Sostenuto

stands in the synagogue in His own home town.

  He returns in power to announce His reign.

  The power of heaven to the earth comes down.

  Satan’s loss is mankind’s gain.

  But the blind see only what they knew before.

  They will not acknowledge the Prince of Peace.

  They seek His death who brings life and more,

  Opposing Him who makes wars to cease.

  From Nazareth’s precipice Him they would hurl.

  But they cannot undo what God is doing.

  The jewel of God, heaven’s costly pearl,

  They foolishly refuse; righteousness eschewing.

  Oh Nazareth town! How can you do it?

  This righteous man is one of your own.

  As He heals your sick you may easily view it.

  The child you nurtured is your God full-grown.

  Here is your Savior, and you know Him not.

  This is your source of life and light.

  God in the flesh without sin’s blot

  Is the light of the world shining into your night.

  You’re missing your chance, you poor, little village.

  Can you not see beyond your nose?

  Look up from your sod. Ignore your tillage.

  Before you stands the man God chose.

  He would, said the prophet, be a Nazarite.

  Didn’t you read and see for yourself?

  You should have been waiting to receive His light.

  The book of Isaiah was on your shelf.

  He left them behind as He often leaves

  All unbelievers to receive their fate.

  The Man of Sorrows quietly grieves,

  But takes His blessing to those who wait.

  Capernaum is next in line to receive

  If not unworthy themselves they deem.

  His gospel He preaches for all to believe

  Unless they think God’s promise extreme.

  Disciples He calls to follow and learn

  To become apostles of truth and grace.

  He teaches them faith, and with love to turn

  The hearts of people to seek God’s face.

  For God is our Father as we must know

  Who loves us and desires to show us favor.

  The power of God to save He will show

  From the open hands of Christ, our Savior.

  Those hands that heal and raise the dead,

  That open deaf ears and loose the dumb tongue,

  That are lifted to see five thousand fed,

  Will be nailed to the cross when God’s Son is hung.

  The power that enters the world with Him

  Will change all things from nature to glory.

  It’s the power of love over sin so grim

  To change the plot of sin’s sad story.

  At Cana of Galilee a marriage feast

  Runs dry and the celebration ends.

  The Son of God with heavenly yeast

  Brews His New Wine and new joy begins.

  O Galilee! Your light has come.

  The people who sat in darkness may see

  The embrace of heavenly love to some,

  The breaking of chains to set others free.

  And you, Capernaum, the king shall upbraid.

  The men of Sodom were smarter than you.

  They would have rejoiced where you are afraid

  To receive the Savior and His gospel so true.

  You saw in your churches a withered hand

  Restored to wholeness and normal strength.

  A broken lady unable to stand

  Had her back released to regular length.

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  So what, it’s the Sabbath, God’s holy day?

  This is God’s own Son doing God’s good will.

  For a trifle you trash, like birds of prey,

  These precious treasures, and Christ, you would kill.

  Through Samaria He goes, that country despised

  By self-righteous God-haters who will not receive

  What God graciously offers. To their great surprise

  Christ convicts a woman who decides to believe.

  The whole city believes and begs Him to stay.

  Two days He tarries and lays the foundations

  Of the spread of His gospel for another day.

  When He’s done in Judea, He’ll go to the nations.

  In Nain town a widow’s son

  Is carried cold and laid on a bier.

  With pity and power a victory’s won.

  Death flees when the Son of God draws near.

  Love’s power has come that reforms all things.

  Christ’s love is stronger than the devil’s hate.

  The human soul acquires new wings

  That the Son of Man manifests as great.

  What more could we ask than to live forever?

  What a wonderful life in the grace of God.

  Because of Christ man’s beauty will never

  Be lost beneath the grave’s cruel clod.

  On to Judea the Savior Marches,

  Knowing the cross awaits Him there.

  Gethsemane’s night will blaze with torches

  That cast long shadows flickering everywhere.

  But He crosses the Jordan near Jericho,

  That ancient city where Joshua cursed

  Any man who dared to rebuild from below

  That ground where firstborn babies lay crushed.

  Christ will take every curse and grief

  And exhaust its power through the blood of His cross.

  The Firstborn of God waves the first fruits sheaf

  Over all the land to redeem all loss.

