Acts 2:40-47 With Footnotes

[And with this, we come to the end of 2nd Chapter of Acts' first album, With Footnotes.]

Peter made his appeal to them and with many other words he urged them, saying, "Save yourselves from the punishment coming to this wicked people!" Many of them believed his message and were baptized; about three thousand people were added to the group that day. They spent their time in learning from the apostles, taking part in the fellowship, and sharing in the fellowship meals and the prayers.

Many miracles and wonders were done through the apostles, and this caused everyone to be filled with awe. All the believers continued together in close fellowship and shared their belongings with one another. They would sell their property and possessions and distribute the money among all, according to what each one needed. Every day they continued to meet as a group in the temple, and they had their meals together in their homes, eating the food with glad and humble hearts, praising God, and enjoying the food will of all the people. And every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.

I wake up in the mornin' and start cryin'

All the folks around me are dying

Oh, they never heard

About Jesus, the Living Word

Why can't they hear the Good News?

Well because they're too busy watchin' T.V.

Never takin' time to read in the real book of life

All they know is war and killin'

Yet their spirit's dead ain't filled

They haven't received the Light

They're just walkin' in the night

Father, I know you can hear my prayer

About all of those people that are dyin' way out there

Open my ears and tell me what to do

So I can do my part and get your Holy Word through

So they can hear the Good News

So they can hear the Good News

Why can't they hear the Good News?

"Good News"
©1974 Latter Rain Music and Word Music, Inc.

https://youtu.be/W7bj31tvQbg

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Truth is...While most of what happens in this blog assumes a certain level of belief and faith amongst the readers, I also admit to a hope for those who don't believe and aren't people of faith to come along for the ride with hearts willing to be transformed by Christ.

Acts 2:38-39 With Footnotes

Peter said to them, "Turn away from your sins, each one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven; and you will receive God's gift, the Holy Spirit. For God's promise was made to you and your children, and to all who are far away  -  all whom the Lord our God calls to himself."

Goin' home

I'm always goin' home inside

There's an ache in my heart that I can't bear

Take me home

Take my hand and lead me home, oh Lord

I'm so broken up inside

I need to hide in your love, in your hand

So take me home

I'm not sayin' you don't give me joy

I just need more of you

How I love you

And I want to be changed just like you

So take me home

Help me wait on you, Lord

Until the day you come

All my ways need a grave

So I can rise with you when you come

To take me home

"Goin' Home"
©1974 Latter Rain Music and Word Music, Inc.

https://youtu.be/SJFMmQCmnVY

"All my ways need a grave." That's the proper response to Peter's instruction to "Turn away from your sins each one of you, and be baptized." That's a correct interpretation of Paul's words in Romans 6:3-6...

Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.

Truth is...It's hard to listen to this song without feeling some of the longing with which it was written and sung.

Acts 2:36-38 With Footnotes

"All the people of Israel, then, are to know for sure that it is this Jesus, whom you nailed to the cross, that God has made Lord and Messiah!"

When the people heard this, they were deeply troubled, and said to Peter and the other apostles, "What shall we do, brothers?"

Peter said to them, "Turn away from your sins, each one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven..."

I don't wanna go home

Without sharing the Word

How He came to wash us

With His blood precious

And I start crying

Don't you wanna be free?

Things that hassle your soul

Keep your life from livin'

And your give from givin'

Are you dying?

If you could do it from the start again

And change those things that you'd rather hadn't been

Stop your lying

Jesus offers the way

You can be born again

All your past forgiven

And new life to live in

He's worth trying

Now you can do it from your heart, my friend

And change those things that you'd rather hadn't been

Stop denying!

Are you dying?

Stop your lying!

"I Don't Wanna Go Home"
©1974 Latter Rain Music and Word Music, Inc.

https://youtu.be/dfj2mUx3Gvw

Truth is...once I stop lying to myself; stop pretending that I'm basically a good person and start believing the bad news that my sin nailed Jesus to the cross...once I do that, then I'm able to appreciate the good news that it's because of that sacrificial death that I can go Home with a clear conscience.

