Sing to Jesus by Fernando Ortega
This week’s strong worship song is Sing to Jesus by Fernando Ortega and Richard Nibbe. This song was included on Fernando’s 2006 album The Shadow of Your Wings: Hymns and Sacred Songs which I never grow tired of listening. For that matter, I like all of Fernando’s music. Fernando has a knack for creating fresh, interesting arrangements of ancient hymns. Sing to Jesus however is not an ancient hymn but a current song. Even though Sing to Jesus is reflective and meditative in nature, we regularly use it as a congregational song at Lamb of God Lutheran.
The lyrics are strong and vivid and work especially well for Good Friday.
Sing to Jesus
Come and see
Look on this mystery
Lord of the universe
Nailed to a tree
Christ our God
Spilling His holy blood
Bowing in anguish
His sacred head
Sing to Jesus
Lord of our shame
Lord of our sinful hearts
He is our great Redeemer
Sing to Jesus
Honor His name
Sing of His faithfulness
Pouring His life out unto death
Come, you weary
And He will give you rest
Come you who mourn
Lay on His breast
He who died
Risen in paradise
Giver of mercy
Giver of life
Sing to Jesus
His is the throne
Now and forever
He is the king of heaven
Sing to Jesus
We are His own
Now and forever
Sing for the love our God has shown
Sing to Jesus
Lord of our shame
Lord of our sinful hearts
He is our great Redeemer
Sing to Jesus
Honor His name
Sing to Jesus
His is the throne
Now and forever
He is the king of heaven
Sing to Jesus
We are His own
Now and forever
Sing for the love our God has shown
Scripture references to this song include Galatians 3:13, Matthew 11:28, John 8:37, 1 john 2:2, Isaiah 53, and John 19:30.
Revelation Song by Jennie Lee Riddle
This week’s strong worship song is Revelation Song by Jennie Lee Riddle and made popular first by the Gateway Worship Band in Fort Worth, TX. In 2009 Revelation Song became the lead single by the contemporary Christian group Phillips, Craig, and Dean. It was the longest running #1 song in any format on Christian Radio in 2009.
Revelation Song is an appropriate title since the majority of the lyrics are taken directly from Revelation 4 and 5. This is also the reason I consider it a strong worship song. In those chapters God gives us a glimpse of His throne in Heaven surrounded by a sea of glass upon which the angels are gathered to worship. Flashes of lightening and rolls of thunder are coming from the throne. Jesus appears and the angels sing their song. Jesus, the Lamb of God who was slain, is worthy to be praised. The song writer correctly personalizes the song. Jesus is worthy to be praised by us since He was slain for us and is our everything. This song does a good job in depicting the mystery of God’s immanence (how He is intimately joined to all of creation) and His transcendence (how He is above and beyond all creation).
Revelation Song
Worthy is the, Lamb who was slain
Holy, Holy, is He
Sing a new song, to him who sits on
Heaven’s mercy seat
Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come
With all creation I sing
Praise to the King of Kings
You are my everything
And I will adore You
Clothed in rainbows, of living color
Flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder
Blessing and honor, strength and glory and power be
to You the only wise King
Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come
With all creation I sing
Praise to the King of Kings
You are my everything
And I will adore You
Filled with wonder, awestruck wonder
At the mention of your name
Jesus your name is power
Breath, and living water
Such a marvelous mystery
Yeah…
Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come, yeah
With all creation I sing
Praise to the King of Kings
You are my everything
And I will adore You
Jesus Messiah by Chris Tomlin
My strong song of the week is Jesus Messiah by Chris Tomlin which we sang this past Sunday at Lamb of God Lutheran and have sung many times in the last few years. The lyrics are just great and superb. They are based firmly on the foundational truths of Jesus the Messiah. Very few current songs tackle Scriptural truths like substitutionary atonement, Christ’s humility, communion, Christ’s righteousness, and ransom for sinners all in one song, but this one does. The melody is also enjoyable and easy for the congregation to sing along.
