A native of Fort Worth, Texas, he was raised by his aunt, Gertrude Franklin. He developed a talent for music early, playing the piano at age four and becoming music director of his church at age eleven. After getting kicked out of school in his teenaged years, having a girlfriend become pregnant, and after a friend was shot to death he returned to the church. After leading the DFW Mass Choir at the 1990 Gospel Music Workshop of America Convention, he organized "The Family", a seventeen-voice choir, in 1992 and began his recording career.
He has integrated hip hop styles with gospel themes in albums such as The Nu Nation Project and God's Property, which achieved success on the Billboard Pop Album, R&B and gospel charts.
Franklin has collaborated with the biggest names in gospel music, including Tonex, Donnie McClurkin, Richard Smallwood, Crystal Lewis, Pastor Shirley Caesar, Jaci Valesquez, and Willie Neal Johnson. He also has displayed a willingness to collaborate with artists in the secular realm, including Bono, Mary J. Blige, Crystal Lewis, and R Kelly in the hit single, "Lean on Me."
On October 4, 2005, his new long-awaited album Hero was released, with latest single Looking for You.
Franklin's songs are published by Zomba Music Publishing, a division of BMG Music Publishing.
The Last Jesus
Kirk Franklin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I touch you, say I love you, but that's all you get for today
It's easy, so easy, to tell you it's gon' be okay
When I don't walk shoes, haven't been through what you been through
Instead I push you away
Sunday everyone looks like you
But if our lives are cold inside tell me what's the use
My words are empty, if they can't see Jesus in me
No more excuses, I give myself away
Because I may be the only Jesus they see
Too busy, forgive me, I've got problems of my own
It's easier to say your help is on the way
But I was your help all along
We're shouting, we're dancing, but can the world see a change
Am I just too selfish to see, the love they need you put inside of me
If we say we love Jesus, but they can't see our Jesus
Tell me what's the use if they can't see Jesus in you and me
No more excuses, we give it all away
Because we may be the only Jesus they see
If I am your hands and Your feet, and if your church is built inside of me
Where did we go wrong, we been here too long, we can't see your face anymore
It's not the same anymore
Have mercy on us Jesus, please forgive us Jesus
I lost my purpose, if they can't see You in me
See I lied too long, and I change it all today
Because I may be, because I may be
The only Jesus they see, the only Jesus they see, the only Jesus they see
Kirk Franklin's song The Last Jesus is a call for Christians to examine their own lives and actions to see if they are truly reflecting the love of Jesus to the world around them. The lyrics express regret and the desire for change, acknowledging that it is easy to offer simple words of comfort without truly understanding or empathizing with others. The song encourages people to humble themselves and recognize that they may be the only representation of Jesus that someone sees, and to give of themselves selflessly and without excuses.
The opening lines of the song express a common struggle - feeling a deep need for connection and love, but feeling disconnected from those around us. The lyrics also reveal a sense of detachment and a lack of empathy, as the singer acknowledges that they don't truly understand what others are going through. In the chorus, the song challenges Christians to examine their own lives and question whether they are truly living out their faith in a way that is visible to others.
The second verse of the song continues this theme of reflection and self-examination. It acknowledges that Christians often make excuses for their lack of action or effort to truly reflect the love of Jesus in their lives. The lyrics highlight the need for Christians to recognize that they are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world, and without that reflection, their faith is without value.
Line by Line Meaning
I see you, I need you, but I don't know your name
I notice you, I require you, but I am unaware of who you are
I touch you, say I love you, but that's all you get for today
I make contact with you, profess love to you, but that is all the effort I will put in for now
It's easy, so easy, to tell you it's gon' be okay
It is effortless to reassure you that everything is going to be fine
When I don't walk shoes, haven't been through what you been through
Since I've never been in your circumstances or walked in your shoes,
Instead I push you away
I disregard your situation and distance myself from you.
Sunday everyone looks like you
On Sundays, everyone appears the same as you
But if our lives are cold inside tell me what's the use
If, internally, our lives are barren, then what is the point?
If I say I love Jesus, but you can't see my Jesus
If I claim to love Jesus, yet you don't see any evidence of him in me
My words are empty, if they can't see Jesus in me
My vocalized faith is vacuous if it is not visible in my conduct.
No more excuses, I give myself away
I am relinquishing all justifications and fully committing myself.
Because I may be the only Jesus they see
Since I may be the only encounter they have with Jesus.
