Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Taxman" (The Beatles)


Wait.  What.  It's Over?  What do you mean there is no more pecan (pronounced pe-kahn) pie?  I'm not quite ready for "Santa Baby" or "The Christmas Waltz"!  Nor am I ready for the inundation of commercials about things that could wind up in a yard sale this spring.  Have I turned into a curmudgeon? 

Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas...at Christmastime!!!  I don't know about you, but Christmas moods for me usually happen about 2 weeks before the actual day.  Yes, we do now have our lights on the house, and our tree is up. I love both of these and Tammy and the girls do a great job with them! But some of the other things could wait.  I suppose, that I just don't want to get burnout or suffer from Christmas overload as the day nears.  And how many times do we really need to see "It's A Wonderful Life"?

Regardless of my feelings, or how much I may elaborate on them, the Christmas season has hit with a fury.  And as Charlie Brown has bemoaned every year since 1965, it has become more and more commercial. Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, yesterday's Cyber Monday, and today's Giving Tuesday all elude to the fact that there is indeed a momentous financial aspect to the season from October 31 - January 1.  The 4th quarter has become so lucrative that some businesses bank their entire year on the success or failure of those last 3 months.  

With each transaction, there is joy at just the right gift purchased, a bit of sadness in saying goodbye to hard-earned money, and in the background, if you listen close enough you can hear the satisfied sounds of a government that has just gotten their piece of the pumpkin (or insert your favorite dessert) pie.  Yes, friends, that sound you hear is one entity that we don't consider much at this time of the year...    

or

It is the lead song to The Beatles' 1966 album Revolver.  Never released as a single, "Taxman" reflects a significant departure from the sounds that brought The Beatles ("The Beatles" a Tuesday's Musical Notes search) to prominence.  Gone are the sounds of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You".  Those are replaced with lyrics that make a comment on the times, a harder tone in the guitar, and blues riffs from the bass, as evidenced by "Taxman".   

George Harrison (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Got My Mind Set On You" (George Harrison), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "The Light That Has Lighted The World" (George Harrison)) stretches his songwriting muscles and shows that it's not only Paul and John that can bring out a thought set to music.  John provided some lyrical assistance.  How much that contribution was, depends on which of The Beatles you ask.  Apparently, Paul and George were in a "falling out" time, so Paul had nothing to do with the lyrical content of "Taxman".  

Taxman was the first song by The Beatles to feature any kind of social commentary.  It was written from the perspective of the person who collected taxes, the "Taxman", an insidious being who was taking everyone's money.  The motivation behind this particular "protest song" was that The Beatles individually were facing bankruptcy in 1966.  You read that right.  The Liverpool Lads, the Fab Four, the most successful band of all time was looking at the prospect of being broke.  Their financial plight was due to their ascension to the highest tax bracket in England at the time. As such, all of their revenues were subject to a 95% supertax rate on top of the taxes they were already paying.  "...Here's one for you, nineteen for me..." Shake hands with Mr. Value Added Tax (VAT), brought to you by the 1964 election of Prime Minister Harold Wilson, whom Harrison called out in the song.  

"Taxman" served as a model for the protest songs of the late 60s and winked at another icon of the time, the theme song to the TV show Batman.  Can you hear it?  "Taxman!!!"  It also served to further solidify the disdain for agents of the government who are employed to make sure that we pay our "fair share"...  "Taxman" serves as a reminder that success, like magic, can come with a price...sometimes a price that we are willing to pay but is more than what we might imagine.


Up to this point, Jesus had gone around the northern Israel area of Capernaum and the Gallilee region.  As He traveled He gained followers (disciples) and instructed an inner circle (apostles, as many as 4 or 5, but not all 12 that we will soon meet).  He was serving folks by healing their illnesses and even raising the dead to life.  He was gaining followers by doing the miraculous activities He did and the incredible illustrative stories (parables) He was telling.  Most of all Jesus was attempting to explain a concept with which the people in Israel and even some of the foreigners in the region were familiar...repent, return to God, come back to the Lord your God and follow Him.  Jesus began instructing folks on who He was as He even went one step further and proclaimed that the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. 

