April 18, 2025 • 47 mins
Eight years ago, singer and songwriter Fernando Ortega came to the studio and played songs from a new album, The Crucifixion of Jesus. On our Good Friday edition of Chris Fabry Live, you'll hear the music and conversation with Fernando as we hear those songs performed live in the studio. Before we rush to the empty tomb, let's look at the Lamb who was slain for you and me. Don't miss this Good Friday presentation of Chris Fabry Live.
Resource featured:
The Crucifixion of Jesus CD
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
S1 (00:05):
Today on Chris Fabry Live on Good Friday. We go
back to 2017 when Fernando Ortega joined us in the studio.
It's the perfect conversation today as we remember the crucifixion
of Jesus.
S2 (00:20):
Blessed be our God forever and ever. Blessed be our
God forever and ever. Blessed be our God forever and ever. Amen.
Blessed be our God forever and ever. Blessed be our
(00:46):
God forever and ever. Blessed be our God forever and ever. Amen.
S1 (01:02):
Fernando. Welcome. I've had so many people say, I can't
wait to hear Fernando today. So welcome back to the
backyard fence. How are you?
S3 (01:11):
I'm great, and thanks for having me at the backyard fence.
S1 (01:14):
I saw I heard about this. Actually, I heard about
this album on Facebook when you were recording it and
you were so excited. I can't wait for you to
hear the song. We recorded this track today and we recorded.
You were really wrapped up in this whole thing. How
did it start?
S3 (01:30):
It started, um, with a collection of images I have
of sacred art that I've amassed for to project at
my church during different, um, during actually every Sunday. But
the ones from the crucifixion were the most poignant for me.
And so I decided to start with this particular subject.
(01:52):
I meant to finish this thing months and months ago,
and it just I got I had laryngitis, I got pneumonia,
And so there were some setbacks. But here it is.
And I'm really, really happy about it.
S1 (02:04):
Yeah. Um, but we talked about this before we went
on the air today. You're doing a whole entire record
about the crucifixion. This is like your 19th album or
something along those lines, I think. Uh, the those who
are in the PR business would say you're going to
do a whole album about the crucifixion. This is not
(02:27):
people are it's not commercial enough. You need to throw
in a song about the road like you used to,
or Give me Jesus or anything like that. Um, did
you get any kind of feedback like that or pushback?
S3 (02:39):
I did, I still do, you know, people people say
we don't worship a crucified Christ. And so I tried
to explain, well, there's there's another record coming that'll be
the resurrection of Jesus. So, yeah. And then and then
when I was showing the cover around to different people,
even Christians, It's a it's a picture of Christ on
(02:59):
the cross. And they would be. Wow, really? Do you
want to put that on the cover of a record?
You know, it's going to turn people away. Exactly. Precisely
the point. I mean, it is it is a repulsive thing,
a very affronting image, you know, and that's the God
(03:19):
that we worship.
S1 (03:21):
It's the scandal, you know. And Michael Carr talks about
the scandal on us. I want you to play some
songs from that album today. And I believe the first
is In My Father's Kingdom that you're going to play
for us. Tell me about that. Where did it come from?
S3 (03:39):
Well, this is the song. The record starts with Christ's
triumphal entry into Jerusalem. And then my my co-writer, Bernard
Chadwick and I kind of picked out certain events that
we wanted to feature on, um, on the record. And
so the first one after the triumphal entry was the
expulsion from the temple, overturning the moneylenders tables. So we
(04:02):
wrote a song about that. And then, um, this is
the third. The third event on the record. So it's
Christ in the upper room. Um, and, uh, passing out
the bread and the wine to his disciples and saying,
this is my my body broken for you. And it's
a really the disciples had no clue what was coming,
(04:22):
but he did. And it's a very poignant moment in Scripture.
S1 (04:26):
From the album The Crucifixion of Jesus. This is the
song in my father's kingdom, Fernando Ortega today. Live with
us on Chris Faber Live.
S2 (04:49):
This bread. Is my body. Broken. For you. This cup
is my blood of the cup. Poured out for you.
(05:17):
I will not drink of the fruit of this vine
until I drink it anew with you in my father's kingdom.
(05:38):
In my father's kingdom. This bread. Is my body. Broken.
(06:01):
For you. This cup is my blood of the cup.
Poured out for you. I will not drink of the
(06:22):
fruit of this vine until I drink it anew with
you in my father's kingdom. In my father's kingdom. Does.
(07:20):
I will not drink of the fruit of this vine
until I drink it anew with you. I will not
drink of the fruit of this vine until I drink
(07:44):
it anew with you in my father's king. In my
father's kingdom. In my father's kingdom. In my father's kingdom.
(08:23):
This bread. Is my body. Broken. For you.
S1 (08:39):
The unmistakable sound of Fernando Ortega singing about the crucifixion
of Jesus today on Good Friday here on Chris Fabry live. Relive.
Fernando joined us in the studio back in 2017 and
that's what you're hearing. Don't call us today, but we
do want you to know how much we appreciate your support.
(08:59):
We can't do what we do without you. You are
together with us in this as you listen and as
you pray, and as you dig into God's Word and
you hear music like you're hearing today. If you would
like to support us, I urge you to become a
back fence partner. You can find out more about that.
What we will send you every Thursday. I send a
(09:21):
video called my Back Fence Post. Just call 86695 Fabbri
or go to Chris fabric. Org to find out more
Chris fabric Livorno. This is a good Friday best of
(09:47):
conversation with Fernando Ortega on Chris Fabry Live. Our program
is recorded. Don't call us today. We are considering the
cross of Christ today, at the center of the gospel
stands this emblem of suffering and shame. And Fernando Ortega
is with us in the studio, and he's playing songs
from the album The Crucifixion of Jesus. You can find
out more at Chris Fabry lives. Chris Fabry lives. He's
(10:13):
brought along a friend of his, Jeremy Ward, playing cello today,
who is professor of historical performance at Wheaton College. He's
an expert on period instruments, and I want to give
you an opportunity to talk as well. Kevin is in Ohio,
in Ridgeville. Hi, Kevin. Go right ahead.
S4 (10:30):
Yeah. Thank you. Um, Fernando, I just wanted to commend
you for this project. I, I mean, you're an artist. You,
you know, um, you you write music because that's the
way the Lord made your heart. And the fact that
you love him means that you're you're doing your art
(10:50):
unto him in the first place. So I mean, if
if it doesn't seem trendy or it doesn't seem, uh, uh,
like the kind of thing you would expect commercially, what
what does that matter? And secondly, uh, I mean, it's worship.
You're worshiping the Lord with this album. And and on
top of that, it's central to the whole story of salvation.
(11:14):
You you can't. I mean, we can't leap forward to
the resurrection. There wouldn't have been one if there wasn't
a crucifixion.
S3 (11:20):
No. That's right. Yeah. Well said Kevin.
S4 (11:22):
Bless you, brother. Bless you. Thank you. This is. This
is great.
S3 (11:26):
Oh, thanks. I appreciate you calling.
S1 (11:29):
Well, so what was the process then that you went through?
You you had. Because when you, when you decide, oh,
I'm going to do an album like this, then you
have to, you know, commit the time and the resources
and the thought process and the heart and all that.
You're really delving into diving into something that is so
hard for us to wrap our minds around? Um, so
(11:51):
what was the the process that you went through to say, okay. Yeah,
this is exactly what God wants me to do right now.
S3 (11:59):
I think it was. Well, I listened to a lot
of other, uh, music, um, that that centered on the crucifixion,
but particularly the the Saint John Passion of Bach. Um,
that that's a piece I sang when I was in
college in the choir. And that was a really moving
moment for me. We studied it for a whole semester
and then performed it at the at the end of
(12:20):
the semester with some terrific soloists and the local symphony.
