The Body Of Christ

Last night two hundred and thirty eight voices, not counting the orchestra, presented the Easter Cantata, The Body Of Christ by Pepper Choplin, at the Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh. Sherri and I were privileged to be a part of this marvelous choir.  Members from our choir at Christ Baptist met yesterday afternoon with members from seven other church choirs around the Greater Raleigh Metroplex to have our first practice with the orchestra. This culminated three month of practice.

Pepper Choplin also conducted this presentation. His published works include 300 anthems, 21 church cantatas and two books of piano arrangements. He has conducted eight productions of his works at Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Center. Each week thousands of singers present his music in churches and schools in the United States and around the world. We were honored to sing under the leadership of such a talented man who has a deep love for his Savior.

The Body Of Christ tells the story of Jesus from the beginning of his ministry to beyond his resurrection. At times we, the members of the choir, were so moved that we found it difficult to sing. The story begins with John the Baptist’s introduction, “Behold the Lamb Of God who takes away the sins of the world!” Then Mary kneeled at Jesus’ feet, washed them with her tears and anointed him with expensive oil, a moving act of worship. We are reminded that we are to daily anoint him with our worship.

Jesus journey moved forward toward the cross, the disciples last meal with their Master as he broke  the bread and poured the wine in the cup and he told them, “This is my body broken for you, this is my blood.” Next the sacrificial lamb walked into the evil hands of his accusers who demanded his crucifixion, next the trial, the sentence and then that terrible sacred walk to the cross.  There his mother watches her son suffer like no man has ever suffered, not only spiritually, but also with the unimaginable pain of having every sin committed by mankind laid upon his shoulders. “What man is this who breathes his last; a dirge as his body is prepared for burial to be laid on the shroud, His pain ceased and death brought Him peace. Finally the grand crescendo as we are encouraged to “Behold the Lamb” the risen Lord, highly exalted, and at the end the realization of who we are, “We Are the Body Of Christ”. For Christ is our head and we are his body, His Spirit makes us one.

I had never experienced anything like what I experienced last night. I looked out into the massive crowd and was amazed that the concert hall was completely filled on a Sunday night. They had come to hear about Jesus, not to hear a famous vocal group, not to watch a ballgame, not to be entertained by a Broadway production, but to listen to Scripture based music and to worship their Lord. Last night they beheld the Lamb, we beheld the Lamb, the risen Savior.