Welcome to Tuesday, the best day of the week!!! It is time for your weekly dose of rhythm and revelation, affectionately called Tuesday's Musical Notes! This is the place where your favorites from all genre and generations are celebrated as we discover interesting facts about our favorite songs, albums, artists, and occasionally ourselves!
Serving HIM by serving You,
One of our goals at Tuesday's Musical Notes is to remind folks that there is meaning in every lyric that has ever been put to the combination of melody, harmony, and rhythm. This meaning is made even more special to us, here at the Notes, by the fact that in the 303 Tuesday's Musical Notes that exist, (you really should check out the archive, it's over there, you know, to the right of the screen, yup that's right, where all of the years are listed, go ahead click or search, have we made you wonder?), we have never attempted to monetize our blog in any way. That's not what the Notes are about.
Another goal has always been communicating the joy of music and the reason for that joy. This blog's opinion is that advertisements do nothing but detract from the joy of music and the meaning of the message we wish to convey. Plus, including ads might give off the impression that we were making an attempt at buying a stairway to heaven...
How do you write a song that by its 20th anniversary (1991) had been played almost 3,000,000 times according to radio sources? How do you write a song that is the best selling piece of sheet music in rock history with an average of over 15,000 pieces being sold annually? ( Llewellyn, Sian (December 1998). "Stairway to Heaven". Total Guitar, p.61-62) How do you write a song that tops print and radio lists for best song ever? Well, let's ask Jimmy Page, co-writer of "Stairway to Heaven"
"Stairway to Heaven" accomplished all of its accolades while never having been released as a single. Add to this that it clocks in at over 8 minutes long.
It continues to receive airplay at most good radio stations despite 1982 claims, by well-intentioned Chr
The meaning of "Stairway to Heaven" has been a topic for debate since Led Zeppelin IV's release in 1971. Robert Plant and Jimmy Page have both made statements regarding the song's interpretation. ("Greatest Rock Song - The Stairway to Heaven Story" by Eddie Deezen from todayifoundout.com, December 27, 2012) But before you get a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now, lest you forget, The Notes plans to give our spin and prove that words have two meanings...
In the coming weeks, pastors all over the world will be ramping up to the celebration of Easter. Congregants and guests will hear inspiring and heart wrenching messages regarding the brutality that was the crucifixion of Jesus. Some pastors will use the passages of Jesus' last words, His "7 sayings from the cross" if you will, to explain Jesus love for mankind and what He was willing to do to restore the broken relationship between mankind and God. Our pastor did a really nice job of this yesterday in fact. If you'd like to hear the audio, well you know what to do...("Road to the Resurrection - The Cross" - Pastor Tim Noel, March 18, 2018)
Speaking of church, do you have plans on Easter to attend a local church of your choosing? The Notes encourages you to attend a church on Easter. It may be a little more effort than your normal Sunday morning routine, or it may be your normal custom, either way, find a church that you can call your own. Even if it has been awhile, there a new friends waiting to engage you. And now back to your regularly scheduled programming already in progress...
We would also like to borrow from the "7 sayings" and explain where the "Stairway to Heaven" actually begins. Ooh, it makes me wonder...
One of the Gospels of Jesus life was written by a physician named Luke. There is a new movie coming out about him this Friday: Paul, Apostle of Christ trailer Dr. Luke was a believer who hung out with the apostle Paul and authored the Gospel that bears His name and many believe, the book of Acts. His Gospel of Jesus' life was taken from the accounts of the 12 apostles and Paul. His account of the crucifixion is an incredible perspective, as it came from a medical professional of his day. Luke's account of Jesus death includes three of the aforementioned sayings from the cross in a brief number of verses. Let's explore those for just a moment.
In this passage, Jesus is dying on the cross with 2 criminals on either side of Him. Jesus says, "Father, forgive them; they don't know what they are doing". The group of people who would have been in earshot of Jesus had to wonder, "what is He talking about"? Was He speaking of the crucifixion itself, or the mockery that the soldiers were perpetrating against Him? Yes is the answer, but it goes so much deeper than that.
You see, Jesus was in the middle of paying the price for our rebellion. That's right. Jesus was asking God to forgive the criminals on either side of Him, the centurions who had nailed Him to the cross, the guards who were mocking and ridiculing Him, and those who were watching it take place. But He wasn't asking God to forgive them for killing Him. He was asking God to forgive them of ALL of their sin, their rebellion, and wrongdoing against God. He was asking God to forgive Adam and Eve of their sin. He was asking God to forgive you and me of our sin. If we only knew the ramifications of every wrong we have done, do you think we would have done them? "Father, forgive them for they don't know what they are doing"
While the mocking continued at His feet, Jesus had a different conversation with the thieves who were being crucified with Him. One disparaged Jesus, while the other cried out for forgiveness. You see, Jesus offered His forgiveness to both but only one accepted. "Today you will be with me in paradise" Dear friend, Jesus' forgiveness awaits you to cry out to Him. His love is waiting to take you home to be with Him. His Spirit is drawing you to Him regardless of the situation you may find yourself in. The one thief believed and went to heaven with Jesus. What is your destination when this life is over? And as we wind on down the road...
Finally, Jesus allows his body to succumb to the physical ramifications of the torture that He had endured. He cries out "Father, into Your hands I commit my Spirit." Jesus had asked God to provide forgiveness for every person ever born of their sins, insured a thief who accepted that forgiveness would enter paradise with Him and then rested in the arms of God the Father, assured that He had paid in full the price that it would take to provide God's forgiveness, restoration, and heaven as a home for of those who believe.
In this passage from Dr. Luke, you no longer have to wonder. Yes, there are two paths that you can go by, but in the long run, there's still time to change the road you're on. God has forgiven you, through Jesus death and resurrection. But you have to accept that forgiveness. You can have the confidence of going to heaven, restored in your relationship with God by accepting that forgiveness. You can commit your spirit to the Spirit of God and rest assured. And as we wind on down the road, there is no better time than now. There is no stairway to heaven other than the one that starts at the foot of the cross and in the forgiveness that Jesus, only Jesus, can provide. Does your stairway lie on the whispering wind or in the sure foundation at the base of a cross on a hill far away?
'Til Tuesday,
Serving HIM by serving You,
randy
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