DAY 13

GIVE THE GIFT RECEIVED

“And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations.”

(Mark 13:10)

I will forever associate the song “Ring the Bells,” with a Polish preacher and evangelist named George Bajenski.  In fact, as a child, that is what I knew him by, Mr. Ring the Bells, because he would always sing this song when he visited my home Church.  Imagine my delight when searching for a video for this blog and one pops up with him sing the 1^st verse and chorus of this song.  So you too can meet Mr. Ring the Bells.

This song is calling us to action.  It is calling us to spread the message of the birth of Christ.  That message is the Christ was “born to die that man might live, came to earth new life to give.” The old adage states, “It is better to give than to receive.” Well, yes, but at Christmas both are true.  We have received the greatest gift ever in the person of Jesus Christ, but we are compelled to share that gift with others.

I read an article the other day that I found disturbing.  The article was telling churches to reconsider canceling services on Christmas Sunday this year.  The article was so unbelievable to me.  Would churches actual consider not having services on Christmas day?  I was telling a preacher friend about it in an email and he confirmed for me that in past years when Christmas falls on Sunday that there were churches who canceled services.  If this is the case, I think those churches should just shut the doors and go home permanently.  They have lost their witness.  Yes, we do not need a holiday to celebrate Christ’s birth but it is a good tradition that has been handed down to us for generations.

Ringing bells is probably not the best way to get the message of Christ’s birth out today.  Nevertheless, what we do on that day, which for centuries has been set aside to remember his birth says something about what we regard as important.  Do not fall into the trap of thinking that everyone around you knows the message.  They do not.

This Advent season, take time to proclaim the good news of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  The world needs to hear this message more than ever.

 

RING THE BELLS

by Aaron Wilson

Ring the bells, ring the bells, let the whole world know,
Christ was born in Bethlehem many years ago.
Born to die that man might live, came to earth new life to give,
Born of Mary, born so low, many years ago.
God the Father gave His Son, gave His own beloved One,
To the wicked sinful earth, to bring mankind His love, new birth.

 Chorus
Ring the bells, ring the bells,
Let the whole world know
Christ the Savior lives today
As He did so long ago!

Ring the bells, ring the bells, what a glorious morn!
Men and angels worship Him, singing, Christ is born!
Born to die on Calvary, born to set His people free,
God Himself in human form, tell it!  Christ is born.
He has left His royal throne, He has come to claim His own,
Christ the Lord has come to earth, go spread the news of Jesus’ birth.

 

DAY 12

MIGHTY REDEEMER

“Child in the Manger” is an old English carol set to the Gaelic tune Bunessan.  If you are not familiar with this carol, you may be acquainted with the tune through the hymn, “Morning has Broken.”

The second verse states,

Once the most holy Child of salvation
Gently and lowly lived low
Now as our glorious Mighty Redeemer
See Him victorious over each foe

When we speak of the birth and life of Jesus our Savior, words like “gently” and “lowly” are used to describe the way that he lived his life.  Now Jesus has become for us our Might Redeemer.  The carol admonishes us to “see Him victorious over each foe.

In Philippians 2 6-11, Paul records for us what many call the Christ hymn, because it speaks beautifully about the glory he left to live a life of service among his lost children.  These verses speak about his absolute obedience to the Father also and the result of that obedience.  In verses 9-11 it declares,  “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of bod the Father.”

Jesus came from glory and was born lowly.  He lived a life of obedience to his Father and service to man.  He was crucified in shame but was raised victoriously.  Now Jesus reigns as our Might Redeemer.

In this Advent season, remember that Christ did not stay a little child but has become for us our Might Redeemer.

 

CHILD IN THE MANGER

Child in the manger, infant of Mary
Outcast and stranger, Lord of us all
Child who inherits all our transgressions
All our demerits upon Him fall

Once the most holy Child of salvation
Gently and lowly lived low
Now as our glorious Mighty Redeemer
See Him victorious over each foe

Prophets foretold Him, infant of wonder
Angels behold Him on His throne
Worthy our Savior of all their praises
Happy forever are His own

 

DAY 11

NOT A ONE-OFF

“Once in Royal David’s City,” emphasizes both the human and divine nature of Jesus.  He is “God and Lord of all” and “day by day, like us He grew.”   This song leads us finally to where our hope resides.  Our hope does not reside in a child.  That child grew and became a man.  Our hope lies in his second advent.  His first arrival was as a child born in weakness and humility.  But this is not how we will see him in his second coming.  The final verse says,

Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see Him; but in heaven,
Set at God’s right hand on high;
Where like stars His children crowned
All in white shall wait around.