And I always remember I always remembered that. So I
think just focusing your attention on something so painful, I guess,
and intense, um, is, is a costly thing. I mean, I,
I was wiped out when this, when I finally finished
(12:41):
this thing, I felt emotionally, you know, Drained and and
physically drained as well. And, uh, yeah, it was, it
was it was quite a process. I'm grateful for it
because studying these passages, there's a lot of narration on
the record where I just read these passages that tie
the different songs together, the songs that, you know, serve
sort of like arias like they would in a in
(13:02):
a Bach oratorio. Um. Reading those passages, studying them, figuring
out the right inflection. That was also that was also
quite intense labor.
S1 (13:15):
Do you another question along those lines, then, do you
suffer in order to make do you have to suffer
in order to make good, quote unquote, good art? Is
that a part of the process of anything good that
you have done? There has been some kind of wound,
either that brings the word to the words to the
(13:35):
page or the music to the page that is then performed,
or is that just our misconception of what art is.
S3 (13:43):
Well, there is that, I think. You know, uh, art
often springs out of of pain and suffering and meaningful
moving art, you know. But I don't think it's necessary
that the person that's creating the art has to suffer
or or have suffered in their life. I think they
just have to have a really good eye, a way
(14:04):
of staring at life and finding a universal way to
describe what they see. Um, to me, that's that's really
the bigger, the bigger criteria. Hmm.
S1 (14:18):
This next song then take us to. This is in
the garden. And when you told me the song, it
was Christ in the Garden of Olives, I said, wait
a minute. You mean, is it Gethsemane? Is that. Yeah.
Why did you call it olives?
S3 (14:30):
Well, you know, there are several paintings. I think there's
one by Gauguin and there's one by Nikolai Gay. And
I think both of them are called It's Christ, you know,
praying in the garden. And I think both of those
are called Christ in the Garden of Olives. So that
might just be why I. I thought of that. Um,
I don't really know.
S1 (14:47):
So we go from the upper room, then we go
out to the garden. This is sweat drops of blood.
This is pray. Stay with me. Pray with me. And
the falling asleep. This is Jesus alone, then. Not by choice,
but this is what his father is bringing him to.
So that's what you're you're taking us to, right?
S3 (15:09):
Yes. The song is called stay with me here.
S2 (15:49):
My soul is over whelmed with sorrow. My soul is
over whelmed with sorrow to the point of death. My
soul is over whelmed with sorrow. Stay with me here.
(16:20):
Stay with me here. Stay with me and keep watch
with me. Stay with me here and keep one. With me.
(18:03):
My soul is only overwhelmed with sorrow. My soul is
only overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. My
soul is only overwhelmed with sorrow. Stay with me here.
(18:33):
Stay with me here. Stay with me and keep walking
with me. Stay with me here and keep walking. With me.
S1 (19:18):
That's one thing that music can do. It can slip
around the backside of your heart and show you some
things that you couldn't see. At least that's how I
responded to that. This is the album The Crucifixion of
Jesus is by Fernando Ortega. He's with us today. Stay
with me. That was that song. And I was just thinking,
here's Jesus walking through that valley. He's overwhelmed. He wants
(19:42):
his friends to stay with him, to pray with him.
Just stay awake. You know, just stay awake with me.
And they couldn't do it. Um, and so he has
that loss, and already you can see the torches coming through,
you know, the light of the torches coming through. They
are about to arrest him, and he is pleading with
(20:02):
his father. If there is any other way, take this cup.
And it's not going to be taken from him. And
so there you have this. You know it's not. The
cross is not a pretty picture. This is not a
pretty picture either, is it?
S3 (20:18):
No, it's not a pretty picture. I always think on
this song. And again, Christ knew what he was about
to go through. But the disciples didn't. They couldn't picture it.
They couldn't conceive of it that their, the the man
that they were worshiping, that they were following, was going
to die this brutal death on a cross. And and
so they fell asleep, you know, and it's the best
(20:38):
they could do, you know. Um, and. Yeah. So I,
I just can't imagine the agony none of us can
imagine the agony that that he went through. But, uh, yeah,
it's a powerful it's a powerful spot in the scriptures.
S1 (20:53):
But somebody needed to hear that. Who's going through? Because
Jesus went through the same type of the suffering that
you're going through, the struggle that you're going through, that
you say, I'm all alone with this. He knows that.
And this is what is shown to us in the Scripture.
Let's go back to Ohio. Joe is on the line. Hi, Joe.
(21:14):
Why did you call today?
S5 (21:16):
Uh, I just wanted to, uh, recognize Fernando. I have
a hard time saying his name. Right, but I just
wanted to recognize him for the way that, uh, me
and my wife, we went through a lot of struggles,
emotional pain. And there were times when my wife, uh,
just felt like she couldn't go on and she would
listen to one of his songs over and over and
(21:38):
over again. And it was just like there was something
in that song that just held her up, connected her
to God that she needed. I she listened to that
song probably 20 times, one time, just. And so I
just wanted to bless Fernando for what he's done.
S3 (21:57):
Yeah. You you have no idea how encouraging that is
to hear. I mean, that's that is exactly why I
do what I do. And I'm really thankful you called
in and told me that.
S1 (22:07):
So I've got two questions, Joan. Number one. Joe, I
got two questions. One. What is your wife's name?
S5 (22:14):
Uh, her name is Arie R.I.P pretty Arie.
S1 (22:19):
Thank you for and for being there and for listening
to that song over and over again. What song was it?
S5 (22:27):
Uh, that's the one that I. You'd have to say it.
I could probably, um. But right now, it slipped my mind.
S1 (22:34):
Okay.
S3 (22:34):
Yeah.
S1 (22:35):
Call Ari and call us back and tell us. Because
I really want to know that. Yeah. There was somebody
else in Ohio. Linda wrote who said, I just wanted
to thank you. Last October, you were in Cleveland. I
was at the concert. I've been a fan for a
long time. It was my wedding anniversary. I was newly
separated from my husband. I desperately needed a word from
(22:56):
the Lord and a balm for my soul and his music.
Fernando's music supplied both. God bless you for your ministry
and your faithful service to Christ and your fellow believers.
So I mean, you can't do you can't. You didn't
walk into Cleveland last October and say, oh, I'm going
to play something for Linda that's going to encourage her
(23:16):
with this struggle that she's having. You just are being
who you are, right?
S3 (23:21):
Well, I yeah I mean those these are it's humbling
to hear these things because you don't you know, sometimes
you walk up onto a stage and you, you sing
but you're distracted by, you know, one thing or another.
And it's just great to hear that people get something
out of it or they're moved on some level. It's
it's really hopeful for me. I don't mean hopeful, you know,
(23:42):
I mean, it's it's it's uplifting.
S1 (23:45):
Right. Well, and the only way that can happen is
God grabs a hold of it and does what he
does with it. I think, um, Tom is in Illinois. Tom,
why did you call today?
S6 (23:56):
Um. Can you hear me?
S1 (23:58):
Sure can.
S6 (23:59):
Oh, well, I just wanted to say I met Fernando
a couple of times. This is not about me, but
it's about his music. I first started listening to him
after I went through a divorce. And, uh, just like
the previous caller. The music. Just Fernando's music. Uh, it
just touched my heart so much brought me through that
I have all his albums. I met him in Chicago.
(24:21):
He signed my Bible. I have a picture of he
and I together, and, uh, I just listened to him
on the way to work this morning in tears and
just thought, man, where's this guy been? I and I
listened to that communion song and it just touched my heart.