Acts 2:36 With Footnotes

All the people of Israel, then, are to know for sure that it is this Jesus, whom you nailed to the cross, that God has made Lord and Messiah!

Open your eyes and see

That the morning comes with Me

For I am the light of the world

No one goes to the Father but by Me

Why must we be so blind and not see

That the Light is free?

Oh, just to think that He died

Thinking of you and me

And the lives we would lead

In the sins of our words and deeds

And yet He loves you

He loves me

He loves us, hallelujah!

Oh Jesus loves you

And He loves me

He loves us, hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

He took away my sin and shame...

Lord, here I am

And I can't change a thing

Except my appearance

And that don't mean a thing

I don't wanna hide

Or tear myself in two

That's not up to me, Lord

That's up to You

Oh, Lord, let me see how I've used You

To sing my song

Yes, I know I do wrong

Even though I belong

And yet You love me

He loves me

He loves me, hallelujah!

Oh Jesus loves me

Yes He loves me

He loves me, hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

He took away my sin and shame...

Lord, here I am

©1974 Latter Rain Music and Word Music, Inc.

https://youtu.be/8aO5oWS-E7Y

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Truth is...I don't know exactly what each phrase of this song means, but the main thing is the plain thing: Jesus was motivated by love to pay the debt of my rebellion, He continues to love me beyond measure, and my appropriate response to that is to place myself at His disposal.

Lord, here I am.

Acts 2:29-35 With Footnotes

Brothers: I must speak to you quite plainly about our patriarch David. He died and was buried, and his grave is here with us to this very day. He was a prophet, and he knew God's promise to him: God made a vow that he would make one of David's descendants a king, just as David was. David saw what God was going to do, and so he spoke about the resurrection of the Messiah when he said,

"He was not abandoned in the world of the dead;   his flesh did not decay."

God has raised this very Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses to this fact. He has been raised to the right side of God and received from him the Holy Spirit, as his Father had promised; and what you now see and hear is his gift that he has poured out on us. For David himself did not go up into heaven; rather he said,

"The Lord said to my Lord:'Sit here at my right side,until I put your enemies as a footstool under your feet'."

I can see how blind I really was now

My lies were eyes for a blind man

Look at me, my Lord said look at me now

And He gave sight to this blind man

The devil's lost again

The devil's lost again

I can tell how deaf I really was now

My ears were jeers of the dying

Woah, Living Word, my Lord's the Living Word now

He spoke, I woke from my screaming

The devil's lost again

The devil's lost again

The devil is a liar

The devil is a liar

I could feel how dead I really was now

My pride was the guide through a graveyard

Rise and walk, my Lord said rise and walk now

My life is yours for the giving

The devil's lost again

The devil's lost again

The devil is a liar

The devil is a liar

"The Devil's Lost Again"
©1974 Latter Rain Music and Word Music, Inc.

https://youtu.be/s1GJj1b3_pE

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Truth is...The totally rocking nature of this song absolutely fits the message of Satan's defeat because of Jesus' victory over death. "The devil ain't got no hold on me!" (Want some more righteous rock-n-roll? Click that quote and rock on.)

Acts 2:28 With Footnotes

You have shown me the paths that lead to life, and by your presence you will fill me with joy.

Love...Peace...Joy

Stop, think it over

Over again

Love...Peace...Joy

Stop, think it over

Over my friend

You can have these

If you're born again

My friend

So don't you try to hide any longer

'Cause you need love

You won't have to cry any longer

'Cause you'll have love

In your heart...

Love

"Love Peace Joy"
©1974 Latter Rain Music and Word Music, Inc.

https://youtu.be/WtV3EyZDspc

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Truth is...When I suggest Jesus as the appropriate object of your devotion, I'm not being judgmental or pushy. I'm just "one beggar telling another beggar where to find the bread" (Daniel T. Niles).

