192. Rock Goes The Gospel - Coldplay "Yellow"

"Yellow" by Coldplay. was co-produced with British record producer Ken Nelson for their debut album, Parachutes (2000). The song's lyrics are a reference to band vocalist Chris Martin's unrequited love. The song was recorded in March 2000, and released in June that same year as the second single from Parachutes, following "Shiver", and the lead single in the United States. The single reached number four in the UK Singles Chart, giving the band their first top-five hit in the United Kingdom. Helped by heavy rotation and usage in promotions, the song thrust the band into massive popularity. "Yellow" has since been covered by various recording artists worldwide, and remains one of the band's most popular songs.

Look at the stars,
Look how they shine for you,
And everything you do,
Yeah, they were all yellow.

I came along,
I wrote a song for you,
And all the things you do,
And it was called "Yellow".

So then I took my turn,
Oh what a thing to have done,
And it was all yellow.

Your skin,
Oh yeah your skin and bones,
Turn into
Something beautiful,
Do you know,
You know I love you so,
You know I love you so.

I swam across,
I jumped across for you,
Oh what a thing to do.
'Cause you were all yellow,

I drew a line,
I drew a line for you,
Oh what a thing to do,
And it was all yellow.

Your skin,
Oh yeah your skin and bones,
Turn into
Something beautiful,
Do you know,
For you I'd bleed myself dry,
For you I'd bleed myself dry.

It's true,
Look how they shine for you,
Look how they shine for you,
Look how they shine for,
Look how they shine for you,
Look how they shine for you,
Look how they shine.

Look at the stars,
Look how they shine for you,
And all the things that you do.

Lead singer Chris Martin has said that the lyrics are about being devoted to someone, wanting to do anything for them: writing a song for them, swimming across the sea for them and so on. He said that it's not necessarily a romantic devotion, but could be about someone that you look up to and would do anything for, a brotherly love. He claims to have had no specific person in mind when he wrote it. The band came up with the line "Look at the stars, look how they shine for you" after looking up at the night sky. They were recording in Wales, which had a nice, clear sky. The colour yellow can have many negative implications ("Yellow Journalism," "Yellow Fever," a "Yellow Card" for a foul in football), but for Coldplay, it is a beautiful colour. According to lead singer Chris Martin, "It was simply because that word sounded nice, it just seemed to fit, no other reason. None of the other colours would have sounded right really!" The Beatles were kind to the colour when they used it in their song "Yellow Submarine." Martin initially wrote the words and melody, then the rest of the band wrote the other bits and pieces (the hook, the riff, fills, etc.). This morning in the Rock Goes the Gospel Devotion we will be looking at 1 Corinthians 16: for some practical down to eart advise on how to live a life of devotion.

These verses might be said to contain a formula for victorious living, for the kind of Christian life that God has made possible and that He desires for His children –- and that His children desire to live! You will see that they contain very practical and down-to-earth advice. There is a military tone about the commands that are stated here; it is almost as though soldiers were going into battle, but before going their general addressed them and said, “”Be on your guard……stand firm……be men of courage……be strong……do everything in love!”” We should remember that as Christians we are soldiers (2 Timothy 2:3), engaged in a terrific warfare (Ephesians 6:12). But thank God, we have a great Captain! –- look up Hebrews 2:10. How are we to win through? Let us examine the five-fold secret of victory that Paul outlines for us:-

1. Always be on your guard

This is the significance of the words in verse 13. They mean, ‘‘Keep awake and be vigilant!’’ The picture is of a sentry on duty. He must be on the alert all the time. Our three great enemies are the world, the flesh and the Devil, and unless we are on guard and doing constant sentry duty we shall be overcome by these enemies.

• The World is the enemy without. Corinth was the most important city of Greece, a great centre of commerce and of educational institutions, but it was a notoriously wicked city. It was rich and beautiful, but it was sinful and corrupt. What a powerful enemy the world is –- look up 1 John 2:15-17!

• The Flesh is the enemy within. The ““flesh”” is evil and corrupt and it is incapable of improvement (Romans 7:18). We very quickly fall a prey to our old nature, which is seen when we show anger, bad temper, pride, irritability, and when we are critical of others.

• The Devil is the enemy around. Satan is a real and a powerful foe and he is determined to bring about our downfall (1 Peter 5:8). But we are not to be ““unaware of his schemes”” (2 Corinthians 2:11).

2. Stand firm in the faith

Compare our verse with 1 Corinthians 15:58. The word really means ‘’stay put’’ –- have spiritual convictions and stick to them. If we are going to have spiritual convictions and stick to them we must be men and women of the Word –- look up 2 Timothy 2:15. We shall never grow up into spiritual maturity and be strong in the Lord and in His power unless we feed constantly upon the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:15-17), and especially underline verse 13. But it is important to notice that the words “”stand firm in the faith”” also mean, ‘‘Keep on trusting, do not lose faith’’. In the midst of international tensions and personal trials and testings, when reverses and losses come upon us, Satan’s primary objective is to shatter our faith –- look up Luke 22:31-32; therefore, stand firm in the faith! –- let your whole trust be in the Lord who will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5-6).

3. Be people of courage

How long have you been a Christian? Perhaps you need the advice, ‘’Act your age!’’ –- look up 1 Corinthians 13:11. Christians are often childish and petty and they behave like babies; they have not grown up –- look up 1 Corinthians 3:1-4. Such behaviour is an indication of spiritual immaturity. We must rise to the full stature of our manhood in Christ. But how can we do this, and what are our resources?

4. Do not rely upon yourself

When Paul says in verse 13, ““Be strong…”…” he is not for a moment suggesting that we have any strength of our own. We are incapable of facing the world, the flesh and the Devil, of being victorious over these enemies, of living a life that pleases God in our own strength –- read Ephesians 6:10-17 and you will discover that there is no need for defeat. Every time we are defeated the reason is that we have been relying upon our own resources. The plain, simple advice is this: Don’t rely on yourself! –- look up 2 Corinthians 3:5-6.

5. Let love regulate all that you do

This is the meaning of verse 14. Love is the hallmark, the distinguishing feature of the Christian: love to the Lord Jesus (John 14:15); and love for all the Lord’’s people (John 13:34-35). It would help to read 1 Corinthians chapter 13 every day for a month. Let’s remind ourselves of verses 1 to 7:-

““If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

““Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.””

Out of all of these five points to a rich life of relationship with Jesus the last one is the most difficult to put into practice. This kind of devotion is what is being sung about by Christ Martin in "Yellow" The kind of love that is not sentimental but is full of action "For you I'd bleed myself dry" this kind of love is seen in the way Jesus devotes himself to the cross for our sakes and this is the kind of live that we are encouraged to have for God and for the people around us.