PART 1: WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?

QUESTIONS:

1.) Which sins of contemporary Christians (and Christianity) does each song highlight?

2.) How are we complicit in them? What can we do (individually and as a church) to make sure this song doesn’t get written again?

Ray Stevens: Would Jesus Wear a Rolex? (1987)

Woke up this mornin', turned on the t.v. set.
There in livin' color, was somethin' I can't forget.
This man was preachin' at me, yeah, layin' on the charm
Askin' me for twenty, with ten-thousand on his arm.
He wore designer clothes, and a big smile on his face
Tellin' me salvation while they sang Amazin' Grace.
Askin' me for money, when he had all the signs of wealth.
I almost wrote a check out, yeah, then I asked myself

Would He wear a pinky ring, would He drive a brand new car?
Would His wife wear furs and diamonds, would His dressin' room have a star?
If He came back tomorrow, well there's somethin' I'd like to know
Could ya tell me, would Jesus wear a Rolex on His television show.

Would Jesus be political if He came back to earth?
Have His second home in Palm Springs, yeah, try to hide His worth?
Take money, from those poor folks, when He comes back again,
And admit He's talked to all those preachers who say they been a talkin' to Him?

Will Hoge: Jesus Came to Tennessee (2016)

Jesus came to Earth today smack dab into Tennessee
Knocked upon my front door said, "Hey Will, remember me?"
I said, "Oh Lord please forgive me, but I ain't real good with names, but your face looks real familiar. Wait a second, uh, is it James?"
And he said, "No, no, no"
He said, "It's Jesus, you know the son of God" and I didn't realize
I said, "Man, I'm sure sorry" and invited him inside
Offered him a sandwich cause he was looking awful thin
And then I went and got nervous and I said, "So Jesus, where you been?"
And he said "Heaven Will, I've been in heaven"
And then I saw him looking at a picture from my wedding day
Of my wife and me and our one year old son
I said, "I guess that's not OK?"
He said "The truth is all I care about is that you love and take care of your kids.
Remember I was born out of wedlock too, though some folks soon forget. They'd soon forget."
We just sat there talking, watching the TV news
I asked him "Fox or CNN?"
He said, "Will, I prefer the truth."
I said, "PBS, OK my friend" and we both had a laugh
But with the stories they kept showing he started looking pretty sad
It was all war and death and hatred, poverty and greed
He said "The rich folks and politicians are sure starting to get to me. What part of love your neighbor is so hard to understand?"
I said " Don't take it too hard Jesus, let's just take a drive my man. Take a drive my man"
Hopped into my old Ford and went out for a spin
Drove past a military funeral where we saw these angry men
With signs that said that "God hates fags", Jesus said "Let me out"
Walked up to them all calm and cool and I heard one man shout:

"Get out of here, you goddamn hippy, I can't wait for you to die."
And Jesus said " I already did" and smiled and waved goodbye
Got in and said "Daddy doesn't hate nobody, that's an awful thing to say.

Plus Daddy knows what he's doing. He's the one that made them gay." God made them gay.
I went back to driving and then I saw him shed a tear
He said "Y'all sure have made a mess of all the things that we gave you down here.

All this war and global warming, no help to the sick and the poor.

I guess Daddy and I should just pull the plug, y'all ain't worth it anymore."
I said, "Woah Jesus, Jesus take it easy.

I gotta pick my two sons up at three and if it's going to be Armageddon I think I like to have them here with me."
He said "OK then let's go get 'em" and then we turned up the radio
And we sang along to old Merle Haggard songs as we rode on down the road.
"Mama tried"
Oh, "Mama tried"
Pulled up to the playground and Jesus said "Look-ey there."
All the kids were running 'round laughing, there was smiles everywhere.
The white, the black, the Chinese, the short, the fat, the tall.
Christians, Muslims, Jews and Atheists having themselves a ball.
Jesus smiled and said "Well, maybe there's hope for you folks yet. Learn a lesson from your children and try not to forget. And I'll call off this Doomsday, end of the world and I can go back home. It gets wild when I leave Daddy and John Lennon up there all alone."
Oh yeah
I said "OK Jesus, thanks for hanging. See you another time."
And just like that he was gone and everything seemed fine.
I yelled, "One more thing Jesus, could you help me write some hits?"
And in a big voice he said that "I will, if you quit writing songs like this."
Amen

PART 2: WOULD WE RECOGNIZE HIM?