Acts 2: 25-27 With Footnotes

David said about Jesus,
     "I saw the Lord before me at all times;
       he is by my right side, so that I will
       not be troubled.
     Because of this my heart is glad
       and my words are full of joy;
     and I, mortal though I am,
       will rest assured in hope,
     because you will not abandon my soul in
       the world of the dead"

Mile after mile

I am walking and holding to the One who

Cares, really cares

And who calls me His own

Life is a highway

We don't have to walk alone

Just give Him a try, maybe

You'll sing like me

With Jesus I'm stayin'

With Jesus I'm goin'

In Jesus I'm livin'

Each and every day of my life

With Jesus I'm stayin'

With Jesus I'm goin'

And Jesus is teachin' me love each day

Trial after trial

He is drawing me closer to the One who

Loves, really loves

More than my mind can know

Love one another

Is what He has clearly shown

Just call someone brother

And then you will see

"With Jesus"
©1974 Latter Rain Music and Word Music, Inc.

https://youtu.be/m_H3UYpv1xA

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Truth is...Jesus wasn't just puttin' on the Ritz when He said he would be with us always...even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). And if that doesn't have an effect on how I'm staying and going and living each and every day of my life, that's on me...not Him.

Acts 2: 22-24 With Footnotes

Listen to these words, men of Israel! Jesus of Nazareth was a man whose divine mission was clearly shown to you by the miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through him; you yourselves know this, for it took place here among you.

I fall in love so easy

With everything that I see

That comes through the light of His love

Sets my soul to flight

As He woos me and makes me new

I hope you're falling in love, too

'Cause Jesus loves you, too

Let the Son keep shinin'

Let the Son keep shinin'

Let the Son keep shinin' through

Let the Son keep shinin'

Let the Son keep shinin'

Let the Son keep shinin' through

You

Lookin' at the Son don't bother me now

The darkness is gone out of me somehow

There's a brighter Light within me

I'll stand in the presence of my Lord

Knowin' I'm not guilty anymore

His Son took away my fears today

There's been a change done in me by Jesus

There's been a change done in me somehow

There's been a change done in me by Jesus

There's been a change done in me

Let the change come

Let it come, let it come

Let the change come

Lookin' at the Son don't bother me now

The darkness is gone out of me somehow

There's a brighter Light within

I'm free from sin, I'm clean within

The darkness has gone out of me now

"I fall in Love/Change"
©1974 Latter Rain Music and Word Music, Inc.

https://youtu.be/35gV9V54CP0

God, in his own will and knowledge, had already decided that Jesus would be handed over to you; and you killed him, by letting sinful men nail him to the cross. (At this point, the liner notes for 2nd Chapter of Acts' album, With Footnotes, put a footnote pointing readers to "Easter Song." But since we've already covered Keith Green's version of that song, let's move on.) But God raised him from the dead; he set him free from the pains of death, because it was impossible that death should hold him prisoner.

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Truth is...I'm not really sure why this song is referenced at this place in the chapter, other than giving a celebratory commentary on "it took place here among you." But you know what? I'm also not really sure why Jesus chooses to set me free and shine through me and makes me all that I can be.

Acts 2:14-21 With Footnotes

Then Peter stood up with the other eleven apostles, and in a loud voice began to speak to the crowd, "Fellow Jews, and all of you who live in Jerusalem, listen to me and let me tell you what this means. These men are not drunk, as you suppose; it is only nine o'clock in the morning. Rather, this is what the prophet Joel spoke about,

'This is what I will do in the last days, God says: I will pour out my Spirit upon all men. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy; your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. Yes, even on my slaves, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will perform miracles in the sky above, and marvels on the earth below. There will be blood, fire, and thick smoke, the sun will become dark, and the moon red as blood, before the great and glorious Day of the Lord arrives. And then, whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved'."

