It is Finished

I have been doing on the job training with a part time seminary class here in Indy. It has been really great and right now I am going through a course called Sonship. It is all about laying down my efforts and self defense and receiving the gospel to every corner of my soul. It is great because it is not about cognitive understanding but it is about how it affects my everyday reactions. At the end of one of the chapters was the last verse of this James Proctor hymn and I immediately went to find the rest of the hymn. It is so hard to spend each moment of the day receiving Christ’s work on my behalf and not picking up my own efforts to make myself right before him or to fight to be right in front of others.

This song was recorded live a couple of weeks ago during our worship at Redeemer.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

It is Finished (listen) (chart)

Nothing, either great or small—Nothing, sinner, no;
Jesus died and paid it all, a long, long time ago.

“It is finished!” yes, indeed, Finished, ev’ry jot;
Sinner, this is all you need, Tell me, is it not?

When He, from His lofty throne, Stooped to do and die,
Ev’rything was fully done; Hearken to His cry!

“It is finished!” yes, indeed, Finished, ev’ry jot;
Sinner, this is all you need, Tell me, is it not?

Weary, working, burdened one, How come you toil so?
Cease your doing; all was done, a long, long time ago.

“It is finished!” yes, indeed, Finished, ev’ry jot;
Sinner, this is all you need, Tell me, is it not?

Till to Jesus’ work you cling by a simple faith,
“Doing” is a deadly thing—“Doing” ends in death.

“It is finished!” yes, indeed, Finished, ev’ry jot;
Sinner, this is all you need, Tell me, is it not?

Trade toil and slavery, rest and freedom,
Trade law and judgement, for life and pardon,
Trade fear and scrutiny, for joy and gladness,
Trade cold rejection, for loving kindness

Cast your deadly “doing” down—Down at Jesus’ feet;
Stand in Him, in Him alone, Gloriously complete.

“It is finished!” yes, indeed, Finished, ev’ry jot;
Sinner, this is all you need, Tell me, is it not?

I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day

A little late for Christmas but I meant to post this song and totally forgot.It was recorded live on December 27th during communion. This Henry Longfellow hymn (1864) is a dangerous one to rewrite because so many people are familiar with the old tune. I usually try to steer away from rewriting well known beloved hymns as to not “ruin the song”. However, I wasn’t familiar with it so I didn’t know what I was messing with until I started playing it for our congregation in 2008. It has an especially dark tone as it was written during the Civil War. You can check out the lesser known verses here if you are interested. I  adjusted the lyrics a touch to make them more about the internal world. Sorry if I butchered it too much for you. Never the less, I thought I would share it late or not.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day   (listen)   (chart)

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the news of Christ repeats.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled around the world with unbroken song. 

Of Peace on earth, good will toward man
My Savior is born in Bethlehem
The herald swells, throughout the realms of hell and heav’n,
Of peace on earth, good will toward man

But in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace in me,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the holy songs”

Then out from the Accusers cursed mouth
My secret evils thundered out,
And with the cruel sound the carols drowned

Of Peace on earth, good will toward man,
The Savior is born in Bethlehem
The herald swells, throughout the realms of hell and heav’n,
Of peace on earth, good will toward man.

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“Jesus has died and ris’n a King;
The wrong shall fail, the Lamb of God prevail.

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the news of Christ repeats.

Of Peace on earth, good will toward man,
The Savior is born in Bethlehem
The herald swells, throughout the realms of hell and heav’n,
Of peace on earth, good will toward man.

O Light that Knew No Dawn

This hymn by Gregory of Nazianzus (325-390; tr. John Brownlie, 1900) was one that I wrote music for back in 2004 at Greenlake (Seattle) and never got recorded. My good friend (and magnificent violinist) Jonathan Marzinke requested a recording of this song a few weeks ago. I hope it is a blessing to you.

[I included a capo chart in D because I usually play capo II open on the low E string.]

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

O Light that Knew No Dawn (listen) (chords) (capo chart)

O Light that knew no dawn,
That shines to endless day,
All things in earth and heav’n
Are lustered by thy ray;
Nor mind thy brightness comprehend,
No eye can to thy throne ascend,
Nor mind thy brightness comprehend.

Thy grace, O Father, give,
That I might serve in fear;
Above all hopes, I pray,
Grant me thy voice to hear;
From sin thy child in mercy free,
O let me dwell in light with thee.
From sin thy child in mercy free.
O let me dwell in light with thee.

Lord, you are my God, my only
Lord, you have been so gracious to me,
And I would give you everything.

That, cleansed from stain of sin,
I may true homage give;
And pure in heart, behold
Thy beauty while I live;
And thee, O Christ my Savior, praise.
Clean hands in holy worship raise,
And thee, O Christ my Savior, praise.

Lord, you are my God, my only
Lord, you have been so gracious to me,
And I would give you everything.

Thy grace, O Father, give,
I humbly thee implore;
And let thy mercy bless
Thy servant more and more.
From age to age eternally.
All grace and glory be to thee,
From age to age eternally.

Lord, you are my God, my only
Lord, you have been so gracious to me,
And I would give you everything.
All I’ve worked for, everything,
All I run from, everything,
All I’ve loved, everything.

Come Back

The end of the book of Revelation has always resonated with me. In the finale of this great and terrible vision, Jesus says, “Behold I am coming soon” and the Spirit of God says “Come” and the Bride (that is, the church) says “Come”.

We are definitely like those who were waiting for Jesus to be born. We are supposed to be looking and watching on the edge of our seat for Christ to come in the sky. I don’t live there most of the time but I want to have that awareness more and more. I want to sing about it with my spiritual family as well and not just because life here is dangerous and full of sorrow but because we long to be with Jesus whom we love with our very guts.

