Tuesday, January 2, 2024

Romans – Music Story

Something is wrong with the world.

We live in a violent world. War is raging on every continent. In fact, thirteen major wars are being fought right now, including the civil war in Myanmar that forcibly displaced over a million people. As the military was seizing power, my niece evacuated on one of the last planes out of the country.

We live in an asylum-seeking world. Thousands of Mexican migrants with their belongings stuffed into one bag are bussed to “sanctuary cities” in the U.S and simply dropped off. In a major city just a few hours from my home they fill a third of the already overwhelmed family homeless shelters.

We live in a world battling over orthodoxy. In a neighboring state, an education law resulted in the removal of hundreds of books from public schools, classic works of fiction, nonfiction history books, even Pulitzer Prize winning contemporary novels!

The apostle Paul explains the root of the problem in the New Testament book of Romans.

Three songs from Romans

1.      The Mind of God

We originated in the mind of God. We are created by, through, and for a triune God to reflect his unity and diversity.[1]

2.      Bad News! Good News!

The problem is personal. We don’t reflect God’s unity and diversity. We have fallen short of the glory of God. We are sinners. God’s solution to the problem was personal. God sent his Son, Jesus, to demonstrate that he loves us. We are forgiven and made right with God through Jesus’ death.[2]

3.      The Love of God

Surrounded by violence? Forcibly displaced? Seeking asylum? On the wrong side of orthodoxy? For those who have accepted God’s solution, nothing can separate them from the love of God.[3]

Kathy


[1] Romans 11:33-36

[2] Romans 1:2-6, 3:10-18, 5:1-11, 10:5-13

[3] Romans 8:31-39

Friday, November 3, 2023

Titus – Music Story

The verses behind the songs.

Before Time Began

Read Titus 1:1-5 and Titus 2:11-14. Who wrote the letter? To whom is it written? Why? What preaching was entrusted to the writer?

Compare Titus1:1-3 and Titus 2:11-14 in the Amplified Bible and The Message. What did God promise before the beginning of time? To whom was it promised? When did God fulfill the promise? What does that mean for you?

Listen to the song. Does it capture the message of these verses? Why? Why not?


Ordinary Lives

Read Titus 1:6-9 and Titus 2:1-9. What is Titus to teach? (Titus 2:1) How are leaders to live out that teaching? Older men? Older women? Young women? Young men? Slaves / employees? What happens when people live out the teaching? (Titus 2:10)

Listen to the song. What are ordinary clothes? How would you say it differently?


The Hymn of Salvation by Grace

Read Titus 3:4-7. Summarize these verses.

Compare Titus 3:4-7 in the New International Version and The Passion Translation. What title does The Passion Translation give this section? Why? (See the callout in verse 4.) In which translation does the cadence of the words best reflect the title given to this section?

Listen to the song. Does putting the passage to a beat help you remember it? Why? Why not?


Kathy



Friday, October 27, 2023

Moses' Genealogy

There are lots of genealogies or family trees in the Old Testament. The Genesis 5 family tree lists descendants from Adam to Noah. The Genesis 11 family tree lists descendants from Seth to Abraham. Moses’ family tree is found in Exodus 6.

The genealogies use the Hebrew word יָלַד (yā·lǎḏ) which means “have a child.” It is translated “bore” or “begat.” Unless we understand how Moses used the word יָלַד (yā·lǎḏ), the Old Testament genealogies will not make sense. They will be absurd. They will be impossible. Let me explain.

This twelve-minute presentation examines the impossibility of Moses’ genealogy.

Kathy



A print version of this presentation is available.

Click here for the PDF.


Monday, September 11, 2023

I Stand Firm – Music Story

Paul pictures the Christian life as a battle. A battle against doubt, fear, deception, darkness. Paul instructs us to “Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

Doubt and Fear vs. Pursuit of Holiness

When we experience pain, problems, and stress, we are tempted to pursue happiness. The battle we face is internal, a battle against doubt and fear. When life doesn’t go as we wish, Paul instructs us use the Word of God as a sword. We are to let God’s Word pierce us and transform our pursuit, from happiness to holiness.

Deception vs. Liberty

We live in a post-truth culture, a culture in which feelings trump facts. Jesus, not how we feel, is truth. His teachings are under attack. This battle is external, a battle against deceptive cultural norms, claims based on feelings. This battle is fought in the public arena for the right of Jesus followers to express truth. And after doing everything we can, Paul instructs us to stand our ground.

Darkness vs. Life

Jesus is the light. Darkness seeks to extinguish the light. Darkness rules where Jesus and his teachings are banned. When the day of evil comes, followers of Jesus may experience loss of property or livelihood, imprisonment, torture, even death. In the day of evil Paul instructs us to put on the full armor of God and stand firm.

From the album “Main Street” this video is scrolling playback of a song based on Ephesians 6:10-18.

Kathy

Click here to read Ephesians 6.

Print (PDF) and/or digital (MusicXML) sheet music is available for I Stand Firm.

Sheet Music
Click here for PDF.

MusicXML
Click here for MusicXML.
(MusicXML™ is the standard open format for sharing digital sheet music. Check the help files in your music notation app for directions on importing MusicXML files.) 




