Welcome to Tuesday! You've encountered The Notes. Of all the blogs out there, we think it's the G.O.A.T.!! It's filled with fun music and things you should know. And even a few things that could cause you to grow!
It's a blog found on Tuesday that reflects on the past. But helps you think thoughts that we sure hope will last. Thoughts provoking and deep, while some quite alarming. All wrapped in a manner we hope you find charming.
We all need a break, a breath from our cause. One way is a thought that may bring about pause. A delay in our life to ponder and roam. Until such a time that we find ourselves home. And then we're back at it, it's time for the dawn. Embrace what's before us, the show must go on!!!
"The Show Must Go On" is a phrase coined by 1950s theater veteran Noel Coward as he posited the question in song form, "Why Must The Show Go On?" It has since been used as a rallying cry for those who wish for a performance or movement to continue despite extreme adversity or mistakes. Mostly proffered in the entertainment business, it is easily used and understood regardless of its context.
There is a touch of poignancy with this phrase in the life of the band Queen (Tuesday's Musical Notes - Queen posts). It was the last song recorded, the last track on the album, Innuendo, and the last single released before the untimely death of lead singer Freddy Mercury. Written by songwriter/lead guitarist Brian May, the song encapsulates the life and career of Mercury and his battle with AIDS. "The Show Must Go On" was released as a single in support of the band's Greatest Hits II album. It came out 6 weeks prior to Mercury's passing.
"The Show Must Go On" was performed live for the first time at the Freddy Mercury Tribute Concert with lead vocals provided by Elton John and guitar support from Black Sabbath's Tommy Iommi. It has also become a staple in its use in television and movies as well as support for 2014's Stanley Cup (Hockey's Super Bowl or World Series) celebration.
The MTV offering of the song serves as a videologue for a decade of music as it features snippets of previous video releases by Queen from 1981-1991, again supporting the Greatest Hits II package. This was due to the fact that no new footage was shot of Freddy Mercury as the decline of his health was prohibitive.
Lyrically, "The Show Must Go On" describes the intense desire to persevere in the face of overwhelming difficulty. It is an emotion to which many can relate and find encouragement as we go through each day with challenges known, and sometimes unknown. It begs the question, "Does anybody know what we are looking for?" as it describes the fortitude taken to live a life filled with purpose. It is in fact a question faced by every person who has taken a breath. The answers to that query determine how exactly we go about making sure that..."The Show Must Go On".
It is one of the most well-known Sunday School stories told to young people. The miraculous means by which the Phillipian jailer is saved is celebrated as the great story from the Bible it is. But first some context.
Paul, Silas, Luke, and possibly Timothy were in the city of Phillipi. They had just encountered the seller of purple fabrics, Lydia, and saw the salvation of her and her household. As they continued teaching and preaching in the city, they were soon followed by a young girl. This girl was a slave and the Bible says she had a "spirit of divination". This means she was able to tell things about folks that were not readily known or discernable. As she followed the entourage, she shouted, "These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you a way of salvation." (v. 17)
The slave girl's proclamation regarding the believers went on for days and became an annoyance to Paul. When he had enough, Paul turned to the girl and commanded the spirit to come out of her. Which of course it did as Paul's command was wrapped in the authority of the name of Jesus.
As a slave, this girl was the property of owners who had profited, probably quite well, from her possession. You can imagine that they were upset as they just saw their margins eliminated. They were so disturbed by these events that they brought charges against Paul and his companions. This eventually led to our band of missionaries being placed in the deepest recesses of the prison.
The surroundings were imaginably miserable and they had been beaten, yet the Bible said these faithful witnesses were praying, praising God, and singing. Did you get that...THEY...WERE...SINGING..
And now back to our show...
All of this Psalm singing was going on around midnight and the team's diligence in seeking God had results. An earthquake occurred. It was of such magnitude that the doors of the prison opened and the shackles fell off the feet of the prisoners. In verse 26, the Bible says that the same results happened for all of the prisoners, not just for Paul and his partners. "All" and "everyone" are beautiful pronouns in this passage that show the benefit to everyone around us if we are faithful to seek God with all of our heart, soul, and mind... and in this case, our voice!
The jailer awoke and saw the incredible episode unfolding before his eyes. The prison doors were all open and it seemed that the prisoners had escaped. Since these prisoners were his responsibility, he would be held accountable for this mass exodus. The reality that he was doomed to be executed hit him pretty hard and he proceeded to take matters into his own hands.
Paul was able to sense what was going on and he quickly cried out to the jailer that all of the prisoners were present and accounted for. The jailer called for light and was astounded at what he saw. One can imagine that he too had heard the praying, praising, and singing, and given these results he wanted to know what he must do to be saved.
Paul's answer is one that rings true today as well. Believe in Jesus. Believe that He was who he said He was and that He did what He came to do, providing a means of restoration to God for everyone. The Gospel is that simple and it is something you can do right now. Is the Holy Spirit drawing you to Himself and your own personal restoration to the God who created you? Believe, friend, just believe and your show will go on.
The Bible records that the Phillipian jailer and his household believed and were baptized. Yup, baptized, just like John the Baptist performed in the desert, and just like Jesus Himself was. Immersed as a sign of the change in their lives. He tended to Paul and the missionaries's wounds and gave them a meal at his home. It was a home now filled with joy (v.34)
"...I'll soon be turning, 'round the corner now."
But wait there's more!
Even with the rapturous salvation of the jailer and his family, the story continues as we soon find a dose of reality coming to those who had accused Paul's group, at least politically. The chief magistrates of the region went to have Paul and his team released. Paul was having none of it. They were legally Roman citizens even though they were Jews and Paul realized their imprisonment was not as lawful as it may have appeared on the surface. "...Hold the line. Does anybody want to take it anymore?..."
"...I'll face it with a grin, I'm never giving in..."
Paul enthusiastically denied the team's prison release in secret. They weren't arrested in secret, so why should they be released in secret, especially as Roman citizens? Those who had accused them could come and release the prisoners themselves. At the mention of their citizenship, the magistrates were filled with fear as the reality of what they had done set in. They immediately went to the prison and begged for Paul's team to come out and leave the city. The Bible records that the mission team went to Lydia's home and was encouraged by the believers who were there.
Believers in Jesus may or may not have literal earthquakes that occur as the result of their praying, praising, and singing. Yet, the effects of those efforts can equally be earth-shattering. We may not know this side of heaven what those results may be or who our efforts may affect, yet we must be faithful, even in the hard times to seek God through the Holy Spirit's power and in the name of Jesus to see us through difficulties. You see friend, our part in the miracles that occur in this life is to remain faithful and see to the very end that, "The Show Must Go On".
"...I guess I'm learning
I must be warmer now
I'll soon be turning
'Round the corner now
Outside the dawn is breaking
But inside in the dark, I'm aching to be free
The show must go on
The show must go on, yeah, yeah
Ooh, inside my heart is breaking
My make-up may be flaking
But my smile, still, stays on..."
'Til Tuesday,
Loving HIM by Loving You,
randy
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