I know it's going to be a wonderful album to
minister about the love of Christ. Thank you so much, Fernando.
S3 (24:42):
Thank you for saying all that. Thank you. I'm sorry
for what you've gone through.
S1 (24:46):
Yeah. And but see the and Tom said, I don't
know what you've been through and it's the valley that
God takes you through. I mean, look at the healing
that comes from the garden, the cross, the grave, the skies.
You know it. It takes the valley in order for
(25:07):
that resurrection at the at the end. So each one
of us goes through that, I think in some way.
Don't you think I do?
S3 (25:13):
Yeah. Different levels, different different ways, you know, um, different
kinds of suffering out there. And then, you know, I
think you I heard a letter this morning that somebody
was talking about how they find God through their tears.
And man, that's been true of me so many times.
S1 (25:32):
And maybe today that is where you are. You're in
some valley. I hope that our program and our conversation
is an encouragement to you, as we consider the crucifixion
of Jesus that dark day. What God did for us
in the person of Christ. You'll hear more music from
(25:52):
Fernando Ortega straight ahead on Moody Radio. I'm having a
lot of good memories. Flood as I listen to this
conversation with Fernando Ortega today on Chris Fabry Live. Don't
call us our programs recorded. It aired live in 2017.
(26:17):
There's something unhurried about Fernando's music that beckons you to
linger here, to look at the one who gave himself
for us. We'll get right back to the music. But
I wonder if there's anybody feeling the weight of something
in the past. A mistake I've heard many say. Oh,
God could never forgive their sin because it's just too bad.
(26:39):
But the perfect lamb was sufficient for your sin and mine.
That's what we're seeing and celebrating today. There is forgiveness
and freedom available in him. Carenet gives that good news
to anyone who's been through an abortion. They have a
free resource titled Forgiven and Set Free. Click the green
(27:01):
connect button at the website. Chris. Org. The enemy wants
you shackled. Jesus came to set you free again. Click
the Green connect link at Livorno. Next up is a
song titled smitten, Stricken and Afflicted, and I asked Fernando
(27:21):
to talk about where that song came from.
S3 (27:24):
Uh, well, the passage from Isaiah, if I tried to
say the exact right chapter, I'd mess it up. 5253
somewhere in there. Um, but, uh, this is an old
Scottish melody and, um, and text. And the first time
I ever heard it, I was in this, uh, I
used to attend this very highly reformed church in Southern California, and.
(27:47):
But all the all the congregants were, were surfers. Um,
so it was it was, uh, board shorts and tank
tops and then really strongly reformed, uh, preaching and hymns.
And so, you know, I went and heard this song
the first time. It was almost like a national anthem
for these guys. They all stood up and sang it
(28:10):
and sang their guts out on it, and I found
it really powerful and moving.
S1 (28:14):
Him stricken, smitten and afflicted from Fernando Ortega's new album.
S2 (28:41):
Stricken, smitten and afflicted. See him dying on the tree.
Tis the Christ by man. Rejected. Yes, my soul did see.
(29:04):
Tis the long an province. David's son. Yet David's lord.
By his son. God now has spoke. Tis the true
and faithful word. Tell me who hear him groan. Was
(29:52):
there ever grief like his friends through fear? His cause
disowned foes in all his distress. Many hands were to
wound him. None would any to save. Yet the deep
(30:22):
stroke that pierced him was the stroke that justice gave.
(30:49):
Ye who think of sin but light. Nor suppose the
evil great. Here may view its nature. Right here its
guilt may estimate. Mark the sand upon the sea. Who
(31:18):
bears The awful lot is the word the Lord's anointed
Son of man and Son of God. Here. We have
(32:28):
a firm foundation. Here the rest of the Lord Christ,
the rock of our salvation, is the name of which
we boast. Lamb of God, for whom sacrifice to cancel guilt.
(32:59):
None shall ever be confounded. Who on him their hope
have been.
S1 (33:37):
Stricken, smitten and afflicted. A hymn written by Thomas Kelly,
who lived from 1769 to 1854. Don't think I'm bringing
this up myself because I googled it. But here's the deal. You.
You sing something like that, you know, in our fast
paced world. And everything has got to be this, that.
(33:58):
And you used words like smitten, stricken, interposed, uh, from
the Lutheran hymnal that is. Oh, mine, Jesu. Ich muss sterben. Delicious.
S3 (34:10):
That was a great accent.
S1 (34:12):
Thank you. Um. But but that, you know, it made
me think of come Thou fount here I raise my
Ebenezer hither. By thy help I'm come he to rescue
me from danger, interposed his precious blood. We don't. We
like to redefine, you know. Make it make it so
I can understand it well. Interposing something. There was no
(34:34):
one to interpose themselves because he had to die for us.
There was no other way. There was no other plan,
was there?
S3 (34:41):
Yeah. Two thoughts are running through my mind as you
say that. Um, first, that I think a lot of
times we shortchange young listeners into thinking and thinking that
just because the language is a little bit off putting
or a little bit archaic, that they're not going to, um,
pick up on it, but I my kid is nine
years old and she knows all these words and, and I,
(35:06):
I know that she feels these songs as I was
recording them. And as we've listened back to demos of
the stuff in the kitchen at the house. And so,
so there's that, you know, that that, uh, I think
it's still accessible. You know, sometimes I'll take a hymn
that has really, uh, really high falutin language and try
and try and adapt it to, to, uh, you know,
(35:29):
to modern, more modern language. But this one, I think
it really speaks on its own.
S1 (35:35):
Well, the other thing, too, is this aversion we have
to the ugly, to the cross, to the blood, to,
you know, and and the way that theologically it has been,
you know, we're trying to push that on the side.
The Gettys have taught I've talked with them about this
whole thing, too. But this, in all of its ugly,
(35:56):
beautiful beauty, uh, ugly beauty. The cross is that look
at the cost of sin. You've got that ye who
think of sin but lightly. Nor suppose the evil great
here may view its nature rightly. Here its guilt may
estimate or estimate, you know that that shows you this
(36:16):
is the length to which God would show he both
loves you and the depth that he had to go
to in order to purchase your forgiveness, to interpose himself.
I mean, that I could I could talk about that
all day long, and we never begin to grasp it,
I think.
S3 (36:34):
Yeah. That's right. Um, yeah. Our the way we present
our God to the world. I mean, the big symbol
of Christianity that you see the top of every church is,
is the cross of Christ. And of course, we, you know,
now it's the it's the empty cross because because he
rose from the dead and is seated at the right
hand of the father. But I mean, that is our
(36:54):
that is a crazy, scandalous thing to put up there
an instrument of death. Yes. And that is that is
how we come to our God.
S1 (37:03):
Becky in Elgin, Illinois. Why did you call Fernando today?
S7 (37:06):
Um, hi. I just wanted to say that your song, um. Jesus,
King of Heaven has always been very, very special to me.
When my mom was in the last months of her life,
she was sleeping upstairs one night and she had woken
up screaming because she had had a nightmare. And so
I ran upstairs and I got my phone, and I
ended up playing that song for her, and that calmed
(37:28):
her right down, and she was able to go back
to sleep. And so I just want to thank you
for that beautiful, reassuring song.
S3 (37:34):
Oh, thanks. It was meant for just that. I mean,
I was I used to suffer from anxiety quite a bit,
and I kind of wrote the song for my own
self to, to pull myself out of those places where
I just couldn't, you know, where I just couldn't shake it.
And I'm glad you told me that story.
S1 (37:50):
Have you had. Fernando? My daughter said, Megan, you know
Megan on Facebook?
S3 (37:55):
Yeah I do.
