the world in my finite view

a meditation

JJ Simpson — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:46:15 +0000

The Israelites were on a journey to the Promised Land. A land they were promised through Abraham, and which they wandered 40 yrs to get to. Their journey started on the Passover night, when God set a curse upon Egypt killing the firstborn, and when Pharaoh let them leave. The Promised Land was their hope, their promise, where they could live among God once again. Move forward a few thousand years to the night of the last supper. A meal which was eaten during the passover. This was no accident. This was not a coincidence that on the night that Christ and His disciples were celebrating the Passover Christ instituted what we call the Lord’s Supper or Communion. But, he didn’t start something new, he changed what it meant to celebrate the Passover. He reimagined everything the Passover represented and meant. This also means that everything that surrounds the Passover was re-imagined as well. Specifically, the Promised Land has new meaning through the covenant of Christ.

In Luke 22, Christ says that he will not partake of the meal until it is renewed again in the Kingdom of God, the Promised Land. Our hope for a new Promised Land is in the Table. Our Promised Land is not a place on the earth as we know it. It is in the new earth and the new heavens that we will see when Christ returns. Our new Promised Land is given through the death and Resurrection of Christ promised to us through the covenant of the table.

Until the time that he returns, we are on a journey, traveling to a land unknown. The table is more than death, it is the promise of new life, of a new land that is given to us in the resurrection of Christ.

On the night he was betrayed, Christ took bread, gave thanks and broke it and gave it to his disciples saying “Take and eat, this is my body given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper, he took the cup saying; “This cup is the new covenant in my blood which is poured out for you.”

As we take of the bread and the cup remember and celebrate the promise of a new Promised Land given through the table.

Prayer:

Christ we praise you for your death and rejoice in the resurrection. We anxiously await Your Promised Land, the new heavens and the new earth. God be with us now as we celebrate in this meal. Send Your Spirit to be with us in all that we do. We praise You and it is in Your name that we pray.

Filed under: life, prayers, worship Tagged: communion, prayers, worship

a confessional

JJ Simpson — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 03:10:06 +0000

God of everlasting love, we confess that we have been unfaithful to our covenant with you and with one another. We have served our own self-interest instead of serving only you and your people. We have not loved our neighbor as you have commanded, nor have we rightly loved ourselves. Just as the Israelites, we have become a stubborn and unwilling people. People who turn against your will, because we are afraid, afraid of losing our conveniences and our pride. Forgive us, gracious God, and bring us back into the fullness of our covenant with you and one another. May our faith in you, outshine our fear of the unknown. Through Christ, our Lord we ask for forgiveness. Amen.

Filed under: life

Chorale Audio

JJ Simpson — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:57:34 +0000

Hello everyone,
I had heard some people wanted this audio and I think that it is only fair that you get to hear the work that you did. So here is the audio from the recording session that we did for Jeff. The files are in aac and mp3 formats for your listening pleasure. There is also a bonus track with some fun things included!!!

tip: download the AAC versions for better quality and if you use iTunes

AAC Versions
All On A Starry Night
Come Into the Presence/A New Anointing
Bonus
Zip file (All three together)

MP3 Versions:
All On a Starry Night
Come Into the Presence/ A New Anointing
Bonus
Zip File (All three together)

Credits:
Recorded by The Graduation Chorale
Recorded at Jefferson Street Christian Church
Conducted by Alex Dayvolt
Edited and Mixed by JJ Simpson
Recorded on 5/14/09
Take Our Poll

Posted in worship Tagged: Chorale, Graduation, Jeff Colleen, Jeff Street

Superheroes and the Church

JJ Simpson — Tue, 12 May 2009 02:25:26 +0000

Hey everyone,

check out this awesome video done by one of my good friends Jeremy Goeckner. This was done for his 302 project, and he did it on the relationship between superheroes and the church. So check it out, you might even see some faces you recognize!!!

p.s. He also composed the music for this
p.s.s follow him on twitter at http://twitter.com/jeremygoeckner

link: His rez version (918 mb, it’s a little big)

link: lower rez version (136 mb still big but smaller)

look for him on Facebook and let him know what you thought about it!!!!!

Posted in Uncategorized Tagged: 302, church, jeremygoeckner, shameless plug, superheroes, video