What do you think of this "western" Christian song?

[88Devin07]

I would like to know what everyone things of this wonderful "western" Christian song...

Walking on the road to Jerusalem
The time had come to sacrifice again
My two small sons they walked beside me down the road
The reason that they came was to watch the lamb

They said, Daddy, daddy what will we see there
There’s so much that we don’t understand
So I told them of Moses and Father Abraham
And then I said dear children watch the lamb

There will be so many in Jerusalem today
We must be sure this little lamb doesn’t run away
And I told them of Moses and Father Abraham
And then I said dear children watch the lamb

When we reached the city I knew something must be wrong
There were no joyful worshippers there were no joyful worship songs
And I stood there with my children in the midst of angry men
Then I heard the crowd cry out,
Crucify Him!

We tried to leave the city but we could not get away
Forced to play in this drama a part I did not want to play
Why upon this day were men condemned to die
Why were we standing right here where soon they would pass by

I look and I said even now they come
The first one cried for mercy, the people gave him none
The second one was violent and he was arrogant and loud
I still can hear his angry voice screaming at the crowd

Then someone said there’s Jesus and I scarce believed my eyes
A man so badly beaten He barely looked alive
Blood poured from His body from the thorns on His brow
Running down the cross and falling to the ground
I watched Him as He struggled and I watched Him when He fell
The cross came down upon His back, the crowd began to yell
In that moment I felt such agony in that moment I felt such loss

Until a Roman soldier grabbed my arm and screamed "you carry His cross"
At first I tried to resist him but his hand reached for his sword
And so I knelt and I took the cross from the Lord
I put it on my shoulder we started down the street
The blood that He’d been shedding was running down my cheek

They led us to Golgotha they drove nails deep in His feet and hands
On the cross I heard Him pray "Father forgive them"
Never have I seen such love in any other eyes
"Into They hands I commit My spirit" He prayed and then He died

I stood for what seemed like years lost all sense of time
Then I felt these little hands holding on to mine
My children stood there weeping and I heard the oldest say
Father please forgive us the lamb ran away

Daddy, daddy what have we seen here
There’s so much that we don’t understand
So I took them in my arms we turned and faced the cross
And I said dear children... Watch the Lamb

[HandmaidenOfGod]

I would have to say the same thing I said about “The Passion of the Christ,” very nice, but what about the Resurrection?



While it is important to remember the suffering of Christ, it is in His Resurrection that we have life.



In XC,



~Maureen

[Dust and Ashes]

I would have to say the same thing I said about “The Passion of the Christ,” very nice, but what about the Resurrection?



While it is important to remember the suffering of Christ, it is in His Resurrection that we have life.



In XC,



~Maureen

Yeah, that's why He's Alive still blows me away and leaves me weeping whenever I hear it.

He's Alive

The gates and doors were barred and all the windows fastened down;
I spent the night in sleeplessness and rose at every sound
Half in hopeless sorrow and half in fear the day
Would find the soldiers breakin' thru to drag us all away

And just before the sunrise I heard something at the wall
The gate began to rattle and a voice began to call;
I hurried to the window and looked down into the street
Expecting swords and torches and the sounds of soldier's feet

There was no one there but Mary so I went down to let her in;
John stood there beside me as she'd told us where she'd been.
She said "They moved Him in the night and none of us knows where;
The stone's been rolled away and now His body isn't there!"

We both ran t'ward the garden, then John ran on ahead;
We found the stone and empty tomb just the way that Mary said.
But the winding sheet they wrapped Him in was just an empty shell;
And who or where they'd taken Him was more than I could tell.

Well, something strange had happened there,
but just what I didn't know;
John believed a miracle but I just turned to go.
Circumstance and speculation couldn't lift me very high
'Cause I'd seen them crucify Him, then I saw Him die.

Back inside the house again the guilt and anguish came;
Everything I'd promised Him just added to my shame.
When at last it came to choices, I denied I knew His name;
And even if He was alive, it wouldn't be the same

But suddenly the air was filled with a strange and sweet perfume;
Light that came from everywhere drove shadows from the room.
Jesus stood before me with His arms held open wide;
And I fell down on my knees, and just clung to Him and cried.

He raised me to my feet and as I looked into His eyes,
Love was shining out from Him like sunlight in the skies
Guilt in my confusion disappeared in sweet release
And every fear I'd ever had just melted into peace

CHORUS
He's alive! He's alive, He's alive and I'm forgiven!
Heaven's gates are open wide:
He's alive, He's alive, oh He's alive and I'm forgiven
Heaven's gates are open wide
He's alive, He's alive, hallelujah He's alive

[Theophorus]

Well, I like this from Handel

I know that my Redeemer liveth, and He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh I shall see God.

