Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

By Peter Kaye |
OK, I know it's not Christmas yet, despite what retail outlets would have us believe, but this is a piece of music whose message is relevant every day of every year. This carol, with O Come All Ye Faithful, shares the top place in my list of favourite hymns. It was written by Charles Wesley (1739) with music by Mendelssohn (1855). A great hymn writer teaming up with a great composer! Wikipedia quotes a source placing it in the four greatest Anglican Hymns. I've loved this hymn since I can't remember when. Probably 4 or 5. For many years I never understood the key Christian messages in the words. Kings, Princes, Angels, Heaven were the words I liked. And that's the point Dr Ligon Duncan makes in his sermon on Hark the Herald Angels Sing. We need to understand the meaning behind the carols we sing at Christmas.
Writers Thoughts

"He will hold me fast..."

By Peter Kaye |

Any song which refers to failing faith, temptation prevailing, life's fearful path and my love being cold, gets my vote. Why? Because all of these events are part of my Christian life. OK, they shouldn't be but they are.  And with depressing reality out of the way in verse one, God's rescue plan for our failings fills the last two verses.

Music

The Blessings of Conflict

By Peter Kaye |

Most people would opt for a conflict-free world. Where everyone got on together, no disagreements. Perhaps like the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve at the forbidden fruit.

In The Cornish Vicar's Daughter, Janet tells Peter (Chapter 3, p.39) "... having a bit of a punch-up can be good; it shows we care for each other and when we make up our firendship is stringer."  Conflict!  He gets a similar lesson from Charlene (Chapter 17 p.361) "...he (God) knew the pain we both felt and sometimes, the only way to do this is with a fight first." Conflict again!

Writers Thoughts

Uplifting truths in song

By Peter Kaye |

God's Not Dead remains my favourite and most inspirational film. Filled with good teaching presented as part of an emotion-filled story, here are two pieces of music which continue to lift me up every time.

What I know

Tricia Brock

Background music when a teenager tells her Muslim father that she's a Christian. And gets slapped up and thrown out of the family home.

Writers Thoughts

The Price is Paid

By Peter Kaye |
Chris Allan preaches on one of the most important passages in the Bible.
  • ... righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.
  • ... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
  • a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
The final hymn in the Sydney Cathedral service - I will sing the wondrous story - includes these words: I was faint and fears possessed me. I was bruised from many a fall. Hope was gone... Just what was in Charlene's mind after her beating and all the bad things she'd done made her believe she had no hope with God ( The Cornish Vicar's Daughter, page 302ff). Later Janet convinced her to believe the last few words of the hymn verse... but his love pardoned all.

If you want to learn about ( or be reminded of ) what Easter really means, listen to this sermon!

Writers Thoughts

'A Way On' - An uplifting Easter message

By Peter Kaye |
Preacher: The Most Rev. Kanishka Raffel, Archbishop of Sydney, Australia
  • Two stories with different endings. One who believes in the Easter miracle, the other who doesn't.
  • Resurrection - the Easter glorious reality.
  • The clues to the truthfulness of the Resurrection.
  • The Resurrection changes everything.
  • The Resurrection is the foundation of the Gospel - freedom from Sin and Death.
  • What is the way on from the empty tomb?
  • Two principles of discipleship: Trust and Tell.
Writers Thoughts
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