Celebrating Easter
with the Sing Immanuel Choir

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It’s just after 7pm on Good Friday in March 2008 and the Sing Immanuel choir lift their voices to sing the first piece of their selection, proclaiming:

‘Majesty, worship his majesty,
to Jesus be glory, honour and praise’

The venue is the beautiful Ferguson Lecture theatre at the Bishop’s Stortford College where the assembled audience of over 150 people have come to listen to this choir.

It is a fitting start to Easter as on Good Friday we celebrate the death of Jesus. It may seem odd to celebrate his death, but we do so in the knowledge that he rose from the tomb on Sunday morning proving that he had accomplished what he set out to do. When Jesus died on the cross at Calvary on that first Good Friday, the sinless one took the place of the sinners. When he proclaimed “it is finished”, it meant that he had completed the work that he came to do. he gave up his life. It may have been the Roman soldiers who carried out the execution, but it was Jesus who was in control and who gave up his life, it was not taken from Him. He gave it willingly, knowing that he would take it up again and his resurrection proved that his sacrifice had been accepted, he had achieved victory over death for us.

He rose again to life, so that we too may rise to life if we believe in him and accept him as our Saviour. Why do we need a saviour? Because we are sinners. Our natural inclination is to reject God, to ignore him, to go our own way and follow our own path, but that way leads to destruction. Our sin separates us from a Holy God but Jesus came to provide a way back to God. He gave himself as a sacrifice for the sin that is within us. He died so that we come back to God. He died so that we can have life. it’s a gift that is given to us when we recognise that we are sinful and turn to Jesus in repentance and faith. He gives us new life, abundant life, a life of praise and worship and service for God. That’s the life that the choir were proclaiming.

Sing Immanuel share their experience of God and the love of Jesus through music and song. They represent a variety of ages and backgrounds but are united in their love of God as well as their musical ability. The singing and musical accompaniment are first rate with beautiful harmonies from the whole choir as well as some solo pieces and duets. In the 90 minute presentation there are a number of old favourites, some of which are set to new tunes, as well as a range of newer pieces.

The songs were interspersed with short readings, a poem about the crown of thorns written by one of the choir members and an Easter message.

All of which combined to be a joyful evening of celebration and praise so it was fitting to end with the song ‘to God be the glory’.

We trust that God was glorified as we shared in this time of worship and praise.