Taste the New Testament
Taste The New Testament is Noble Bereans’ debut album featuring 10 bright, pop-rock songs inspired by the New Testament of the Bible.
You’ll want to crank up the volume to enjoy these songs that are all about Jesus Christ our Lord and God’s wonderful redemption plan!
Lyrics & song bio's
Like the beginning of a New Testament letter, Praise Be is the perfect start to the album – it gets our eyes on our great God and Father, who is worthy of our praise. This upbeat song gives glory to the One who has “birthed” us into His kingdom, granting us mercy and living hope through his Son, Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead! What’s more, a glorious inheritance awaits us – one that will never perish, spoil or fade!
Lyrics: Praise be to the God and Father Of our Lord Jesus Christ! Praise be to the God and Father Of our Lord Jesus Christ! In great mercy, He’s given us new birth Into a hope that’s alive! Through the risen Christ Jesus Who died and now is alive! And leaves us an inheritance That’ll never perish, spoil or fade Repeat all
Sharper than a Dagger is a fun, catchy, punk rock tune proclaiming the power of God’s word, the Bible, which has the power to cut deep, convicting us of sin and righteousness and judgement.
Lyrics: Chorus The Word of God (YEAH!) Is alive (YEAH!) Sharper than a dagger Sharper than a sword Sharper than a knife Is the word of the Lord! Repeat Chorus Verse 1 It penetrates our hearts It judges all our thoughts It tests our attitudes It cuts us to the core Chorus Verse 2 The Spirit holds the sword As it cuts into our soul It is the word of the Lord It’s alive oh-who-oh-oh! Bridge Sharper than a dagger Sharper than a sword Sharper than a knife Is the word of the Lord! Sharper even than a Double-edged sword Sharper than a spike Is the word of the Lord! The Word of God (YEAH!) Is alive (YEAH!) Sharper than a dagger Sharper than a sword Sharper than a knife Is the word of the Lord! Sharper than a dagger Sharper than a sword Sharper than a knife Is the word of the Lord! Sharper than a dagger Sharper than a sword Sharper than a knife Is the word of the Lord! The Word of God (YEAH!) Is alive (YEAH!) x 4
Inspired by the early chapters of Colossians, Jesus Christ our Lord is a catechism-style anthem proclaiming the one who is at the centre of our faith, the centre of the Bible, and the centre of this album. Have a read of Colossians 1:27 to 2:5 and see how many of the references you can spot!
Lyrics: Verse 1 Who is the one we proclaim? Jesus Christ our Lord The mystery of God – what’s his name? Jesus Christ our Lord Chorus Who is within us, at work, sanctifying? He who was once on the cross, for us dying Now resurrected, His church unifying Jesus Christ our Lord Verse 2 Who makes our faith so secure? Jesus Christ our Lord Who makes us fully mature? Jesus Christ our Lord Chorus Verse 3 Who reveals wisdom from God? Jesus Christ our Lord And who gives us courage of heart? Jesus Christ our Lord Final Chorus Who is within us, at work, sanctifying? He who was once on the cross, for us dying Now resurrected, His church unifying Jesus Christ our Lord Jesus Christ our Lord
Where’s it from?? That’s right – Colossians 2:6-7.
So Then! is a fun, 12-bar blues memory verse that teaches us a very important lesson. As wonderful as it is to be saved and to receive Christ Jesus as Lord, it doesn't end there...
We must continue to live for Jesus, being built up in Him, growing in faith and overflowing with thankfulness to God.
Lyrics: So then! Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord Continue to live in Him Established and built up in Him Strengthened in the faith you were taught And overflow-ow-ow-owing with thankfulness That’s Colossians 2 verse 6 and 7 Where’s it from?! Colossians 2 verse 6 and 7 Repeat all Where’s it from?! Colossians 2 verse 6 and 7 Where’s it from?! Colossians 2 verse 6 and 7
“Redemption” is one of the major themes of the Bible, and one that the Apostle Peter experienced first-hand. Redemption refers to God’s plan to “buy back” a people for Himself. All humans are born in slavery to sin… so what does that mean about God’s kingdom? Who could possibly redeem me and let me in??
Lyrics: Verse 1 Tell me about redemption How can I be redeemed? With silver? NO! What about gold? Nuh!! Then what can make me whole? Chorus Only the precious blood of Christ The lamb who is perfection Who took our place and paid the price Can bring about our redemption Verse 2 My way of life is empty I am a slave to sin So what about God’s kingdom? Just who can let me in? JESUS!! Repeat Chorus Final chorus So put your faith in the blood of Christ The lamb who is perfection Who took your place and paid the price To bring about your redemption To bring about your redemption
In Leviticus, the third book of the Bible, God commands the Israelites to bring sacrifices and offerings to God in order to make them ceremonially clean. It’s difficult to read, because we don’t like the thought of killing lambs and goats. But it was God’s way of showing His people how seriously he takes sin. When we do the wrong thing, or fail to do the right thing, it displeases God and he punishes us, even with death! And these animals were dying in place of the sinner.
Well, the animal sacrifices were only a shadow of the coming reality.
Jesus himself became the true sacrifice – how much more does his once-for-all sacrifice cleanse us from all our past sins, present sins, even future sins… all washed away by his sacrifice, his blood, his death.
