The incessant storms of recent times—political, cultural, ecclesial, theological, medical, economic!—have shown how quickly such worldly securities can crumble. Such storms provide a perfect opportunity for the Church’s counter-message to shine most distinctly, as the city on a hill (Matt. 5:14). We are in great need of recovering this lost confidence.   Note: We don’t... Continue Reading

Carter did know a far more realistic hope than that offered by John and Yoko. Upon learning that doctors had found four kinds of cancer in his brain, the former president shared his personal “attitude toward death” with his Sunday school class: “I found that I was absolutely and completely at ease with death. It... Continue Reading

Probably the most famed of the entire oratorio is movement 44, the Hallelujah chorus written entirely from Revelation 19:6, 16; 11:15. In John’s apocalypse, we are given eschatological glimpses of the will of God being done on earth as it is in heaven, “a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the... Continue Reading

The fact that people can listen to Messiah and miss what’s being said tells us that musical works on their own, no matter how inspired they might be, don’t always communicate what people need to hear. It’s not far removed from the people of Ezekiel’s day who likened his prophetic judgments to “one who sings... Continue Reading

The First Hymn might have sounded melodically similar to something a Westerner would hear today. However, finding pieces of ancient music like this is not entirely unusual. What set The First Hymn apart was its theological message: that one true Lord proclaims this hymn — is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This mention of... Continue Reading

Worldviews have consequences. LGBT+ liberalism cannot and will not ever produce anything even remotely resembling the Messiah. It is forever bound to be parasitic upon the Christendom culture and worldview from which it rebels. However much it tries to be “creative” and “alternative”, however much it attempts to “think outside the box”, it can only... Continue Reading

 Jesus came into the world as light and became the light of the world. And his light shone in our darkness. But he did more than shine. He set in motion the eternal destruction of our darkness by taking it upon himself. It even appeared as if the darkness of our sin had extinguished the... Continue Reading

Jennens’ choice of Psalm 16 to introduce the resurrection is masterful, as this psalm is pregnant with meaning. His selection invites the thoughtful listener to not only consider David’s original song, but to consider it in light of Peter’s Pentecost sermon (Acts 2:24–27) and Paul’s Antioch sermon (Acts 13:35). In its initial context, David pens Psalm 16 to help his... Continue Reading

The gospel, the good news, is news to be shared. Alternating airs and choruses picture the glad tidings of the sounds of this news that Christ lives being preached unto the ends of the world. Those who receive this news in faith are surely blessed. In contrast, the rejection of this news is devasting…what’s the... Continue Reading

Music and poetry in the form of song play a significant role in God’s design for His glory and our good. God is delighted to receive His praise not simply from the words of our lips, but in songs—in words set to poetic form, and that to a melody. The beauty of God’s hand in... Continue Reading