U2, the Christian Band that does not want the label

I saw Pastor Bill Hybels from Willow Creek interview Bono at a leadership conference and Bill asked Bono about if Bono and U2 were Christian. Bono said he didn't like labels and did not want to be placed in with what he saw of Christianity today (I can't blame him). But labels are not how we know if someone follows Jesus. It is if they believe that He died for our sin. It is if we walk out our lives by following His example of sacrifice for others. Here are some quotes that tell me what Bono is. Bono understands Jesus died for our sin. "The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world, so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death. That’s the point. It should keep us humbled… It’s not our own good works that get us through the gates of Heaven." Bono understand salvation come by grace and not by our own works. "And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that “as you reap, so will you sow” stuff. Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I’ve done a lot of stupid stuff.I’m holding out for Grace. I’m holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don’t have to depend on my own religiosity." Bono understand that Jesus is not a "good teacher" but is actually God. "Christ says, No. I’m not saying I’m a teacher, don’t call me teacher. I’m not saying I’m a prophet. I’m saying: “I’m the Messiah.” I’m saying: “I am God incarnate.” "And people say: No, no, please, just be a prophet. A prophet we can take."

So He is a follower of Christ by words and his time sacrificed on causes to help others shows he is a follower of Christ by deeds as well. But is U2 a Christian band? Well three of the members of U2 met and started out in a church youth group. They may have left organized religion but they have never left their faith. They start each show by praying together. The music is full of biblical quotes, references, and ideas. In fact 40 is essentially Psalm 40. Here are some lyrics from I Still Haven't Found What I Am looking For
"You broke the bonds, Loosed the chains
Carried the cross, Of my shame, Of my shame
You know I believe it,
But I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
It appears that Bono believes that Jesus freed him from sin and died for his sin but is unsatisfied due to what he sees in other Christians and in the world. There are just to many biblical references in their songs to list so here is a link that can help but is by no means the total of it. http://www.atu2.com/lyrics/biblerefs.html Anyway U2 is Christian just not the Christianity that alot of people are used to. So here is my favorite U2 show. It is not rare. In fact you can get this at many other blogs, but I just want it to be at my blog because they (U2) are what my blog is about, leading the blind and lost to the truth in an unconventional way. As Robert Hunter wrote and Jerry Garcia sang "Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right."


U2
Madison Square Garden
New York City, NY
10-25-2001
Soundboard

Disc 1:

101. Intro
102. Elevation
103. Beautiful Day
104. Until The End Of The World
105. New Year's Day
106. I Will Follow
107. Sunday Bloody Sunday
108. Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
109. Kite
110. Angel Of Harlem
111. Stay (Faraway, So Close!)
112. Bad/40

Disc 2:

201. Where The Streets Have No Name
202. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
203. Pride (In The Name Of Love)
204. Bullet The Blue Sky
205. What's Going On
206. New York
207. Bono's Speech
208. One
209. Unchained Melody
210. Walk On

Mp3/320k
Download Links
http://www.mediafire.com/?z4d7bedw6yrryuq
http://www.mediafire.com/?8cb2gp69ndln18y