New artist CAIN has been introduced to CCM fans with their standout debut singles, "Rise Up (Lazarus)" and "Yes He Can," and they were recently on the Hits Deep Tour with TobyMac. Their debut album Rise Up is a great introduction to their music ministry. It also includes the standout songs, "I'm Blessed" and "The Commission."
Like many new artists, Logan, Taylor, and Madison Cain grew up singing in church. Their seemingly effortless, rich, and pure vocals and harmonies exhibit the passion and confidence of a seasoned artist. Their songs are an effort to respond to people's hurt from a place of deep authenticity and relatability. Writing this song, "The Commission," the group's Taylor Cain Matz, Madison Cain Johnson, and Logan Cain were inspired by the moving words issued directly from Jesus before He ascended to heaven. With these two verses, He gives new meaning and purpose to His disciples–and to every person who chooses to believe in Him.
Cain's songs have connected with me, and my daughters, and their biblically inspired lyrics represent how true happiness and our identity comes from our relationship with God. I had the chance to speak with Taylor and Madison about "The Commission."
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
Madison: The day we had come in to write this song, we had recently presented thirty songs we had been working on and didn't end up recording any of them, and we came into this songwriting session very discouraged. We were heartbroken, and I remember Taylor saying she wasn't in the mood to try to write a hit song, but just something that was meaningful.
We had watched the premiere episode of the show The Chosen, and it was the first time we had seen Jesus portrayed in such a human way. The discussion started with telling the story of the Great Commission using human language and paraphrasing everything that happened from the Resurrection of Jesus until His ascension. We were in tears as we wrote this song.
Written from the point of view of Jesus, the song paints a picture of our Savior's humanity and the bitter-sweet feelings He must have felt as He said goodbye to His followers on Earth before returning to Heaven. The lyrics of this song may sound slightly familiar because they are like the words that Jesus spoke in the Scripture as He delivered the Great Commission in Matthew 28. We didn't really write the song because the lyrics were already written in the Bible. I'm so grateful people have connected to this song.
Taylor: We had a full-circle moment with this song, which was inspired by watching The Chosen, and then we got to sing this song on The Chosen Christmas special. Each night when we sing this song is my favorite moment of the night as everyone gets silent and still. When I get to the bridge and sing "I'll come back again," I feel like after having faced a lot of death and grief the last two years, there's this whole aspect of this spiritual battle we are fighting on earth, Jesus is coming back, and we'll get to be together forever. That changes everything. Goodbye is never the end for us. What an anthem to chant for believers.
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
Mark 16:15-16 (NKJV): "And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned.'"
Matthew 28:18-20 (VOICE): "Jesus came forward and addressed His beloved disciples. I am here speaking with all the authority of God, who has commanded Me to give you this commission: Go out and make disciples in all the nations. Ceremonially wash them through baptism in the name of the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then disciple them. Form them in the practices and postures that I have taught you, and show them how to follow the commands I have laid down for you. And I will be with you, day after day, to the end of the age."
John 20:29 (NIV): Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Matthew 5:14-16 (MSG): "Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand--shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."
Romans 8:28 (VOICE): "We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan."
2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV): "For we walk by faith, not by sight."
Philippians 1:6 (NIV): "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:13 (NKJV): "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
What is the takeaway message?
Madison: I think it's interesting that this is the moment in Scripture where the disciples become just like us. Jesus said, 'Follow Me,' and they used to follow a person. But from this moment on, they had to hang on to a promise, 'I'll never leave you or forsake you.' Something we really tried to look at in writing this song was taking every lyric and tying it to something that happened in Scripture. "See My hands, and look at My feet," is connected to Jesus talking with Thomas.
