shawnw

Death In His Grave (Performance Video) from john mark mcmillan on Vimeo.

The video above and lyrics below were blatantly stolen from ShaunGroves.com. I’m sure neither he nor John Mark McMillan will mind.

John Mark’s album, The Medicine, was re-released today and includes this song, Death in His Grave. John’s the writer behind the magnificent worship tune How He Loves.

So, take five minutes, sit back, turn up the volume, focus on the song, and worship the King. This song simply rocked my day. Nay, my week.

Though the Earth Cried out for blood
Satisfied her hunger was
Her billows calmed on raging seas
for the souls on men she craved

Sun and moon from balcony
Turned their head in disbelief
Their precious Love would taste the sting
disfigured and disdained

On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke with keys
Of Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave

So three days in darkness slept
The Morning Sun of righteousness
But rose to shame the throes of death
And over turn his rule

Now daughters and the sons of men
Would pay not their dues again
The debt of blood they owed was rent
When the day rolled a new

On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke holding keys
To Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave

On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke with keys
Of Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave

He has cheated
Hell and seated
Us above the fall
In desperate places
He paid our wages
One time once and for all

Thanks Shaun.

Sometimes, things are best worded by a song.

Cause I know that you’re alive
You came to fix my broken life
And I’ll sing to glorify
Your Holy name, Jesus Christ

You bought my life with the blood
That you shed on the cross
When you died for the sins of men
And you let out a cry, crucified
Now alive in me

These hands are yours
Teach them to serve
As you please and I’ll reach out
Desperate to see all the greatness of God
May my soul rest assured in you

I’ll never be the same
No I’ll never be the same
Cause I know that you’re alive
You came to fix my broken life
And I’ll sing to glorify
Your Holy name, Jesus Christ

You’ve changed it all
You broke down the wall
When I spoke and confessed
In you I am blessed
Now I walk in the light
In victorious sight of you

Fire fall down
Fire fall down
On us we pray
As we seek
Fire fall down
Your fire fall down
On us we pray

Show me your heart
Show me your way
Show me your glory

I’m not trying to be flippant about Easter. But, for Christians, this is our Super Bowl. Time to pull out all the stops.

Why?

More unchurched people are willing to come to church on Easter Sunday than any other day of the year.

So, put away the floral, pastel-colored, cliche clothing, and get real.

We need to show visitors to our church the real us. Not the prettified, giant-hat-on-Easter us. The real us.
We need to worship like it means something.
We need to serve like our life depends on it.
We need to love in the same way we are loved.
But most of all. MOST MOST MOST of all… we need to be joyful.
And don’t even give me that “but I’m not a morning person” crap.

Jesus of Nazareth, the Word made man, died for all people who were, are, and will be, so that we could be reconciled to God, the creator of the universe. Jesus rose from the dead to show that death was conquered. The Christ, the Savior, reversed the natural progression of birth to death, and was reborn. Reborn! I challenge you to get your mind around that today, because I surely can’t, and most surely never will.

Easter Sunday is a cause for celebration unlike anything you’ve ever been a part of. For Christians, Easter is our rebirthday. Christ’s sacrifice gave us a second chance we didn’t deserve. Gave the world a second chance it didn’t deserve.

Show your church’s visitors this Easter Sunday how glad you are. Make ‘em want what you got.

Oh, and the crux of it all?

We should be like this every day we draw breath.

Get your head around that.

NPR did a segment this morning on students from California sending pen pal-style letters to children in Haiti affected by the quake (link).

One girl, Stefica, responded to her letter by singing. And it was caught on tape.

The best part is, however-many-million NPR radio listeners were exposed to a few moments of worship from a little girl in Haiti who has nothing and, at the same time, everything.

Here’s a quote from the story over at NPR.org which includes the lyrics she sang:

Sixteen-year-old Stefica Jean Pierre even wrote in English: "I thank your school for the money sent to my country. I am very happy for the poem you wrote. I don’t know anything about poetry, but I will sing for you."

I recorded her beautiful voice soaring over the misery around her: "I’m so glad you’re here in my life," she sang. "I’m so glad you came to save us."

If you’ve sung in church any time in the last decade, you’ll likely recognize those lyrics. If you haven’t, they’re from a venerable worship tune called Lord I Lift Your Name On High. By today’s standards that songs played out. But to hear Stefica sing it, it’s as if it came off the drawing board yesterday.

Stefica, thank you. For a moment, you lead lots of people in worship.

And most probably didn’t even know it.

We dropped this one at MCC a couple weeks ago. Love it.