Lyrics: The sprinkled blood Of bulls and goats And the ashes of a heifer They clean the outside but could Never get close To removing sin forever How much more Will the blood of Christ Wash our sins away! Our guilt he bore And our conscience clean Live for God today! When Jesus came as the great high priest To redeem his own forever The animals’ blood just would not do So Jesus went one better! So much more Has the blood of Christ Washed our sins away! Our guilt he bore And our conscience clean Live for God today! So much more Has the blood of Christ Washed our sins away! Our guilt he bore And our conscience clean Go on and live for God today Live for God today! Today and every day!
Boast is a fun song. It’s the only song from the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church.
A bit earlier in his letter he explains the Christian message: that Jesus was crucified to save us. He says that "the world" – that is, people who don’t trust in Jesus – consider the Christian message utter foolishness!
It’s not a message of great intellectual wisdom, nor is it a message about human triumph or power… instead, let everyone who boasts, boast in the Lord!
Lyrics: God chose, God chose, God chose, GOD CHOSE! He.. chose.. the.. Foolish things To shame the wise He chose the weak things To shame the strong He chose the lowly things And despised things So that none may boast before Him Because of Him We're in Christ Jesus Our only boast is in the Lord He's our righteousness and our holiness And redemption YEAH! So boast! Go on and boast!! Yeah boast! Go on and boast!! But only in the Lord! 1 Corinthians 1: 27 to 31 Repeat all
As humans, we like to earn our way. We don’t like the feeling of being in debt to someone for something nice they’ve done for us. We’d rather pay someone for doing us a favour rather than feel like we owe them.
We’re like that with God too! We’d like to think that the reason we’re a Christian is because we decided to follow Christ – it was my decision to believe the gospel. But Colossians confronts us with the reality that we are dead in our sins. Not injured; not sick; not far away from God; but DEAD; spiritually DEAD; no spiritual life at all. And it was when you were dead that GOD made you alive, through Christ.
Our forgiveness cannot be earned. It’s completely by God’s mercy!
There’s a strange bit in this song about food and drink, new moon parties and Sabbath days… it’s talking about Old Testament practices that were merely a shadow pointing to a greater reality… and the reality is found in who?? That’s right, the one and only Christ!
Lyrics: Verse 1 When you were dead in your sins And you were cut off from Him God made you alive with Christ Forgiving us all our sins He wiped out the debt that we owed That weighed on us like a heavy load Verse 2 He has taken that debt away Nailing it to the cross The evil powers are now afraid For all their power has been lost He made a public mockery of them Defeating them by his cross! Chorus A Therefore, don’t let anybody judge you By what you eat or what you drink Or with regard to festivals A New Moon party or a Sabbath day Chorus B These are a shadow of the things The things that were to come The reality is found in Him The one and only Christ Repeat Verse 1 Bridge – Repeat Chorus A Repeat Chorus B That’s Colossians 2: 13 to 17
Forgiveness is the one song on this album that doesn’t have a direct connection with a Bible passage, but it basically continues the album's message about the death (blood) of Jesus Christ being the way God forgives us, redeems us, washes our sins away, cleanses our guilty consciences and appeases God.
Appease is a strange word – it means to satisfy God’s anger against sinners. God is just and he is rightly angry with us when we sin. The Bible says that because of our sinful behaviour, God considers us his enemies! Ouch! That’s why we cry out “Oh Lord, my God, what can be done... to make me right with you?” You are holy and pure; I’m full of sin – I constantly do wrong things. And there are always opportunities to do good, but I often ignore them and do what is selfish instead…
Have you thought about God’s grace toward you? It should leave you amazed at God’s kindness, his patience, his mercy…
Lyrics: Verse 1 Forgiveness… How can I be forgiven? For all the wrong things that I’ve done And all the good I did not do? Pre-chorus Oh Lord my God, what can be done To make me right with you? Chorus 1 It’s only through the blood of Jesus That my guilt can be erased His death alone is what appeases God And His grace leaves me amazed! Verse 2 Forgiveness… Have you asked God’s forgiveness? For all the wrong things that you’ve done? And all the good you did not do? Pre-chorus The Lord gave His only Son! To forgive even you! Chorus 2 It’s only through the blood of Jesus That your guilt can be erased His death for you alone appeases God And His grace should leave you amazed! Repeat Chorus 1 And His grace leaves me amazed!
This is the third song from 1 Peter chapter 1, and confronts us with our human frailty. In light of eternity (forever!), our lives on earth are like grass which is cut green in the morning and turned brown by nightfall. Or like a beautiful flower that blooms today and dies tomorrow. In the words of Rich Mullins, we are not as strong as we think we are.
In contrast, God's word, the Bible, is eternal - it endures forever! His promises never fail. Though we grow old and die, His word is as fresh and powerful today as the day He spoke it! And it will never grow old or perish or fade - which takes us back to the first song... 🙂
Lyrics: For all people are like grass And all their glory Is like the flowers of the field The grass (it) withers And the flowers fall But the word of the Lord endures forever Repeat all But the word of the Lord endures forever The word of the Lord endures forever Yes, the word of the Lord endures forever
