24 Jun, 2010
“Jesus, Thank You” by Pat Sczebel
Posted by: Bob Kauflin In: —Next/New Attitude|—Songwriting|—Worship and Christ
Back in 2005 we produced an album called Worship God Live, a live album that featured Pat Sczebel and me each leading six songs. Pat serves as one of the pastors at Crossway Community Church, in Surrey, British Columbia. He’s been a dear friend for years.
Pat inspires me in many ways. He’s one of the most encouraging guys I know. He’s a caring husband, a faithful dad, a diligent pastor, and he has a heart for the lost. But most of all, I’m affected by his genuine love for Jesus Christ. Through a variety of circumstances, in want and fruitfulness, Pat’s love for the Savior has produced encouragement, hope, and faith that affects everyone around him.
One of Pat’s songs on this album is “Jesus, Thank You.” It typifies Pat’s life – a life of gratefulness that God sent his Son to endure the punishment we deserved and to reconcile us to God.
When he first sent the song to be considered for a Sovereign Grace project, it somehow got passed over. Later on, at a songwriter’s retreat, he played three songs that all needed some major work. He pulled out “Jesus, Thank You” again, thinking maybe it was better than the first response indicated. He was right. He did some more work on the song and produced a song that combines a clear statement of substitutionary atonement with our grateful response of love and obedience.
The original first verse went like this:
This mystery of grace I cannot comprehend
Why would You save a wretch like me
Why would the perfect holy One crush His only Son
For the worst of sinners Crucified
Good, but not great. It became:
The mystery of the cross I cannot comprehend
The agonies of Calvary
You, the perfect, holy One crushed Your Son
Who drank the bitter cup reserved for me.
And here’s the chorus:
Your blood has washed away my sin
Jesus, thank You
The Father’s wrath completely satisfied
Jesus, thank You
Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table
Jesus, thank You.
You can download the guitar chart here.
Last year at the NEXT conference, I had the privilege of leading “Jesus, Thank You” with the band Reilly. We sang it after CJ Mahaney had preached a message on the death of Christ from Mk. 15:33-39. Enjoy.