Taylor: We all struggle with purpose. I think you can even be a Christian artist and still feel like, 'What am I doing?' But those words echo in my head all the time: 'Go tell the world about Me.' When you're listening to 'The Commission,' I really hope you feel like there is a God in Heaven. He sent His only Son to die for you--just for you. And we get to spend all eternity with Him. This short life on earth--this isn't everything. Our whole purpose is to see Jesus as our King, but also as our friend, and someone who said, 'I'm entrusting all the Gospel, all the Good News, to you. And I'm counting on you to pass it along to somebody that you care about.' For all eternity we can hold on to the truth of this song.
Lyrics:
See My hands
Look at My feet
It's okay if
It's hard to believe
I have faith you will
Do greater things
It's My time to go
But before I leave
Go tell the world about Me
I was dead, but now I live
I've gotta go now
For a little while
But goodbye is not the end
Don't forget the things
That I taught you
I conquered death
And I hold the keys
Where I go
You will go too someday
There's much to do
Here before you leave so
Go tell the world about Me
I was dead, but now I live
I've gotta go now
For a little while
But goodbye is not the
End of the journey
The end of the road
My Spirit is with you
Wherever you go
You have a purpose
And I have a plan
I'll make you this promise
I'll come back again
But until then
Go tell the world about Me
I was dead, but now I live
I've gotta go now
For a little while
But goodbye is not the end
Go tell them about Me
I've got to go
For a little while
But goodbye is not the end
Closing Thoughts
Matthew 5 tells us: "You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept." Sometimes Christians know facts about the Bible but don't live out the Truth that the Holy Spirit is living inside of us. The beauty of walking by faith and not by sight is that we can trust God. As followers of Jesus, we know that we can trust God's Word. We are all a work in progress. Have faith and let God "work all things together for good."
A revival is something that God wants us to pray for, and biblically we are commanded to spread the Good News of the Gospel in the Great Commission. In Mark 16:15, Jesus commands: "Preach the Gospel to every creature." There are no conditions or exceptions in that command. It's more of a lifestyle that Jesus calls us to live as Christians. Do you feel your heart-stirring for a revival? The source of that stirring is "only by the Spirit and the Word of God." Once the Light of the Holy Spirit is in you, you can now show that light to others as you live your daily life, including outside of a worship context. If you are doing everything for God's glory, then you are demonstrating the love of Jesus in every encounter that you have with people.
Most of all, we need to remember that God is the source of all hope, and it doesn't come from anything we do. We need to believe. This song is a wonderful reminder for the believer that being a Christian means that we walk by faith, not by sight. Faith requires people to rely on faith in the unseen. We all walk by faith every day. The beauty of walking by faith and not by sight is that we can learn to trust God more fully with our lives. The key, as a follower of Jesus, is to walk by faith and to be guided in the daily walk by prayer and God's infallible Word, the Bible.
Sometimes you need to be ignited and ask for a fresh filling of His Spirit. We need to pray daily that the Holy Spirit shines the Light of Jesus through us. With a fresh filling and singing along with this song, you can have the courage and excitement to live biblically. God tells us in the Bible that with faith, we can do anything in Christ. It's a perfect truth that you can use to get a daily reminder to not fear. One of the lessons I've seen about life is that we shouldn't wait to fix ourselves before we step out in faith. Look for ways to obey God and offer your faith to Him.
All we need is faith and God will show us what He has planned for us. He's the author of our lives and knows what's best for us, much better than we do. Be encouraged by the light of Jesus shining in all of us based on our faith in Him and personally, I am moved to know that Jesus is shining in me for all to see and believe. We can all practice "letting our light shine so that others may praise our Father in Heaven." Please join in with Cain and live out these words with certainty: "End of the journey/The end of the road/My Spirit is with you/Wherever you go/You have a purpose/And I have a plan/I'll make you this promise/I'll come back again/But until then/Go tell the world about Me!" Amen to that.
NRT Lead Contributor Kevin Davis is a long-time fan of Christian music and an avid music collector. He credits the message of Christian music for leading him to Christ. Currently, he lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and three daughters.
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