QUESTIONS:

1.) How does each song’s depiction of Jesus relate the ways you think about Him? How does it compare to the images of Him presented by the Bible, Christian culture, or the church?

2.) Are there any arenas in your life where you could benefit from remembering that Jesus is reflected in "“the least of these”?

Collin Raye: What if Jesus Comes Back Like That? (1995)

VERSE 1

He came to town on an old freight train
He jumped off in the pouring rain
Everybody says he's insane
Just a low down no account hobo

He made his bed beneath the county bridge
The city folks said hey, that's not his
They signed a petition they're gonna get rid
Of that low down no account white trash

CHORUS

What if Jesus comes back like that
On an old freight train in a hobo hat
Will we let him in or turn our back
What if Jesus comes back like that
Oh what if Jesus comes back like that

 VERSE 2

She was born into drug abuse
She couldn't help what her mama used
It wasn't like she got to choose
Now she's layin' there all alone

Got a monkey on her back
The nurses say they never saw a smile like that
Doctor says she might stand a chance
If somebody takes her home

CHORUS

What if Jesus comes back like that
Two months early and hooked on crack
Will we let him in or turn our back
What if Jesus comes back like that
Oh what if Jesus comes back like that

 BRIDGE

Nobody said life is fair
We've all got a cross to bear
When it gets a little hard to care
Just think about him hanging there

VERSE 3

He came to town on a cold dark night
A single star his only light
The baby born that silent night
A manger for his bed

 CHORUS

What if Jesus comes back like that
Where will he find out hearts are at
Will he let us in or turn his back
What if Jesus comes back like that
Will he cry when he sees where our hearts are at
Will he let us in or turn his back
What if Jesus comes back like that
Hey what if Jesus comes back like that

Kendrick Lamar: How Much a Dollar Cost? (2015)

VERSE 1

How much a dollar really cost?
The question is detrimental, paralyzin' my thoughts
Parasites in my stomach keep me with a gut feeling, y'all
Gotta see how I'm chillin' once I park this luxury car
Hopping out feeling big as Mutombo
Twenty on pump six dirty Marcellus called me Dumbo
Twenty years ago, can't forget
Now I can lend him a ear or two how to stack these residuals
Tenfold, the liberal concept of what men'll do
Twenty oh six, he didn't hear me
Indigenous African only spoke Zulu
My American tongue was leery
Walked out the gas station
A homeless man with a semi-tan complexion
Asked me for ten rand
Stressin' about dry land
Deep water, powder blue skies that crack open
A piece of crack that he wanted, I knew he was smokin'
He begged and pleaded
Asked me to feed him twice, I didn't believe it
Told him, beat it
Contributin' money just for his pipe, I couldn't see it
He said, my son, temptation is one thing that I've defeated
Listen to me, I want a single bill from you
Nothin' less, nothin' more
I told him I ain't have it and closed my door
Tell me how much a dollar cost

CHORUS

It's more to feed your mind
Water, sun and love, the one you love
All you need, the air you breathe

VERSE 2

He's starin' at me in disbelief
My temper is buildin', he's starin' at me, I grab my key
He's starin' at me, I started the car then I tried to leave
And somethin' told me to keep it in park until I could see
A reason why he was mad at a stranger like I was supposed to save him
Like I'm the reason he's homeless and askin' me for a favor
He's starin' at me, his eyes followed me with no laser
He's starin' at me, I notice that his stare is contagious
'Cause now I'm starin' back at him, feelin' some type of disrespect
If I could throw a bat at him, it'd be aimin' at his neck
I never understood someone beggin' for goods
Askin' for handouts, takin' it if they could
And this particular person just had it down pat
Starin' at me for the longest until he finally asked
Have you ever opened up Exodus 14?
A humble man is all that we ever need
Tell me how much a dollar cost

