Were You There? (Good Friday Special)

As we gather in solemn reflection this Good Friday, The Bright Forever is here to guide you through the significance of this pivotal moment in the Christian faith. Come along with us, and our host, Andy Peavyhouse, as we uncover the paradoxical understanding of the term 'Good Friday' and the radical teachings of Jesus that exemplify an upside-down kingdom—a Kingdom where the last are made first, and the meek inherit the earth. Embrace the historical and emotional journey encapsulated in the haunting hymn "Were You There," as we invite you to become an active participant in the story of redemption that changes lives and shapes eternities.

Feel the tremors of despair and the echoes of hope that have reverberated through history with each verse of this powerful spiritual song. Walk side by side with the disciples in their darkest hour, grappling with the weight of sin and the longing for salvation, only to discover the dawning of a new life marked by the resurrection of Christ. This episode promises not just an exploration of the past but a transformative experience that deepens your connection to the events that altered the course of humanity, culminating in Christ's victory over death and sin, setting the stage for the celebration of Easter. Join us for an episode that transcends mere storytelling, offering a profound reflection on servant leadership, sacrifice, and the unwavering promise of redemption through Christ's love.

SHOW LINKS:

"Were You There" performed by Nathan Drake of Reawaken Hymns with chord charts and many other church music resources.

"Were You There" appears on the album Reawaken Hymns: Volume 7  (Live Acoustic EP) available here.

"Were You There " performed by The Fisk Jubilee Singers (Library of Congress- audio)

• Male vocal quartet, unaccompanied
• Name: Fisk University Jubilee Singers -- Vocal Group
• Genre: Religious
• Media Size: 10-in.
• Recording Label: Columbia
• Recording Catalog Number: A3919
• Recording Matrix Number: 79606 (Matrix ID)
• Recording Take Number: 1
• Recording Date: 1920-12-28
• Recording Location: New York, New York

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:01

It was not the nails that held Jesus to that wretched cross. It was his unqualified resolution, out of love for his Father, to do his Father's will, and it was his love for sinners like me. Da Carson, this is the Bright Forever. Hello and welcome to the Bright Forever where, each week, we rediscover the power and richness found in some of the greatest hymns of the faith. My name is Andy Peavyhouse and I am your host and guide on this, our adventure through hymnody. We are nearing the end of Holy Week, palm Sunday has passed and we are today celebrating a rather more somber day in the Easter season. Welcome to our special Good Friday episode.

Speaker 1 1:18

It's sometimes hard to think of Good Friday as good, and why do we celebrate the day when perfection was humiliated, beaten, ridiculed and ultimately hung on a cross until dead? That doesn't sound good to me. That doesn't sound good to me. It sounds pretty bad actually. However, one thing I've noticed in scripture and I see it over and over again is that what we perceive to be the quote-unquote correct way is usually flipped upside down, especially by Jesus. In Matthew 20, 26 through 28, jesus says that whoever would be great must be a servant. Those who want to be first must be a slave. Jesus says he didn't come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. Then, in Luke, chapter 6, verses 20 through 26, jesus tells us that blessed are the poor, the hungry, those who weep, those who are hated, and he says to rejoice when we are reviled as evil because of him. Evil because of him Sounds pretty upside down to what this world tells us. God's kingdom is an upside down kingdom, an upside down kingdom where leaders are servants, where neighbors and enemies are loved, where poor widows give away half their money. And it sometimes sounds crazy to us, but the thing is that Good Friday is that quintessential example of God's upside down kingdom. It was through being defeated by earthly powers that Jesus conquered the spiritual forces of evil, defeating this world's hold on us and the sin that so easily entangles us, and in setting us free he's also setting up his kingdom.

Speaker 1 3:42

In Colossians 1, 15 through 20, it's one of my favorite, favorite passages of scripture. Paul tells us he being Jesus, is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, for by him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, or rulers or authorities. All things were created through him and for him, and he is before all things and in him all things hold together and he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent, for in him, all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. Today, as we remember the ultimate gift of love and grace given to us by God in Christ, we will delve into the hauntingly beautiful hymn Were you there, a poignant reflection on the cross of Jesus and his sacrificial love for us. Join us as we uncover the history, authorship and the theological depth behind this remarkable hymn. But before we do this remarkable hymn, but before we do, make sure to hit subscribe or follow or like or whatever the button is on your podcast platform to make sure you don't miss an episode.

