Messiah

The first Part

In the Land of the Shadow

the coming of one who is Messiah,

bringing light into a world of darkness

 

 

 

Overture

A Time for Preparation

Take time to be quiet

time to gather thoughts

and sense the peace of God’s presence

the joy of God’s hope

the light of God’s love

in the land of the shadow

 

Recit. Accompanied - Tenor

Comfort ye,

comfort ye my people, saith your God;

speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem;

and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished,

that her iniquity is pardoned.

 

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness:

Prepare ye the way of the Lord:

make straight in the desert

a highway for our God.

Isaiah 40:1,2,3

In difficult times, in barren times

in anxious times, in troubled times

the voice of comfort brings peace

the voice of comfort brings strength

the voice of comfort brings forgiveness

 

In the midst of those

difficult, barren, anxious, troubled times

the strong voice of comfort

commands us

to give space for our God

to open up a way for him to come

and enter into the midst of our troubles

Air - Tenor

Every valley shall be exalted,

and every mountain and hill made low,

the crooked straight

and the rough places plain.

Isaiah 40:4

The strong voice of comfort

is a voice of promise.

No matter how high,

how crooked,

how rough

those troubled places may be

the strong voice of comfort

promises

to bring them down,

to straighten them out

to smooth them over

 

Chorus

And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,

and all flesh shall see it together;

for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.`

Isaiah 40:5

The strong voice of comfort

is a sure voice of promise,

and the promise is for all

who face troubled times.

Recit. Accompanied - Bass

Thus saith the Lord of Hosts:

Yet once a little while

and I will shake the heavens and the earth,

the sea and the dry land;

and I will shake all nations;

and the desire of all nations shall come.

 

The Lord, whom ye seek,

shall suddenly come to His temple,

even the messenger of the covenant,

whom ye delight in;

behold, He shall come,

saith the Lord of Hosts.

Haggai 2:6,7 and Malachi 3:1

No matter what the trouble,

no matter what the anxiety,

no matter what the barrenness,

no matter what the difficulty,

yet God is a great God,

greater far than all the troubles of the world

and greatly to be desired

by all the nations, by all the peoples,

in all the tourbles of a troubled world.

For he comes into the midst of that trouble,

and his presence is made real

as he comes into the closest possible relationship

with all who are troubled and anxious

and who hear his voice.

 

Air - Bass

But who may abide the day of His coming?

And who shall stand when He appeareth?

For He is like a refiner’s fire.

Malachi 3:2

Great is our God, and awesome in his majesty.

Who are we to stand in his presence,

and experience his touch?

Troubled, anxious, disturbed

by things done and undone,

by thoughts unworthy

we hesitate to enter into his presence.

 

Chorus

And He shall purify the sons of Levi,

that they may offer unto the Lord

and offering of righteousness.

Malachi 3:3

Great is our God, and gracious in his love

for he comes to calm the troubled,

bring peace to the anxious,

and purify all who have fallen short of his glory.

And in his glory he will enter into our hearts

and in the power of his Spirit

he will give us strength to offer ourselves

as a spiritual sacrifice in his service.

 

Recit. Alto

Behold!

A Virgin shall conceive

and bear a Son,

and shall call his name

Emanuel,

God with us.

Isaiah 7:14 = Matthew 1:23

What love!

That God should come through all the troubles,

through all the anxieties, through all the pain,

of child-birth

and enter into our troubled world

as one of us,

as God with us,

vulnerable,

exposed to all the pain,

experiencing all the hurts of troubled humanity.

 

Air (Alto) and Chorus

O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion,

get thee up into the high mountain:

O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem,

lift up thy voice with strength;

lift it up, be not afraid;

say unto the cities of Judah,

Behold your God!

 

Arise, shine, for thy light is come,

and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

Isaiah 40:9 and Isaiah 60:1

Shout it from the highest mountain

shout it in the greatest city

This is great and wonderful

glorious and good

News!

Away with the fears of that troubled world

Here is our God

with us

in our world

What news for every city on earth!

May the light of God’s glory

shining in a world of darkness

raise us above the troubles,

above the anxieties, above the pain

of that dark world

into the presence of

God with us.