At Christmas time, we do not celebrate the memory of a child born over 2,000 years ago.  Through faith we celebrate that he did not stay a child.  He became a man and purchased our salvation.  We celebrate that his coming was not a one-off, but that he will again return for us one day.  On that day, he will appear not as child, but as the victorious King that he is.  On that day, he will take us to be with him forever.  So when Jesus says, “Yes, I am coming soon,” we join with the apostle John and say, “Amen.  Come Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)

In this Advent season, meditate on the hope of the seconded coming of our Lord.

 

Once in Royal David’s City

Once in royal David’s city
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her Baby
In a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little Child.

 

He came down to earth from heaven,
Who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable,
And His cradle was a stall;
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
Lived on earth our Savior holy.

And through all His wondrous childhood
He would honor and obey,
Love and watch the lowly maiden,
In whose gentle arms He lay:
Christian children all must be
Mild, obedient, good as He.

For he is our childhood’s pattern;
Day by day, like us He grew;
He was little, weak and helpless,
Tears and smiles like us He knew;
And He feeleth for our sadness,
And He shareth in our gladness.

And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love;
For that Child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in heaven above,
And He leads His children on
To the place where He is gone.

Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see Him; but in heaven,
Set at God’s right hand on high;
Where like stars His children crowned
All in white shall wait around.

 

DAY 10

WORLD PEACE

The older I get, the more I desire for the truth to be told.  Many of the songs that we sing in church are at best incorrect and at worse downright heretical.  “Do You Hear What I Hear” is one such Christmas carol that is not quite correct.  The song progresses from the wind speaking to a lamb, the lamb speaking to the shepherd boy, the shepherd boy speaking to the king, and the king speaking to the people everywhere.  I can allow for artistic license with the wind and the lamb speaking.  But the shepherds did not take the message they received from the angels to the palace of the king.  They went to Bethlehem and found the Christ child.  You can read below the whole scriptural account of the shepherds in Luke’s gospel.

This song is also incorrect in its communication of the king’s response.  At a later time, when the magi from the east came in search for the one born king of the Jews, their first stop was at the king’s palace.  King Herod’s response to the birth of the Messiah was not quite what this song says.  He did not pray for peace rather he brought unrest.  He sought out the child to kill him and in fact he did kill all the children in Bethlehem that were two years and younger.  You can read the whole account of the magi’s visit and Herod’s response in Matthew 2:1-12.

This being said, the message of the king in this song is still a fitting one for this Advent season.

Said the king to the people everywhere,
“Listen to what I say!
Pray for peace, people, everywhere,
Listen to what I say!
The Child, the Child sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light

People speak a lot about peace at Christmas and, indeed, it is a fitting topic for this season.  But for many, I think, Christmas is simply a symbol of peace or the idea of peace.  Christ came to bring peace.  Peace, not simply being the cessation of strife in the world, but peace between God and man which is the cause of strife in the world.  Christ did not bring peace as something separate from himself.  He is the peace that he brought.  He paid for that peace with his very life.

In this Advent season, let us remember that the hope of peace in the world resides in Jesus Christ our Lord and in him only.

LUKE 2:8-21

⁸ And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. ¹⁰ And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”^[d]

¹⁵ When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. ¹⁷ And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. ¹⁸ And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰ And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

²¹ And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

 

Do You Hear What I Hear

Said the night wind to the little lamb,
“Do you see what I see?
Way up in the sky, little lamb,
Do you see what I see?
A star, a star, dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kite,
With a tail as big as a kite.”

Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy,
“Do you hear what I hear?
Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy,
Do you hear what I hear?
A song, a song high above the trees
With a voice as big as the sea,
With a voice as big as the sea.”

Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king,
“Do you know what I know?
In your palace walls, mighty king,
Do you know what I know?
A Child, a Child shivers in the cold–
Let us bring him silver and gold,
Let us bring him silver and gold.”

Said the king to the people everywhere,
“Listen to what I say!
Pray for peace, people, everywhere,
Listen to what I say!
The Child, the Child sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light,
He will bring us goodness and light

DAY 9

 

DO NOT BE OUT DONE BY A STONE

 

“All the bells on earth shall ring

On Christmas day.”

 

“All the angels in heaven shall sing

On Christmas day.”

 

Will you be out done by all of these during this Christmas season?  Or will you join your praise with, “All the souls on earth (who) shall sing on Christmas day”?

 

On one occasion, when Jesus was being hailed with shout of praise, the Pharisees chided him for allowing his disciples to do so.  Jesus replied in Luke 19:40, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”  Will this Christmas necessitate praise pouring forth from stones?  Only if his people are silent.

 

This Advent season, join your voice with the multitudes of heaven and earth with shouts of praise for the King of kings is born, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

HISTORICAL NOTE:   Some will make a big deal about the geographical incorrectness of this song.  Bethlehem is about 20 miles from the nearest body of water.  Therefore how can ships go sailing into it at Christmastime or any other time?  I am willing to allow for artistic freedom on that point.  There is evidence to suggest that this carol has its organ in Cologne, Germany.  The cathedral in Cologne has a shrine which is reputed to house the skulls of the three magi (Another inaccuracy, we do not know how many magi there were).  This song is believed to have been first written to commemorate the ships which transported the skulls into the city.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I SAW THREE SHIPS ON CHRISTMAS DAY

I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas Day in the morning.

And what was in those ships all three,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day?
And what was in those ships all three,
On Christmas Day in the morning?

The Virgin Mary and Christ were there,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
The Virgin Mary and Christ were there,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

Pray, wither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
Pray, wither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas Day in the morning?

O they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
O they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

And all the bells on earth shall ring,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
And all the bells on earth shall ring,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

And all the Angels in Heaven shall sing,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
And all the Angels in Heaven shall sing,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

And all the souls on earth shall sing,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
And all the souls on earth shall sing,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

Then let us all rejoice again,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
Then let us all rejoice again,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

 

DAY 8

LORD OF ALL

The Christmas carol, “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly” has a very simple message for us.  The first stanza ends with the words, “Christ the child is Lord of all!”  The second stanza ends with the words, “Christ the child was born for you!” Jesus Christ was not born for one ethnic group or nation.  He came for all people regardless of where you are from.

I live in Cambodia.  People here say, “Jesus is for Americans or Europeans.  We are Buddhist because we are Cambodian.”  This is simply and untrue statement.  Christ is the Lord of all and was born for everyone in every place.  Jesus’ final commission to his disciples is found in Matthew 28:18-20.  There he states:

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Jesus came for all people because all people need him.  He sends out those who trust in him to spread the good news that he brought.  That good news: Jesus came to reconcile man to God by his own blood.

This Advent season, remember that Christ is for all people, nations, tribes, and languages.

 

 

Infant Holy, Infant Lowly

(This carol is based on a traditional Polish Christmas carol.)

Infant holy, infant lowly, For His bed a cattle stall;
Oxen lowing, little knowing Christ the child is Lord of all.
Swiftly winging, angels singing, Bells are ringing, tidings bringing:
Christ the child is Lord of all! Christ the child is Lord of all!

Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping Vigil till the morning new
Saw the glory, heard the story, Tidings of a Gospel true.
Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow, Praised voicing, greet the morrow:
Christ the child was born for you! Christ the child was born for you!

 

DAY 7

WHAT TO GIVE THE KING WHO HAS EVERYTHING

“In the Bleak Midwinter,” Christina Rossetti employs many contrasts to describe the coming of our Lord.  In the fourth verses she speaks of the angel and archangels who “thronged the air.”   The mighty angels of God were sent to announce and celebrate the coming of Christ.  We are not told in the birth narrative of Christ that his mother Mary kissed him but undoubtedly she did. The carol states,

But only His mother
In her maiden bliss
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.

The mighty power of heaven worshiping Christ contrasted with the gentle kiss of a mother.  All I can say is, “WOW!”