Speaker 1 5:41

Were you there? Is a hymn that originated as an American Negro spiritual. These songs were created and sung amongst enslaved Africans after their arrival in North America between 1619 and 1860. Its exact origins are unclear, as is often the case with spirituals, but it emerged out of the experiences of the enslaved, who found solace and hope in their faith amidst unimaginable suffering. The simplicity and raw emotion of were you there resonate deeply with listeners, drawing them into the profound mystery of Christ's sacrifice. While the authorship of Were you there remains uncertain, its origins are rooted in the oral tradition Passed down through generations.

Speaker 1 6:39

These songs served as a form of communal expression. Served as a form of communal expression offering comfort and strength in the face of overwhelming opposition. Dr Everett McCorvey, founder of the American Spiritual Ensemble, comments the term American Negro Spirituals speaks to the history, the suffering, the hope and the resolve of a people who were able to sing through their suffering and tell and retell their heroic stories of triumph and survival through these songs. It is a story and a history that, hopefully, will never be forgotten. And while the songs were born out of this very dark period in our American history, these songs are now sung, celebrated and revered around the world. While some of the language in the music is updated in order to be sung in a more contemporary style and to remove the barrier of dialect, the melodies, the sentiment and the stories are over 400 years old and need to be sung and remembered. As a special treat, we have a recording of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, their male quartet, from December 28, 1920, 1928, 1920, over a hundred years ago.

Speaker 3 8:27

As we listen to this recording, we are invited to enter into the collective experience of those who first sang these powerful words you there when they crucified my Lord? Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble them when they crucify my Lord, won't you tell when they pierce him in the fire, in the? When they pierced him in the tides, in the tides. Were you there when they pierced him in the tides In the time of war? Sometimes it calls at me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they pierced him in the eye?

Speaker 1 11:13

This hymn poses a simple yet profound question Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Through this question, we are confronted with the reality of Christ's suffering and death on the cross. As we contemplate the events of Good Friday, we are invited to consider our own part and response to Christ's crucifixion. Were we there, in spirit standing at the foot of the cross, or were we absent, indifferent to the profound significance of Christ's sacrifice? Were you there? That question, were you there? Is repeated over and over again. It's a powerful reminder throughout the hymn of our connection to the crucifixion and it challenges us to step up, to engage with the story. We can't be passive, distant onlookers and observers. We must be active participants in this unfolding story of redemption. As we sing these words, we are invited to enter into Christ's suffering, to bear witness to his sacrificial love and to respond with faith and gratitude. This hymn continues to speak to the hearts of believers around the world, reminding us of the enduring power of Christ's sacrifice and the hope of redemption that it offers. That it offers. Let's look into the story of Christ's crucifixion as told through the verses of this hymn. Verse one asks were you there when they crucified my Lord? You there when they crucified my Lord. As we reflect on this question, let's turn to the gospel of Luke, chapter 23, verses 33 and 34. And when they came to the place that is called the skull, there they crucified him and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Were you there when they crucified my Lord? In verse two we hear were you there when they nailed him to the tree? Let's turn to the gospel of John, chapter 19, verses 17 and 18. And he went out bearing his own cross to the place called the place of a skull, which in Aramaic is Golgotha. There they crucified him and in doing that, fulfilling the prophet Isaiah's words from Isaiah 53, verse 5,. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities. Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and by his wounds we are healed. Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? As we get to verse three, we hear another question Were you there when they pierced him in the side? Let's read from the gospel of John, chapter 19, verses 31 through 37. Since it was the day of preparation and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath, for that Sabbath was a high day the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness. His testimony is true and he knows that he is telling the truth, that you also may believe, for these things took place, that the scripture might be fulfilled. Not one of his bones will be broken. And again another scripture says they will look on him whom they have pierced. Were you there when they pierced him in his side?

Speaker 1 16:32

Then the hymn reflects on the darkness that covered the land. In verse four it says were you there when the sun refused to shine? Let's go to Matthew, chapter 27, verses 45 through 54. Now, from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour, and about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying cried out with a loud voice saying Eloi, eloi lama sabachthani. That is my God. My God, why have you forsaken me?

Speaker 1 17:25

Some of the bystanders hearing it said this man is calling Elijah. And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. But the other said Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him. And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And yielded up his spirit and behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the tombs.