S1 (37:56):
Uh, she said Fernando has struggled at times with sleep
and sleeping issues and those kinds of things. Uh, is
that true? And what have you done?
S3 (38:05):
Yeah, I have struggled with sleep for, I don't know,
maybe 20 years now And for, um, you know, a
long time doctors will prescribe things to help you sleep.
And I found that to be a dead end road. And, um.
And now, uh, I just read Chronicles. I'm kidding. Sometimes
it does help to read a genealogy in the Bible.
(38:28):
And then you sound asleep. No, but but, um, I yeah,
I God gave me the gift of sleep back, so
I'm really, really glad about that.
S1 (38:39):
That's Fernando Ortega from 2017. As we talk about the
meaning of this day, Good Friday and hear music from
his album The Crucifixion of Jesus. More with Fernando is
coming straight ahead on Moody Radio.
S8 (39:04):
This is Chris.
S1 (39:05):
Fabry live on Good Friday. I hope you're enjoying the
conversation and the music from Fernando Ortega from the new album,
which was new in 2017. The crucifixion of Jesus. We
had a few people call that day, and here in
this last segment, I want you to hear from first
Yvonne from Shaker Heights, Ohio.
S9 (39:26):
Hi, Fernando. How are you?
S3 (39:27):
I'm well. How are you?
S9 (39:29):
I'm good. I was just telling when I called. I
was just saying how. I was just sitting here, and
I heard your voice, and I was just saying how
anointed your voice is, how soothing it is. And it's
such a peaceful voice. And I hadn't realized it had
been six years since I heard from you. But one
of my favorite songs that you sang was Just As
I am, without one plea.
S3 (39:49):
Oh, yeah. You mean the hymn or. I did a
two versions of it.
S9 (39:52):
Probably your version.
S3 (39:54):
Okay. Yeah.
S9 (39:55):
And it was. And I miss hearing it, you know,
because I used to hear it on the. They used
to play it every now and then on radio. And
I miss hearing your voice, but your voice is so
distinctive and it's so anointed. And it's such peace when
you sing. So I just really. I'm so glad that
you put another CD out there because I miss hearing
your voice.
S3 (40:13):
Oh, thanks a lot. That's really great to hear. Thanks.
S1 (40:16):
Thank you. Yvonne, did you say annoying or anointed? I can't.
S3 (40:20):
Oh. Now come. She said anointing. You're an annoying voice that.
S1 (40:24):
You're never annoying, are you?
S3 (40:25):
You know what I want to say, by the way? She.
There is no I have. I can be very annoying. Uh,
there there are there are more records to follow. This one.
You know, the resurrection of Jesus and then advent, Christmas
and everything. So just so, so people will know that
this is not where I am going to end the series.
You know.
S1 (40:43):
This is a great place to be, though. Greg in Ringgold, Georgia,
is on the line. Hi, Greg. Go right ahead.
S10 (40:49):
Hey, uh, Fernando, uh, I've got a so from your album, uh,
I guess 17 years ago, but it not only touched
my life, but my sister Debbie. She's going through a
very bad time at that time. Uh, she got autistic son.
It was really in a bad way. And she always
(41:10):
treasured that song. This good day.
S5 (41:15):
That.
S3 (41:15):
You did. That's cool. That's. Yeah, that's a that's a,
you know, one of the happier songs I've ever written.
I want to say to.
S1 (41:22):
One of the few happy.
S3 (41:23):
Songs. Yeah.
S10 (41:25):
It's so uplifting. And so, like the lady before, you
did have an annoying voice. And you are one of
a kind voice. And I really appreciate your your singing
and your ministry. And I was going to tell Chris Fabry,
I still hear him every week on Love Worth Finding.
S1 (41:45):
Ah, well, now there's a there's another voice that's anointed
Greg is was Adrian Rogers this good day. Down down down.
I mean, there's no way you could play it with
a piano, but, uh, that had it. Wasn't that Andrew
who worked on that with you, who produced.
S3 (42:00):
John Andrew Schreiner? Yeah.
S1 (42:02):
John. Andrew schreiner. Yeah.
S3 (42:03):
Yeah. Don't. And this is something. First of all, I
want to say that I have an autistic nephew, um,
who's 16. And, you know, it is not an easy, um,
it's not an easy road. Parents that raise an autistic child.
But he is a great kid. Um, and so, I mean,
I can empathize with with what you were saying. Um,
(42:25):
and the one thing I want to say about this
good day, which is probably not helpful, but when we
were writing that song, John and I, we listened to
the theme from friends, and that was our that was
our template or whatever, our model or inspiration or.
S1 (42:41):
Motif that you're.
S3 (42:42):
Okay.
S1 (42:42):
I got it. Yeah, I can hear that. Greg. God
bless you. Thanks for calling today. Joy's in Chicago. There
is joy in Chicago. Aren't you glad? Hi, Joy.
S11 (42:50):
Hi. Hello, Joy. Hi. This is Joy.
S3 (42:52):
Joy.
S11 (42:52):
You sound.
S3 (42:53):
You sound joyful.
S1 (42:54):
Doesn't she?
S11 (42:55):
Yeah, I've been told that before. Um, I just wanted
to say thanks, because, um, I know that your music audiences,
the people when they're in low places. Um, but the
song in particular that's meaningful to me and my husband
is Margie Ann. Um, I instead of walking down the
aisle to canon in D 20 years ago, I chose
that song and it was just a beautiful picture of love,
(43:17):
you know, God's reflection of love for us and how
that really manifests itself in, in a husband and wife.
And so I just love everything about that song.
S3 (43:26):
Oh, that's so cool to hear. Thanks a lot. I
and that was co-written with my with my friend Elaine Rubenstein. And, uh,
I've always liked it as well.
S1 (43:36):
20 years ago. Joy. Thank you. Lisa in Idaho is
up next in the lightning round. Go right ahead, Lisa.
S12 (43:43):
Yay! Fernando Ortega, you are such a blessing in my life.
And I would like to tell you how. And I
would like to also let you know that sometimes I
pray for you. Sometimes the Lord puts you on my heart.
I don't have a lot of energy for following social
media or anything, but I just hope you feel those prayers.
And I know that's a lot on a family as well.
S3 (44:03):
So yeah, thank you for saying that.
S12 (44:05):
And I just wanted to thank you. Um, your music
so helps me worship Jesus and, um, meditate on his word.
It helps me love him better. And that means so
much to me. And, um, I have struggles with anxiety.
And as soon as I put your music on, it's
like the spirit just comes rushing to life in my
(44:27):
soul that way that he does. And, um, helps me
take every thought captive with that anxiety and calm me down. Um,
even my cats like your music. I've rescued a couple
feral cats, and they even would be calmed. And one
of my favorite songs is Give Me Jesus.
S1 (44:44):
Oh, well.
S3 (44:44):
Yes, yes.
S1 (44:46):
We got it in there. Before we ended the program.
I wanted somebody to say that because that's you wake
up with that song on your heart, and it's going
to be a good day. Just give me Jesus. Thank
you for your call. Uh, anything to add to that, Fernando?
I mean, those are pretty good words, right?
S3 (45:01):
Man, it's it's almost tiring to hear them because it's, uh.
I mean, in the good way, just because it's it's
it means a lot to me. It makes me emotional. Um,
so let's get off the air so I don't have
to cry on the air.
S8 (45:16):
Well, it's the faithfulness of God.
S1 (45:18):
In your life and through your life. Fernando, thank you
for being with us. And let's end today with that
song that we just heard about. This is a great
way to end this conversation with Fernando Ortega.
S2 (45:40):
And when I come to die. Oh, and when I
come to die. And when I come to die. Give
me Jesus. Jesus. Give me Jesus. Give me Jesus. You
(46:17):
can have all this world. You can have all this world.