I wrote this Advent song last year springing from that desire. We recorded this a couple weeks back during worship.

Thanks always to Wolfy for mixing these live songs.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Come Back (listen) (chord chart)

Another morning, another shadow of the Day,
I’m here and waiting, and yet I plan for the years ahead.
I lose my senses; I doubt that you are even there.
I lose my memory, sometimes my lamp it grows ever dim.

Come Back, Come Back,
Come Back, Come Back.

I miss the moments, when you first called me out from death,
You took me further, than I could have imagined then,
Now one more mile, I walk and hope that you are near.
I watch for morning; I need you Jesus to be here.

Come Back, Come Back,
Come Back, Come Back.

And when you come, when you come, when you come,
I will, I will still be a virgin.
And when you come, when you come, when you come,
I will, be the fairest of maidens.
And when you come, when you come, when you come,
I will, I will have still kept my garden
And when you come, when you come, until you come,
I will wait, I will wait.

I have this feeling, that I am not singing alone.
The angels thunder; the earth let’s out another groan.
I hear my family, the ones who now are at your throne.
My heart is fettered, and all I want is to be home.

Come Back, Come Back,
Come Back, Come Back.

Gathered Round Your Table

Here is a Christmas/Easter communion hymn by Margaret Clarkson (1986) that I rewrote the music for in 2003. I had yet to make a recording until I got a request from Bruce Benedict last week so…special thanks to Bruce for instigating this recording and for making the lead sheet too.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Gathered Round Your Table (listen) (chord chart) (lead sheet)

Gathered ‘round your table on this holy eve,
Viewing Bethlehem’s stable we rejoice and grieve,
Joy to see you lying in your manger bed,
Weep to see you dying in our sinful stead.

Prince of glory gracing heav’n ere time began,
Now for us embracing death as son of man,
By your birth so lovely by your love so true;
By your cross most holy Lord we worship you.

Bethlehem’s incarnation, Calvary’s bitter cross,
Wrought for us salvation by your pain and loss.
Now we fall before you in this holy place,
Prostrate we adore you for your gift of grace.

With profoundest wonder we your body take,
laid in manger yonder broken for our sake,
Hushed in adoration we approach the cup,
Bethlehem’s pure oblation freely offered up.

Christmas babe so tender lamb who bore our blame,
How shall sinners render praises due your name?
Do your own good pleasure in the lives we bring,
In your ransomed treasure reign forever king.

Mercy on the Dead

Here is a Christmas song I wrote my first Christmas at Redeemer, Indianapolis in December 2007. I recorded it in our upper room when it was still a home studio (now its a bedroom for one of our students) and Sarah joined in to give it some harmony. Hope this gets you in the Christmas spirit.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Mercy on the Dead (listen) (chord chart)

Weary from the hardened roads and rejected as a stranger,
No room to deliver Life for the mother of our savior,
Lonely, not but just a prayer to have strength to bear our Maker,
Struggling in the pains of birth hoping God would show his favor.

Oh have mercy on the dead!
Oh come breathe your breath out on this cold ground.
And where you find nothing left,
Raise up your children!

Dull ears and a broken cup was the people that you came to,
Thieves hiding inside your house where the dark could not perceive you,
No life and a withered branch was the garden that you came to,
Hail, coals and the cup of wrath, that you bore to make all things new.

Oh have mercy on the dead!
Oh come breathe your breath out on this cold ground.
And where you find nothing left,
Raise up your children!

The Holy One bends down to dust,
He speaks our name, He calls to us,
“Come out, My Child!  You’re mine forever!”

Oh have mercy on the dead!
Oh come breathe your breath out on this cold ground.
And where you find nothing left,
Raise up your children!

Come Jesus, Come

I wrote this song back in 2006 and I wanted to post it for a couple of reasons. First of all, it is advent and I love sharing songs about God becoming man and God coming back (this one focusing on the later). We played it a couple of Sundays ago and it was just Wolfy on the organ and me on the guitar; very simple.

Secondly, I have been thinking of our friends the Brodines whose son was born about 12 weeks premature a couple of weeks ago. My son was born at about the same time and I remember writing this song and working on it as I rode the elevators at the hospital, drove to work-to hospital-to food-to hospital and then getting home late at night just to go to sleep. So this song goes out to the Brodines living at the hospital and their beautiful little son.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Come Jesus, Come (listen) (chord chart)

When everything has been lost and we cry out from our soul,
Finding at the foot of the cross, there’s a dawning of hope.
Come,  Come Jesus Come.
Come,  Come Jesus Come.

Praise Father and Son and Holy Ghost, and Holy Ghost!
Our weakness; his strength’s our only boast, our only boast.
Join as the elders and angel host, the angel host call,
“Come Jesus, Come!”

And the grace of God dwells by his Spirit in us,
His mercies ever-new still refresh what the curse would have crushed.
Come,  Come Jesus Come.
Come,  Come Jesus Come.

Praise Father and Son and Holy Ghost, and Holy Ghost!
Our weakness; his strength’s our only boast, our only boast.
Join as the elders and angel host, the angel host call,
“Come Jesus, Come!”

Every glimpse that we get is like a view of our home,
Where we’ll be face to face; in the arms of our God,
Still as creation groans, we’ll bear witness to Light,
And we’ll watch as the morning grows bright.

Though we don’t see him now, everyday there’s enough.
Still we have a longing to see when he appears from above.
Come,  Come Jesus Come.
Come,  Come Jesus Come.

Praise Father and Son and Holy Ghost, and Holy Ghost!
Our weakness; his strength’s our only boast, our only boast.
Join as the elders and angel host, the angel host call,
“Come Jesus, Come!”