Enter Matthew, the taxman. Of the apostles, it appears that Matthew was the only businessman.  ("What Were the Professions of the Twelve Apostles?" by Erin Martise, updated November November 9, 2021, at theclassroom.com)  As a former business manager, I resonate with Matthew and am drawn to his story in particular.  OK, he's my favorite apostle...I said it!  Matthew's story has been poignantly told by the team of creatives who have produced the TV series about the apostles, The Chosen.  Check out Matthew's calling here:  "Jesus Calls the Misfit Tax Collector" from The Chosen season 1 or start from the beginning and binge The Chosen at https://watch.angelstudios.com/thechosen  

As a taxman, it is seen through the narrative as well as the video that Matthew was not liked very well by those whom he "served".  If Matthew was representative of the taxmen of his time, he took advantage of the folks in ways that were acceptable, perhaps even encouraged, by the Romans.  However, among the Jews in his "care", Matthew was seen as a sinner and ostracized by his people. Because of his legal profiteering, he was disliked by Jews as he was seen as a puppet for the Roman invaders This antipathy for Matthew was so severe, he was kept from worshiping in the temple.  

And then Jesus calls the taxman.  The tenor of all of the Gospel accounts leads us to believe that Matthew did not hesitate in following Jesus.  He left his tax booth and went.  He gave up a lonely, yet profitable, life to be a follower of an itinerant teacher who was changing the lives of those who followed Him.  Matthew's calling, that of a taxman, is viewed by those who already maligned Jesus and caused them to sneer at Him even more.  

Then Jesus does what no Jew in good standing would do.  He goes and eats not only with this taxman, but has Matthew invite anyone else to his home for a banquet. Can you imagine the circle of folks that Matthew knew?  Remember, his kinsmen had all but excommunicated him because of his position.  In all likelihood, Matthew's guests would have included taxmen, as well as other unacceptable outcasts from the ranks of Jewish society, and perhaps even a few of the Romans with whom he had associated.  

This party did not sit well with the religious rulers.  They wouldn't confront Jesus to His face but began "murmuring", as the Amplified Bible puts it, to Jesus' disciples.  Why would Jesus hang out with these folks? And Jesus, either because He heard them or because in His deity He knew what they were saying, gave them an answer that they didn't like much.  Again from the Amplified Bible:  "...And Jesus replied to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but [only] those who are sick.  I did not come to call the [self-proclaimed] righteous [who see no need to repent], but sinners to repentance [to change their old way of thinking, to turn from sin and to seek God and His righteousness].”  In one stroke, Jesus steps back and says..."Let me tell you how it will be..." and called them self-righteous and unchanging AND told them that He did not come to teach THEM, but to teach those who WOULD (emphasis mine) change their way of thinking regarding Him as well as fully embracing the whole "Love God and Love everyone else" mantra that they should have learned from Deuteronomy in their Torah school. 

Here's the point for us today.  There is NOTHING that you have done in your life's history that keeps Jesus from desiring YOU.  He wants you to believe in Him and become a disciple of His.  It is as simple as that.  All through the Gospels, we see Jesus embracing, physically and spiritually, thieves, lepers, prostitutes, convicted murderers, and yes as we see today....at least one taxman...and then bearing witness to their changed lives.  That's how you tell a disciple...is there definable ways their life has changed because of their encounter with Jesus.  How about you believing friend?  Are you the same as you were before you declared Jesus as your Lord and Savior?  Reflect on your life change, it'll be good for your soul.  

So what did following Jesus cost this taxman?  By following Jesus, Matthew, the taxman, lost worldly profits but gained heavenly treasures.  By following Jesus, Matthew, the taxman, lost his association with the Roman government but gained an association with the saints of glory.  By following Jesus, Matthew, the taxman, became a missionary to Ethiopia and lost his life by impalement and beheading, but gained an eternity future where God resides and Jesus reigns.  

"Let me tell you how it will be..."  Following Jesus comes with a price.  But the Bible promises that price will not go unnoticed.  Nothing is keeping you from Jesus today, but yourself.  "...Now my advice to those who die..."  Choose the gift of  eternity future with Him and God the Father, through Holy Spirit's calling to your soul.  Even if you are a...."Taxman"!!!

'Til Tuesday,

Loving HIM by Loving You,
randy
<><

My daughter, Kristen, and I have started a YouTube channel.  It's called Cross & Kin.  It's a channel devoted to entertainment media and commentary by us and you.  We have 2 episodes loaded so far and would love for you to check them out.  You can find the first one here: Cross & Kin episode 1

 

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Tuesday, November 22, 2022

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "A Day In The Life" (The Beatles)

Here we are.  It's the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.  No, we don't play Christmas music in Notesland until we can start eating leftover turkey and dressing.  No, we don't have our tree or any other lights up until the last of the pecan pie has been eaten as a before-bedtime snack.  No, we aren't being Scrooge-ish or Grinch-ish.  We just like to celebrate Thanksgiving!  Happy Thanksgiving!!!

