Thursday Humor: "Christmas Songs" by Tim Hawkins

Here is some more Christmas comedy to make you holiday a little merrier.

Spiritual Songs: "This Is Christmas"

Here is another great Christmas tune to remind us of the true meaning of Christmas. I hope you enjoy it.

O Come, All Ye Faithful

Bad news never takes a holiday. Illness and loss never celebrate Christmas by taking a break.  Darkness doesn't just lift because we are celebrating the entrance of the Light into our world.  Somewhere out there among the flashing lights, brightly decorated Christmas trees, and holiday yard decorations, cancer is ravaging a child.  Somewhere a family is exchanging gifts while mourning a loved one who has passed away.  Depravity hasn't settled in for a long winter's nap.  It's thriving in the human heart and let loose in the world.

One of the reasons that Christmas still has such a grip on our culture, even as many within the culture are abandoning orthodox Christianity, is that Christmas celebrates the hope that this cursed life will soon be put right.  Christmas celebrates the coming of the one Mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ our Lord.  The birth of Christ signals God's willingness to rescue this fallen creation.  He was not only willing to rescue his creation, he did so with a tremendous price.

The message of Christmas calls us to hope.  It comforts us with the reality that our Redeemer has walked a mile (and more) in our shoes.  It encourages us to cling to him for mercy, because he understands the demands of human existence and the power of temptation, although he never sinned.  He is there waiting for us, scanning the horizon for the first sign of our return.  He is ready to embrace us, if we will only come to him.  Our coming is a march of victory, a victory won by Christ Jesus himself.

This brings me to the Christmas hymn I want to share, "O Come, All Ye Faithful."  I love this hymn, because it expresses such joyous worship of the Christ-child.  As we remember the birth of our Savior, we must also remember that his life, death, resurrection, and ascension are all inseparable from the story.  He was not just a baby born in a stable, and placed in a manger.  He was, and remains, Immanuel.  He was, and remains, the Lord of Glory.  The hymn, "O Come, All Ye Faithful," expresses the proper response to the birth of Christ.  Our response should be one of humble submission and joyful adoration.  Here are the words:

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!
Come and behold him,
Born the King of angels.

Chorus
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
O sin, all ye bright hosts of heav'n above!
Glory to God,
All glory in the highest! (Chorus)

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning,
Jesus, to thee be all glory giv'n;
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing! (Chorus)

Let us approach the celebration of Christ's birth with a renewed adoration for the Lord and a renewed desire to serve him. Come, let us adore him, for he is worthy of all our devotion.  No matter how dark our situation seems, we must always remember, but especially at Christmas, that the Light of the world has dawned on us.  Christ has come into the world and is working all things to the good of those who love him and are called according to his purposes. He first coming guarantees that he will come again, and when he does he will make all things new.

What Child Is This?

Do you like Christmas music?  I like a lot of the Christmas hymns, but I'm not a big fan of rest of the holiday classics (like "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer").  Every year I dread the weekend after Thanksgiving, because the airwaves become polluted with "Holiday" music.  There is some good music in the mix, but I just not that into it.

Some of the most popular Christmas hymns have rich meaning that is often lost or confussed when they are played in a lineup with "Jingle Bells" or "Blue Christmas" (although the Porky Pig version is quite funny).  The blending of sacred and secular concepts tends to halt reflection and meditation.  It's hard to contemplate on the meaning of the words, "Christ, by highest heav'n adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord; Late in time, behold him come, offspring of a virgin's womb.  Veiled in flesh the God-head see, Hail th'incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel," (Hark! The Herald Angels Sing) when they are followed by "Grandma got ran over by a reindeer."

Over the next couple of weeks leading up to Christmas, I thought I would share some of my favorite hymns.  Tonight I want to share "What Child Is This?".  William C. Dix penned these words:

What child is this, laid to rest on Mary's lap, is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, while shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King; whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud, the Babe, the Son of Mary!

Why lies he in such mean estate, where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear; for sinners here the silent Word is pleading:
Nails, spear, shall pierce Him through, the Cross be borne, for me, for you
Hail, hail, the Word made flesh, the Babe, the Son of Mary!

So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh, Come peasant, king to own Him.
The King of Kings, salvation brings, Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise the song on high, the Virgin sings her lullably;
Joy, joy, for Christ is born, The Babe, the Son of Mary!

The second verse grips my heart in ways I cannot fully communicate. The opening question, "Why lies he in such mean (average/low) estate, where ox and ass are feeding?," points to the fact that Christ, the Lord of Glory, willingly laid aside his glory and wealth in order to rescue us from sin.  The author would have us to approach this manger with reverence, because this Child has brought our redemption.  He goes on to connect the Christmas story with the Easter story, because the goal of Christ's birth was to become the sacrifice that put away the wrath of God by dying as our substitute on the cross.  So I say with this song, "Hail, Hail, the Word made flesh, The Babe, The Son of Mary!"

Image from http://picturesofjesus4you.com/storeindexbaby.html.