God grant you …
- the light of Christmas, which is faith;
- the warmth of Christmas, which is purity;
- the righteousness of Christmas, which is justice;
- the belief in Christmas, which is truth;
- the ALL of Christmas, which is Christ.
A Christmas Blessing
Christmas
Are Some Christmas Songs Better Than Others?
Are some Christmas hymns better than others? Consider what Martin Luther says to his Anglican friends in this imaginary discussion, from Lutheran Satire.
Join the Conspiracy!
“There has got to be more to the holiday season than this.”
Have you ever thought this way? I have – and I do – every year, around this time.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with our many traditions and celebrations, it is beneficial to repeatedly remind ourselves what this season is primarily about: that Christ Jesus came into the world to redeem sinners; to set free those captive to their sin and their situations.
And just as Jesus came into the world, he has also commissioned his followers to be his agents to continue what he began. (John 20.21)
In 2006 Advent Conspiracy was birthed, with the aim to remind the world what really matters during the Advent-Christmas season; and to urge Christians to embrace four simple but key tenets:
Let’s consider how we can make a difference in some small way. Let’s all join in this most wonderful Conspiracy.
O Come All Ye Faithful: When Christmas Falls On Sunday
Christmas Day falls on a Sunday this year. It happens every several years. Across the country churches are cancelling Sunday service; or, harkening back to the pandemic, some are pre-recording elements of a worship service to be consumed via streaming at the convenience of those who take the time to watch. (Is “watching” actually worshipping? That’s probably a good subject for another post.)
Granted, church attendance will likely be low even in churches committed to holding worship services. And family time is important. So, I get the factors that lead some to feel the need to cancel. (Well, “need” is probably too strong of a word. “Preference” is probably more apt.) Point being that the issues that cause a dilemma for some are not lost on me.
The question is, what is the best way to resolve these tension points? Even granting latitude for the consciences of individual Christians and families, what should the Church do?
I appreciated the solution proposed by Blake Larebee in his post for Chorus in the Chaos: 3 Good Reasons to Move the Gathering to Saturday the 24th. (NOTE: I had to read through it twice before I caught what he was actually saying. The key is in the end, and what he proposes ought to be done on “The Lord’s Day”.)
Advent Conspiracy
For many Black Friday – the day after Thanksgiving – marks opening day for an exciting month long contact sport – shopping! For many others it is just one more cause for anxiety. In the midst of the seasonal hubbub, take a moment to watch this short video from the Advent Conspiracy.
Share the joy of Christmas!
J.C. Ryle on the Incarnation
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. ~ John 1.14
Anglican Bishop J.C. Ryle elaborates on these words to deepen our appreciation for the Incarnation of Christ:
The plain meaning of these words is, that our divine Savior really took human nature upon Him, in order to save sinners. He really became a man like ourselves in all things, sin only excepted. Like ourselves, he was born of a woman, though born in a miraculous manner. Like ourselves, he grew from infancy to boyhood, and from boyhood to man’s estate, both in wisdom and in stature (Luke 2.52). Like ourselves he hungered, thirsted, ate, drank, slept, was wearied, felt pain, wept, rejoiced, marveled, and was moved to anger and to compassion. Having become flesh, and taken a body, He prayed, read the Scriptures, suffered being tempted, and submitted His human will to the will of God the Father. And finally, in the same body, He really suffered and shed his blood, really died, was really buried, really rose again and really ascended up into heaven. And yet all this time He was God as well as man!
Nowhere, perhaps, shall we find a more wise and judicious statement than in the second article of the Church of England. ‘The Son, which is the Word of the Father, begotten from everlasting of the Father, the very and eternal God, and of one substance with the Father, took man’s nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin of her substance: so that two whole and perfect natures, were joined together in one Person, that is to say, the Godhead and the manhood were joined together in one person, never to be never to be divided, whereof is one Christ, very God and very man.’
The Meaning of Christmas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CojUP5nRidA#t=52
This is still one of the best explanations of the meaning of Christmas anyone can hear. Thank you, Linus! (And Thank you, Charles Schultz!)
Christmas Mythology
There are no shortages of claims that Christmas, and Christianity, is based upon the ancient myths of other cultures. I appreciate the work of the folks at Lutheran Satire for so humorously dispelling those claims.
Round Yon Virgin
Some of the more curious lyrics to songs seem to be evident in some of the best known Christmas-time hymns. At least it seems that way to me.
Perhaps the cause is sometimes from lack of attention. For instance, as a kid I was certain that the prolonged “glo-r-ia, in excelsius deo” of Angels We Have Heard on High was somehow about Oreo cookies. I was in my early 20’s before I gave it enough thought and discovered the Latin lingo. (Truth be told, even now knowing I still hear “O-re-o” echo in my head whenever the song is sung.)
