.jpg)
We can say He’s “The King”, but that really means something quite different than what historians and most people imagine when they see that title attached to anyone. That difference certainly did not escape Chris Davenport, Amanda Cook, Ran Jackson and Ricky Jackson when they sat together in 2023 and considered how to sing to this king. They must have thought of the moments when Jesus was with Pilate, and how perplexed that governor was when he encountered Him. Pilate thought Jesus was a mere man (see the artwork Ecce Homo [Behold the Man!], by 19th Century artist Antonio Ciseri), with perhaps a few tricks up His sleeve, and could not imagine that His crowning moment (even while wearing the ignominious crown of thorns) was near when He would, as king of the universe, die and then turn on death and crush it. No king has ever done, nor could one ever accomplish what King Jesus did. No reign has ever been established the way that Jesus brought about this one, and so these four 21st Century composers thought of how best to acknowledge someone as unique as Jesus. A single shout of praise just doesn’t do justice to how we should respond. It takes a lifetime, and every moment counts.
Chris Davenport sat and talked about how “The King” developed the one day that he and his comrades were at Ricky’s house; they were about to suspend their work for the day, when Ran mentioned that he had a chorus, and the others’ reaction when they heard it was that the lyrics and the idea were obviously hitting the bullseye, so they decided to press on with their efforts, rather than quitting for the day. What is the best way to address the God who has done what Jesus did? They settled on the idea that praising and celebrating with every line was the only apt response. Chris said a church should just ‘light up’ as it shouts about the victory that He’s provided. So, let yourself go, and think of it as a party, but also as a time when your absolute conviction that He’s the beginning and the end of everything gives you confidence to approach the overwhelming issues in your life with a renewed sense that the darkness cannot win. He’s won for you and me, and we should consider it an honor and privilege to be called Christians. ‘For the war is won’, these four sang (v.1), and there are so many other words that they used in the lyrics that should lift the spirit of the church, like ‘victory banner’, ‘celebrate’, and ‘joy’ (v.1); and ‘trumpet’, ‘glorious sound’, and ‘Jesus riding on the clouds’(v.3) that provide thrilling mental images that are based in scripture. These aren’t just feel-good faint hopes, but real promises that we can take with us through life from the One who died and rose again to secure them for us. Oh, and there’s that word ‘Hallelujah’ that they sing repeatedly, to cap what should be an ecstatic moment. But, it’s also not a moment when we forget how Jesus paid for this, as the songwriters retell us in verse two that He ‘bore…burdens, and ‘suffered…shame’ for all of us. And yet, He met death head-on, and left its ‘fear’ in an ‘empty grave’ (v.2). Death is robbed of its horror, and we get to see Him ‘fling the gates wide open’ on that eternal morning. Are you excited yet…does that send an electric shock through you? You and I will indeed tremble at these words -- not in dread, but with exhilaration.
He will rouse us one day, of that we can be certain. Chris suggested in the interview that being Christian can make us take some things for granted, that we might become too relaxed in our certainty. You might have sung about the glorified Jesus a thousand times, but don’t get ‘too cool’, that you might start to take the same attitude as those who do not have Jesus. Live life remembering what that resurrection moment was like for Him, and how that will be magnified so many times when He does the same for you. It will indeed be personal, and you can start to celebrate it now, as a way to get others’ attention and broadcast to as many others as will listen that they can expect the same if they connect with this king. The album on which “The King” was included was entitled Time. That seems appropriate when we think of this king and what he’s already initiated, and how it will culminate in one never-ending day. Though time will be suspended, it won’t be an eerie place, a la the Twilight Zone. Chris, Amanda, Ran, and Ricky have reminded us that the shadowy domain where Rod Serling invites people to come, versus the one where King Jesus will be light, are quite different. His domain will inspire adventure, wonder, and utter delight. Which place would you rather be in – Rod’s home or the home of King Jesus?
See the song story shared here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcebOp2pwsY
See some comments from one of the songwriters here: https://www.ccmmagazine.com/news/chris-davenport-releases-new-worship-single-the-king/
See the information here re: the album and the year it was released: https://genius.com/Chris-davenport-the-king-lyrics
See information on the image here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcebOp2pwsY …The author died in 1891, so this work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer. This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1931. Find the image inside this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontius_Pilate
No comments:
Post a Comment