I heard the ocean say
I started so long ago

I received my first wave

From the hand of God I flow

And the Son comes over the hill

The Son comes over the hill

I heard the breeze at night
Saying I receive my flight

From the turning of His eyes

As they moved across the sky

And the Son comes over the hill

The Son comes over the hill

I heard the Word at night
Speak to darkness with His light

Not a shadow will return

For all darkness shall be burned

When the Son comes over the hill

When the Son comes over the hill

When the Son comes over the hill

"The Son Comes Over the Hill"

©1974 Latter Rain Music and Word Music, Inc.

https://youtu.be/A7rIseqegvo

Truth is...From that Pentecost through today, the Lord has been pouring out His Spirit on all men, and whoever calls on the name of the Lord has been saved, and we've been anticipating the Son coming over the hill.

Acts 2:1-13 With Footnotes

In this blog's ongoing effort to expose the masses to some of the seminal works of Jesus Music pioneers, we come to the first album by siblings Annie Herring, Nelly Greisen, and Matthew Ward...collectively known as 2nd Chapter of Acts.

Their tight, intricate harmonies and Annie's unique song-writing made 2nd Chapter stand out as originals in a sea of "if you like this secular artist, you might like this Christian artist."

Their debut album, With Footnotes, was released in 1974 and had a back cover that featured the text of the actual second chapter of Acts (from Today's English Version ©American Bible Society 1966, 70, 71) with footnotes referencing the different songs on the album.

I always wanted to (but never did) read the text and play the songs where they show up as footnotes (a different order for the songs than just putting the needle in the groove), so that's how we're going to experience the album here.

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When the day of Pentecost arrived, all the believers were gathered together in one place. Suddenly there was a noise from the sky which sounded like a strong wind blowing, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire spreading out, and each person there was touched by a tongue. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to talk in other languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

There were Jews living in Jerusalem, religious men who had come from every country in the world. When they heard this noise, a large crowd gathered. They were all excited because each one of them heard the believers talking in his own language. In amazement and wonder, they exclaimed, "These men who are talking like this  -  they are all Galileans! How is it, then, that all of us hear them speaking in our own native language? We are from Parthia, Media, and Elam; from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia; from Pontus and Asia, from Phrygia and Pamphylia, from Egypt and the regions of Libya near Cyrene; some of us are from Rome, both Jews and Gentiles converted to Judaism; and some of us are from Crete and Arabia  -  yet all of us hear them speaking in our own languages of the great things that God has done!" Amazed and confused they all kept asking each other, "What does this mean?"

But others made fun of the believers, saying, "These men are drunk!" (Acts 2:1-13)

Feel a feeling

Say a saying

But you'll still be lonely

If you think life is only for this moment

Do a doing

Mourn a mourning

Still won't get you off your sorrow

So go ahead and cry, but you

Can't pry a look at tomorrow

You don't know which way the wind blows

So how can you plan tomorrow

You don't know which way the wind blows

So how can you plan tomorrow

Run a running

Hide a hiding

Whenever you hear the truth

And when you ask for the proof

You won't listen

Listen

Praise a praising

Build a building

Trying to get peace into your life

And you don't even know wrong from right

Oh, where's your wisdom?

You don't know which way the wind blows

So how can you plan tomorrow

You don't know which way the wind blows

So how can you plan tomorrow

Die a dying

Resurrecting

By believing and receiving

Forgiveness from Jesus

Who took the sin from sinning

You don't know which way the wind blows

So how can you plan tomorrow

Jesus knows which way the wind blows

So give Him your tomorrow

Believe and receive

You don't know which way the wind blows

So how can you plan tomorrow

You don't know which way the wind blows

So how can you plan tomorrow

"Which Way the Wind Blows"

©1974 Latter Rain Music and Word Music, Inc.

https://youtu.be/1Q4s9BOfTVc

Truth is...we all come from our own separate backgrounds and, without Yahweh's help, are just as clueless as the crowds who heard the sound of the wind but didn't grasp that it came from God and was ushering in His Kingdom in a new, fresh way.

I believe. Help me receive.