You see in Notesland we cherish the opportunity to pause and reflect.  This moment of consideration provides for memories of the past year to overflow and sometimes overwhelm us.  We attempt to express our gratitude by finding small yet significant kindnesses which show our affection to as many folks as we can.  

Gratitude, along with hospitality, have seemingly become lost expressions.  Sure we say a pleasant, "Thank You" in haste, but does that go far enough?  Does that truly express how we are feeling about the service rendered or the potential sacrifice of time, talent, and treasure that has been given to our account?

Today, Tuesday's Musical Notes wishes to provide you with an example of thankfulness as told by one who had many reasons to express his gratitude.  He is one of the surviving members of the Mayflower colony, Edward Winslow.  "Meet the American who gave the nation our Thanksgiving origin story: Pilgrim Edward Winslow" - by Kerry J. Byrne, foxnews.com, November 18, 2022  

Edward Winslow's perspective on the early settling of the United States provides a history of the victories as well as struggles the pilgrims endured to get to that first meal with their native friends.  It should also provide a reasonable reminder to us that we have many reasons to give thanks.  As many settle around a table with healthy family members, preparing to eat a meal that has likely been grown with the highest of health standards observed, we all have reason in which not only to be thankful but to express that thankfulness with observable gratitude.

Otherwise, thanksgiving becomes just...


The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album sets the standard by which musical experimentation is defined.  Even today, the album resonates with the Avante Garde in artists who wish to be seen as pushing the boundaries.  The album came in at #1 in the 2003 edition of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and soared to #1 on all of the record charts at the time of its release. For more on one of the 20th Century's most influential pop music albums, check out this article:  "11 Facts About 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" by Roger Cormier, mentalfloss.com, June 1, 2017.

As you find yourself coming to the end of Sgt. Pepper's, you encounter one last song that puts the exclamation point to the album's recalcitrant ode to pop music, "A Day In The Life".  It serves as a completion, a bookend if you will, to the experiment as John Lennon, with a little help from his friend, Paul McCartney, pens and opines about the latest headlines of their time and how they choose to react to those headlines through a haze that has as its influence marijuana and LSD. 

As we proceed, we feel it necessary to provide this disclaimer:  Tuesday's Musical Notes does not advocate the usage of these or any other loss of bodily control substances under any circumstances.  We recommend that artists of our time tap into their unaltered creativity to produce the beauty and even the experimental art of our time.  

"A Day In The Life" in many minds is the dominating track from the Sgt. Pepper's album. It takes the musical norm of its day and puts it in a blender, inspiring those who come after to not hold tightly to the musical boundaries of Bach, Beethoven, or Mozart...or anyone else for that matter. It inspires a no holds barred approach to creativity that easily be seen in the works of many artists and musicians, anyone listen to Bjork lately?  

The song served as the inspiration for James A. Moorer's "Deep Note" or as you might know it better... THX INTRO.  It is also easily recognized by its final E-major chord played on 3 different pianos (stuck by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and Mal Evans (personal assistant and road manager for the band) which remains constant for 40 seconds due to the manipulation of the volume level as the sound decrescendos.  

Lyrically, it tells the story of a car crash that resulted in the death of Tara Browne, the heir to the Guinness Brewery legacy, as well as another report of the road conditions in England, especially London where 4000 holes littered the streets.  Its most well-known line,"...I'd like to turn you on..." has a variety of interpretations from its obvious drug references to a nod to the hippie demonstrations of the day led by Timothy Leary.  For the Lennon/McCartney collaboration, the song is emblematic of the conversations they would have about the day's events, which is very reminiscent of another storyteller, who was less concerned about being popular, than getting His message out in a way that everyone could understand...


Last week were exposed to the miracles of Jesus.  These events were unexplainable to the folks of the day as they probably would be to folks in our times.  They served the purpose of showing Jesus' compassion, grace, and mercy as Jesus met the physical needs and provided some of those He encountered with the promise of better days.  Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Better Days' (Goo Goo Dolls)

Today we look at another aspect of Jesus' ministry.  His teachings, or parables as the Bible calls them.

The word parable is not used a lot in my circles, so let's unpack its meaning before we dive into Jesus' use of them.  A parable is defined by dictionary.com as a noun that means:

1. a short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson.
2. a statement or comment that conveys a meaning indirectly by the use of comparison, analogy, or the like.