You can have all this world. But give me Jesus.
S1 (46:48):
Chris Fabry lives a production of Moody Radio, a ministry
of Moody Bible Institute.
Today on Chris Fabry Live on Good Friday. We go
back to 2017 when Fernando Ortega joined us in the studio.
It's the perfect conversation today as we remember the crucifixion
of Jesus.
S2 (00:20):
Blessed be our God forever and ever. Blessed be our
God forever and ever. Blessed be our God forever and ever. Amen.
Blessed be our God forever and ever. Blessed be our
(00:46):
God forever and ever. Blessed be our God forever and ever. Amen.
S1 (01:02):
Fernando. Welcome. I've had so many people say, I can't
wait to hear Fernando today. So welcome back to the
backyard fence. How are you?
S3 (01:11):
I'm great, and thanks for having me at the backyard fence.
S1 (01:14):
I saw I heard about this. Actually, I heard about
this album on Facebook when you were recording it and
you were so excited. I can't wait for you to
hear the song. We recorded this track today and we recorded.
You were really wrapped up in this whole thing. How
did it start?
S3 (01:30):
It started, um, with a collection of images I have
of sacred art that I've amassed for to project at
my church during different, um, during actually every Sunday. But
the ones from the crucifixion were the most poignant for me.
And so I decided to start with this particular subject.
(01:52):
I meant to finish this thing months and months ago,
and it just I got I had laryngitis, I got pneumonia,
And so there were some setbacks. But here it is.
And I'm really, really happy about it.
S1 (02:04):
Yeah. Um, but we talked about this before we went
on the air today. You're doing a whole entire record
about the crucifixion. This is like your 19th album or
something along those lines, I think. Uh, the those who
are in the PR business would say you're going to
do a whole album about the crucifixion. This is not
(02:27):
people are it's not commercial enough. You need to throw
in a song about the road like you used to,
or Give me Jesus or anything like that. Um, did
you get any kind of feedback like that or pushback?
S3 (02:39):
I did, I still do, you know, people people say
we don't worship a crucified Christ. And so I tried
to explain, well, there's there's another record coming that'll be
the resurrection of Jesus. So, yeah. And then and then
when I was showing the cover around to different people,
even Christians, It's a it's a picture of Christ on
(02:59):
the cross. And they would be. Wow, really? Do you
want to put that on the cover of a record?
You know, it's going to turn people away. Exactly. Precisely
the point. I mean, it is it is a repulsive thing,
a very affronting image, you know, and that's the God
(03:19):
that we worship.
S1 (03:21):
It's the scandal, you know. And Michael Carr talks about
the scandal on us. I want you to play some
songs from that album today. And I believe the first
is In My Father's Kingdom that you're going to play
for us. Tell me about that. Where did it come from?
S3 (03:39):
Well, this is the song. The record starts with Christ's
triumphal entry into Jerusalem. And then my my co-writer, Bernard
Chadwick and I kind of picked out certain events that
we wanted to feature on, um, on the record. And
so the first one after the triumphal entry was the
expulsion from the temple, overturning the moneylenders tables. So we
(04:02):
wrote a song about that. And then, um, this is
the third. The third event on the record. So it's
Christ in the upper room. Um, and, uh, passing out
the bread and the wine to his disciples and saying,
this is my my body broken for you. And it's
a really the disciples had no clue what was coming,
(04:22):
but he did. And it's a very poignant moment in Scripture.
S1 (04:26):
From the album The Crucifixion of Jesus. This is the
song in my father's kingdom, Fernando Ortega today. Live with
us on Chris Faber Live.
S2 (04:49):
This bread. Is my body. Broken. For you. This cup
is my blood of the cup. Poured out for you.
(05:17):
I will not drink of the fruit of this vine
until I drink it anew with you in my father's kingdom.
(05:38):
In my father's kingdom. This bread. Is my body. Broken.
(06:01):
For you. This cup is my blood of the cup.
Poured out for you. I will not drink of the
(06:22):
fruit of this vine until I drink it anew with
you in my father's kingdom. In my father's kingdom. Does.
(07:20):
I will not drink of the fruit of this vine
until I drink it anew with you. I will not
drink of the fruit of this vine until I drink
(07:44):
it anew with you in my father's king. In my
father's kingdom. In my father's kingdom. In my father's kingdom.
(08:23):
This bread. Is my body. Broken. For you.
S1 (08:39):
The unmistakable sound of Fernando Ortega singing about the crucifixion
of Jesus today on Good Friday here on Chris Fabry live. Relive.
Fernando joined us in the studio back in 2017 and
that's what you're hearing. Don't call us today, but we
do want you to know how much we appreciate your support.
(08:59):
We can't do what we do without you. You are
together with us in this as you listen and as
you pray, and as you dig into God's Word and
you hear music like you're hearing today. If you would
like to support us, I urge you to become a
back fence partner. You can find out more about that.
What we will send you every Thursday. I send a
(09:21):
video called my Back Fence Post. Just call 86695 Fabbri
or go to Chris fabric. Org to find out more
Chris fabric Livorno. This is a good Friday best of
(09:47):
conversation with Fernando Ortega on Chris Fabry Live. Our program
is recorded. Don't call us today. We are considering the
cross of Christ today, at the center of the gospel
stands this emblem of suffering and shame. And Fernando Ortega
is with us in the studio, and he's playing songs
from the album The Crucifixion of Jesus. You can find
out more at Chris Fabry lives. Chris Fabry lives. He's
(10:13):
brought along a friend of his, Jeremy Ward, playing cello today,
who is professor of historical performance at Wheaton College. He's
an expert on period instruments, and I want to give
you an opportunity to talk as well. Kevin is in Ohio,
in Ridgeville. Hi, Kevin. Go right ahead.
S4 (10:30):
Yeah. Thank you. Um, Fernando, I just wanted to commend
you for this project. I, I mean, you're an artist. You,
you know, um, you you write music because that's the
way the Lord made your heart. And the fact that
you love him means that you're you're doing your art
(10:50):
unto him in the first place. So I mean, if
if it doesn't seem trendy or it doesn't seem, uh, uh,
like the kind of thing you would expect commercially, what
what does that matter? And secondly, uh, I mean, it's worship.
You're worshiping the Lord with this album. And and on
top of that, it's central to the whole story of salvation.
(11:14):
You you can't. I mean, we can't leap forward to
the resurrection. There wouldn't have been one if there wasn't
a crucifixion.
S3 (11:20):
No. That's right. Yeah. Well said Kevin.
S4 (11:22):
Bless you, brother. Bless you. Thank you. This is. This
is great.
S3 (11:26):
Oh, thanks. I appreciate you calling.
S1 (11:29):
Well, so what was the process then that you went through?
You you had. Because when you, when you decide, oh,
I'm going to do an album like this, then you
have to, you know, commit the time and the resources
and the thought process and the heart and all that.
You're really delving into diving into something that is so
hard for us to wrap our minds around? Um, so
(11:51):
what was the the process that you went through to say, okay. Yeah,
this is exactly what God wants me to do right now.
S3 (11:59):
I think it was. Well, I listened to a lot
of other, uh, music, um, that that centered on the crucifixion,
but particularly the the Saint John Passion of Bach. Um,
that that's a piece I sang when I was in
college in the choir. And that was a really moving
moment for me. We studied it for a whole semester
and then performed it at the at the end of
(12:20):
the semester with some terrific soloists and the local symphony.
