JPCC Worship – Jesus It Is You

Jakarta Praise Community Church (JPCC) is based in Jakarta, Indonesia.  Much in the same structure as Hillsong, Bethel, and Elevation Worship, JPCC Worship is a church-based band that releases music to the public.

They released eight and two EP’s in English, including:

• Captivated (2006)
• All Things New (2008)
• God Is Our Victory (2009)
• Glory to Glory (2010)
• More Than Enough (2015)
• Made Alive (2017)
• Hope (2019)
• Brighter (2019)
• Found – JPCC Worship Choir (EP) (2020)
• Following Jesus – The Way (EP) (2021)

Also, check out my review of More Than Enough.

Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Sidney-mohede-jesus-it-is-you-lyrics.

Note to new users: This is a different kind of review site!  Read About the Berean Test and Evaluation Criteria prior to reading this review.  I strongly encourage you to consider the potential blessings and dangers of this artist‘s theology by visiting Resources.

1. What message does the song communicate?

JPCC Worship asks a series of rhetorical questions surrounding acts of a certain individual.  These deeds include:

• Causing the sun to rise/set
• Brings newness of life
• Observes JPCC Worship
• Gives substance and aid
• Walks with JPCC Worship
• Carries JPCC Worship’s brokenness at Calvary
• Eases JPCC Worship’s burdens

In each of these statements, JPCC Worship gives their response: Jesus does these things!  In response to Christ’s works, JPCC Worship praises Him.

This song contains one, possibly two mistakes.  JPCC Worship claims Jesus grew with them, which is Biblically unsupported.  They also believe Christ is the “the one thing true”, which has little impact on JPCC Worship’s overall message.

Score: 9/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

Most of it aligns with God’s inspired Word, except where it states Jesus grew with JPCC Worship.  There’s also a possible error in the song’s end, where JPCC Worship potentially states that Jesus is the only truth.

[Verse 1]

Lines 1-4: According to Zechariah’s prophecy in Luke 1:78-79, the “Sunrise” will visit us, shining on the darkness of death to guide our feet to peace.  As JPCC Worship rightfully concludes, this light is Jesus, who defeats darkness (Psalm 107:10-16, John 1:1-13, John 12:46, Ephesians 5:8, Colossians 1:13, and 1 Peter 2:9).  In Him JPCC Worship are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17).  Also, according to John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:15-16, Jesus helped to create the heavens and the earth, including the sun that rises/sets each day.

Line 5: According to Proverbs 15:3 and Psalm 121:8, God watches over JPCC Worship.  Since Jesus is God (Isaiah 9:6-7, Isaiah 43:10-11, Matthew 1:23, Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12, Luke 5:17-26, John 1:1-3, John 1:14, John 5:17-18, John 8:23-25, John 8:28, John 10:30-33, John 14:9, John 20:28-29, Philippians 2:5-6, Colossians 1:16-19, Colossians 2:8-9, Titus 2:13, 1 Timothy 6:14-16, Hebrews 1:10-12, Revelation 1:8, and Revelation 22:13), He also watches them.

Line 6: Repeats line 3.

[Pre-Chorus 1]

Lines 1 and 2: Christ is JPCC Worship’s provider (Genesis 2:15-16, Genesis 9:3, Genesis 22:8, Exodus 16:1-36, Psalm 18:2, Psalm 34:10, Psalm 81:10, Psalm 84:11, Psalm 107:9, Proverbs 10:3, Malachi 3:10, Matthew 6:25-30, Matthew 7:7-8, Matthew 21:22, John 14:13-14, John 14:26, John 15:1-10, John 15:16, Romans 8:32, Ephesians 3:20, Philippians 4:19, 2 Corinthians 9:8, and 2 Corinthians 12:9).

Line 3: The Son of God is present with JPCC Worship due to His omnipresence (1 Kings 8:27, Psalm 139:7-12, Proverbs 15:3, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Colossians 1:17, and Hebrews 4:13).

Line 4: While it’s true that Jesus grew in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man (Luke 2:52) and that their relationship grows and appears to JPCC Worship bigger than He was before (based on experience/limited knowledge). This doesn’t mean He “grew with JPCC Worship”. The latter is unsupported by Scripture. “Has grown in me” would make a fine substitute.

Line 5: Summarizes the previous lines.

Lines 6 and 7: Repeats Verse 1, line 3.

[Chorus]

Lines 1-7: JPCC Worship surrenders to Jesus (Psalm 43:5, Isaiah 64:8, Matthew 10:38, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34-38, Mark 10:28, Luke 9:23, Luke 14:27, John 15:1-11, Romans 6:13, Romans 12:1-2, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 11:6, James 4:7-10, and 1 Peter 5:6), worshipping Him (Matthew 2:11, Matthew 14:33, Matthew 21:9, Matthew 28:8-9, Matthew 28:16-17, Luke 24:50-53, John 12:13, and John 20:28).

Line 8: Repeats Verse 1, line 3.

[Verse 2]

Lines 1 and 2: Christ gives JPCC Worship rest in exchange for their weariness and burdens (Matthew 11:28-30).

Line 3: Repeats Verse 1, line 3.

Lines 4 and 5: Borrows from Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, and Luke 8:22–25 to make the point offered in 1 Corinthians 10:13, that Christ provides the way of escape when we are tested.

Line 6: Repeats Verse 1, line 3.

[Pre-Chorus 2]

Lines 1-4: Jesus bore JPCC Worship’s sins (Isaiah 53:1-12, Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45, John 1:29, John 3:16, John 19:30, Acts 4:12, Acts 20:28, Romans 5:6-10, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 1 Corinthians 6:20, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 1:3-4, Galatians 3:13, Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 2:14, 1 Timothy 2:6, Titus 2:14, Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 9:15, Hebrews 9:22, Hebrews 9:26, 1 Peter 1:17-21, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 John 1:7, 1 John 2:1-2, and Revelation 5:9).

Lines 5 and 6: Repeats Verse 1, line 3.

[Coda]

Line 1: I’m on the fence deciding if “the one thing true” implies that Jesus is the only true thing or one of many truths.  We know from John 14:6 that Jesus is the truth.  It also says in John 17:17 that “Your” Word is truth, with the antecedent of “Your” being the Father according to John 17:1, and that Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:1 and John 1:14).  However, Psalm 119:160 states that the Laws of God are true.  Perhaps it would be better to sing, “to the One who is true”.

Line 2: Repeats Verse 1, line 3.

Lines 3 and 4: Repeats lines 1 and 2.

Score: 8/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

JPCC Worship uses everyday language to communicate Biblical points to unbelievers in an accessible way.  The word “Jesus” thrown around makes it easy to conclude Christianity.  Unbelievers will likely miss these mistake(s), making little difference to their overall assessment.

Score: 9/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies Jesus through JPCC Worship’s listing of His many acts, straying once (possibly twice) from the truth.

Score: 8/10

Closing Comments

JPCC Worship’s Jesus It Is You is a good song overall.  While it glorifies Jesus that His many acts cause us to praise and worship Him and unbelievers will find this song easy to interpret, it also errs when stating Christ “grew” with JPCC Worship.  They potentially err a second time, depending on the meaning of “To the One who is true”.

If you change “Has grown with me” to “Has grown in me” and “To the one thing true” to “To the One who is true”, then I can recommend it for corporate worship.

Final Score: 8.5/10

Artist Info

Track: Jesus It Is You (Live) (listen to the song)

Artist: JPCC Worship

Album: The Rescue

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 2014

Duration: 6:47

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