That Which Makes Your Heart Sing
Welcome back to Field Notes.
A desk, good and messy, is one of life’s simple pleasures.
Greek of the Week: κύριος | COO - ree - oss (Lord; lord, master, sir)
Used in Philippians 2:9-11
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (κύριος), to the glory of God the Father.
— English Standard Version
What makes your heart sing?
It was mid-July. The warm Orlando sun peeked through the windows of our classroom which were fogged with the humid air of central Florida. As I sat through the fifth, four-hour block of lectures on the Pauline epistles, I leaned back in my chair, Greek New Testament opened to Philippians 2, and my heart was singing.
Hybrid-weeks at RTS Orlando are full. We sit in lectures stretching from 9 AM to 10 PM, Monday through Friday (with one hour break for lunch and for supper). Once class is over the fellowship begins — the deep conversations about ministry and theology around the fire and the soaring laughter of friends who are ordinarily miles apart brought together again — and it lasts into the wee hours of the morning.
As I sat in class on Friday, my mind and body were exhausted. I had even preached that morning to a room full of my classmates — always a daunting task — to receive some constructive criticism. I had every reason to be “checked out” of the lecture on Philippians, yet my soul was on fire.
A tuning fork is designed with one purpose: to carry a single note when it is struck. As it reverberates, it sings out the note for which it was created.
In a similar fashion, our hearts were made with a purpose. They were made to sing the glories of our God.
Psalm 66:1–2
1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth;
2 sing the glory of his name;
give to him glorious praise!
— English Standard Version
Is it any wonder then, that when faced with the glorious truth of Christ — who being himself truly God, who emptied himself by taking on a truly human nature and humbled himself to the point of death on a cross, who has been highly exalted above every other name, and whom the whole world will one day confess as the Lord, the κύριος, to the Father’s glory — our hearts cannot help but burn with love, joy, and unceasing song?
For:
Hebrews 1:3
3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
— English Standard Version
In Christ, the fullness of the Godhead has been revealed to those who believe. In Christ, we know what God is truly like. In Christ, we have found the glory of God made known to the whole world. In Christ, our redemption is secure. In Christ, our hearts have found the song for which they were made.
So, this autumn at Immanuel CRC, we’re going to have a look at Christology: who Jesus is and what He has done. In both our Adult Sunday School class and our youth groups, I have the honor of pointing our members — young and old — to the center of our faith. Will you join us?
Do you struggle to make progress in the Christian life? Do you have doubts and fears that you aren’t enough? Do you lack joy or peace? Do you wonder why the Christian life is worth living? Then friend, you need to cast your eyes upon Jesus. You need to be reminded of your heart’s song.
What about Field Notes?
Field Notes will continue. After a summer away, I have a greater appreciation for my own bandwidth. I cannot do everything. So, rather than trying to keep seven different pots on the stove, I hope from this single pot to fill a good many bowls. Expect posts here at Field Notes to trickle out at a slow but steady pace and to correlate with our study in Christology at Immanuel.
I hope this little blog continues to be a valuable outlet for members of our church and those passing through on Substack. Let it be an invitation to talk more about theology, more about the Bible, and more about your faith wherever you are.
And if you happen to be at Immanuel CRC, then please stop in for Adult Sunday School on the 14th of September before morning worship. The music is always better enjoyed with friends!
To Those from Substack:
Welcome! My name is Corey Viss, and I currently serve as the Youth Director of Immanuel CRC in Ripon, CA. While this column is primarily intended for the members of my church, you are more than welcome to join in the fun. I’m glad God, in His providence, has brought us together. Blessings!