CHORUS

It's more to feed your mind
Water, sun and love, the one you love
All you need, the air you breathe

VERSE 3

Guilt trippin' and feelin' resentment
I never met a transient that demanded attention
They got me frustrated, indecisive and power trippin'
Sour emotions got me lookin' at the universe different
I should distance myself, I should keep it relentless
My selfishness is what got me here, who the fuck I'm kiddin'?
So I'ma tell you like I told the last bum, crumbs and pennies
I need all of mines, and I recognize this type of panhandlin' all the time
I got better judgement, I know when nigga's hustlin'
Keep in mind, when I was strugglin', I did compromise
Now I comprehend, I smell grandpa's old medicine
Reekin' from your skin, moonshine and gin
Nigga your babblin', your words ain't flatterin', I'm imaginin'
Denzel but lookin' at O'Neal, Kazaam is sad
Thrills, your gimmick is mediocre, the jig is up
I seen you from a mile away losin' focus
And I'm insensitive, and I lack empathy
He looked at me and said, "Your potential is bittersweet"
I looked at him and said, "Every nickel is mines to keep"
He looked at me and said, "Know the truth, it'll set you free"
You're lookin' at the Messiah, the son of Jehova, the higher power
The choir that spoke the word, the Holy Spirit, the nerve
Of Nazareth, and I'll tell you just how much a dollar cost
The price of having a spot in Heaven, embrace your loss, I am God

OUTRO

I wash my hands, I said my grace, what more do you want from me?
Tears of a clown, guess I'm not all what is meant to be
Shades of grey will never change if I condone
Turn this page, help me change, to right my wrongs

PART 3: Prophetic Songs

QUESTIONS:

1.) How does each song describes the errors in the way Christians have understood Jesus?

2.) Do either of these songs encourage you to make any changes in the ways you try to follow Him?

NOFX: I’m Going to Hell For This One (2010)

VERSE 1

Jesus Christ will resurrect
He's got his BMI royalty to collect
He's not the white child hippy
He looks and acts more like an indignant Ice T

CHORUS

Jesus Christ is coming back
He wants to kick Mel Gibson's ass
Super star, the passion of
He wants his money not your love

He's been kickin'
Two thousand years
He's fixed a lot of sports
And drank a million beers

Some ecstasy a thin white line
Says designer drugs beat the hell out of wine
CHORUS

Jesus Christ on vacation
Spreading mass sacreligion

“Sex and drugs we abstain!”
He thinks Christians are insane
They don't know love they don't feel
And moral hauteur
Scare tactics I never taught:

“If you're gonna look to me better get rose colored shades
'Cause what you see, is what you get”

Jackson Browne: The Rebel Jesus (2005) 

The streets are filled with laughter and light

And the music of the season

And the merchants' windows are all bright

With the faces of the children

And the families hurrying to their homes

As the sky darkens and freezes

Will be gathering around the hearths and tables

Giving thanks for all God's graces

And the birth of the rebel Jesus

They call him by the "Prince of Peace"

And they call him by "The Saviour"

And they pray to him upon the sea

And in every bold endeavor

As they fill his churches with their pride and gold

And their faith in him increases

But they've turned the nature that I worshipped in

From a temple to a robber's den

In the words of the rebel Jesus

We guard our world with locks and guns

And we guard our fine possessions

And once a year when Christmas comes

We give to our relations

And perhaps we give a little to the poor

If the generosity should seize us

But if any one of us should interfere

In the business of why there are poor

They get the same as the rebel Jesus

But pardon me if I have seemed

To take the tone of judgement

For I've no wish to come between

This day and your enjoyment

In this life of hardship and of earthly toil

We have need for anything that frees us

So I bid you pleasure and I bid you cheer

From a heathen and a pagan

On the side of the rebel Jesus.