so focused on blood. The Cross, yes; redemption, yes; but blood, rarely. We’re eager to speak of life, but hesitant to speak of blood.

• The west coast Ligonier Conference appears to be underway, and Alex Chediak has posted some notes on Dr Michael Horton’s address. (Alex has his own blog here.) The outline mentions 3 things that are “killing us softly” which include: enthusiasm, pragmatism, and consumerism. Chediak writes,

Three things that are having a tremendous effect on turning us from a historic faith towards a more amorphous spirituality — epitomized by the trivializing of God, our human condition, and the salvation wrought by God in Christ for us. God has a supporting role to play in the movie of our life – but the move is about us.

• And Kevin DeYoung has a prayer by Samuel M. Zwemer (c. 1923) for Muslims, and a colored map of Muslim lands on a recent post here.

• Finally, let me share this news from Minneapolis: Pastor John Piper is taking a leave of absence from all ministry, from May 1st to December 31st. The official announcement can be found here. This is not a sabbatical — a period of extended time away from normal ministry for pastors (typical after 7 years in ministry).