We find the parables of Jesus located in all of the Gospel accounts of His life.  The Gospel of John never calls Jesus' illustration stories by the label "parable" but the nuances are similar enough that a comparison can be drawn.  Here's an article from christianity.com that includes a list of all (John's Gospel is excluded) the parables: "What Were the Parables of Jesus?" by April Motl, christianity.com - January 22, 2020 

The Gospel with the most parables is that of Luke.  Luke includes 24 of Jesus' story examples, 18 of which are unique to the physician's account of Jesus. (Matthew includes 23, 11 unique, and Mark has 8 parables with 2 being unique)  The parables used everyday items, a lost coin, sheep, seeds, etc, to illustrate the principles of Jesus' mission and show some of the aspects of His upside-down kingdom.  

The parables of Jesus serve to teach truths about life in general, but more specifically about Jesus' mission. His intended audiences didn't always perceive the instructive precepts. There were also times Jesus used the parable to stimulate questions from His disciples.  He patiently explains the parable and its meaning to them in teachable moments which in turn assists believers today to see how the ancient example illustrates an eternal concept and understand it as well. 

Tuesday's Musical Notes confesses to having a favorite of Jesus' parables.  It is included as a part of a grouping of parables that tell of things that have been lost and the joy experienced upon either their discovery or return.  Our treasured parable is the Parable of the Lost Son as recorded in Luke 15 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV.  This story is so impactful that we included it in one of the first Tuesday's Musical Notes:  Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Carry On Wayward Son" (Kansas)

As you can see, the Parables of Jesus include stories of redemption (The Prodigal Son), how to love and treat others (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Old Days" (Chicago)), and parables regarding the kingdom of heaven (The parable of the seed, leaven, and treasure, (The Gospel of Jesus according to Matthew, a tax collector, chapter 13 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV)  

Jesus' disciples didn't always understand as He told them the stories.  There is a chance that you may not either at this point. But let me encourage you to continue to read them.  Read them as the stories they are intended to be.  Read them as the examples of daily living they are intended to be.  Read them as the pathways and precepts to restoring your relationship with God that they are intended to be.  As you persevere in reading Jesus' parables, God as Holy Spirit will draw you to Himself through their example, or show you what you need to understand from each one.  As your insight grows about the parables, let also your application grow from the parables.  Then as you mature in your belief, you can boldly go to people and say, "I heard THE news today oh boy..."

'Til Tuesday,

Loving HIM by Loving You,
randy
<><

 

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Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Better Days" (Goo Goo Dolls)

In recent days, I have found myself navigating further and further away from the "news".  I think part of that is, well, a trust issue, but the flipside to that is that I rarely watch the "evening broadcast" on any of the networks and find their consideration of "tonight's top headlines" to align with the priorities of my life.
Inflation is something of which to be aware, it impacts everything, however, there is very little that I can do to move the numbers in a favorable direction.  I mourn the loss of GDP.  In some ways, it mirrors the lack of "making things" in the United States as it seems we have priced ourselves out of the market for profitability, even in growing food.  Yet again, it seems that I am incapable of developing policy that would instigate a resurgence of the United States being industrious.  

I seem to remember about 5 years ago when the "headline" was that folks thought $15 per hour minimum wage was a good idea.  So much so, that they were protesting in favor of it.  Well, we live in a time where many employers have begun paying that wage as a result of not having enough workers after the pandemic.  This causes higher prices for providers of goods, which in turn get passed on...  The conspiracy theorist in me thinks there is a link in all of this led by a "shadow" organization, but we won't delve into my paranoia today.

It seems that nothing short of the miraculous will aid us in our desire for...


With subtle nods to the Christmas season, we bring to you today's featured song.  (No, we don't have any of our Christmas decor up, nor will we until the day after Thanksgiving, to each his own.) "Better Days" even appears on the 2020 Goo Goo Doll Christmas album It's Christmas All Over.  The Goo Goo Dolls do a great job in balancing the positive year-round messaging of the song with a hint of Christmas as a service to the world by providing this song as a lead into the season of celebration.  It is an upbeat song about the possibilities that lie ahead and the fact that some are working towards making things better for everyone.  "...So take these words and sing out loud..."  Plus any song that encourages singing tops the charts in Notesland!

"Better Days" peaked at #36 on the Hot 100 but went all the way to #3 on Billboard's Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks chart. 

Possibly, this great song was buoyed by its increased usage on television. "Better Days" came at a time when the southeast portion of the United States had been inundated by Hurricane Katrina.  In the aftermath, ABC and CNN chose to use the song as a lead-in bumper to their coverage. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition used it for the special "After the Storms" episode.  It was also used in 2006 in the pilot episode of the CBS drama Jericho.   In 2008, another CBS drama, Cold Case used the song as the first of six songs in its season finale.  NBC also took up the song as the theme song for their 2010 show, Who Do You Think You Are?

