127. Rock Goes The Gospel - Sinead O'Connor "Take Me To Church"

"Take me to Church" was released on August 12 2014. It's the first single from Sinéad O'Connor's "I'm Not Bossy, I'm the Boss" album. The lyrics are about finding redemption after a difficult time and she sings it masterfully.  "The protagonist I'm writing about has had a profoundly distressing experience," said the singer, "from which she is ultimately able to not only salvage herself but give birth to herself, coming to the conclusion, 'I am only one I should adore.'" "Take Me to Church," looks back on a lifetime of battles and broken loves, only to find pathways to peace, redemption, forgiveness and wonder.

I don't wanna love the way I loved before
I don't wanna love that way no more
What have I been writing love songs for?
I don't want to write them anymore
I don't wanna sing from where I sang before
I don't wanna sing that way no more
What've I've been singing love songs for?
I don't wanna sing them anymore,
I don't wanna be that girl no more
I don't wanna cry no more
I don't wanna die no more
So cut me down from this here tree
Cut the rope from off of me
Sit me on the floor,
I'm the only one I should adore

Oh, Take me to church,
I've done so many bad things it hurts
yeah, Take me to church
but not the ones that hurt
'Cause that ain't the truth
And that's not what it's worth
Yeah, take me to church
oh, take me to church
I've done so many bad things it hurts
Yeah, get me to church
but not the ones that hurt
'Cause that ain't the truth
And that's not what it's worth

I'm gonna sing songs of loving and forgiving
Songs of eating and of drinking,
songs of living, songs of calling in the night
'cause songs are like a bolt of light
And love's the only love you should invite
Songs of long and spiteful fails
songs that don't let you sit still
Songs that mend your broken bones
and that don't leave you alone
So get me down from this here tree,
take the rope from off of me
sit me on the floor,
I'm the only one I should adore!

Oh, Take me to church,
I've done so many bad things it hurts
Yeah take me to church,
but not the ones that hurt
'Cause that ain't the truth
And that's not what it's worth
Yeah, take me to church
oh, take me to church
I've done so many bad things it hurts
Yeah, get me to church,
but not the ones that hurt
'Cause that ain't the truth
And that's not what it's worth

Sinead O'Connor's nearly 30-year career forms a portrait of an artist in conflict; a brilliant singer who remains musically, politically and personally uncompromising after forays into folk, pop, standards, reggae and points beyond. By definition, her catalog is erratic, but it's consistently bold and surprising. Sinead has been known for speaking out in radical ways and this song is no exception The song is "Take me to church" is about a longing for a new beginning and for Sinead in this song, the church is part of that new beginning, but not the kind of church that causes more pain and rejection but a church that does what it is suppose to do and stands out for truth and is a welcome home to the broken.

It's this kind of church that Jesus had always intended. There are glorious moments that this leaks through in the life and ministry of Jesus.  The synagogue moment on Luke 4, The feeding of the 5,000, The last supper with his disciples are only a few of many. The upper room gives us a setting for this kind of honest, truthful, relational church that is spoken about in the lyrics of Sinead's song "Take me to Church"

Yeah take me to church,
but not the ones that hurt
'Cause that ain't the truth
And that's not what it's worth

Sinead O'Connor sings about the kind of Jesus Church that Jesus himself calls into being. Through his call to the disciples to go and look for a donkey, through the circumstances of the passion week, through deep friendships, and through the power of the coming Holy Spirit Jesus shows us the way to being the church that brings people home.

It's in the upper room that feet are washed and that food is served. It's in the upper room that Jesus takes the passover meal and makes it something more. It's the upper room that Judas, Thomas, and Peter find a welcome despite the fact that one will doubt, one will deny and one will betray. It's to the upper room that the disciples go to hide after the crucifixion of Jesus. It's to the upper room that the women return after they find the body of Jesus missing from the tomb. It's in the upper room that we find some of the resurrection appearances of Jesus. It's to the upper room that the disciples gather after the ascension of Jesus. It's in the upper room that we find the appointment of Matthias as apostle and it is in the upper room that the Holy Spirit comes to the disciples on the day of Pentecost. It's from the upper room that world mission is launched and 2,000 years later we are still here.

It's the upper room that Jesus visits the disciples in today's scripture reading. The upper room is about the people not the building, not the room it'self but what it represents. A truthful, down to earth, expression of community where all can find a home, find God and find peace and inspiration. What the upper room represents for us is unmissable. For too many the church has become the building and don't get me wrong the church is a powerful force for good in the world today. The sad fact is that to often the church and the leaders of churches fail to be what God in Christ has intended us to be. Perhaps it's high time we returned to a more simpler way of understanding the Church. Just like what is being sung in Sinead O'Connor's song "Take me to Church"

In Luke 24 Jesus appears in the upper room and does a number of things with his disciples. He invites them to get closer to himself "Touch me and see". Jesus eats with them. Jesus explains his death and resurrection. He goes further and opens their minds to understand the scripture. He opens their hearts to new possibilities. He opens the doors to world mission and adventure. He speaks of opening the heavens to "Power from on high" He inspires, encourages, equips, sends the disciples out to be the people of God in a broken world.

The upper room holds a special place in scripture as a model and a base for people of the resurrection. It's all that church could be and all that a Jesus church should be. Here's a challenge - Why not do your own study of the scriptures that contain references about the Upper Room and make some notes and reflections about how this room and what It stands for is a example of all that Church should be. Take me to this kind of church any day of the week.