  Below the ground to the heart of the earth

  The Man from Heaven will descend to the grave.

  Rising triumphant, He will bring new birth

  To the victims of sin that He came to save.

  Zacchaeus small has climbed a tree

  To see the Savior pass his way.

  So rich, but humble, he yearns to be free

  From the curse of money that heavily lay

  On his broken heart. For a false accuser

  He confessed to have been to extract more taxes

  Than ever were owed. This power abuser

  Repents and forswears his wicked practices.

  Our righteous king has called for equity

  For all the earth and its many poor.

  He breaks the bonds of legal iniquity.

  Zacchaeus is the first of many, for sure.

  This wilderness rises from below the sea.

  Jericho’s in the depth of depravity and sin.

  To Jerusalem’s height where the cross must be

  Our Savior climbs to bring sin to an end.

  He passes the place where a certain Samaritan

  Became a neighbor to a man he found.

  By pouring his wine in the wounds of just this one

  He touched Christ’s heart and became renowned.

  Those who help others are the Savior’s favored.

  Ignoring pain can receive His curse.

  The Samaritan’s wine to our Savior savored

  Of the blood He would give to bring sin’s reverse.

  Into our wounds the wine He pours

  That came from His veins in perfect purity.

  Out from our hearts His Spirit soars

  From heart to heart in love’s community.

  There can be no love greater than this from Jesus.

  He sweetly laid down His life for His friends.

  Discounting the cost He willingly frees us

  From death’s dark curse, and our doom suspends.

  From the wilderness He rises to Bethany.

  Lazarus, His friend, has perished poor.

  But a certain rich man in hell in agony

  Now yearns for the gospel’s open door.

  He had hardened his heart and turned his face.

  But Abraham’s bosom awaits those
who care.

  Lazarus fell on the arms of grace

  And took his next breath in heaven’s sweet air.

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  Then wonder of all, he was called back to earth,

  To witness that Jesus is surely the Christ,

  That man lives again because of Christ’s worth,

  That to heaven and glory we should all be enticed.

  Many, in awe of his raising, believed.

  They saw that Jesus is God’s Holy Son.

  The Son of God and man they received.

  Their victory over the grave and death is won.

  But, others as hardened as the man in hell,

  Sought to kill Jesus and Lazarus too.

  How dark is this evil, who can tell?

  They sought resurrection to life to undo.

  A traitor they found with a heart so greedy

  That the Lord of Life to death would betray.

  He desired Mary’s incense to give to the needy.

  No worship he saw, only money’s assay.

  A thief he was and bare the bag

  and purloined the things that were put therein.

  He lied when he said for the poor he would tag

  What Mary would pour on those feet again.

  Another woman had bathed with tears

  The feet of her savior and wiped with her hair

  In repentant grief, ignoring the jeers

  Of self-righteous men who knew not how to care.

  But the Savior cares when we bow with love.

  He knows when our hearts are broken with sorrow.

  To convert poor sinners He came from above

  To bring to us all a brighter tomorrow.

  Lazarus lives. Mary rejoices.

  She loved her brother and her Savior too.

  Judas is wicked to ignore the voices

  That call to him for his heart to renew.

  Her costly spikenard more precious on Jesus,

  No chance like this will come again,

  Wisely she lavishes her love and now seizes

  The moment of truth and lays hold on her friend.

  He is life eternal, as lately He told her.

  On life lay hold we are counseled by Paul.

  Do we bow like Mary, our cross to shoulder?

  Shall we come to the Lord at His gospel call?

  It’s the gospel Christ said, and when we preach

  The love of Mary will testify

  That she anointed Jesus while she could reach

  His heart, before they could crucify.

  Up to the Temple the Son of God

  Rode on a donkey, a little foal.

  So light the burden that it needed no prod.

  Its Creator empowered it to reach His goal.

  The little children could see the light.

  “Hosanna’, they cried, “to the Son of David”.

  Jerusalem’s king brought clarity of sight

  And wisdom to the young who to worship were avid.

  When age is blind God gives sight to the young.

  A silent voice reveals a hard heart.

  Praise to the king is sure to be sung.

  Like the incense of Mary each sings his own part.

  In the Temple the King