Chris Tomlin emphasizes with this song that Jesus is more than just a great person, but the only Savior and Messiah for mankind. See YouTube below. Jesus Messiah is on Chris Tomlin’s Hello Love CD that came on in 2008.
Scripture references include 2 Corinthians 5;21, 1 john 2:2, John 1:41, John 4:25, Philippians 2:1-11, Isaiah 53, Matthew 1;23, Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 26:26-27, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45, 1 Timothy 2:6, Hebrews 9:15, and Matthew 27:51.
Jesus Messiah
He became sin
Who knew no sin
That we might become His Righteousness
He humbled himself and carried the cross
Love so amazing
Love so amazing
Chorus:
Jesus Messiah
Name above all names
Blessed Redeemer
Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners
The ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah
Lord of all
His body the bread
His blood the wine
Broken and poured out all for love
The whole earth trembled
And the veil was torn
Love so amazing
Love so amazing, yeah
All our hope is in You
All our hope is in You
All the glory to You, God
The light of the world
Chorus:
Christ is Risen by Matt Maher
Christ is Risen by Matt Maher is a strong worship song for several reasons. First of all, the lyrics are Christocentric or Christ-centered. Because the lyrics are centered on Christ they lead us to His cross. The lyrics emphatically and beautifully state that Jesus bled for us. The lyrics also point to our sin and shame which are the reasons why Jesus had to suffer and die.
The lyrics also focus on an amazing theological fact. God in His wisdom chose to conquer death with death which was the basis of a sermon preached in the 3rd Century AD. Please see the YouTube below. The fact that Christ has risen from the dead, conquering death with death is reason for the church to come alive and sing praises to Jesus. In a sense this song is a call for the church to leave its apathy and come alive again in worship, praise, and adoration.
Christ is Risen is a great Easter song! We featured it at Lamb of God Lutheran one year ago shortly after it was released. Our entire festival service was built upon the theme “Come Alive!”
Here are the lyrics. Enjoy!
Christ is Risen
Let no one caught in sin remain
Inside the lie of inward shame
We fix our eyes upon the cross
And run to Him who showed great love
And bled for us
Freely You’ve bled for us
Chorus:
Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Beneath the weight of all our sin
You bowed to none but Heaven’s will
No scheme of Hell, no scoffer’s crown
No burden great can hold You down
In strength You reign
Forever let Your church proclaim
Chorus (Repeat)
O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
The glory of God has defeated the night
Sing it, o death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
Our God is not dead, He’s alive, He’s alive
Chorus (Repeat)
Scripture references for this song include 1 Corinthians 15:55, 1 John 2:2, Romans 6:23, Mark 16, Matthew 28, Luke 24, John 20.
Since Christ is Risen is currently a featured song on K-Love click here for a free download. This offer expires 4/1/11.
I hope you enjoy and use this strong worship song.
Sincerely,
Pastor Scott
How Deep The Father’s Love For Us by Stuart Townend
British song and hymn writer Stuart Townend is one of my favorite current artists. How Deep The Father’s Love for Us, which was written already back in 1995, has a beautiful and rich text. It is hard to find a hymn, whether current or ancient, that has a deeper text than this. It is a great song for Lent since it focuses on Jesus’ sacrifice & wounds, God the Father’s deep love for us to forsake His Son, the punishment for our sin, the ransom for sin, repentance, and Jesus’ death & resurrection.
We introduced this hymn at Lamb of God Lutheran in 2009.
How deep the Father’s love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He would give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross
My guilt upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no powr’s, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
Phillips, Craig and Dean also have an arrangement of How Deep the Father’s Love For Us.
Scripture references for this song include John 3:16 , John 19:30, 1 Corinthians 1:31, Isaiah 53:4-5, and Romans 5:8
Sincerely,
Pastor Scott
strongworshipsongs by Pastor Scott Martz 