Last week we experimented with preparing ahead of time for the Sunday service. To aid in this, there was a new post each day on worship.vintage21.com that introduced a song we were going to sing, with a link to the mp3 so people could read, learn, pray and worship prior to our gathering. Several people said it was helpful, so we are going to prepare for this coming Sunday as well.
Please note: this site is for you, @V21Church. I desire that we would have a deep understanding of God and live in the freedom He’s given through His Son, with our lives becoming beautiful examples of redemption. My hope is that we would give God glory not only in our Sunday service but with our entire lives. If you have topics you’d like to explore, suggestions, or any feedback please let me know through this site, or The City.
To prepare today, we’re going to re-post the new song from yesterday, as we’ll be singing it again next week. Our approach to new songs is to sing them twice the first day, then again the following week, giving people a chance to worship comfortably instead of learn the song or sing with uncertainty. For those of you who were there Sunday, did any lines in particular stand out to you?
In the Shadow of the Glorious Cross
Brooks Ritter and Rebecca Bales
In the shadow of the glorious cross
Compelled by grace to cast my lot
I’ll discard the loss and bare your name
Forsaking all for your own fame
Your hymn of grace sung over me
Abounding forth in glorious streams
My thirst is quenched by you my Lord
Sustained am I redeemed restored
Sustained am I redeemed restored
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
When death’s dark shadow’s at my feet
When I am plagued by unbelief
You place my hands into your side
By precious blood identified
By precious blood identified
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
These crowns I’ve clenched with fisted hands
I cast them down before the throne
Of Christ my God the worthy lamb
Christ crucified, the Great I AM. (3x)
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
You can purchase the song
here on iTunes or simply listen
here on Last.fm (click the play icon in the top right of the page).
Matt Stevens is the Worship Pastor for Vintage21 Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. Contact him via Twitter: @MattStevensNC
What stood out to me in this song both times we sang it was the line:
“You place my hands into your side, by precious blood identified”
because it is such a visceral picture of Christ claiming me by His work on the cross. Also lately God has been drawing me to think a lot about what it means to find my identity in Jesus, so this line certainly ties in with that for me. I like the new song a lot.
Whitney, that’s the same line that jumped out at me.
The fact that I doubt is my issue, yet Jesus is patient and merciful in dealing with me. It illuminates my weakness and doubt, and I’m left humbled by how good Jesus is.