Saturday, April 3, 2010

Must See "TV"

Take some time today and watch this performance of Bach's St. John Passion on YouTube. It is magnificent. It is in 17 parts, but at the end of each part, you can click on the next and it is quite easy to watch it all. You will be glad you did.

If you cannot watch it all, make sure you watch parts 13 and 17. Part 13 is an aria on "It is finished." But right in the middle of such a sad aria, the soloist breaks out in a joyous "The Lion of Judah wins the fight!" That's the theology of the cross right there - our Lord's victory in death! Part 17 is the final part, "Rest well," and the Passion concludes with one of the greatest hymn verses ever written:

Lord, let at last Thine angels come,
To Abram's bosom bear me home,
That I may die unfearing;
And in its narrow chamber keep
My body safe in peaceful sleep
Until Thy reappearing.
And then from death awaken me
That these mine eyes with joy may see,
O Son of God, Thy glorious face,
My Savior and my Fount of grace.
Lord Jesus Christ, My prayer attend, my prayer attend,
And I will praise Thee without end!

(Someone please remind me to sing this on Good Friday next year!)

Are you still here? Go watch!

HT: Matt Harrison

2 comments:

Rev. James Leistico said...

I don't think I could make it through singing "Lord, let at last..." on Good Friday. It's hard enough for me to sing that without tears in my eyes and lump in my throat any other day. Such a beautiful doxology

Pastor Peasant said...

Jim,

I know what you mean! It'll be a challenge, but a good one.