DAY 19

HATE’S END

“I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a carol that I did not become familiar with until adulthood, but it has quickly become one of my favorites.  I am attaching to this blog two videos.  The first one tells a little about the history behind the song lyrics and the other video is sung by Johnny Reid.   I like this song because it takes seriously the problem of evil in the world and what its solution is.

The song states,

And in despair I bowed my head:
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

We speak of peace often during the Christmas season.  It is a fitting topic for the angels announced that peace had come to men.  But then we evaluate the situation in the world.  There seems to be very little peace today.  Hate, indeed, is very strong in our world and seemly is winning the battle.

 The song continues,

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.”

It is easy to give up and fall into a pit of despair.  If we look at the world at face value, we will end in despair.  The more man tries to alleviate the problem, the worse the world becomes.  The reality is, “God is not dead, nor doth he sleep.” God is alive and at work in his world.  Matthew 1: 23 reminds us, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us).”  God made the greatest incursion into enemy territory in the history of warfare when he was born into his world that was in open rebellion against him.  The truth is the battle is ended.  He has won the victory.  Hate is in the throes of death.  Satan is defeated and he knows his time is short.

This Advent season, do not hang your head in despair.  Hate is defeated.  Peace is victorious through our Savior whose birth we celebrate.

 I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head:
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.”

 

 

 

DAY 18

RECONCILED

“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” has one line which if Jesus had a mission statement, this would be it.  The song states, “God and sinners reconcile.” Simply put, this is why Christ came into the world.  This is why Christ’s birth has significance.  This is why the angels proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14)   God was pleased to enter the world he created.  He is the one who has made peace with us, not us with him.  He came to his creation which was living in rebellion against him and offered pardon to all who would accept his gift.

This Advent season, raise your praises to heaven for God has reconciled us to himself through the “Son of Righteousness.”

HARK!  THE HERALD ANGELS SING

(This carol was originally written by Charles Wesley, but has undergone several alteration from its original form.)

Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With the angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Christ, by highest heaven adored:
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see;
Hail, the incarnate Deity:
Pleased, as man, with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel!
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Hail! The heav’n born Prince of peace!
Hail! The Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings
Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die:
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

 

 

DAY 17

KEEP SILENT!

“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”

(Psalm 46:10)

One familiar song declares Christmas as the “most wonderful time of the year.”  That may be, but I would also say it is one of the noisiest times of the year.  By noise, I mean not only sound, but busyness too.  People run from this Christmas party to the next.  They rush around town looking for just the right gift.  Even Christmas music has becomes the background sound to a busy life.

I have come to love the song “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent.” It is not a song I was familiar with until adulthood.  As the song rolls along and the words and music flow over me, it creates in me what the title and first line states.  By the fourth stanza, I am there with the seraph and cherubim crying out, “Alleluia!”  But this shout of praise comes after my heart is quieted before “Christ our God” who “to earth descended.”  With “fear and trembling,” I stand in silence before my Lord.

In this Advent season, take time to be silent before our Lord who came to be our King of kings.

LET ALL MORTAL FLESH KEEP SILENT

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
and with fear and trembling stand;
set your minds on things eternal,
for with blessing in his hand
Christ our God to earth descended,
come our homage to command.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
once upon the earth he stood;
Lord of lords we now perceive him
in the body and the blood.
He has given to all the faithful
his own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank, the host of heaven
stream before him on the way,
as the Light of Light, descending
from the realms of endless day,
comes, the powers of hell to vanquish,
clears the gloom of hell away.

At his feet the six-winged seraph,
cherubim with sleepless eye
veil their faces to his presence,
as with ceaseless voice they cry:
“Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia, Lord Most High!”

 

DAY 16

GO AND TELL

“Go, Tell it on the Mountain” has a simple message.  Go and tell!  The message that we take when we go and tell, to those who will listen, is more than a story about the birth of a child.  The song says,

 

Down in a lowly manger

Our humble Christ was born

And God send us salvation,

That blessed Christmas morn

 

God sent to us salvation through his Son, Jesus Christ.  That is why we are compelled to go.  That is the message that we proclaim from the mountain top.

Now if you happen to live in central Illinois where I grew up, do not think that you are off the hook.  No, there are no mountains in central Illinois, but that is not the point.  The point is the message is meant to be proclaimed to everyone in every place.

This Advent season, find your voice and go and tell the message of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

GO, TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN

 

While shepherds kept their watching

Over silent flocks by night,

Behold throughout the heavens,

There shone a holy light:

Go, Tell It On The Mountain,

Over the hills and everywhere;

Go, Tell It On The Mountain

That Jesus Christ is born.

 

The shepherds feared and trembled

When lo! above the earth

Rang out the angel chorus

That hailed our Saviour’s birth:

Go, Tell It On The Mountain,

Over the hills and everywhere;

Go, Tell It On The Mountain

That Jesus Christ is born.

 

Down in a lowly manger

Our humble Christ was born

And God send us salvation,

That blessed Christmas morn:

Go, Tell It On The Mountain,

Over the hills and everywhere;

Go, Tell It On The Mountain

That Jesus Christ is born.

 

When I am a seeker,

I seek both night and day;

I seek the Lord to help me,

And He shows me the way:

Go, Tell It On The Mountain,

Over the hills and everywhere;

Go, Tell It On The Mountain

That Jesus Christ is born.

 

He made me a watchman

Upon the city wall,

And if I am a Christian,

I am the least of all.

Go, Tell It On The Mountain,

Over the hills and everywhere;

Go, Tell It On The Mountain

That Jesus Christ is born.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXYC3Uq6MYw

DAY 15

MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE!

“Sing We Now of Christmas” is a French carol from the 15^th century that was translated into English.  This song is a call to sing praises for “the King is born.”  Christmas will never lose its meaning as long as one person sings praises to the King.  Psalm 100:1 admonishes us to “make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.”  You may say, “God has not giving me a beautiful voice to sing.” This may be true but God did not say it had to be beautiful.  The sound that comes out of your mouth when you sing might just be noise, but you can make it be joyful noise to the Lord.

This Advent season, join your voice with the multitudes of heaven and earth and sing the praises of our King.

Sing We Now of Christmas

Sing we now of Christmas,
Noel, sing we here!
Hear our grateful praises
to the babe so dear.

Refrain:
Sing we Noel, the King is born, Noel!
Sing we now of Christmas, sing we now Noel!

Angels called to shepherds,
“Leave your flocks at rest,
journey forth to Bethlehem,
find the lambkin blest.” [Refrain]

In Bethlehem they found him;
Joseph and Mary mild,
seated by the manger,
watching the holy child. [Refrain]

From the eastern country
came the kings afar,
bearing gifts to Bethlehem
guided by a star. [Refrain]

Gold and myrrh they took there,
gifts of greatest price;
there was ne’er a place on earth
so like paradise. [Refrain]

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEhA_c3eXns

 

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.