 

Recit. Accompanied - Bass

For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth,

and gross darkness the people;

but the Lord shall arise upon thee,

and His glory shall be seen upon thee,

and the Gentiles shall come to they light,

and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

Isaiah 60:2-3

How real the darkness

of a troubled world;

yet more real

the light of the gory of God with us

God for us

God for the world of every nation

God for the rulers and the ruled

God with the people and the nations.

Air. Bass

The people that walked in darkness

have seen a great light;

and they that dwell

in the land of the shadow of death

upon them hath the light shined.

Isaiah 9:2

Not for the satisfied

not for the well-off

not for those with a false sense of security

but for those walking in the dark

for those in the land of the shadow

God has come

and in the light of the glory

is with us

Chorus

For unto us a Child is born,

unto us a Son is given,

and the government shall be upon His shoulder;

and His name shall be called

Wonderful,

Counsellor,

The Mighty God,

The Everlasting Father,

The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

God touching us in a child

God giving us himself in His Son

God ruling in sovereign power

God giving Himself a name

in wonder filling us with awe

in counsel guiding us along the way

in power strengthening us

in love caring for us

in peace brining peace beyond all understanding.

Pastoral Symphony

A Time for Peace and Reflection

Away from words

take time

to sense the peace

that alone comes from God

Recit. Soprano

There were shepherds abiding in the field,

keeping watch over their flocks by night.

Luke 2:8

Not in a palace,

but in a field

not in the light of glory

but in the dark of the night

not to the high and mighty

but to lowliest of the low.

Recit. Accompanied - Soprano

And lo!

The angel of the Lord came upon them,

and the glory of the Lord shone round about them,

and they were sore afraid.

Luke 2:9

An angel of God

a messenger of glory

and at the light of God’s glory

not instant joy and gladness

but cold fear.

Recit. Soprano

And the angel said unto them,

Fear not;

for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy,

which shall be to all people;

for unto you is born this day

in the City of David,

a Saviour,

which is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:9-10

To those troubled, anxious, fearful

a voice of comfort,

a strong voice of comfort and great joy

a voice of promise,

a voice of promise to all people …

God in glory

come down to earth in humility

to heal the hurts of a hurting world

 

Recit. Accompanied - Soprano

And suddenly there was with the angel

a multitude of the heavenly host,

praising God,

and saying:

Luke 2:13

Not one voice

but many

yet as one

in praise to God

Chorus

Glory to God in the highest,

and peace on earth,

goodwill towards men.

Luke 2:14

God in greatest glory

to be praised with greatest praise

and in the depths of a troubled world

peace

good will

Air - Soprano

Rejoice greatly,

daughter of Zion!

Shout,

daughter of Jersualem!

Behold, thy King cometh unto thee!

He is the righteous Saviour,

and He shall speak peace unto the heathen.

Zechariah 9:9

From the greatest city

to the humblest hamlet

excitement and great joy

A message to share with all

The reign of God is breaking in

to a troubled world

and the sovereign God rules supreme.

In justice and peace

his message is filled with calm

and brings peace

to all.

 

Recit. Alto

Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened,

and the ears of the deaf unstopped;

then shall the lame man leap as a hart,

and the tongue of the dumb shall sing.

Isaiah 35:5-6

Peace to the hurting

that they may see the goodness of God

Peace to the hurting

that they may hear the promise of God

Peace to the hurting

that they may walk the way of God

Peace to the hurting

that they may sing the praise of God

Air - Alto

He shall feed His flock like a shepherd:

and He shall gather the lambs with His arm,

and carry them in His bosom,

and gently lead those that are with young.

Isaiah 40:11

In gentleness

our God cares

with a touch most tender

with a touch most tender

our God leads

in gentleness

 

Air - Soprano

Come unto Him, all ye that labour

and are heavy laden,

and He shall give you rest.

Take His yoke upon you,

and learn of Him,

for  He is meek and lowly of heart,

and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Matthew 11:30

So may we come into his presence

from the troubles that weigh us down

and find in Him peace, perfect peace

So may we take up the cross

and study his word

and find in His gentleness and love

peace, perfect peace.

Chorus

His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Matthew 11:30

To follow in his footsteps

is to discover the joy of his presence

the peace that defies understanding

the light of his glory even

in the land of the shadow

 

Messiah

The Second Part

From Lamb of God to King of Kings

the death of one who is Messiah,

bringing glory to a world of rage