70. Rock Goes the Gospel U2 "When Love Comes To Town"

This is a duet with Blues legend B.B. King. American Blues musicians were a big influence on U2, and the group had a great admiration for King. In 1987, King played a show in Dublin and found out U2 would be in the audience. This made him nervous, as U2 had just released The Joshua Tree and were wildly popular, especially in their native Ireland. After the show King was honoured to meet the band and humbled to find out they were big fans. He asked Bono to think of him sometime when he was writing a song, and this was the result. King performed this with the band for the first time during their Joshua Tree tour at a concert in Fort Worth, Texas on November 24, 1987. Parts of this show as well as the soundcheck were included in the U2 concert documentary Rattle And Hum, which contains a scene where Bono is rehearsing this with King.

Hey yeah, yeah

I was a sailor, I was lost at sea
I was under the waves before love rescued me
I was a fighter, I could turn on a thread
Now I stand accused of the things I've said

Love comes to town, I'm gonna jump that train
When love comes to town, I'm gonna catch that flame
Maybe I was wrong to ever let you down
But I did what I did before love came to town

I used to make love under a red sunset
I was making promises I was soon to forget
She was pale as the lace of her wedding gown
But I left her standing before love came to town

I ran into a juke joint when I heard a guitar scream
The notes were turning blue, I was dazing in a dream
As the music played, I saw my life turn around
That was the day before love came to town

When love comes to town, I'm gonna jump that train
When love comes to town, I'm gonna catch that flame
Maybe I was wrong to ever let you down
But I did what I did before love came to town

When love comes to town, I'm gonna jump that train
When love comes to town, I'm gonna catch that flame
Maybe I was wrong to ever let you down
But I did what I did before love came to town

I was there when they crucified my Lord
I held the scabbard when the soldier drew his sword
I threw the dice when they pierced his side
But I've seen love conquer the great divide

When love comes to town, I'm gonna catch that train
When love comes to town, I'm gonna catch that flame
Maybe I was wrong to ever let you down
But I did what I did before love came to town

Yeah, yeah

Anyone in their right minds can see where Bono and BB King are going with this song. The lyrics are evocative and haunting. The word craft that put the song together is skilful. the story is about the value of love. Bono is unapologetic about his use of the crucifixion in his song with the classic final line to the  2nd to last verse "But I've seen love conquer the great divide" Whether this is a prophesy about the troubles between north and south in Ireland is unclear or whether this is a pronouncement of the band's faith in he who conquers the great divide we are left to think through ourselves.

In the scripture we are told of the time when "Love Comes to Town" in Luke 4 to be exact. Jesus comes back from his time in the wilderness and comes to his hometown of Nazareth.

Luke 4:14- 30 "14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.”20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph's son?” 23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself.’ What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath.29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, he went away."

It was a dangerous thing for Jesus to do. To come unto town and to fulfill a prophesy in the company of those who attended the synagogue. He was prepared for the consequences though. Jesus resolved to minister this powerful message of love and liberty. A message that no one would forget in a hurry. A message that comes across like a manifesto of recovery. Jesus places himself in the middle of the history of God's people and does the unthinkable. How many times had that scroll been read in that synagogue. As it was Jesus' home synagogue, how many times had he and his family heard that scroll read when they attended. He he was saying the prophesy is fulfilled in their hearing. AMAZING. The response of the people he knew was equally amazing- they wanted to throw him off the cliff that the town was built on. Such was the outrage at saying such a thing. Perhaps they thought that Jesus was mocking the prophesy of Isaiah.  You could never be more further from the truth. Jesus begins his ministry of love and redemption in the world  at this point and no one will forget the day that "Love Came To Town"

May you know his presence with you today. May you know recovery, restoration, freedom, and love in all that you do. May the blessing of God be upon and with you.