[knee-v]

I would like to know what everyone things of this wonderful "western" Christian song...

Walking on the road to Jerusalem
The time had come to sacrifice again
My two small sons they walked beside me down the road
The reason that they came was to watch the lamb

They said, Daddy, daddy what will we see there
There’s so much that we don’t understand
So I told them of Moses and Father Abraham
And then I said dear children watch the lamb

There will be so many in Jerusalem today
We must be sure this little lamb doesn’t run away
And I told them of Moses and Father Abraham
And then I said dear children watch the lamb

When we reached the city I knew something must be wrong
There were no joyful worshippers there were no joyful worship songs
And I stood there with my children in the midst of angry men
Then I heard the crowd cry out,
Crucify Him!

We tried to leave the city but we could not get away
Forced to play in this drama a part I did not want to play
Why upon this day were men condemned to die
Why were we standing right here where soon they would pass by

I look and I said even now they come
The first one cried for mercy, the people gave him none
The second one was violent and he was arrogant and loud
I still can hear his angry voice screaming at the crowd

Then someone said there’s Jesus and I scarce believed my eyes
A man so badly beaten He barely looked alive
Blood poured from His body from the thorns on His brow
Running down the cross and falling to the ground
I watched Him as He struggled and I watched Him when He fell
The cross came down upon His back, the crowd began to yell
In that moment I felt such agony in that moment I felt such loss

Until a Roman soldier grabbed my arm and screamed "you carry His cross"
At first I tried to resist him but his hand reached for his sword
And so I knelt and I took the cross from the Lord
I put it on my shoulder we started down the street
The blood that He’d been shedding was running down my cheek

They led us to Golgotha they drove nails deep in His feet and hands
On the cross I heard Him pray "Father forgive them"
Never have I seen such love in any other eyes
"Into They hands I commit My spirit" He prayed and then He died

I stood for what seemed like years lost all sense of time
Then I felt these little hands holding on to mine
My children stood there weeping and I heard the oldest say
Father please forgive us the lamb ran away

Daddy, daddy what have we seen here
There’s so much that we don’t understand
So I took them in my arms we turned and faced the cross
And I said dear children... Watch the Lamb

Depending on how old this song is, I think that I (along with a handful of others) acted this song out one Sunday morning (it was a Church of God). I was Simon, and my dad was the guard. I tried to break away, but he half-way drew his sword, and I calmed down and went along with him. That's the only memory I have of that skit, and I am pretty sure it was this song. I rather like it. But ML52779 is right. It ends with the cross. What about the resurrection? That not withstanding, I like it.

[Michael the Iconographer]

I think I will just stick with Orthodox hymnography.

[88Devin07]

I think since it was focusing on Simon of Cyrene that i'm not sure if he would have known immediately about the resurrection.

That is why I love "He's Alive" :)

[88Devin07]

Oh and Rise Again:

Go ahead drive the nails in My hands,
Laugh at Me where you stand.
Go ahead, and say it isn't Me,
The day will come when you will see,

'Cause I'll rise again.
There's no pow'r on earth can tie Me down.
Yes, I'll rise again,
Death can't keep Me in the ground.

Go ahead mock My name,
My love for you is still the same.
Go ahead and bury Me,
But very soon I will be free.

'Cause I'll rise again.
There's no pow'r on earth can tie Me down.
Yes, I'll rise again,
Death can't keep Me in the ground.

Go ahead, and say I'm dead and gone,
But you will see that you were wrong.
Go ahead, and try to hide the Son,
But all will see that I'm the One.

"Cause I'll come again.
There's no pow'r on earth can keep it back.
Yes, I'll come again;
Come to take My people back
Yes I'll come again;
Come to take My people back.

[Theophorus]

I think I will just stick with Orthodox hymnography.

I know what you mean, but a question; can a hymn, or homily etc produced outside of the church, be orthodox (small "o"). Some of CS Lewis work comes to mind.

[88Devin07]

ooo another good song by the same artist as the last two...

Sometimes it's hard for me to understand
Why we pull away from each other so easily,
Even though we're all walking the same road
Yet we build dividing walls between
Our brothers and ourselves.
But I, I don't care what label you may wear
If you believe in Jesus you belong with me.
The bond we share is all I care to see
And we'll change the world forever
If you will join with me,
Join and sing, sing,

You're my brother, you're my sister,
So take me by the hand
Together we will work until He comes.
There's no foe that can defeat us
When we're walking side by side.
So long as there is love,
We will stand.

The day will come when we will be as one,
And with a mighty voice together
we will proclaim that Jesus
Jesus is King.
It will echo through the earth;
It will shake the nations,
And the world will see,
See that you're my brother, you're my sister
So take me by the hand
Together we will work until He comes.
There's no foe that can defeat us
When we're walking side by side.
So long as there is love,
We will stand.