And I always remember I always remembered that. So I
think just focusing your attention on something so painful, I guess,
and intense, um, is, is a costly thing. I mean, I,
I was wiped out when this, when I finally finished
(12:41):
this thing, I felt emotionally, you know, Drained and and
physically drained as well. And, uh, yeah, it was, it
was it was quite a process. I'm grateful for it
because studying these passages, there's a lot of narration on
the record where I just read these passages that tie
the different songs together, the songs that, you know, serve
sort of like arias like they would in a in
(13:02):
a Bach oratorio. Um. Reading those passages, studying them, figuring
out the right inflection. That was also that was also
quite intense labor.
S1 (13:15):
Do you another question along those lines, then, do you
suffer in order to make do you have to suffer
in order to make good, quote unquote, good art? Is
that a part of the process of anything good that
you have done? There has been some kind of wound,
either that brings the word to the words to the
(13:35):
page or the music to the page that is then performed,
or is that just our misconception of what art is.
S3 (13:43):
Well, there is that, I think. You know, uh, art
often springs out of of pain and suffering and meaningful
moving art, you know. But I don't think it's necessary
that the person that's creating the art has to suffer
or or have suffered in their life. I think they
just have to have a really good eye, a way
(14:04):
of staring at life and finding a universal way to
describe what they see. Um, to me, that's that's really
the bigger, the bigger criteria. Hmm.
S1 (14:18):
This next song then take us to. This is in
the garden. And when you told me the song, it
was Christ in the Garden of Olives, I said, wait
a minute. You mean, is it Gethsemane? Is that. Yeah.
Why did you call it olives?
S3 (14:30):
Well, you know, there are several paintings. I think there's
one by Gauguin and there's one by Nikolai Gay. And
I think both of them are called It's Christ, you know,
praying in the garden. And I think both of those
are called Christ in the Garden of Olives. So that
might just be why I. I thought of that. Um,
I don't really know.
S1 (14:47):
So we go from the upper room, then we go
out to the garden. This is sweat drops of blood.
This is pray. Stay with me. Pray with me. And
the falling asleep. This is Jesus alone, then. Not by choice,
but this is what his father is bringing him to.
So that's what you're you're taking us to, right?
S3 (15:09):
Yes. The song is called stay with me here.
S2 (15:49):
My soul is over whelmed with sorrow. My soul is
over whelmed with sorrow to the point of death. My
soul is over whelmed with sorrow. Stay with me here.
(16:20):
Stay with me here. Stay with me and keep watch
with me. Stay with me here and keep one. With me.
(18:03):
My soul is only overwhelmed with sorrow. My soul is
only overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. My
soul is only overwhelmed with sorrow. Stay with me here.
(18:33):
Stay with me here. Stay with me and keep walking
with me. Stay with me here and keep walking. With me.
S1 (19:18):
That's one thing that music can do. It can slip
around the backside of your heart and show you some
things that you couldn't see. At least that's how I
responded to that. This is the album The Crucifixion of
Jesus is by Fernando Ortega. He's with us today. Stay
with me. That was that song. And I was just thinking,
here's Jesus walking through that valley. He's overwhelmed. He wants
(19:42):
his friends to stay with him, to pray with him.
Just stay awake. You know, just stay awake with me.
And they couldn't do it. Um, and so he has
that loss, and already you can see the torches coming through,
you know, the light of the torches coming through. They
are about to arrest him, and he is pleading with
(20:02):
his father. If there is any other way, take this cup.
And it's not going to be taken from him. And
so there you have this. You know it's not. The
cross is not a pretty picture. This is not a
pretty picture either, is it?
S3 (20:18):
No, it's not a pretty picture. I always think on
this song. And again, Christ knew what he was about
to go through. But the disciples didn't. They couldn't picture it.
They couldn't conceive of it that their, the the man
that they were worshiping, that they were following, was going
to die this brutal death on a cross. And and
so they fell asleep, you know, and it's the best
(20:38):
they could do, you know. Um, and. Yeah. So I,
I just can't imagine the agony none of us can
imagine the agony that that he went through. But, uh, yeah,
it's a powerful it's a powerful spot in the scriptures.
S1 (20:53):
But somebody needed to hear that. Who's going through? Because
Jesus went through the same type of the suffering that
you're going through, the struggle that you're going through, that
you say, I'm all alone with this. He knows that.
And this is what is shown to us in the Scripture.
Let's go back to Ohio. Joe is on the line. Hi, Joe.
(21:14):
Why did you call today?
S5 (21:16):
Uh, I just wanted to, uh, recognize Fernando. I have
a hard time saying his name. Right, but I just
wanted to recognize him for the way that, uh, me
and my wife, we went through a lot of struggles,
emotional pain. And there were times when my wife, uh,
just felt like she couldn't go on and she would
listen to one of his songs over and over and
(21:38):
over again. And it was just like there was something
in that song that just held her up, connected her
to God that she needed. I she listened to that
song probably 20 times, one time, just. And so I
just wanted to bless Fernando for what he's done.
S3 (21:57):
Yeah. You you have no idea how encouraging that is
to hear. I mean, that's that is exactly why I
do what I do. And I'm really thankful you called
in and told me that.
S1 (22:07):
So I've got two questions, Joan. Number one. Joe, I
got two questions. One. What is your wife's name?
S5 (22:14):
Uh, her name is Arie R.I.P pretty Arie.
S1 (22:19):
Thank you for and for being there and for listening
to that song over and over again. What song was it?
S5 (22:27):
Uh, that's the one that I. You'd have to say it.
I could probably, um. But right now, it slipped my mind.
S1 (22:34):
Okay.
S3 (22:34):
Yeah.
S1 (22:35):
Call Ari and call us back and tell us. Because
I really want to know that. Yeah. There was somebody
else in Ohio. Linda wrote who said, I just wanted
to thank you. Last October, you were in Cleveland. I
was at the concert. I've been a fan for a
long time. It was my wedding anniversary. I was newly
separated from my husband. I desperately needed a word from
(22:56):
the Lord and a balm for my soul and his music.
Fernando's music supplied both. God bless you for your ministry
and your faithful service to Christ and your fellow believers.
So I mean, you can't do you can't. You didn't
walk into Cleveland last October and say, oh, I'm going
to play something for Linda that's going to encourage her
(23:16):
with this struggle that she's having. You just are being
who you are, right?
S3 (23:21):
Well, I yeah I mean those these are it's humbling
to hear these things because you don't you know, sometimes
you walk up onto a stage and you, you sing
but you're distracted by, you know, one thing or another.
And it's just great to hear that people get something
out of it or they're moved on some level. It's
it's really hopeful for me. I don't mean hopeful, you know,
(23:42):
I mean, it's it's it's uplifting.
S1 (23:45):
Right. Well, and the only way that can happen is
God grabs a hold of it and does what he
does with it. I think, um, Tom is in Illinois. Tom,
why did you call today?
S6 (23:56):
Um. Can you hear me?
S1 (23:58):
Sure can.
S6 (23:59):
Oh, well, I just wanted to say I met Fernando
a couple of times. This is not about me, but
it's about his music. I first started listening to him
after I went through a divorce. And, uh, just like
the previous caller. The music. Just Fernando's music. Uh, it
just touched my heart so much brought me through that
I have all his albums. I met him in Chicago.
(24:21):
He signed my Bible. I have a picture of he
and I together, and, uh, I just listened to him
on the way to work this morning in tears and
just thought, man, where's this guy been? I and I
listened to that communion song and it just touched my heart.
I know it's going to be a wonderful album to
minister about the love of Christ. Thank you so much, Fernando.
S3 (24:42):
Thank you for saying all that. Thank you. I'm sorry
for what you've gone through.
