WWJD: What Would Jesus Drop?

Jesus Gives Us a New Song to Sing

Throughout the Bible, God promises a new song, and Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise. Christ died and rose for you. By His blood, He forgives all your sins, and by the power of His resurrection, He gives you real hope.

But we don’t always sing this new song with a confident, joyful voice. Sometimes, we sing it in strange places and difficult situations: in hospital rooms, offices, courtrooms, and at gravesides.

We sing the blues when we mourn the loss of relationships or struggle through life. We sing with anger as we lament the pain and suffering in the world. We sing with joy when we rejoice in God's blessings. And sometimes we struggle to sing at all, weighed down by doubt and fear. Yet in every tone and setting, we still sing a song of hope in Christ.

Sometimes, this song isn’t a hymn sung in church. It might come through a song on Spotify. In these melodies, we can sometimes hear echoes of God's voice, pointing us back to hope.

The Songs:

"The Weight" – The Band
Many people find comfort in imagining Christ singing, “Take a load off, Fanny, and put the load right on me.” While The Band may not have intended Jesus to be the hero, the song still speaks of sharing life’s burdens and reflects the Gospel message of Christ bearing our weight.

"This Is the Sea" – The Waterboys
This song offers a poetic vision of life’s trials flowing into something greater, a sea of beauty and resurrection. It captures the hope we have in Christ, even on our most difficult journeys.

"How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" – Al Green (originally by the Bee Gees)
This song resonates deeply with anyone who has experienced heartbreak. While it doesn’t offer answers, Al Green's soulful performance brings emotional truth to familiar phrases. Humanity's longing to love and be loved finds its answer in Jesus, whose death and resurrection restore us to the Father and place us within His loving community, the Church.

"A Sunday Kind of Love" – Etta James
Etta sings of a love that lasts beyond fleeting moments, a relationship that endures. While she may be longing for relational consistency, we can’t help but hear a deeper connection to the hope of the Lord’s Day, the promise of God’s faithful love, forgiveness, and resurrection.

"Sunday Morning Coming Down" – Johnny Cash (written by Kris Kristofferson)
This haunting song captures the loneliness of someone feeling outside while the rest of the world seems whole. We've all felt this, even in church. But Jesus seeks out the outsiders. He specializes in loving those who feel far from grace and welcomes them in.

"That's the Way the World Goes 'Round" – John Prine
Prine reflects the ups and downs of life with honesty and wit. One day you're up, the next you're down. It echoes the voice of Ecclesiastes. Frustration with this broken world leads us to Christ, who died and rose again and who promises a world made new, free from death, sin, and Satan.

"Airline to Heaven" – Wilco & Billy Bragg (lyrics by Woody Guthrie)
Guthrie's lyrics, set to music by Wilco and Bragg, paint a hopeful picture of a journey to heaven. For Chicagoans dreaming of escape, this song taps into the deeper desire for eternal peace. Jesus' death and resurrection make that hope real. As we wait for the resurrection, we are called to be a “heaven on earth,” a people who share, care, and love as Christ loved us.

No matter what kind of song you are singing right now, whether it is one of sorrow, joy, doubt, or hope, Jesus invites you to bring it to Him. In Christ, we have a new song that carries us through every season of life. We invite you to join us these Sundays as we sing that song together. Come hear the good news of Jesus, be encouraged by His Word, and find community among people who are learning to walk in hope. There is a place for you here.