But sometime it is not lack of attention, but archaic language that causes the confusion. One such example may be some of the words to the song Silent Night, sung at the conclusion of many Christmas Eve services, as candles are being lighted all throughout the sanctuaries. The folks from Mental Floss have shed some light on the odd phrases of that popular tune:
The “round” in Silent Night might call up imagery of the soft, maternal kind, but in the phrase “round yon virgin,” it simply means “around.” “Yon” is an antiquated word for “that one” or “over there.” The meaning of the phrase in the song depends on the line before it. It should be understood in the context “all is calm, all is bright round yon virgin mother and child.” In other words “Everything is calm and bright around that virgin mother over there and her child.” In technical terms, “round yon virgin mother and child” is a prepositional phrase.
So now we know. The words do not describe a pregancy weight gain, or some other kind of personal allusion, but rather an idylic bucolic serenity that accompanied the Prince of Peace into this world.
The Glory of God’s Incarnation
Martin Luther expresses his appreciation of Christmas, not just that Jesus was born, but how and to whom he was born:
If Christ had arrived with trumpets and lain in a cradle of gold, His birth would have been a splendid affair. But it would not be a comfort to me. He was, rather, to lie in the lap of a poor maiden and be thought to be of little significance in the eyes of the world. Now I can come to Him. Now He reveals Himself to the miserable in order not to give any impression that He arrives with great power, splendor, wisdom, and aristocratic manners. But upon His return, on that Day when He will oppose the high and the mighty, it will be different. Now He comes to the poor, who need a Savior; but then He will come as a Judge against those who are persecuting Him now. ~ from a sermon from 1530
Remember Christ dwelt with us in humility so that we might approach him receiving the covenant of peace which he secured for us by the blood of his cross. (Colossians 1.19-20)
The Gift & The Giver
Paul Tripp reminds us that the greatest Christmas gift anyone could possibly receive has already been given to us – by the Living and True God. And the greatest gift, which God has given to us, is God himself.
We 3 Kings
You probably know the song, We Three Kings of Orient Are:
We three kings of orient are,
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain,
Moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.
The song is based upon the account of the Magi, in Matthew 2. And though it may be a little less than an accurate account, it is still among my favorites during the Christmas season.
What is inaccurate? For one thing, there is no reason to assume there were only three Magi. The three is largely assumed because of the mention of three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. There very well could have been, and very likely were, far more guys in the caravan than those lonely determined three. That is just one example. There are at least a few other somewhat trivial issues. But otherwise, while the song may be a little fanciful, there is nothing seriously erroneous about it.
But more important than a few questionable lyrics is a greater question: “What are some things we can learn from the three Magi mentioned in the song?” To answer this question we can benefit from a helpful little piece Martin Downes wrote a few years ago for Against Heresies: We Three Kings.
Check it out, and give it some thought. And remember, this is not a story limited to Christmas. After all, the Wise Men themselves did not actually arrive to their destination until some time after that first Christmas Day. So this is a story worth pondering well into the New Year.
The Cry of a Tiny Baby
A lyrical contemporary retelling of the Christmas story. Music by Bruce Cockburn.
The Nativity
by C.S. Lewis
Among the oxen (like an ox I’m slow)
I see a glory in the stable grow
Which, with the ox’s dullness might at length
Give me an ox’s strength.
Among the asses (stubborn I as they)
I see my Saviour where I looked for hay;
So may my beastlike folly learn at least
The patience of a beast.
Among the sheep (I like a sheep have strayed),
I watch the manger where my Lord is laid;
Oh that my baa-ing nature would win thence
Some woolly innocence!
The Christmas Distraction
Jared Wilson counsels:
There is a great danger this Christmas season of missing the point. And I’m not referring simply to idolatrous consumption and materialism. I’m talking about Christmas religiosity. It is very easy around this time to set up our Nativity scenes, host our Christmas pageants and cantatas, read the Christmas story with our families, attend church every time the door is open, and insist to ourselves and others that Jesus is the reason for the season, and yet not see Jesus. With the eyes of our heart, I mean.
I suppose there is something about indulging in the religious Christmas routine that lulls us into thinking we are dwelling in Christ when we are really just set to seasonal autopilot, going through the festive and sentimental motions. Meanwhile the real person Jesus the Christ goes neglected in favor of his plastic, paper, and video representations. Don’t get distracted from Jesus by “Jesus.” This year, plead with the Spirit to interrupt your nice Christmas with the power of Jesus’ gospel.
GRACE & PEACE 