Sunday, August 6, 2023

The Majesty of the Maker! – Music Story

In 2007 a group of us gathered to plan a Darwin’s Day 2009 celebration. We were going to celebrate the Creator’s majesty with drama and music. We outlined a story. A script writer would pen the drama. I had written thirteen songs based on thirteen creation passages in the Bible. A professional musician would arrange the music for his group. They would perform music and drama. We would book venues around the city. Then … our script writer started grad school. Our professional musician changed jobs. Both had to bow out due to time constraints. We had no Darwin’s Day 2009 celebration.

What could I do with a bare outline of a story and a few songs? I finalized the story line and wove it between songs I had written. I now had a musical that any worship team (yours!) could adapt and make their own.

The Majesty of the Maker!

He’s a homicide detective and a new father. He wants something real, something solid to pass on to his son.

He discovered the Bible’s claims about creation match reality:

·         The creation Psalm matches reality.
The Majesty of the Maker from Psalm 104

·         The Cause of the universe must lie outside the universe.
Son of God’s Love from Colossians 1:15-17[1]

·         Life cannot exist unless the universe is stretched out.
Fingerprint from Isaiah 40:21-18[2]

·         The Genesis creation account matches reality.
The Odds from Genesis 1[3]

·         The Genesis creation account of man matches reality.
Family Tree from Genesis 2:7-25[4]

He discovered the Bible’s claims about God and people match reality:

·         People are immeasurably valuable, yet deeply flawed.
Garden of Decision from Genesis 3:15[5]

·         If the Creator became a man, he would be like Jesus.
The Word from John1:1-18[6]

·         Jesus promises to meet the deepest longings of the heart.
Christmas Every Day from Revelation 21:1-5[7]

·         The Creator’s promises can be tested.
A Sure Bet from Jeremiah 33:25-26[8]

·         We instinctively know that the Creator exists.
Secret Lives from Romans 1:18-20[9]

He weighed the evidence:

·         Creation shows the existence and grandeur of God.
A Prayer from Psalm 19:1-3, 14[10]

·         The Creator is good, loving, and just.
I Cry to God from the book of Job[11]

·         The Creator can be trusted when pain engulfs.
You Are There from Psalm 139[12]

 Here’s scrolling playback of the opening song of the musical.

Kathy

Can a cosmic beginning (and thus the need for a cosmic beginner) be avoided by appealing to quantum gravity theories? Can abiogenesis, panspermia, or directed panspermia account for life on earth? Click here for a review of the scientific literature.

You can download PDF of the entire musical and/or digital (MusicXML™) music for just the opening song.

Sheet Music

Click here to download 50-page PDF of the musical: book, music in lead sheet format, lyrics.

MusicXML

Click here for digital sheet music of the opening song, The Majesty of the Maker.
(MusicXML™ is the standard open format for sharing digital sheet music.
Check the help files in your music notation app for directions on importing MusicXML™ files.)





Friday, August 4, 2023

Son of God’s Love – Music Story

I’ve been rescued, freed, and forgiven by Jesus, God’s Son whom he dearly loves. Jesus, the exact image of the invisible God, is Creator and supreme over all creation. He is worth singing about.

Jesus is God
Jesus is Creator
Jesus is Supreme


From the musical “The Majesty of the Maker!” this video is scrolling playback of a song based on Colossians 1:15-17.

Kathy

Click here to download 50-page PDF of the musical: book, music in lead sheet format, lyrics.

Click here to read Colossians 1.

Print (PDF lead sheet) and/or digital (MusicXML) sheet music is available for Son of God’s Love.

Sheet Music
Click here for PDF.

MusicXML
    Click here for MusicXML.
(MusicXML™ is the standard open format for sharing digital sheet music. Check the help files in your music notation app for directions on importing MusicXML files.)






Wednesday, July 5, 2023

You Are There – Music Story

In a world in which there is no firm ground on which to build identity, Psalm139 offers me incredible authenticity and incredible freedom. Let me explain.

Incredible Authenticity

Psalm 139 tells me I am fearfully and wonderfully made. The Creator knit my DNA, my chromosomes, my body, together in my mother’s womb. I sense the world around me and relate to it. I connect with others. I imagine possibilities and work to achieve them. My ability to do all this is firmly grounded in the body God fashioned for me. Accepting that my body is God’s very good creation gives me incredible authenticity.

But my desires don’t always align with what my body is able to do. As a kindergartener, I could barely contain my excitement when my class was invited to sing on the radio. I was crushed when my teacher told me, “You may come with us to the studio. You may mouth the words of the song, but you must not sing.” Sadly, I couldn’t carry a tune.

Incredible Freedom

Psalm 139 tells me that the Creator knows me better than I know myself! He understands how I think. How I feel. How I move. He knows my deep disappointments. He is with me in the highs and lows, the joys and hurts. I can share raw feelings and uncensored thoughts with this awesome Creator, the God who loves me and gave his life for me. Amazingly, humility and hope accompany this incredible freedom.

From the musical “The Majesty of the Maker” this video is scrolling playback of a song based on Psalm 139.

Kathy


Click here to download 50-page PDF of the musical: book, music in lead sheet format, lyrics.

Click here to read Psalm 139.

Print (PDF) and/or digital (MusicXML) sheet music is available for You Are There.

Sheet Music
Click here for PDF.

MusicXML
Click here for MusicXML.
(MusicXML™ is the standard open format for sharing digital sheet music. Check the help files in your music notation app for directions on importing MusicXML files.)