Word

The Beatles sang a song by that title.  A portion of the lyrics are:

Say the word and you'll be free

Say the word and be like me

Say the word I'm thinking of

Have you heard the word is love?

...

Spread the word and you'll be free

Spread the word and be like me

Spread the word I'm thinking of

Have you heard the word is love?

By contrast, in the 80's rap music started hitting the airwaves and "Word" became a thing to say.  In the urban city it meant or still means "well said" or "agree".  Seems like it was used to mean "what's up" also.  It was bolstered by Ice-T's rap "6'n The Mornin'".  A small portion of the lyrics:

6'n the mornin' police at my door

Fresh Adidas squeak across the bathroom floor

Out the back window I make an escape

Don't even get a chance to grab my old school tape

...

I'm a self-made monster of the city streets

Remotely controlled by hard hip hop beats

But just livin' in the city is a serious task

Didn't know what the cops wanted

Didn't have to time to ask

Word

Yesterday we read through Jesus' prayer in John 17.  In these verses He is praying regarding His disciples and  to all who believe upon Him because of these disciples.  Verse 8 says, "For I have given them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me."  Verse 14 says, "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world."

I find it interesting how the world sometimes hits the things of God without knowing it.  They often see beauty, peace, joy, and love but absolutely refuse to believe these things come from their Creator, or even that there is a Creator.

The Beatles song "Word" is clearly talking about love.  They sing to say the word and spread the word.  I find that pretty remarkable.  Mainly because the Beatles were insistent upon being agnostic.  Their press officer said in an 1964 interview that the Beatles were "completely anti-Christ. I mean, I am anti-Christ as well, but they're so anti-Christ they shock me which isn't an easy thing."  This same group sang the song, "All You Need is Love".  1 John 4:8 says, "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."  When someone finds Christ and accept Him as the Son of God, when they accept that He paid for their sins because He wanted too, when they are willing to let go and believe in Him, they are filled with His love.  They say His name and they spread His name.  He overflows from within them to others.  This song seems to represent that. 

By contrast, I was reading this weekend of the son of the man who was one of the originators of the first home-grown terrorist in the U.S.  His father had been a part of killing a rabbi and planning the WTC first bombing.  He said that when he reached the age of 18 he told his mother that he would not harbor hate towards anyone because of race, gender, or religion.  He could not be a Muslim.  His mother responded saying, "I'm so tired of hating." 

God is love.  When I am close to God and He near me, I do not have hate and even the annoying things that people are apt to do, do not bother me.  My heart is different, my patience is different, my love is different, my joy is different.  I am more than willing to say why and to spread why.

The Ice-T song is talking about a life that is about living on the streets and it's all about self.  No respect for others, no respect for authority, no responsibility - hatred to anyone opposing his right to do what he wants to do.  Yet the person represented or wanting to be represented by this song believes this is freedom.  It is ironic.  There is rebellion represented in the song.

Jesus explains how the world will hate the disciples.  The world won't just dislike them, they won't just be annoyed with them, they won't not talk to them or ignore them, but they will hate them.  The disciples will be as rebels in a rebellion that the world will not like at all and will oppose them.  Isn't it interesting how this common vein can exist between the Christian disciple and the one who is rebelling against society?  If only they knew they could become a disciple and be made full and still have the whole world hate them, since they seem to want the world to oppose them.

Either way, the Word is Jesus the Christ.  He came from God and anyone who believes in Him is made whole.  Their sin is forgiven.  They are filled with love and the world hates them. 

Word.