The Prince of Peace Heard Through The Prince of Pop

Hey kids, this is what a 45 looks like.

I was in the 6th grade the first time I ever heard the song Purple Rain. I had the 45, the purple one with the purple rain on the sticker. I instantly fell in love. A song of love, pain, rejection, goodwill and passion. It “stuck.” I remember sneaking to see the movie after it was released on VHS. (This isn’t permission to go against your parents will, it’s a confession that I did it.)

Here are the lyrics:

“Purple Rain”

by Prince, The Revolution

What does this have to do with Jesus?
Over the past few weeks I have spent time preaching on “The Origin of Life. Who, Is The Beginning Of It All.” In that series I have focused on several aspects of Genesis 1-3. One aspect I have spent a lot of time on is “Imago Dei,” the image of God. The Scriptures reveal that humans are created in the “likeness” of God (elohim). I have heard many explanations of how people believe that can be understood. I’m glad there are some people that believe they can nail that down, I just stand here amazed at the truth revealed there. (Genesis 1:27)

The Prince of Pop

I’m not a huge fan of Prince, but I have certainly been influenced by him, his creativity, his musical talent, and his song writing. Some of his music I really like, some of it I really don’t. Some of the images in his videos and film are images I can’t endorse or even defend. However, I can certainly say this, I see the image of a Holy, creative, loving, passionate God that has been stamped upon Prince’s image. Brace yourself…I even think that beyond any intention that Prince himself had I can hear our creator, Jesus’ voice coming through his art.

Boy Meets Girl. Boy Falls In Love With Girl. Girl Is Fickle. Boy Continues To Pursue Girl.

It seems that every culture bears in common the “boy meets girl/happily ever after” story. I believe this commonality is evidence of the imago dei. These stories resonate so deeply with humanity, because it is part of God’s eternal purpose, part of His story.

God, Jesus, The Prince of Pop and Purple Rain.

As I have grown up, matured (maybe), served the church and even pondered the song Purple Rain a heartbreaking parallel has developed.

I believe Purple Rain could be listened to/read as a love song/letter from Jesus to His Bride, the church.
I never meant to cause you any sorrow

I never meant to cause you any pain…don’t we, the church, blame Jesus/God for a lot of the bad things that happen in our life?

I only wanted one time to see you laughing…doesn’t Jesus want us to be in joyful relationship with him?

I only want to see you laughing in the purple rain…I see a metaphor for Jesus blood here, the very thing that covers us and makes us righteous, able to laugh in joy as we live renewed, restored, redeemed in Him.

I never wanted to be your weekend lover…Doesn’t Jesus want a 24/7 relationship with him
I only wanted to be some kind of friend…“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” -Jesus from John 15:15

Baby I could never steal you from another…Never once do I see that God imposes Himself on us. We have a choice.

It’s such a shame our friendship had to end…How many times have you or I, or others walked away?

Honey I know, I know, I know times are changing
It’s time we all reach out for something new…Is the church tempted to think Jesus is irrelevant? Young or old, are we willing to allow Jesus to show us that things don’t stay the same, that He may choose to be true to Himself while seeking people with different methods than we are used to?

That means you too
You say you want a leader
But you can’t seem to make up your mind…Do you find yourself trying to follow “two masters,” yourself above Jesus as King?
I think you better close it
And let me guide you to the purple rain…“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” -Jesus from Luke 14:26–27 (ESV)

What I’m Not Saying

I’m not saying that Prince was a disciple of Jesus. I just simply don’t know and neither do you.

What I Am Saying

God created us and can use our lives that have been stamped with his likeness to do what He will through our lives, creativity and action. The Holy Spirit is alive and well and moving around. Without His influence in the world we would all be lost with no truth or ability to respond to the good news of God loving man.

John 3:1–15 (ESV)

⁷ Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

The Spirit moves.

The Big Question Is…Will you settle for the influence of the Holy Spirit or will you accept the gift of the Holy Spirit through repentance?

Settling for God to use our life is not the same thing as surrendering our life to Him.

The Prince of Pop had a choice to make. The time for making that choice in his life is passed.

You still have the opportunity to give your life back to Jesus for Him to seal it through by grace through His work on the cross and His work through baptism.