Speaker 1 18:09

After his resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. The centurion and those who were with him keeping watch over Jesus saw the earthquake and what took place. They were filled with awe and said truly, this was the Son of God. Were you there when the sun refused to shine? The fifth verse asks were you there when they laid him in the tomb? If we continue on in Matthew, chapter 27,.

Speaker 1 18:49

In verse 57, it says, when it was evening there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it be given to him, and Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock, and he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? The final verse concludes with a somewhat newer inquiry. This verse is about the resurrection. Were you there when he rose up from the grave? This wasn't part of the original song. It was likely added to the song at some point after its initial composition. While the exact date of the addition of this verse we really don't know, it's kind of uncertain. It reflects the theological significance of Christ's resurrection and completes the story. It completes the narrative of Christ's passion, his death and triumph over the grave.

Speaker 1 20:16

Over time, various versions and adaptations of the hymn have emerged, with additional verses being incorporated to provide a more comprehensive portrayal of the Easter story. The typical arrangements that we see today are usually only about four verses, sometimes five, but usually four verses, the first verse being were you there when they crucified my Lord? Focusing on our role were you there when it happened? Moving on to verse two, we hear were you there when they nailed him to the tree, talking about Jesus's death and how he was crucified, verse three being were you there when they laid him in the tomb, his burial? And then the fourth verse being were you there when he rose up from the grave, his resurrection. So it's our role Christ's death, burial and resurrection. And so typically, what you get when you hear this song sung is a very succinct picture of the gospel. We had a role. Our sin put Christ on the cross. Were you there when they crucified him? And our part in that story. And then the story of the gospel, christ's death, his burial and his resurrection. And many times people will go back and they'll repeat the first verse again at the end.

Speaker 1 21:45

For me, what I typically do is I leave off the last verse, especially when singing it for a Good Friday service. There's a tension that it builds to and then leaves you in despair of your own sin. And I think sometimes, specifically on a day like this, as we remember Christ's death and our great sin and the desperate need we have for a savior. It's good to leave us wanting, to leave us hoping, to leave us reflecting on what it must have been like for the disciples Unsure, scattered, scared Peter, having denied Christ, and the hopelessness that he must have felt. When we take a moment to truly reflect on the weight of our sin, we're going to be able to see the weight of our sin.

Speaker 1 22:47

Easter morning becomes that much sweeter as we put ourselves in the biblical narrative with a song like Were you there? We gain a deeper understanding of the crucifixion, feeling the weight of our sin as we witness the agony, the pain, the sacrifice and the love of a Savior who would not leave us or forsake us, but came to live the life that we could not live, die the death that we deserve to and rose again, defeating death itself and the chains of sin that so easily entangle us. And that really is the best part of the story that it didn't end at the cross. That it didn't end at the cross Because three days later we celebrate his amazing accomplishment, the triumph of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who endured the cross for our redemption and rose victorious over death itself.

Speaker 4 24:37

Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Sometimes it causes me to tremble. Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree? Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree? Sometimes it causes me to tremble. Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? Sometimes it causes me to tremble. Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? Were you there when God raised him from the grave? Were you there when God raised him from the grave? Were you there when God raised him from the grave? Sometimes it causes me to tremble.

Speaker 1 26:08

Were you there when God raised him from the grave? That was, were you there? Performed by Nathan Drake of Reawaken Hymns, from the live acoustic EP Reawaken Hymns, volume 7. For more information about this song and all of the amazing resources available at Reawaken Hymns, check out the links in the show notes for this episode. Thank you for joining us this week on the Bright Forever. Remember to follow us, review us and, of course, subscribe and check out all of the amazing features that we have on our website at thebrightforevercom.

Speaker 1 26:54

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Speaker 1 28:44

Before we go, let me close us out in prayer. Lord, we come to you today to simply say thank you. Thank you, god, for the blood of Jesus that was shed for us, shed for me. Thank you for your sacrificial love, for your grace, for your mercy. Thank you for all you are and all you have done and continue to do for us daily. Help us to remember our sin and, in turn, remember what you have done to break the chains of sin and make us free. Indeed, we love you, lord. Draw us closer to you as we continue to celebrate all that you have done for us through your Son and what he has done for us on the cross and through his resurrection. Give us an amazing Easter weekend, father. Thank you so much for all that you are, and it's in Jesus' name that we pray. Amen. God bless you all. Have an amazing Good Friday, and we'll be back here again on Sunday to explore another amazing hymn as we celebrate the glorious triumph of Easter morning. Until then, we're out. Thank you.