30. Rock Goes The Gospel - Bruce Springsteen "Land of Hope and Dreams"

"Land of Hope and Dreams" is a 1999 song written by Bruce Springsteen and performed by Springsteen and the E Street Band. After being performed on tour and released on multiple live albums, a studio recording was released for the first time on Wrecking Ball in 2012. The song was written prior to the 1999-2000 E Street Band reunion tour, and appeared on the Live in New York City album from that tour. It was also used as the theme song of the MLB on TBS coverage for the postseason in the 2012 Major League Baseball season

The song's origins date to 1998 or early 1999, when it was first written. It came during the close of a decade in which Springsteen had parted ways with the E Street Band, gotten married again and had children, and had released very little new music in a rock vein. He later said, "I was having a hard time locating my rock voice. I knew I didn't want it to be what it was, but I didn't know ... I'd made some records over the past years, I made one in '94 that I didn't release. Then I made a series of demos, kind of in search of that voice. And I was having a hard time finding it. And there was a point I said: 'Well, gee, maybe I just don't do that now. Maybe that's something that I did.'" But after writing "Land of Hope and Dreams", he felt it was "as good as any songs like this that I've ever written. It was like, there's that voice I was looking for."

Grab your ticket and your suitcase
Thunder's rolling down the tracks
You don't know where you're goin'
But you know you won't be back

Darlin' if you're weary
Lay your head upon my chest
We'll take what we can carry
And we'll leave the rest

Big Wheels rolling through fields
Where sunlight streams
Meet me in a land of hope and dreams

I will provide for you
And I'll stand by your side
You'll need a good companion for
This part of the ride Leave behind your sorrows

Let this day be the last
Tomorrow there'll be sunshine
And all this darkness past

Big wheels roll through fields
Where sunlight streams
Meet me in a land of hope and dreams

This train Carries saints and sinners
This train Carries losers and winners
This Train Carries whores and gamblers
This Train Carries lost souls
This Train Dreams will not be thwarted
This Train Faith will be rewarded
This Train Hear the steel wheels singin'
This Train Bells of freedom ringin'
This Train Carries broken-hearted
This Train Thieves and sweet souls departed
This Train Carries fools and kings
This Train All aboard

This Train Dreams will not be thwarted
This Train Faith will be rewarded
This Train Hear the steel wheels singin'
This Train Bells of freedom ringin'

This song is the most glowingly patriotic song Springsteen has ever written, and if you had to pick one piece to represent how Springsteen feels about his country, it would be this one. Bruce likes to say he’s spent his career tracing the distance between the American dream and the American reality, and that means he’s spent a lot of time singing about problems in contemporary society and politics. But he’s never once done this from a place of hatred; he loves this country, and he believes wholeheartedly in the promises the United States of America embraces at its best. “Land of Hope and Dreams” is his vision of what America should be, and nearly every criticism he’s made of this country comes from contemporary America failing to live up to the standards he lays out here. The last half of the piece focuses on a grand “train” metaphor; the train is America, and Springsteen sings about all the people who are, in a perfect world, welcome to come on board:

Of course the lyrics lend to other metaphors as well. Often in songs the "Train" can refer to the "Gospel Train" In the album "Slow Train Coming" and the track of the same name the train that is being referred to is without doubt the "Gospel Train". In this track Dylan expresses his strong personal faith and stresses the importance of Christian teachings and philosophy. There is known to be about 1,000 songs dedicated to trains throughout the world. Some of those songs are using the metaphor of the train being the "Gospel Train" The "Land of Hopes and Dreams" lyrics are very poignant from a faith perspective........they symbolise two important gospel imperatives "INCLUSIVITY" and the "RANGE OF SALVATION & THE GRACE OF GOD" 

This train Carries saints and sinners

This train Carries losers and winners

This Train Carries whores and gamblers

This Train Carries lost souls

This Train Dreams will not be thwarted

This Train Faith will be rewarded

This Train Hear the steel wheels singin'

This Train Bells of freedom ringin'

This Train Carries broken-hearted

This Train Thieves and sweet souls departed

This Train Carries fools and kings

This Train All aboard

Jesus at the end of his earthly ministry tells the disciples to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. He knows his kingdom is an inclusive kingdom that is destined to harbour everyone who will come to him for grace.

Matthew 28:16-20 "Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

This passage talks about the scope of the gospel of Jesus. "ALL" Nations. Means "ALL" nations. Jesus instructs the apostles to conduct the biggest mission of all.  Luke picks up that theme in the last chapter of his gospel and the first chapter of Acts of the apostles which is Luke's sequel to his gospel.

Luke 24:45-49 45 "Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Acts 1:7-8 "He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

This is the scope of the salvation of God. The depth of the mercy and grace of God. The width of his eternal love that is unending. The breadth of his liberty and freedom that cannot be contained. The train in Springsteen's lyrics "Land of Hopes and Dream" paint the picture of the inclusivity of the kind of people that will be onboard. This has never more been true than in the Gospel and Good news of Jesus.

for over 2,000 years that gospel has been winning souls through the world. People have come to know Jesus and have a relationship with him. The total amount of believers in the world is around 2.18 Billion. Compare that to the total population of the world of 7.1 Billion. Wow.........

The Apostle of John shares a vision that is called "The book of Revelation" it is also known as the apocalypse and shows what people believe to be end time pictures. In Revelation chapter 7 we find a picture again of the scope of the gospel of Jesus and it's a "Blown Away" moment.

Revelation 7: 9-10 "After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."…

 "This Train"....... "This Gospel"... "This Salvation"...... "This Mercy"........"This Love.".........."This Kingdom of God"......."This Jesus"......... is EPIC and COSMIC in It's scope. All are called to "COME ON BOARD"