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In our neck of the woods (that's an expression meaning in our part of the world, just in case...), school is starting, and with it comes a renewed excitement that cooler weather, college football, and new relationships could be on the horizon.
In our neck of the woods (that's an expression meaning in our part of the world, just in case...), school is starting, and with it comes the dread of earlier mornings, increased traffic, and the never-ending struggle of getting back into a routine we had long forgotten...well we tried to forget about it 2 months ago. 
The leaves will soon be changing and there will be a briskness in the air that calms the weariness of the heat of the summer. The structure of the "regular" will permeate every household as they find themselves at ease in the all too familiar landscape of the school season.
The leaves will soon be changing and there will be a briskness in the air that calms the weariness of the heat of the summer. The structure of the "regular" will permeate every household as they find themselves at ease in the all too familiar landscape of the school season.
The grass will need to be cut until November. The humidity hangs out until mid-September. And every night there is a pile of homework that as I attempt to help, I soon realize that they don't teach things like they did when I was in school. The dread of "what's for supper" permeates the afternoon conversations...over and over and over...
Welcome to Tuesday and Tuesday's Musical Notes!!! This is the incredible resource that continually uses music in ways that we promise the originators never intended. We hope that as you proceed into your school year that you will use this tool to educate premusicologists in the auspices of the art and find a balance between the two extremes represented above.
As you can well imagine, this time of the year brings differing perspectives from folks. I contend that everyone has had both of the above opening monologue ranges of emotions as our students, teachers, administrators, and support staff get started on their annual pilgrimage of instruction. If you are one of the folks who do the work of school, thank you! You are once again about to become heroes and villains. Please try not to take too much either way personally, it's just the nature of your industry. It seems the most vibrant memories I had of instructors were those that I loved and well, didn't love so much. As someone once said..."It's just people..." That's what makes this time of the year so special, you soon find out just how the right things to say, and conclude that in most circumstances...we can work it out!
Tuesday's Musical Notes - The Beatles search - this is a starting spot, today's entry marks the 20th time that songs by The Beatles have been featured at Tuesday's Musical Notes. Can you find them all? Yup, archives to the left... Like so many of the biggest hits of The Beatles "We Can Work It Out" was written as a collaboration between Paul McCartney and John Lennon (oh yeah, search for these guys too in Tuesday's Musical Notes archives, as well as Ringo and George). Paul is credited in most publications as writing the beginning and end of the song, with John adding the more urgent middle lyrics."Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend." George Harrison suggested adding the 3/4 (actually written as triplets in the 4/4 chart) waltz-like feel section as an illustration of the back and forth between Paul's more upbeat lyrical content and John's lyrical urgent reality.
"We Can Work It Out" was a non-album single that was released simultaneously with The Beatle's Rubber Soul record. It was released as a double "A" sided single at the insistence of John as he thought "Day Tripper" (the other side of the single) was the better song of the two due because it better reflected the band's "rock" side, while "We Can Work It Out" was much more commercial. Both songs entered the charts in the top 10, but "Day Tripper" peaked at #6. "We Can Work It Out" quickly zoomed to the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 making for the sixth number-one single for The Beatles and going on to sell over one million copies in a month.
Lyrically the song tells the struggles of most relationships and the hope that conflict can be resolved in a manner that satisfies both partners. It relates the reality that our time together is better spent on developing strong bonds instead of fussing and fighting. "We Can Work It Out" does however come from one perspective. "Try to see it my way..." is sung 3 times reinforcing the idea that the singer thinks his is the correct direction to be headed, while conceding that ultimately a solution can be reached. Personally, that's why I think this song went to #1 over its flip side. History is replete with example after example of those who have faced this circumstance making the song instantly relevant and relatable... and you could dance to it!!!
The Jews had for over a millennia considered themselves God's chosen people. While they didn't always act like it, the Bible confirms God's choosing of Abram in Genesis and then follows this family as it had its share of moments where they thought they had got it right when they were wrong as well as moments where their love was soon gone. In the New Testament Jesus arrives on the scene, fulfilling prophecies and affirming God's choice of the Jews all the while extending the covenant promises to everyone in the world. Devout Jews didn't take to well to Jesus teaching and they determined to rid the world of Him. Jesus was crucified and buried. He then came back to life and was seen by many people in the region. These people continued telling about the new covenant promises that Jesus brought and began to set up communities of Jesus' followers to support one another in the effort to tell the world about Jesus, the church.
Paul, who was once a persecutor of these believers, had an experience with the risen Jesus and was tasked with taking the Gospel, the Good News, to the world outside of Jerusalem. He set out with a small entourage and began setting up communities of believers as he went on his journey. Even though Paul had been a devout Jew of the ruling class, he now showed no discrimination to those whom he told about Jesus. With the newness of the message and opening of God to the entirety of the world, Paul met some pushback. He was stoned and left for dead in some communities and run out of others. However, the message of Jesus was embraced by some, Jew and non-Jew (Gentile) as Paul went on his mission.