Too busy, forgive me, I've got problems of my own
I have too much going on, pardon me, I have my own problems to worry about.
It's easier to say your help is on the way
It's simpler to convey that assistance will arrive soon.
But I was your help all along
But I was the help you requested from the beginning.
We're shouting, we're dancing, but can the world see a change
We're yelling, we're rejoicing, but is there any impact visible to the world?
Am I just too selfish to see, the love they need you put inside of me
Am I merely savouring my own desires to the extent that I am not able to see the love that others yearn for that you have placed within me?
If we say we love Jesus, but they can't see our Jesus
If we assert our admiration for Jesus, yet they cannot perceive him in our actions
Tell me what's the use if they can't see Jesus in you and me
What's the purpose if they fail to observe Jesus in both you and me?
No more excuses, we give it all away
I am making no more justifications and am offering everything.
Because we may be the only Jesus they see
As we might be the only encounter with Jesus that they will ever have.
If I am your hands and Your feet, and if your church is built inside of me
If I am the manifestation of Your hands and feet, if Your congregation resides within me
Where did we go wrong, we been here too long, we can't see your face anymore
Where was our mistake; we have been in this predicament far too long, and we can no longer see your face?
It's not the same anymore
It is no longer identical to how it used to be.
Have mercy on us Jesus, please forgive us Jesus
Jesus, have mercy on us, please forgive us
I lost my purpose, if they can't see You in me
I have misplaced my reason if they cannot perceive You in me.
See I lied too long, and I change it all today
Long have I been dishonest, but today I will alter everything.
Because I may be, because I may be, the only Jesus they see
Since I may be the only encounter with Jesus that they will ever have.
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: KIRK FRANKLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Deasy C Natalia
I see you, I need you, but I don't know your name
I touch you, say I love you, but that's all you get for today
It's easy, so easy, to tell you it's gon' be okay
When I don't walk shoes, haven't been through what you been through
Instead I push you away
Sunday everyone looks like you
But if our lives are cold inside tell me what's the use
If I say I love Jesus, but you can't see my Jesus
My words are empty, if they can't see Jesus in me
No more excuses, I give myself away
Because I may be the only Jesus they see
Too busy, forgive me, I've got problems of my own
It's easier to say your help is on the way
But I was your help all along
We're shouting, we're dancing, but can the world see a change
Am I just too selfish to see, the love they need you put inside of me
If we say we love Jesus, but they can't see our Jesus
Tell me what's the use if they can't see Jesus in you and me
No more excuses, we give it all away
Because we may be the only Jesus they see
If I am your hands and Your feet, and if your church is built inside of me
Where did we go wrong, we been here too long, we can't see your face anymore
It's not the same anymore
Have mercy on us Jesus, please forgive us Jesus
I lost my purpose, if they can't see You in me
See I lied too long, and I change it all today
Because I may be, because I may be
The only Jesus they see, the only Jesus they see, the only Jesus they see
ozonkwo
am i the only one obsessed with this song....its got me double checking myself...and how i represent Christ out there
Keisha Harewood
No I love this song too.
realjamm h
one of if not the BEST song by kirk franklin. This guy keeps outdoing himself.he gets better and better
purposedpa
This song is masterfully written and truly inspired by the Holy Spirit. It resonates with me both as someone who has experienced people treating me like, "your help is on the way", when they were "my help all along", as well as reminds me to check myself with lyrics like, "Am I just too selfish to see, the love they need you put it inside of me".
I LOVE THIS SONG.
Basetsana Naledi Mohlabine
I heard this song 5 years or so ago and today I just remembered the lyrics.
Kirk and the team are a blessing man.
t o r i
WOW! Beautiful song.
Michael Jenkins
love this song. it is so true the world has to see Jesus in us.
Sunny shadowsteen
I love this song. It touches my heart. Aren't we all like this? Don't we forget to show the love of our Father to the rest of the world? Do we not push Him away? Are we too selfish to see?
If I say I love Jesus, but you can't see my Jesus, my words are empty if they can't see Jesus in me.
I give myself away because I may be the only Jesus they see.
Hallelujah.
God Bless.
Cupcake Love
this is very touching and spreads an important message, we need to represent jesus positively because to the people we know who arent saved, we are the jesus they see!
2013CAPAkid
“No more excuses, I give myself away because I may be the only Jesus they see.” WOW