Not surprisingly, many "Better Days" has been utilized as a sports anthem.  From the WWE to the NFL, as well as the NHL the song has been used in a variety of ways.  In one twist, the Orlando Magic uses "Better Days" as a song of hope after the basketball team loses.  

The days in which we live could sure use a revival of the song as it seems that nothing short of the miraculous can lead us to "Better Days".


In the Notes continuing exploration of the great narrative accounts in the Bible, we have come to the life of Jesus.  Over the past several weeks, we have attempted to stay chronologically accurate as we have seen Jesus grow from the baby in the grotto, to beginning His ministry and gaining disciples.  For the next couple of weeks, we step aside from the chronology to focus on 2 specific aspects of Jesus' ministry;  His miracles and His parables.  

One doesn't need extensive theological training to understand that the life of Jesus was made known to His world, as well as to ours, by the miraculous things that Jesus did.  The extraordinary began with turning water into wine at the marriage celebration in Cana. (remember, we are talking 1st-century water, probably not the Mountain Valley Spring Water we have today)  (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "It's A Miracle" (Barry Manilow)).

From here, the Gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, provide a narrative of over thirty instances of the inexplicable things that Jesus did.  We could take the next year and break these down for you, but we think it is sufficient for you to check out this great article that provides the details.  "What Miracles Did Jesus Perform?" March 29, 2019, christianity.com

Our focus passage today is the Gospel of Mark.  It includes the highest number of all of the Gospel accounts of the miracles that Jesus performed at 22.   For those on the receiving end of these supernatural occasions, one would imagine that there were certainly "Better Days" ahead for them after their meeting Jesus.  Even by today's standards with our instant communications and app-filled existence and other unbelievable things happening daily, these events are plausible only by having the faith that the Bible describes throughout its pages, especially as described by Paul.  "Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen."  

Some may question why Jesus chose to operate in such a manner.  Why did Jesus choose to heal some and not everyone? What was His purpose for performing the miraculous?  We have a few ideas we would like to posit.

1) The miracles of Jesus provided attraction.  This is NOT the main reason that Jesus did them.  In fact, on many occasions, He told those who were receiving the miracle not to speak of it.  The word however got out about The Word and many came to Jesus to be healed of their afflictions.  My thought is where were all of these folks when the Sanhedrin were questioning Jesus?

2) The miracles of Jesus provided needs.  Whether the needs were for sustenance, demon removal, or resurrection, all of Jesus' miracles provided for a specific need of the recipients.  By doing this Jesus' compassion for people was highlighted as His followers realized that Jesus knew intimate details about everyone that received a benefit from His actions.

3) The miracles of Jesus provided teaching.  As Jesus gained disciples, He used His miracles for teaching moments.  Yes, the disciples needed to gain a better understanding of who Jesus was, but they also needed to understand how much God loved every person created in His image.  They needed their eyewitness accounts of the seemingly unbelievable to inspire and inform the future that they would be facing.  

The healing, raising from the dead, and removal of demons also served as lessons to Jesus' adversaries about who He was and what their role in fulfilling His mission would be.  While they saw Jesus as a challenge and threat it was impossible to refute the good things that Jesus was accomplishing and how the folks of the region were responding to Him. Perhaps it even caused them to research their Scripture better to see if Jesus' claims were legitimate.  Regardless, they wind up on the wrong side of the conversation as ultimately they did just what Isaiah described they would do; reject Jesus despite all the things that they saw.

Today, many around the world who have heard the name of Jesus associate Him with the miracles He performed.  This is important, however, if all they see is the sensational aspects of Jesus' works, they are missing out on the compassion, the desire for restoration, and the capacity to forgive sins in these works.  The forgiveness of sins ultimately was Jesus' mission to the world in the first place, thus providing those who choose to accept His forgiveness a whole lot of...Better Days.

"...So take these words
And sing out loud
Cause everyone can be forgiven now
Cause tonight's the night the world begins again..."

'Til Tuesday,

Loving HIM by Loving You,
randy
<><
 

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Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Revolution" (The Beatles)

Hey, there friend!  Do you have something to watch tonight?  If you are in the United States, the streaming services may be in meltdown mode as every other station in networkland will be talking and squawking about the mid-term election results.  Me?  I'll be in my easy chair choosing not to get sucked down the partisan, talking-head hole.  I will however check in occasionally just to see the trends.  Besides, don't the pollsters already have the races called with .000085 of the results in?  Ultimately, by the time we see what the results of this election are, we'll be knee-deep into the 2024 Presidential campaign with both sides claiming they are the best fit to run the country and having spent more money in telling us about it than most countries have in the entirety of their GDP.  Where's all this money when we talk about the national debt...but I digress.  