S1 (24:46):
Yeah. And but see the and Tom said, I don't
know what you've been through and it's the valley that
God takes you through. I mean, look at the healing
that comes from the garden, the cross, the grave, the skies.
You know it. It takes the valley in order for
(25:07):
that resurrection at the at the end. So each one
of us goes through that, I think in some way.
Don't you think I do?
S3 (25:13):
Yeah. Different levels, different different ways, you know, um, different
kinds of suffering out there. And then, you know, I
think you I heard a letter this morning that somebody
was talking about how they find God through their tears.
And man, that's been true of me so many times.
S1 (25:32):
And maybe today that is where you are. You're in
some valley. I hope that our program and our conversation
is an encouragement to you, as we consider the crucifixion
of Jesus that dark day. What God did for us
in the person of Christ. You'll hear more music from
(25:52):
Fernando Ortega straight ahead on Moody Radio. I'm having a
lot of good memories. Flood as I listen to this
conversation with Fernando Ortega today on Chris Fabry Live. Don't
call us our programs recorded. It aired live in 2017.
(26:17):
There's something unhurried about Fernando's music that beckons you to
linger here, to look at the one who gave himself
for us. We'll get right back to the music. But
I wonder if there's anybody feeling the weight of something
in the past. A mistake I've heard many say. Oh,
God could never forgive their sin because it's just too bad.
(26:39):
But the perfect lamb was sufficient for your sin and mine.
That's what we're seeing and celebrating today. There is forgiveness
and freedom available in him. Carenet gives that good news
to anyone who's been through an abortion. They have a
free resource titled Forgiven and Set Free. Click the green
(27:01):
connect button at the website. Chris. Org. The enemy wants
you shackled. Jesus came to set you free again. Click
the Green connect link at Livorno. Next up is a
song titled smitten, Stricken and Afflicted, and I asked Fernando
(27:21):
to talk about where that song came from.
S3 (27:24):
Uh, well, the passage from Isaiah, if I tried to
say the exact right chapter, I'd mess it up. 5253
somewhere in there. Um, but, uh, this is an old
Scottish melody and, um, and text. And the first time
I ever heard it, I was in this, uh, I
used to attend this very highly reformed church in Southern California, and.
(27:47):
But all the all the congregants were, were surfers. Um,
so it was it was, uh, board shorts and tank
tops and then really strongly reformed, uh, preaching and hymns.
And so, you know, I went and heard this song
the first time. It was almost like a national anthem
for these guys. They all stood up and sang it
(28:10):
and sang their guts out on it, and I found
it really powerful and moving.
S1 (28:14):
Him stricken, smitten and afflicted from Fernando Ortega's new album.
S2 (28:41):
Stricken, smitten and afflicted. See him dying on the tree.
Tis the Christ by man. Rejected. Yes, my soul did see.
(29:04):
Tis the long an province. David's son. Yet David's lord.
By his son. God now has spoke. Tis the true
and faithful word. Tell me who hear him groan. Was
(29:52):
there ever grief like his friends through fear? His cause
disowned foes in all his distress. Many hands were to
wound him. None would any to save. Yet the deep
(30:22):
stroke that pierced him was the stroke that justice gave.
(30:49):
Ye who think of sin but light. Nor suppose the
evil great. Here may view its nature. Right here its
guilt may estimate. Mark the sand upon the sea. Who
(31:18):
bears The awful lot is the word the Lord's anointed
Son of man and Son of God. Here. We have
(32:28):
a firm foundation. Here the rest of the Lord Christ,
the rock of our salvation, is the name of which
we boast. Lamb of God, for whom sacrifice to cancel guilt.
(32:59):
None shall ever be confounded. Who on him their hope
have been.
S1 (33:37):
Stricken, smitten and afflicted. A hymn written by Thomas Kelly,
who lived from 1769 to 1854. Don't think I'm bringing
this up myself because I googled it. But here's the deal. You.
You sing something like that, you know, in our fast
paced world. And everything has got to be this, that.
(33:58):
And you used words like smitten, stricken, interposed, uh, from
the Lutheran hymnal that is. Oh, mine, Jesu. Ich muss sterben. Delicious.
S3 (34:10):
That was a great accent.
S1 (34:12):
Thank you. Um. But but that, you know, it made
me think of come Thou fount here I raise my
Ebenezer hither. By thy help I'm come he to rescue
me from danger, interposed his precious blood. We don't. We
like to redefine, you know. Make it make it so
I can understand it well. Interposing something. There was no
(34:34):
one to interpose themselves because he had to die for us.
There was no other way. There was no other plan,
was there?
S3 (34:41):
Yeah. Two thoughts are running through my mind as you
say that. Um, first, that I think a lot of
times we shortchange young listeners into thinking and thinking that
just because the language is a little bit off putting
or a little bit archaic, that they're not going to, um,
pick up on it, but I my kid is nine
years old and she knows all these words and, and I,
(35:06):
I know that she feels these songs as I was
recording them. And as we've listened back to demos of
the stuff in the kitchen at the house. And so,
so there's that, you know, that that, uh, I think
it's still accessible. You know, sometimes I'll take a hymn
that has really, uh, really high falutin language and try
and try and adapt it to, to, uh, you know,
(35:29):
to modern, more modern language. But this one, I think
it really speaks on its own.
S1 (35:35):
Well, the other thing, too, is this aversion we have
to the ugly, to the cross, to the blood, to,
you know, and and the way that theologically it has been,
you know, we're trying to push that on the side.
The Gettys have taught I've talked with them about this
whole thing, too. But this, in all of its ugly,
(35:56):
beautiful beauty, uh, ugly beauty. The cross is that look
at the cost of sin. You've got that ye who
think of sin but lightly. Nor suppose the evil great
here may view its nature rightly. Here its guilt may
estimate or estimate, you know that that shows you this
(36:16):
is the length to which God would show he both
loves you and the depth that he had to go
to in order to purchase your forgiveness, to interpose himself.
I mean, that I could I could talk about that
all day long, and we never begin to grasp it,
I think.
S3 (36:34):
Yeah. That's right. Um, yeah. Our the way we present
our God to the world. I mean, the big symbol
of Christianity that you see the top of every church is,
is the cross of Christ. And of course, we, you know,
now it's the it's the empty cross because because he
rose from the dead and is seated at the right
hand of the father. But I mean, that is our
(36:54):
that is a crazy, scandalous thing to put up there
an instrument of death. Yes. And that is that is
how we come to our God.
S1 (37:03):
Becky in Elgin, Illinois. Why did you call Fernando today?
S7 (37:06):
Um, hi. I just wanted to say that your song, um. Jesus,
King of Heaven has always been very, very special to me.
When my mom was in the last months of her life,
she was sleeping upstairs one night and she had woken
up screaming because she had had a nightmare. And so
I ran upstairs and I got my phone, and I
ended up playing that song for her, and that calmed
(37:28):
her right down, and she was able to go back
to sleep. And so I just want to thank you
for that beautiful, reassuring song.
S3 (37:34):
Oh, thanks. It was meant for just that. I mean,
I was I used to suffer from anxiety quite a bit,
and I kind of wrote the song for my own
self to, to pull myself out of those places where
I just couldn't, you know, where I just couldn't shake it.
And I'm glad you told me that story.
S1 (37:50):
Have you had. Fernando? My daughter said, Megan, you know
Megan on Facebook?
S3 (37:55):
Yeah I do.
S1 (37:56):
Uh, she said Fernando has struggled at times with sleep
and sleeping issues and those kinds of things. Uh, is
that true? And what have you done?
S3 (38:05):
Yeah, I have struggled with sleep for, I don't know,
maybe 20 years now And for, um, you know, a
long time doctors will prescribe things to help you sleep.
