November 2, 2008

Yesterday was a beautiful day at Vintage21 Church. It was encouraging because it felt and sounded like people were letting loose and praising God, and the band was just caught up in it. Hard to quantify or explain, but I left feeling like God was huge, and that the problems of my life were in good hands. Thank you, Jesus.

John 6:67-69
We began the day with this passage to both challenge and encourage people.  The book of Ecclesiastes, and the Gospel in general, is challenging to the pride and self-centeredness we live in. But this passage is encouraging, because as Peter says “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life”.

Sing Praise To God Who Reigns Above
Words by Johann Schatz, 1675
Arrangement/Additional Lyrics by Matt Stevens, 2008

This particular band plays this song really well, and yesterday it locked in. As difficult as it is to begin the service with a familiar, energetic, deep song, I think this one is becoming a great opener for Vintage21 Church.

God Of My Life, To Thee I Call
Words by William Cowper, 1779
Music: Clint Wells, Brian T. Murphy and Benk Pocta

This song resonated personally with me yesterday. This has been a difficult few months, and to sing the following lines is such an important reminder:

“Poor though I am, despised, forgot
Yet God, my God, forgets me not;
And He is safe and must succeed for whom
The Lord is sure to plead.”

Sermon: Ecclesiastes 7:1-14
There seems to be a constant tug between who we know ourselves to be and what is represented in our outward appearance. For many of us the outward appearance becomes an obsession as we try to let the outward appearance be what is judged by those around us. King Solomon warns against this type of mentality.  He concludes that it is better for us to develop the content of our character than it is our outward appearance. How do we develop God-honoring character? Solomon tells us that we should be surrounding ourselves with a few trusted friends who don’t flatter us, but speak hard truths into our lives.

Here Is Love
Words by William Reese
Music by Robert Lowry
Arrangement by Ex Nihilo

This song also brought me to the John 6 verse that we began the day with. As Peter realizes, Jesus is the way, the truth, the life, the love, the peace, God Himself. We have the memories of goldfish, forgetting who God is and who we are in Him. Perhaps if humanity would “get” the Gospel, we could move into deeper theological territories, but as it stands we forget daily, hourly even, and must sing and study of Christ’s propitiation for our sins.

“Here is love, vast as the ocean, lovingkindess as the flood
When the Prince of Life, our ransom, shed for us His precious blood.”

How Great Thou Art
Words by Carl Gustav Boberg, translated by Stuart K. Hine
Arrangement by Vintage21 Church

In a rocking, loud service, this song was a welcome break for the voices to be heard. My hope is that as we sing loudly with the music, that even in the slow songs we desire to lift our voices high, and this is a classic song to sing out.

We’ll Praise You (Psalm 150)
Words and Music by Matt Stevens

This song is slowly becoming what I had envisioned in writing it- a hand-clapping, foot-stomping, dancing song of joy. Slowly but surely, God is awakening our hearts. Come, Lord Jesus, come!

Chainbreaker
Words by Charlie Hall
Music by Kendall Combes, Dustin Ragland, Brian Bergman, Quint Anderson

“We’ll Praise You” is usually a closer, but this song is also great, so we added it on at the end. After it was over, I was compelled to bring back the section below, and prayed that God would stick it in our hearts. If you’re reading this and were there yesterday, were you singing it after the service, or today?

“We are free, we are free, yeah the Son has set us free!
Drop your chains, sons and daughters, come and run in liberty”

Band For Today

Guitar – Steven Suits
Keys – Matt X.
Backing Vocals – Andrea Updyke
Bass – Jerry Updyke
Drums – Daniel Deese
Worship Leader – Matt Stevens

Today’s Sunday Review is posted in collaboration with other church music ministries at Sunday Setlists.