Cantata “A Son Is Given”

Tomorrow the SSB Christmas choir will present the cantata, “A Son is Given” by Adam Morgan from Majesty Music.

It is an annual blessing to join other voices under the leadership of Shawna to continue to worship our Jesus on Sundays after our worship hour is completed. [Thanks so much, Shawna, for the yearly blessing!]  This year the music is both a set-up and a response to a play being presented by Kent, Rebekah, Kim, and Danell under the direction of Kathy. You will be blessed by their preps and presentation but more so, may your heart be moved.

May the words of the music grip your soul and cause thanksgiving and worship to flow forth from you to the great, merciful, loving, and redeeming God.  May the music and play be used by God to remind us of His work to redeem for Himself a people and that only by a serious faith in Him will we be able to stand before Him when parting this life.

You will find the words of the songs as an insert in your bulletin tomorrow but I want to highlight a few phrases to prep you but also to share how I have already been touched and blessed.

1. Isaiah 9:6 – a Child is born, a Son is given.  Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace 
2. Christ the Babe is Lord of all! Christ the Babe was born for you!
3. And we with them will seek the Lord of glory.  We’ll sing His praise through endless days and tell the wondrous story – His story!
4. Can there be a mercy still reserved for me? – the chief of sinners – long withstood His grace – long provoked Him to His face – not hearken to His call – grieved Him by a thousand falls – my Master, I have denied – profaned His holy name – put Him to open shame!  The Savior stands and shows His wounds and spreads His hands.  Jesus weeps but loves me still. 
5. Sent to wipe our tears away – to turn our night to day – see the gift and see the plan!  Behold the Babe – Here is GOD!  Come to die – to hear His people cry – to give the Lord’s reply – giv’n to sacrifice in shame – giv’n in love that caused His pain – Hallelujah!  Here is GOD!
6. Can it be that a man who died two thousand years ago is what our world so broken needs today?  Can it be that a soul who will call on His name shall be free?  Can it be? Can it be that He thought of me while hanging on the tree and bore the wrath for all my sin and shame? …to die for me, the one who caused His pain?  Can it be that my name is written down in heaven above?  My tongue can sing the song of the redeemed?

At one point the judge will declare, “A new name written down in glory” which is not quite theologically right.  Rather, he should say, “Another name revealed now in glory.”  Why, say you?  Revelation 17:8 reports: “whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world.”  The truth?  The names of those who will be saved were recorded in the Book before creation, so when a person professes Jesus as their Savior – it is that their name is revealed as already being in the book. And when a person is born again, God celebrates!  Humm?  Yes!   I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents,” Luke 15:10.  The angels are beholding God celebrating.  Yahoo!

7.  Maker of eternal law, glorious King, consuming fire, judges man before His bar.  Perfect justice deems the moral guilty.  Justified by faith alone! Peace with God through Christ the Son.  Righteousness not of my own, I will stand before the throne justified!  Christ the Advocate: “I am his and he is Mine” “By my stripes this soul is saved” “Set apart, redeemed, set free!”
8. Joy to the World – Hallelujah!!!