And I found that to be a dead end road. And, um.
And now, uh, I just read Chronicles. I'm kidding. Sometimes
it does help to read a genealogy in the Bible.
(38:28):
And then you sound asleep. No, but but, um, I yeah,
I God gave me the gift of sleep back, so
I'm really, really glad about that.
S1 (38:39):
That's Fernando Ortega from 2017. As we talk about the
meaning of this day, Good Friday and hear music from
his album The Crucifixion of Jesus. More with Fernando is
coming straight ahead on Moody Radio.
S8 (39:04):
This is Chris.
S1 (39:05):
Fabry live on Good Friday. I hope you're enjoying the
conversation and the music from Fernando Ortega from the new album,
which was new in 2017. The crucifixion of Jesus. We
had a few people call that day, and here in
this last segment, I want you to hear from first
Yvonne from Shaker Heights, Ohio.
S9 (39:26):
Hi, Fernando. How are you?
S3 (39:27):
I'm well. How are you?
S9 (39:29):
I'm good. I was just telling when I called. I
was just saying how. I was just sitting here, and
I heard your voice, and I was just saying how
anointed your voice is, how soothing it is. And it's
such a peaceful voice. And I hadn't realized it had
been six years since I heard from you. But one
of my favorite songs that you sang was Just As
I am, without one plea.
S3 (39:49):
Oh, yeah. You mean the hymn or. I did a
two versions of it.
S9 (39:52):
Probably your version.
S3 (39:54):
Okay. Yeah.
S9 (39:55):
And it was. And I miss hearing it, you know,
because I used to hear it on the. They used
to play it every now and then on radio. And
I miss hearing your voice, but your voice is so
distinctive and it's so anointed. And it's such peace when
you sing. So I just really. I'm so glad that
you put another CD out there because I miss hearing
your voice.
S3 (40:13):
Oh, thanks a lot. That's really great to hear. Thanks.
S1 (40:16):
Thank you. Yvonne, did you say annoying or anointed? I can't.
S3 (40:20):
Oh. Now come. She said anointing. You're an annoying voice that.
S1 (40:24):
You're never annoying, are you?
S3 (40:25):
You know what I want to say, by the way? She.
There is no I have. I can be very annoying. Uh,
there there are there are more records to follow. This one.
You know, the resurrection of Jesus and then advent, Christmas
and everything. So just so, so people will know that
this is not where I am going to end the series.
You know.
S1 (40:43):
This is a great place to be, though. Greg in Ringgold, Georgia,
is on the line. Hi, Greg. Go right ahead.
S10 (40:49):
Hey, uh, Fernando, uh, I've got a so from your album, uh,
I guess 17 years ago, but it not only touched
my life, but my sister Debbie. She's going through a
very bad time at that time. Uh, she got autistic son.
It was really in a bad way. And she always
(41:10):
treasured that song. This good day.
S5 (41:15):
That.
S3 (41:15):
You did. That's cool. That's. Yeah, that's a that's a,
you know, one of the happier songs I've ever written.
I want to say to.
S1 (41:22):
One of the few happy.
S3 (41:23):
Songs. Yeah.
S10 (41:25):
It's so uplifting. And so, like the lady before, you
did have an annoying voice. And you are one of
a kind voice. And I really appreciate your your singing
and your ministry. And I was going to tell Chris Fabry,
I still hear him every week on Love Worth Finding.
S1 (41:45):
Ah, well, now there's a there's another voice that's anointed
Greg is was Adrian Rogers this good day. Down down down.
I mean, there's no way you could play it with
a piano, but, uh, that had it. Wasn't that Andrew
who worked on that with you, who produced.
S3 (42:00):
John Andrew Schreiner? Yeah.
S1 (42:02):
John. Andrew schreiner. Yeah.
S3 (42:03):
Yeah. Don't. And this is something. First of all, I
want to say that I have an autistic nephew, um,
who's 16. And, you know, it is not an easy, um,
it's not an easy road. Parents that raise an autistic child.
But he is a great kid. Um, and so, I mean,
I can empathize with with what you were saying. Um,
(42:25):
and the one thing I want to say about this
good day, which is probably not helpful, but when we
were writing that song, John and I, we listened to
the theme from friends, and that was our that was
our template or whatever, our model or inspiration or.
S1 (42:41):
Motif that you're.
S3 (42:42):
Okay.
S1 (42:42):
I got it. Yeah, I can hear that. Greg. God
bless you. Thanks for calling today. Joy's in Chicago. There
is joy in Chicago. Aren't you glad? Hi, Joy.
S11 (42:50):
Hi. Hello, Joy. Hi. This is Joy.
S3 (42:52):
Joy.
S11 (42:52):
You sound.
S3 (42:53):
You sound joyful.
S1 (42:54):
Doesn't she?
S11 (42:55):
Yeah, I've been told that before. Um, I just wanted
to say thanks, because, um, I know that your music audiences,
the people when they're in low places. Um, but the
song in particular that's meaningful to me and my husband
is Margie Ann. Um, I instead of walking down the
aisle to canon in D 20 years ago, I chose
that song and it was just a beautiful picture of love,
(43:17):
you know, God's reflection of love for us and how
that really manifests itself in, in a husband and wife.
And so I just love everything about that song.
S3 (43:26):
Oh, that's so cool to hear. Thanks a lot. I
and that was co-written with my with my friend Elaine Rubenstein. And, uh,
I've always liked it as well.
S1 (43:36):
20 years ago. Joy. Thank you. Lisa in Idaho is
up next in the lightning round. Go right ahead, Lisa.
S12 (43:43):
Yay! Fernando Ortega, you are such a blessing in my life.
And I would like to tell you how. And I
would like to also let you know that sometimes I
pray for you. Sometimes the Lord puts you on my heart.
I don't have a lot of energy for following social
media or anything, but I just hope you feel those prayers.
And I know that's a lot on a family as well.
S3 (44:03):
So yeah, thank you for saying that.
S12 (44:05):
And I just wanted to thank you. Um, your music
so helps me worship Jesus and, um, meditate on his word.
It helps me love him better. And that means so
much to me. And, um, I have struggles with anxiety.
And as soon as I put your music on, it's
like the spirit just comes rushing to life in my
(44:27):
soul that way that he does. And, um, helps me
take every thought captive with that anxiety and calm me down. Um,
even my cats like your music. I've rescued a couple
feral cats, and they even would be calmed. And one
of my favorite songs is Give Me Jesus.
S1 (44:44):
Oh, well.
S3 (44:44):
Yes, yes.
S1 (44:46):
We got it in there. Before we ended the program.
I wanted somebody to say that because that's you wake
up with that song on your heart, and it's going
to be a good day. Just give me Jesus. Thank
you for your call. Uh, anything to add to that, Fernando?
I mean, those are pretty good words, right?
S3 (45:01):
Man, it's it's almost tiring to hear them because it's, uh.
I mean, in the good way, just because it's it's
it means a lot to me. It makes me emotional. Um,
so let's get off the air so I don't have
to cry on the air.
S8 (45:16):
Well, it's the faithfulness of God.
S1 (45:18):
In your life and through your life. Fernando, thank you
for being with us. And let's end today with that
song that we just heard about. This is a great
way to end this conversation with Fernando Ortega.
S2 (45:40):
And when I come to die. Oh, and when I
come to die. And when I come to die. Give
me Jesus. Jesus. Give me Jesus. Give me Jesus. You
(46:17):
can have all this world. You can have all this world.
You can have all this world. But give me Jesus.
S1 (46:48):
Chris Fabry lives a production of Moody Radio, a ministry
of Moody Bible Institute.
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