I confess I find the process by which we go about electing our representatives (Constitutional Republic NOT Democracy...see last week's blog) entertaining and somewhat fascinating in a frustrating way.  Just once, I would like to hear a political speech that involved a PLAN for the future rather than spending the bulk of their speaking engagement in the denigration of the opposing candidate.  Between the insane amount of money and the enormous amount of trash-talking, it's enough for a humble blogger to want to call for a...



There are 3 versions of this song that were recorded.  As seen in the above video, "Revolution"  was recorded and released as a remake of "Revolution 1"  with the intention of being a single.  It wound up on the B-side of "Hey Jude".   

"Revolution 1" and "Revolution 9" are iterations of the same song with different timing and instrumentation that were taken from the recording sessions that would become the double album, The Beatles (aka The White Album).  While both versions were recorded before what would become the single, neither rendition of the song included in the album was fast enough in McCartney and Harrison's minds for mass production as a single.  Thus the remake which would peak at #12 on Billboard's Hot 100.  

"Revolution" was written by John Lennon.  The writing credit and thus shared royalties were given to the Lennon/McCartney partnership.   The Beatles were inspired by the political and national unrest that was prevalent in the United States and the world in the late 60s.  Opposition to the Vietnam War, buoyed by the Tet Offensive (Tet Offensive - wikipedia.org) instigated protests around the world and bolstered the New Left ideology which proved especially engaging to the youth movement of the time.  The Beatles, while sympathetic, attempted to stay away from controversial lyrics in their songs and saw the movements, both political and social, as being far too extreme in their rhetoric.  "Revolution" is the response in song form to the unrest The Beatles saw as having very little effect in initiating the reforms that were needed to enact change.  

In contrast to what some may think, John wrote the song as a criticism of the way the youth movement and New Left were attempting to evoke the progressive agenda they sought.  In his mind, burning down everything made very little sense as it left everyone with well...nothing.  "...But when you talk about destruction Don't you know that you can count me out..."(he later added a subtle yet distinguishable "in" to the lyric as a show of support, without acknowledging the detrimental effects of what the movements were abdicating.)    As an avowed pacifist, John was seeking peaceful solutions and demonstrations, as evidenced by his "bed-in" with Yoko the following year.  Revolutions typically had little long-term impact in Lennon's mind and served no one for the better.  John just wanted to "see the plan" where very few existed among the "revolutionaries".  This lack of a plan has not always been the case when the world was faced with revolutions...


As we have discovered through our journey of the great stories of the Bible, we saw in the Old Testament that the children of Israel were given prophecies of One who would be a great king and set up His kingdom by which all the world would be blessed.  Here are just a few of those prophecies:  "What are some of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah?" - bibleask.org  

As we have entered into the New Testament, we have seen that Jesus has fulfilled those prophecies. Every...Single...One.   From Jesus' birth narrative until now, the Bible and Holy Spirit have shown us that Jesus is fully God and fully man.  We have been exposed to Jesus' compassion for the weak and the poor, and His animosity toward those who would misuse the temple in Jerusalem.  

In today's Scripture, we are given a hint as to how a true revolution should begin.  And it has a plan.  No, it is not one that we can imagine, nor was it what most Israelites had in mind for Messiah, yet it is a revolution nonetheless.  Jesus begins preaching throughout the region.  He physically heals those with maladies and spiritually heals the hopeless hearts of those broken by the weight of their sinful lives.  More importantly, Jesus goes about describing the upside-down kingdom that will be the result of the revolution of the heart that He brings to those He encounters.

You see friend, we refer to Jesus as King and Lord, yet most of the time, Jesus refers to Himself and lives a life of servanthood to others.  That too is a definition of revolution as it describes an upside-down kingdom.  "The least shall be the greatest and the greatest the least.  Love your enemy as well as your brother."  These sayings were so antithetical to what was expected of a king that many in the area wouldn't listen.  This type of revolutionary message did not resonate and was not the preaching of one who would throw off the overbearing rule of the Romans.  Yet, they were the precepts by which Jesus was sent to evoke His kind of revolution.  It was the plan from the beginning.  In this revolution, destruction comes but in the form of healing.  Change came in the heart, not in the political landscape.

