Agnus Dei: Part Two by Rocky Fleming
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
John 1:29
Two years ago, I listened to Michael W. Smith’s song, Agnus Dei. I was so moved I just had to say something...anything that would express the praise and worship I felt. Therefore, I wrote a blog on it (Agnus Dei Blog Part One). Today I heard and watched the same song by different artists at a Passion Concert in 2024. Again, I was so moved I had to write and express the tremendous worship it took me to. I was moved to tears, as my heart was crushed by a combination of thankfulness and then moments of regret that I’ve had so much sin in my life and that His forgiveness of me is so underserved. Thankfulness in that I have been forgiven. But regret in that there was no other way to be forgiven except by the shed blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. I did that to Him. In fact, we all did it to Him. Do we reflect on this enough?
The Agnus Dei name and meaning was derived from the scripture above that I've included. John the Baptist was the first to say it. In Latin Agnus Dei literally means, Lamb of God. It has been included in liturgical worship by Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Anglican for centuries, and now every denomination is singing it, as was seen and heard from the faces of 55,000 students gathered at the concert. Watching them react to the song, and the inspiration given by the song leaders as they literally bowed and then eventually went on their face to worship The Lamb of God, broke a dam of tears in me that were held back by circumstances that had toughened my heart to endure them. I’m sure some of you know exactly what I mean, and you are also likely asking where your tears and emotions have gone. Do you worship with tears as you once did, or do you just go through the motions? Has love gone out of you?
In Revelations 2:3-4 the Apostle John was told to write to the Church in Ephesus and tell them that they had abandoned the love they had at first. It was a serious matter to God. Do you think that in their "doing church" they might have forgotten what true worship is like? Had they lost their tears and passion for the love Jesus first gave them? It’s so easy for this to happen, and something goes out of us, and our light grows dim.
This past year has been very challenging for my family and me. Loss of friends through death. Critical life-changing challenges for our immediate family, and an old body that gets so tired and discouraged that it tells me to stop and pull out, when my commitment to The Lamb of God says run your race for His glory to the end. I’m told that it’s not giving up when an 80-year-old guy admits he’s had enough. Some have said it is necessary to preserve my health and prolong my life. I get that. But when I hear the song, I heard this morning and see a young generation behind me seeking to know The Lamb of God personally and intimately, I know that I cannot give up trying to help them find Him that way. That generation is a fatherless generation, and wouldn’t it be just like God to raise up a generation of spiritual fathers to reach them? Even as a tired worn-out old man, wouldn’t that be a thing worth dying for? Could there be a better way to live and end our life than to be serving Agnus Dei until we take our last breath? Don’t get me wrong. I’m no hero. I’m no superman that will swoop in and save the day. I really don’t think I have much to give Jesus even in giving Him all of me. But I can worship Him and shed tears like Mary Magdalen did on His feet, as I declare my praise and worship for Him. Jesus told the people around Mary when they looked at her with distain that what she had done was good.
As a youngster I was told to dry it up when tears fell. As a manly man I’d tell myself the same, feeling ashamed to cry. But the truth is that when my dam of tears broke, I felt like Mary when Jesus affirmed her. I felt encouraged by the love of Jesus as He spoke to my heart telling me that what I did is a good thing. It’s okay to cry in worship. How can we not if it is pure worship.
My encouragement for you all and myself is to walk out our life one day at a time with Jesus, and we will no doubt finish well. We will be right on time and prepared by Him for that which He sends us to even when we are old or feeling ill-equipped. When we abide in Him, we can trust Him to do this. But at the core of abiding is a love link that is from Him to us and us to Him. Don’t allow this to fade or be pushed aside. In closing, I’m sharing a link to the song that meant so much to me. Watch it and listen to it. It’s okay to shed a few tears. In fact, it’s a good thing.
