'The Thorn' 2014

                       
  Saw the 2014 production of The Thorn this weekend -- Umm, twice.  :P   Fabulous job to everyone involved!  Such a high-quality theatrical-storytelling production.  This year was particularly powerful for me, and still has me thinking.  (great leading up to Passion Week!)


  I was still sad that they chose to interrupt the story with the talk for Compassion International -- the talk they gave -and the former sponsored child who spoke- were great, but as I said before, they don't belong in the middle of telling a story.  Maybe they could wait until intermission, wait a couple minutes, and then start the Compassion talk, which would be great.
  The interruption for giving the Gospel invitation didn't bother me hardly at all this year;  something about the way they did it felt better, and a young woman sang I Am Redeemed very beautifully after the initial (and very nicely brief and simple) Gospel invitation to give people some time to respond;  she sang beautifully, and was very genuine which made her lovely to watch.




   

  I still wish the Old Testament scenes were a little longer -- but I'm sure that's just me, 'cause I love that stuff.  ;)


  There are a lot of things The Thorn does so incredibly well, but easily the best of them are these three:


---Making the events of the Bible real, this-could-have-happened-to-me moments of history, instead of just neat stories we happen to believe.  They make it clear that these were real moments, with real flesh-and-blood people (not to mention those Supernatural forces we too often forget), in a real, dusty and broken world, with a real God who wasn't afraid to get His hands dirty to save His creation.


---Displaying the absolute power our Jesus holds over everything;  and what that really means.  We know in our heads what that's supposed to mean, but I think all too often we miss the sheer awesome thunderous authority of what that really, really means; it would leave us simply awestruck if we let it sink in.  The Thorn gives its audience a little taste of that.  One of the best examples is in the reverence of the Angels;  they do a great job of making sure that these are in no way the sweet little marble cherub statues you would put in your garden, but are fearsome, mighty warriors of the Lord of Heaven, wielding massive power over darkness.  And yet they bow in awesome wonder around the tiny Baby born in Bethlehem;  they bow and stand guard around the humble King in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Jesus controls everything, from sprouting grass to thunder and lightning to the Angels of Heaven -- and yet, somehow we tend to miss that.


---And I've mentioned this before, but I absolutely love the JOY Jesus has!  He enjoys the company of common humans; fishermen, tax collectors, crowds on a hillside.  He is full of Holy fire when He turns over the tables in the Temple, but He doesn't let that get Him in a bad mood -- He turns around and joins the little children skipping in a circle.  He doesn't hesitate to touch mankind.  His joy overflows in the pages of Scripture, and it's clearly displayed in The Thorn.





  My favorite scene has to be the Battle in the Garden -- extremely powerful, and beautifully done, every time.  And a close second is probably the Revelation Song scene.




  ...Ooo, Roman soldiers.  With big swords.  And fire.  Better watch what you say around these guys...




  My sister is hoping to be a part of The Thorn's aerialist team someday -- she's been training in the silks (and the hoop) for quite a while, and is super excited to hopefully use them in a future Thorn season!


  The changes to some of the music this year was great -- some wonderful songs, all of which fit very well and added so much to what was happening on stage.



  Seriously, the Angels are probably the best part.
  If I was a guy, I'd totally be one of them, hands down.  B-)   But since I'm not... I'd like to try being Eve, and maybe part of the crowd...




  LOVED the change to the Resurrection scene!!  The Enemy thinks he's won, and thoroughly enjoys gloating to the Angels standing guard inside the tomb over Jesus' dead body -- but not for long!  Just wait for that moment of ultimate defeat!


"Who but You
could breathe and leave a trail of galaxies
and dream of me?
What kind of Love
is writing my story until the end
with Mercy’s pen?
Only You.

What kind of King
would chose to wear a crown that bleeds and scars
to win my heart?
What kind of Love
tells me I’m the reason He can’t stay
inside the grave?

 You-- Is it You?
Standing here before my eyes,
every part of my heart cries

Alive! Alive!
Look what Mercy’s overcome; Death has lost and Love has won.
Alive! Alive!
Hallelujah, Risen Lord!  The only One I fall before.
I am His because He is alive.

Who could speak
and send the demons back from where they came
with just one Name?
What other Heart
would let itself be broken every time
till He healed mine?

 You-- Only You
could turn my darkness into dawn;
running right into Your arms

Alive! Alive! Look what Mercy’s overcome; Death has lost and Love has won
Alive! Alive! Hallelujah, Risen Lord!  The only One I fall before
I am His because He is

Emmanuel, the promised King; the Baby who made angels sing;
Son of Man who walked with us, healing, breathing in our dust;
The Author of all history; the Answer to all mysteries;
The Lamb of God who rolled away the stone in front of every grave!


Alive! Alive!
Look what Mercy’s overcome; Death has lost and Love has won.
Alive! Alive!
Hallelujah, Risen Lord!  The only One I fall before.
I am His because He is alive."


                                                                             --Nichole Nordeman, Alive