Notice that preparation for the revolution was necessary.  Mark and Luke point out that Jesus went to a secluded place to pray.  He was taking the time to commune with God and strengthen Himself for the preaching He was about to do, thus executing the plan.  He then went about the entire area living out His purpose for coming.  He prepared Himself by engaging with God for the purpose God had for Him.  

Preaching was also necessary for Jesus' revolution.  His message?  "Repent, the kingdom is at hand."  Repent means to turn away from something towards something else.  In this case, Jesus was preaching to the folks to turn from the ways of the world and turn towards the upside-down kingdom He was describing and emulating.  The Scripture from today says that Jesus followed up on His message by having empathy toward those who were hurting by healing and casting out demons.  This sounds like a destructive revolution against the powers and principalities of darkness that will later be described in Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus.   Ephesians (Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus) 6:12 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV  You count me...in!

"You say you want a revolution? Well, you know we all want to change the world..."  

Jesus' perspective on revolution needs to be embraced every day but especially today when the vitriol and licentiousness of today's election comes to the forefront.  Remember, Jesus' revolution didn't occur at a ballot box but in the framework of one's heart.  Jesus' revolution came from the greatest becoming the servant, and from repenting of the ways of the world, turning to the ways of God.  As we implement the plan and get more messaging on Jesus' principle of revolution...we see that maybe John (The Beatle, and well maybe the disciple too) had something right....don't ya know it's gonna be...alright.


'Til Tuesday,

Loving HIM by Loving You,
randy
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Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "The Fishin' Hole" (Earle Hagen and Herbert Spencer)


Welcome to Tuesday!  There is much going on in the land.  It is the first day of November in 2022 and we are 1 week away from what appears to be one of the more fascinating mid-term election cycles in recent history.  Yes, I know, I just mentioned, the election, but don't tune out.  We only say it as a reminder for you to go and exercise your right to vote as a citizen of a Constitutional Republic (that's right The United States of America is NOT a Democracy, despite the media's constant misuse of the phrase, here is a great article that details the differences..."Republic vs. Democracy: What Is the Difference?" by Robert Longley, June 2022, thoughtco.com) Civics lesson over for today...

With all the hubbub going on it would be easy for one's anxiety to begin headed for a peak.  That climb up apprehension mountain is exacerbated by the continual reminder of the election season in the form of the recycle bin fodder in which we are inundated through our mailboxes (umm...does recycling election paraphernalia aid in reducing global warming??)  But do not be dismayed, your favorite blog has the solution for the early voting blues.  It comes in the form of a song, of course, but not just any ol song.  A song that is probably being heard even now as you read Tuesday's Musical Notes because somewhere in the world, a man is whistling a tune about a perfect day...


Opie seems bigger in color...and the key seems to change...odd how color television has that effect!


or perhaps the full-length song is more to your liking...


As you surf the channels, you are bound to find one of the most iconic television shows of all time, The Andy Griffith Show.  The immediately recognizable theme aids in the relaxing atmosphere that you are about to witness in its comedic perfection.  Millions around the world love the adventures of the citizens of Mayberry and tune in to witness again and again the laid-back antics of the small town.  Regardless of how many times you have seen its 249 episodes, there may be a few tidbits lacking in your knowledge of Andy, Barney, Opie,  Aunt Bee, and the rest of the citizenry of the fictional North Carolina town.  "15 Things You May Not Know About The Andy Griffith Show" from neatorama.com

Andy sings the lyrics to the theme song on the above album.  Give it a listen.  We've also added a link with a bit of a surprising homage to "The Fishin' Hole" in the form of a Lincoln car commercial here:  "The Fishin' Hole" by Andy Griffith, from the 1961 album Songs, Themes and Laughs from The Andy Griffith Show and 2020 Lincoln Aviator Television ad  

Written by Earle Hagen (who is the "whistler") and Herbert Spencer, "The Fishin' Hole" never charted, nor won any awards, yet if you start humming or whistling the tune, you are sure to be joined by others who enjoyed the slower pace of life that the song exudes and exists in Mayberry.

Sometimes the solution to some of the pressing problems in Mayberry was solved by going fishing.  If your goal is to catch fish, the exercise could prove frustrating.  But if, as were many of the cases for Andy and crew, your goal was just to get to the peace of the outdoors and relax, regardless of the outcome, going fishing could be calming at the least and prove somewhat cathartic.  It seems to me that some of the world's more pressing problems could be solved if folks fished more...