As Paul and his companion Barnabus concluded their journey, they soon discovered that some conversations that needed working out had come up among new believers. The Jewish religious leaders thought that Scripture taught the ideology that everyone who belonged to God should have the physical marking of circumcision, a procedure performed on male reproductive parts. They had come from Jerusalem behind Paul to the new churches and had begun teaching converts this philosophy. As you can imagine, Gentile adult men were hesitant to have to do this unless necessary, so a conflict arose between the two groups. The Bible goes so far as to say that Paul and Barnabas had a "heated" argument and debate regarding the issue, thus the first church business meeting was instituted. (ok so that was a jab at the reputation of church business meetings...hopefully yours are never contentious!)
To work it out, the debaters dispatched Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to inquire of those who had been with Jesus to see what their thoughts were on the subject. They wanted to go as close to the source material as they possibly could. With their proximity and relationship to Jesus, surely Peter, James, John, and the other apostles would have insight that would solve the "conversation". The urgency of the Gospel spurred Paul and Barnabas to get an answer so the fussing and fighting would cease and the Gospel would continue to be preached.
Paul and Barnabas retraced their steps and told the burgeoning churches about the Word and the work that had occurred during this first missionary journey and what their mission to Jerusalem was about. These churches were excited to hear about the conversion of the Gentiles and seemingly didn't have an issue with them being members of their church. Oh, that we would celebrate more and select less...but I digress... The church in Jerusalem welcomed the team and celebrated all that God had done through Paul and Barnabas on their trip. Paul then described to the apostles and church leaders the contention that was brewing among the new churches they started. They considered the issue one that needed to be resolved or else there was a chance that they might fall apart before too long. But, religious rulers gotta be religious rulers and when the Pharisees (devout Jews) heard of the conversion, they insisted that all of these new believers were to follow the Jewish ritual.
Peter provides an excellent exposition to the group in the form of asking why should they ask the new believers to do something that even the chosen ones of Israel have not been able to do consistently. Peter says, "...But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.” This silences the debate for a time as Paul and Barnabas continue to regale the goodness of God and all the wonders and works that He had done as they went their way.
James then stands and speaks. He essentially says to the crowd, "...Think of what you're saying You can get it wrong and still you think that it's all right. Think of what I'm saying We can work it out, and get it straight or say good night. We can work it out. We can work it out." James brings in Scripture to show that the Gentiles coming to God was given to the prophets as they prophesied. James concludes that the new believers should be encouraged and not be required to follow in circumcision, yet they should abstain from some specifics: things contaminated by idols, acts of sexual immorality, eating meat that came about from the animal being strangled, and eating/drinking blood. In so doing, James made a recommendation that encouraged the new faith and held them to some standards simultaneously. The group of church leaders agreed that this accomplished the goal of calming the concerns and enlisted Judas and Silas to accompany Paul and Barnabas on their return journey to the church in Antioch. They sent a letter along with this team. A letter that bears reprinting:
“The apostles and the brothers who are elders, to the brothers and sisters in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles: Greetings.
Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have confused you by their teaching, upsetting your souls, it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from acts of sexual immorality; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”
Upon arrival at Antioch, Paul and Barnabas relayed the letter to the folks of the church. These new believers rejoiced at the encouragement given in the letter and were further encouraged by their interactions with Silas and Judas. Silas and Judas stayed in the region for a time and then were sent back to Jerusalem with gladness of heart and encouragement of their own to share with the apostles.
Today we see a prime example of how God intends His church to behave. Yes, there will be times when we want folks to see it our way. This Scripture sets a template that the church today can follow when there are conversations of import that can potentially be contentious.
According to worldpopulationreview.com, 166,324 people die every day. How many of those have heard the good news of Jesus? How many are in heaven with Him now? But the converse of that question must be asked as well, how many of them are not in heaven with Him now? Reality dictates that time is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friends. The church must be THE bastion of love, grace, and mercy. These attributes are what the God we portend to believe in has granted every one of us. It is the reason Jesus died and why He will return soon. The church must also have Biblically-based standards and hold folks accountable. We will have disagreements. We must not settle those conflicts in the same manner as the world expects. That same love, grace, and mercy must be meted out in our discussions on topics in which we are conflicted.
In a letter that Paul will write later, he says, "Endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Paul's letter to the Ephesian church, chapter 4, verses 1-6 NASB/AMP/ESV/KJV
"Til Tuesday,
Loving HIM by Loving You,
randy
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