Most of the Christmas carols we sing recount for us different events in the birth narrative of Christ.  Then they leave us with a thought to ponder.  This carol ends in that same vein.

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man
I would do my part;
Yet what I can, I give Him –
Give my heart.

What will you give to him?  You may say, “I do not have anything to give.  I am not talented.  I do not have material wealth.  I do not have influence.” Each of us has a heart.  That center of our being which all else in our life flows from.  That is really what our Lord desires.  Not just a part of our heart, but rather the whole of it.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  (Ephesians 3:14-19)

This Advent season, in response to the greatest gift ever given to you, give back to him your entire heart.

 

 

IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER

by Christina Rossetti

In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breast full of milk,
And a manger full of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.

Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air –
But only His mother
In her maiden bliss
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man
I would do my part;
Yet what I can, I give Him –
Give my heart.

 

DAY 6

PEACE GIVEN

Luke 2:10-14

¹⁰ And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

“While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night” is a carol of praise for the message brought to the shepherds.  That message, a Savior had been born and he is Christ the Lord.  With this birth came the declaration of, “on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”  Over 2000 from his birth, we need more than ever this announcement of peace.  Why is there so little peace today?  If you reject the source of peace, you reject peace.  Jesus said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

Peace starts with you and me.  In this Advent season, invite the peace of Christ, which is the person of Christ, to rule in your heart and mind.

 

WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCHED THEIR FLOCKS BY NIGHT

Words by Nahum Tate 1702 Music By George Frideric Handel 1728

 

While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
All seated on the ground,
The angel of the Lord came down,
And glory shone around

 

“Fear not,” said he, for mighty dread
Had seized their troubled minds;
“Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind
 

“To you, in David’s town, this day,
Is born of David’s line
A Savior, who is Christ the Lord;
And this shall be the sign
 

The heavenly Babe you there shall find
To human view displayed,
All meanly wrapped in swaddling-clothes
And in a manger laid
 

Thus spake the seraph and forthwith
Appeared a shining throng
Of angels, praising God, and thus
Addressed their joyful song:
 

“All glory be to God on high,
And to the earth be peace;
Good will henceforth from Heaven to men
Begin and never cease
 

 

DAY 5

THE DESCENT THAT RAISES

Charles Wesley’s Christmas carol, “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus,” is brimming with incredible imagery.  Each line is worthy of paragraph of its own.  In the first verse alone he gives us no less than six pictures of Jesus:  he was born to set people free from fears and sin; he is the source of rest; he is the strength and consolation of Israel; he is the hope of all the earth; he is the desire of every nation; and the joy of every longing heart.  The carol recalls the expectation of Christ’s coming and the realization of his arrival, but it also looks towards our final redemption.

The last words of this carol state, “By Thine all sufficient merit, raise us to Thy glorious throne.” Christ descended from his glorious place in heaven so that he could raise us to his glorious throne.  He came down to us.  We could not go up to him on our own.  If you look at religions around the world, you will find that most are working to raise themselves up to the place of God.  Because of our sin, this is an impossible task.  The apostle Paul says in Ephesians 4:9-10, “In saying, He ascended, what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?  He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens that he might fill all things.”  In Christ’s birth, God descended into his creation in order that he might take us to where he is.  He has ascended back into his heavenly glory but he will return again as he promised.

In this Advent season, let us consider the second advent of our Lord.  Let us pray for the second advent of our long expected Jesus.

COME THOU LONG EXPECTED JESUS
by Charles Wesley (1744)

Come Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in Thee
Israel’s strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth Thou art
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of every longing heart

Joy to those who long to see thee
Day-spring from on high appear
Come thou promised Rod of Jesse
Of Thy birth we long to hear
O’er the hills the angels singing
News glad tidings of a birth
Go to him your praises bringing
Christ the Lord has come to earth

Come to earth to taste our sadness
He whose glories knew no end
By his life he brings us gladness
Our Redeemer Shepherd Friend
Leaving riches without number
Born within a cattle stall
This the everlasting wonder
Christ was born Lord of all

Born Thy people to deliver
Born a child and yet a King
Born to reign in us forever
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone
By Thine all sufficient merit
Raise us to Thy glorious throne