Take me by the hand,
Join with me.
Join and see - yeah.
You're my brother, you're my sister,
So take me by the hand.
Together we will work until He comes.
There's no foe that can defeat us
When we're walking side by side.
As long as there is love,
We will stand
You're my brother, you're my sister
So take me by the hand
Together we will work until He comes.
There's no foe that can defeat us
When we're walking side by side.
So long as there is love,
We will stand.

[88Devin07]

Another one :)

"Dad, has it always been this way?"
" Well, even from the beginning men hated
Jesus even though He did nothing but love
them and teach them and heal them. They
nailed Him to a cross. They thought they
had killed Him, but they only set Him free
to live in the hearts of people like you
and me who believe in Him. Then came the
apostles and most of them were killed for
telling other people about Jesus. So they
tortured them and killed them and even
left their bodies to rot as an example
to other people, but the church kept
right on growing, watered by the blood
of these precious saints."

"But Dad, did they want to die?"
" No. They didn't want to die. I mean,
many of them had children just like you
they had to leave behind. But they were
forced to make a choice. They could
choose to live this one life here on
earth and reject Jesus and be damned
or they could choose to believe in
the words of Jesus and live forever."
" I think I understand."
" Here, maybe this will help you understand."

I have heard how Christians long ago
Were brought before a tyrant's throne
And they were told that he would spare their lives
If they would renounce the name of Christ
But one by one they chose to die
The Son of God they would not deny
Like a great angelic choir sings
I can almost hear their voices ring

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb
With all my strength
With all I am
I will seek to honor His commands
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

Now the years have come and the years have gone
But the cause of Jesus still goes on
And now our time has come to count the cost
To reject this world, to embrace the cross
And one by one let us live our lives
For the One who died to give us life
Till the trumpet sounds on the final day
Let us proudly stand and boldly say

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb
With all my strength
With all I am
I will seek to honor His commands
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

To the Lamb of God who bore my pain
Who took my place, who wore my shame
I will seek to honor His commands
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

"You've got to remember that it wasn't
always this way. I mean, my dad could
even pray in school, of course, they
took that away from him. Then it became
incorrect for us to believe in the bible
and after that they just stripped our
right to worship away from us and we
quietly stood by. But son, I hope that
you're never put in the position that
you have to choose between your faith
and your life. But if you are - I know
which choice you're going to make because
I know that Jesus lives inside of you.
In the meantime, just pray like I taught
you how to and take care of your mom and
remember that God is the Father of the fatherless."

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb
With all my strength
With all I am
I will seek to honor His commands
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb
With all my strength
With all I am
I will seek to honor His commands
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

[88Devin07]

Do you think in your opinion, that in heaven since it will be everyone and not just Orthodox Believers, that we will be singing and worshiping not only in liturgies but also in these songs?

[choirfiend]

Do you think in your opinion, that in heaven since it will be everyone and not just Orthodox Believers, that we will be singing and worshiping not only in liturgies but also in these songs?

Huh? It's not gonna be everyone...We don't make any claims one way or the other when it comes to who is in heaven. We don't condemn anyone to hell, but neither do we proclaim that they're in heaven. We don't even say Orthodox believers are except for those who lived a life of heaven on earth (the saints).

I think it will be unending doxology and not at all like these songs.

[Pyotr]

Dude, you are one heck of a Ray Boltz fan...haven't heard these songs in a while (though I did translate and sing Allegiance in Spanish once).

I'd agree with choirfiend, though...the Apocalypse gives us a good picture of heavenly worship: the holy ones sing the same songs over and over (and it's quite a bit like the anaphora).

I don't think we'll be hearing anything like what you've posted, though.

[HandmaidenOfGod]

Do you think in your opinion, that in heaven since it will be everyone and not just Orthodox Believers, that we will be singing and worshiping not only in liturgies but also in these songs?

I’ll answer your question with a song…

I can only imagine

What it will be like

When I walk

By Your side

I can only imagine

What my eyes will see

When Your face

Is before me

I can only imagine

{Chorus}:

Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel

Will I dance for You Jesus or in awe of You be still

Will I stand in Your presence or to my knees will I fall

Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all

I can only imagine (I Can Only Imagine, by Mercy Me)

As the song says, we can only imagine what it will be like. We don’t know. The reality of what heaven will be is far greater than anything we could possibly dream up.

Personally, I’m not worried about what it will be like – I’m just worried about doing my part to make sure I’m there. J

[88Devin07]

that is another one of my favorite songs ;)

I never knew all those were Ray Boltz songs before today... :)