Thought for the week (we 5th May 2013)

‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ began as a rock opera written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Since it first appeared in 1971 it has captivated audience all over the world.

It’s a musical, however which has always been controversial because while it contains much from the New Testament narratives there is a lot about Jesus that’s not included. In the show Pontius Pilate accused Jesus of being mad and irrelevant while what he actually said was that he could find no fault in him.

The Jesus of Superstar shuns the sick; the Jesus of the New Testament always reaches out his hands to heal. Mary Magdalene sings of him as being ‘just a man’ which is opposite to the Biblical truth that Jesus was fully God and fully man.

It ends with the death of Jesus with no resurrection which leaves the story disappointingly incomplete. Then again the very term ‘Superstar’ is in marked contrast to the baby born in abject poverty in Bethlehem and as Paul declared who emptied himself and took on the role of a servant and was ‘obedient even to death on a cross’

I do not wish for one moment to take away from the recent Academy production of the show and the amazing talent of the cast who performed to such a high standard. There is, however, a real danger that we can so easily lose sight of who Jesus really is.

He is the suffering servant prophesied by Isaiah who would come to save the people from their sins. His disciples confessed his divinity and until their last breath proclaimed that Jesus died and arose again. Lives still continue to be changed by his love like John Newton who was inspired to proclaim ‘Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me’.

By such grace we are saved through faith and it all of God – Jesus was never a superstar but in all and every way our Saviour, Lord and King.