"Well, now, take down your fishin' pole
and meet me at the fishin' hole.
We may not get a bite all day,
but don't you rush away..."

or maybe you might find these tips helpful:


The Gospel writer John says of the stories of Jesus, "But there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if they were written in detail, I expect that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written." - John 21:25 NASB  Tuesday's Musical Notes continues to explore the stories that we do have as given to us by the Gospel writers.  Today we go on our first fishing excursion...

To some, this is a familiar Sunday School story of how Jesus got His first disciples.  The story is very important for the continuing narrative, but also serves the purpose of foretelling what these disciples will be doing with their lives, fishing for men.

Matthew and Mark give us the "Cliff's Notes" version of this event, but Luke, like a color commentator (hey ESPN you could learn something here!!!), gives us more detail about the calling of Andrew and Peter, James and John, Jesus' first disciples.  Jesus is teaching to the crowd, Luke says that the crowd was listening to the word of God.  Word in this instance could have very easily been a reference to Jesus Himself as He is described by John as The Word.  

Luke further tells that the crowds were "pressing around Him".  Jesus finds 2 boats that were empty at the time as their owners had gone to clean their nets for the day.  Jesus gets in one of the boats and asks Simon (later named Cephas/Peter) to launch into the Sea of Galilee (aka Genesseret).  Simon and his partners in their fishing business, Andrew (his brother), and James and John were done for the day and about to leave in frustration as they had been at their job all day with little to show for it.  

Jesus teaches from the boat to the crowd.  Luke says that He sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.  Now while the Bible doesn't highlight this as miraculous, we find it mind-blowing!  The best way that folks can hear a teacher is if the teacher is in a standing position with little ambient noise.  Jesus is in a boat on a lake sitting down and the folks on the shore still... heard... His... teaching.  But friend, this is just the beginning.  

Jesus finishes speaking to the crowd and instructs Simon to put out into deep water.  Simon is perplexed, and as he usually does, expresses his confusion, but obeys what Jesus says.  He goes to the area Jesus says. He goes to the right fishin' hole. What's good for Simon is certainly good for us.  We need to be obedient to what Jesus is telling us, through Holy Spirit.  It may seem perplexing to us, but when Jesus says it so we need to do it.  Also, we need to be where Jesus is leading us to be.  Jesus tells us to go to just the right spot so that He can work through us in His way, even though we may not understand it.  He knows the best fishin' spots.

Jesus tells Simon to cast his nets.  Simon, characteristically, has a comment about the day's work that "netted" them very little but begrudgingly, doubtfully, drops the nets into the sea.  Be careful not to beat up Simon too much.  We all have doubts.  That is our nature.  We should never allow our doubts to overcome the truth of what Jesus says or to drop our nets in the area Jesus instructs.


The nets fill quickly to the point that Simon cries out for the other boat to come and load up the excess fish.  The boat arrives and they are both so full that the Bible says that they came close to the point of sinking.  Remember, we are in deep water.  But notice how quickly Simon's attention was drawn to Jesus and not the potential loss of the catch, or the fishermen.  Simon realized, while not completely, that he was in the presence of righteousness.  This association causes him to come to grips with his standing before God.  Luke says that Simon and his companions were "seized by amazement" as he cries out for Jesus to go away.  Simon comprehends his sinfulness in light of Jesus.


Jesus instructs them to not be fearful in light of what they had seen.  Jesus tells them that they will no longer catch fish for their sustenance, but they will be fed by being fishers of men.  The complexities of what this meant were probably not completely understood by the four partners, yet the Bible says they left the catch of a lifetime and followed Jesus.

Have you ever felt pressed by the crowd?  Have you ever been resolved to listen to the Word of God?  Has there ever been a time you needed to escape maybe to a local pond or lake and get away from folks?  Has Jesus ever spoken to you through Holy Spirit to go somewhere that seems useless to you?  Has there ever been a time when Jesus spoke to you over the noise of the environment?  Has there ever been a time when Jesus invited you down to the fishin' hole?  Have you recently been "seized by amazement" at what your obedience to Jesus' instructions yielded? Have you ever wondered what being a "fisher of men" might look like?  Simon, Andrew, James, and John took the first step by leaving all that they knew to follow.  Stay tuned...

Simon, while hesitant, obeyed Jesus.  He and his partners had probably been on the shore as Jesus was teaching the crowd and heard the word of God while cleaning their nets from an unproductive day.  Then Jesus got in his boat and everything changed.  What do you do when Jesus gets in your boat?  Are your bait and tackle ready?

'Til Tuesday,

Loving HIM by Loving You,
randy
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