Benny's Blog

Wednesday, 4 April 2012

Soundtrack for Holy Week - Peter

It wasn't just Judas who betrayed Jesus - Peter did too.

After promising to die with Jesus, he denied him three times when the going got tough. All his words - all his bravado - all his grand gestures crumbled away as the cock crowed.

But Peter wasn't like Judas - perhaps because he knew Jesus in a deeper way. Peter had got it wrong before, and Jesus had stuck with him. His mouth had got him into trouble more than once. He had even seen Jesus on the mountain shining like the sun, and spoken pure drivel in the presence of God - but Jesus stuck with him.

Even so, I bet that Peter's joy at the resurrection was still tempered by the sadness that comes from failure. His joy at seeing the risen Lord slightly blunted by wondering if he had screwed it up just one too many times...

Then Jesus came to them by the lake - a distant figure on the shore. He called to them to let down the nets on the other side of the boat, just like the first time Jesus called him. And the nets almost burst with fish - just like before. Peter knew it was the Lord.

And as Jesus called Peter's name, I wonder what went through Peter's mind?

"Simon Peter" said Jesus, "do you love me?" Three times Jesus asked and three times Peter replied "Yes Lord - you know that I love you".

Peter knew what Jesus was doing. He was taking him back to the night before the cross - back to the courtyard of the High Priest's house - back to those awkward questions, "Aren't you one of his friends?"

Yet as Jesus took him back to that night, he also took him back into his heart - the heart of love and forgiveness - the heart of unconquerable hope and trust. And three times Jesus responded, "Take care of my sheep".

When we get it wrong (and we all do) the temptation is to run away, not to face the God we have betrayed. But running away never solves anything. It is in the sticking around that we discover the depth of Jesus' love for us. And as he helps us face what we have done, as he calls our name, so he makes us whole.

Pieces - by Red

I'm here again
A thousand miles away from you
A broken mess, just scattered pieces of who I am
I tried so hard
Thought I could do this on my own
I've lost so much along the way

Then I see your face
I know I'm finally yours
I find everything I thought I lost before
You call my name
I come to you in pieces
So you can make me whole

I've come undone
But you make sense of who I am
Like puzzle pieces in your hand,

Then I see your face
I know I'm finally yours
I find everything I thought I lost before
You call my name
I come to you in pieces
So you can make me whole!

I tried so hard! So hard!
I tried so hard!

Then I see your face
I know I'm finally yours
I find everything I thought I lost before
You call my name
I come to you in pieces
So you can make me whole
So you can make me whole

To view the other Soundtracks for Holy Week follow the links below:

Tuesday, 3 April 2012

Soundtrack for Holy Week - Judas

Judas is the antithesis of Mary.

He was the one who criticised her for pouring her expensive perfume over Jesus feet at Bethany. He was the one with connections in high places. He was the one who held the money bag for the Twelve - and who helped himself.

But why did he betray Jesus?

The answer to that question remains a mystery. Was it jealousy, disillusionment, greed or despair? Was he trying to force Jesus' hand by putting him in a position where he had to reveal his true power and set Israel free? Was it simply an act of madness that led him to take the soldiers to Jesus in the dead on night and betray him with a kiss?

Whatever the answer, one thing is for sure. There was a fight going on inside Judas, a struggle for supremacy between the Judas who chose to follow Jesus and the Judas who ultimately betrayed him.

That fight goes on within us all, to a greater or lesser degree.

We want to follow Jesus but we also have our own plans, dreams, and ambitions. We come to the one who calls us to unconditional surrender to God, and yet we want to retain control. We sometimes wish that God would act according to our time-scales and our judgements, and we get disillusioned when he doesn't.

For Judas, the fight inside finally led to his downfall. The betrayers kiss, the guilt and despair, and finally the place which he hung himself.

But the fight is there within us all...

Today's song comes from American band 'Red' and is called "Fight inside".

(If you get an inane advert at the beginning please don't give up - the song is worth waiting for)

To view the other Soundtracks for Holy Week follow the links below:

Monday, 2 April 2012

Soundtrack for Holy Week - Mary anoints Jesus

One of the most moving acts of Holy Week was Mary pouring perfume on the feet of Jesus and wiping them with her hair.

John tells us that this was not the 'sinful' woman who came to Jesus in repentance, but Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus.

She was the one who sat at Jesus feet when Martha was doing the chores, and once again, Mary chose love over practicality when she took a bottle of costly perfume and broke it over Jesus feet in preparation for his death, just 6 days later.

Her devotion is a sign to all of us that following Jesus sometimes means throwing caution to the wind in overwhelming outpourings of love and compassion - extravagant, extreme, even wasteful love.

When she was attacked for being wasteful, Jesus rose to her defence and said that her actions would be told wherever the Gospel is preached even to the ends of the earth - and we remember her wonderful extravagant love today.

The music comes from a wonderful CD by 'Chrisitan City Youth' called 'No longer I' and is available from Amazon.

To view the other Soundtracks for Holy Week follow the links below:

Sunday, 1 April 2012

Soundtrack for Holy Week - Palm Sunday

There are times when it is right to set aside controversies and arguments to focus on that which draws people together, and closer to God.

So like last year, I will be taking a break from the twists and turns of trying to work towards a more inclusive church, to focus on the most inclusive act of human history - the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Even as he was nailed to the cross, he prayed for forgiveness for the people who were driving the nails into his hand and feet - for the people who had beaten and ridiculed him - for the religious and political leaders who had framed him and washed their hands of him.

So this week, I will be posting some music each day, looking at the events and people who lived out this week with Jesus.

Today's song is performed by Seventh Day Slumber - an American rock/worship band. Its a remix of a well known song to priase for the day when the crowds welcomed Jesus to Jerusalem with shouts and songs of celebration and praise.

How great is our God...

To view the other Soundtracks for Holy Week follow the links below: