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Worship July 2017

Church Family,
           I pray that you and your family have had a great start to your summer! This month, I want to write about a new song we have been singing together on Sundays, which has quickly become one of my  favorite worship songs. It’s called, “Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery.” In just four verses, this song points us to the person and work of Jesus in a beautiful way. Verse 1 begins with Christ’s incarnation. Verse 2 and 3 lead us to consider Christ’s life and death, in which He died for us all. And then in verse 4, the song leads us to sing in triumph, celebrating Christ’s resurrection, and His victory over sin and death. I wanted to include the lyrics here, and ask you to reflect on these words this week. We will be singing this song together in the future, and I hope it encourages you to really consider who Jesus is, and what He has done for you. And then join us on Sunday, as we gather together to worship Jesus in a powerful way.

“Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery”

Verse 1
Come behold the wondrous mystery in the dawning of the King,
He, the theme of heaven’s praises, robed in frail humanity.
In our longing, in our darkness, now the light of life has come;
Look to Christ, who condescended, took on flesh to ransom us

Verse 2
Come behold the wondrous mystery: He the perfect Son of Man,
In His living, in His suffering, never trace nor stain of sin
See the true and better Adam come to save the hell-bound man,
Christ, the great and sure fulfillment of the law, in Him we stand.

Verse 3
Come behold the wondrous mystery: Christ the Lord upon the tree;
In the stead of ruined sinners hangs the Lamb in victory.
See the price of our redemption; see the Father’s plan unfold,
Bringing many sons to glory, grace unmeasured, love untold!

Verse 4
Come behold the wondrous mystery: slain by death, the God of life;
But no grave could e’er restrain Him, praise the Lord, He is alive!
What a foretaste of deliverance; how unwavering our hope:
Christ in power resurrected, as we will be when he comes.

         In Christ,

         Jared

Worship June 2017

Church Family,

This month, I want to leave you with an article written by a man named “David Santistevan, who serves as the Worship Pastor at Allison Park Church in Pittsburgh. In his article, he writes about the importance of corporate worship, and why all need the Church. I would invite you to read this article and to consider the role of corporate worship in your own life. We all need the Church! Here is his article:

“More than a few times I’ve heard from people who don’t care to attend church because they can have their “time with Jesus” at home. There’s nothing wrong with ‘Jesus time’ at home. But if it’s a replacement for the gathered singing of the people of God, it is a problem. And I don’t think Jesus would be happy with your decision. But let’s be honest. Sometimes connecting with God is a challenge in church. Sure, it’s amazing when you’re in a room full of passionate people pursuing an all glorious Savior. But there’s something beautiful and necessary about the mess of your church on Sunday. It’s awkward. It’s
inconvenient. And it’s beautiful. Of course, it doesn’t look like a Casting Crowns tour. Your band isn’t that good. Your production isn’t that good. Your budget isn’t that big. But do you know what makes the CHURCH impressive? It’s not necessarily the creativity and production. It’s the fact that we are the BRIDE of Jesus – the inheritance of an all glorious, Savior. We are misfits from many walks of life gathered under ONE NAME. We are sinners who’ve screwed up our lives, gathered under ONE CROSS where there is mercy. We are orphans embraced under ONE FATHER, now called sons and daughters. We are the large, we are the small. We are the rich, we are the poor. We are the smart, we are the uneducated. We are the talented, we are the glossed over. We are the brilliant, we are the broken. We are the church. And we need your voice in the corporate gathering. And you need that beautiful distraction in your life. It’s a fairy tale to only listen to Bethel records in the comfort of your home. Whether you like the songs or enjoy your band or not, you need Church. And the Church needs you.”

If you would like to read more from this author, visit www.beyondsundayworship.com.

See you Sunday!

In Christ,

Jared