​Recently, one of the songs that has been on a regular playlist for me is “Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery” from Matt Boswell and Matt Papa.  The two “Matts” have recently released a new album full of some of the modern Hymns they wrote that have made their way into many churches (including a few we sing regularly at FEFC).
 
Each verse we sing tells a different chapter of the Gospel.  In verse one, we sing of how Jesus – who is GOD – made Himself low by taking on humanity for us.  In verse two, we sing of Jesus’ perfect life – sinless, He fulfilled the law.  In addition, the verse ends with recognizing how it is in Christ’s righteousness we are declared righteous. 
 
Verse three begins with Jesus Christ on the cross, paying the cost of our own sin.  What wonderful contrast in the words that say His victory was in the humiliation of the Cross, our Glory and Redemption found in such an act of shame!  We round out the Gospel story in the final verse, jubilantly declaring that in Jesus’ resurrection we see His victory over sin and death…but what is more our assurance that our deliverance has been assured.
 
There are a lot of words to be sung here, in fact there are almost as many words in the song as there are in this summary of it.  One might ask why we would sing a song like this on a Sunday morning.  While the tune is certainly memorable, with this many words it will be hard to remember them on the following day.  We sing them so that as we gather we remind one another of the Hope of the Gospel.  It is for this that we gather… so that others may see the Glory of God reflected in all that we do!

For His Glory,
-Pastor Zach

Earlier this week, we posted the “Top40” for worship music at First Evangelical Free Church.  While this isn’t the first time we’ve done this, I know many attenders at FEFC may wonder why we sing the songs we do!  There are literally hundreds of worship songs released each year, and the process of choosing the songs that enter into the “canon” of worship here at FEFC is a complicated process many of you never have the opportunity to see.  Out of that realization, this week begins the first of what I hope to a regular series of blogs that will help us as a church understand why it matters what we sing each week. 
 
In John 4, we see Jesus interacting with the Samaritan woman at the well.  What should be fascinating to all of us is that in verse 19, when confronted with her sin, the woman asks a question that seems completely unrelated –  a question about worship.  The Samaritans differed from the Jews in many ways, but one of importance to them was whether or not their worship of God in the High Places was acceptable to God…particularly since they weren’t allowed into the temple to worship like the Jews. 
 
Jesus answer should cause us to pause for a moment: “The hour is coming and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and Truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him.  God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  Her question to Jesus was about where God accepted worship, Jesus answered by saying God was interested in how we worship.
 
Hopefully as we explore God’s Word and the songs we sing we will see how we can do just that: Worship in Spirit and in Truth.
 
For His Glory,
-Pastor Zach