Christmas is well-known for its music. The world has its “Rudolph” and “Frosty,” pop stars annually release holiday songs, and old classics by Bing Crosby and others fill the airwaves. Of course, the best are the hymns of the Church— “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “Silent Night,” and, naturally, “Joy to the World.” The familiarity of these hymns, however, derives not simply from their well-recognized tunes, or from the holiday-association, but, often enough, from their deep, rich theology.
Each week in worship we hear the Word of God read and preached; we respond often with Scripture in our liturgy and prayers. We also speak the truths of the Word as we sing hymns, songs and praises to our God. Often some of the most profound things we say in worship come in the lyrics of the songs we sing. Unfortunately, we frequently sing without thought, and hence, miss the substance of what we are proclaiming.
This week in worship we are doing a “Lessons in Carols,” following a centuries-old tradition of interspersing biblical texts and classic hymns to tell the Gospel, Christmas story. Rather than mindlessly, or even nostalgically, singing the words, we will draw attention to the core Gospel message embedded in these familiar tunes. Consider verse 1 of Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus:
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.
Now, that’s good stuff! Or verse 3 of O Come, All Ye Faithful:
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, Born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be all glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing!
O come, let us adore Him! Christ, the Lord!
Or, from The First Noel, verse 5:
Then let us all with one accord, Sing praise to our heavenly Lord,
That hath made heaven and earth of naught, and with His blood mankind hath bought.
I am not a creative guy; I don’t have much of an aesthetic eye, and I lack any artistic talent. But some things are so well said that they capture the imagination, they evoke a response, they inspire. The hymns of the Church, and especially those at Christmas time, have stood the test of time for a reason—they are memorable, sing-able and familiar; but mostly, they communicate Christ in ways that penetrate our complacent, sinful, oft-dull anti-God armor.
We are excited this week to read through the Gospel message, and to sing that message through the various hymns and songs of the Church, and we look forward to seeing you there!
By Henry Knapp