Read God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen 2nd January Read: Hebrews 2:14-18 “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.’” Luke 2:10-11 (NIV) ‘God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen’ is thought to be about 700 years old. During that time many of the masses would have been illiterate and this would have been one way to teach them the Christian meaning of Christmas. This song would have been a teaching tool to spread the Word of God. Many of the words in this carol mean something different than they did back in that time. The word ‘rest’ meant ‘keep’; ‘merry’ was a strong or mighty individual. So, using this context the title of the song changes from ‘God rest Ye merry, Gentlemen’ to the more modern translation of ‘May God keep you gentlemen strong.’ In this translation it can be viewed as a type of blessing.
“During this period, the songs of organised religion were usually written in Latin and their melodies were sombre and dark, offering singers and listeners little inspiration or joy … So, while they continued to go to worship, they created their own church music outside the walls of the cathedrals and chapels. In this way, the peasant class led a quiet rebellion against the tone of religious music by writing religious folk songs that were light, lively and penned in common language.” [Ace Collins] Our brothers and sisters 500 years ago were seeking joy and light in darkness! This was one of the most popular carols sung at Christmastime in that time in history, being used as a song that was sung out on the streets of England. It was f irst published in 1883 but was sung on the streets much before that; the author of the carol is unknown. It tells the story of the Nativity from the birth of Jesus to the shepherds and the angels and then the worship and adoration of the new-born child.
Even though the Christmas season is almost over, we can find joy, rest and peace in the midst of the chaos of life. May God keep all you people strong! Sing or listen to: God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
PRAYER V1: God rest ye merry, gentlemen Let nothing you dismay Remember, Christ, our Saviour was born on Christmas day To save us all from all from Satan’s power When we were gone astray O tidings of comfort and joy, Comfort and joy O tidings of comfort and joy. Amen.
Read: Psalm 107:20-31 “Let them give thanks to the Lord for his faithful love. Let them give thanks for the wonderful things he does for people.” Psalm 107:31 (NIRV) When I think of ships I think of the days in my early twenties when I was a crew member on a 44ft yacht sailing off the South Australian coast. I used to sail every Sunday afternoon and sometimes other days when we raced off of Outer Harbour. It is exhilarating but also can be perilous as once or twice I almost fell overboard in great swells on the open ocean. My American nephew has also just returned from a 5-month sailing expedition from the Philippines to the Solomon Islands with lots of stories to share. But sailing is not something one usually equates with Christmas. So why ‘Three Ships’? Bethlehem is landlocked and so to see three ships from Bethlehem would be crazy. So, what could these ‘three ships’ symbolise? This English Christmas carol was first published in 1666. This was a time of exploration and discovery, and the British were fascinated with the sea and sailing. So, comparing the birth of Jesus to ships coming into port would have been understood at that time, also conveying the extreme excitement that would have been felt by all at the birth of Jesus. Another thought suggested that the ’three ships’ were the three camels ridden on by the three wise men as camels were referred to as ‘ships of the desert’. Today is New Years Day. A day of thoughts as to what the New Year will hold and also thoughts reflecting on the past year. Wherever you will be figuratively sailing this year, keep another three in mind: God sent His loving Son to us in a little baby to bring us salvation and the Holy Spirit helps and guides us through all situations. Ships use navigation to guide – as Christians our navigation is to follow in the steps of Jesus and live as he lived. May your ‘ship’ be guided through the year knowing our final destination – life forever with our Heavenly Father. Sing or listen to: I Saw Three Ships
PRAYER V1: 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. V7: 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. Amen.
Read: Ephesians 4:20-32 “… to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:24 (NIV) One of the favourite desserts at Christmas is a traditional plum pudding with lots of warm custard. The plum pudding dessert at Christmas dates back to around the 16th century in England as a steamed cake full of spices, raisins and currants and soaked in brandy. If it contains figs it is termed ‘figgy pudding’. The singing of ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ goes back to the carolling of English peasants going to the wealthy families to basically sing for their pudding as one verse states: “We won’t go until we get some”. I love Christmas and it would be interesting to count how many times you hear this carol over the Christmas season – music played while shopping, at the carol’s evenings, Christmas in the Domain, etc. How many times have you said the words: ‘Merry Christmas’ and ‘Happy New Year’?
What does it really mean to you when you say it or is it just a phrase to say when you don’t know what else to say? A ‘merry’ Christmas to me is one filled with fun, festivity and enjoyment with family and friends and also remembering who came at the first Christmas – baby Jesus. The one thing this song forgets is to mention the one who gave us the first Christmas, the loving God who sent His Son to earth to bring us joy and peace to enjoy with family and friends. As we celebrate the year gone by and the New one beginning tomorrow – I wish you a ‘Happy New Year’.
Whatever this New Year brings may we remember the God of love who is with us as we journey from the old to the new. The verse in Ephesians tells us to rid ourselves of the old self with all the history to it and to instead look forward to and put on the new self, concentrating on the future. Our future life, our New Year is filled with possibilities, fill it with all that is good and allow God to permeate this new life. Sing or listen to: We Wish You a Merry Christmas
PRAYER V1: We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Good tidings we bring to you and your kin; We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Amen.
30th December Read: Colossians 3:12-17 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12 (NIV) I like to ‘deck the halls’ of my house every Christmas. I put out all the Christmassy things, all of the Christmas nativities, and hang a holly wreath on the outside doors of the house. During this time, I pack away the other decorations I have out and just try to have all things Christmas. Is this what it means to ‘deck the halls’? Can we also ‘deck the halls’ in our hearts and lives?
Reading through the Colossians passage above, I read it as decking the personal parts of my life. As we come to the end of another year and look to the beginnings of a New Year, how do you want to ‘deck the halls’ of your life? This Christmas carol does not mention the story of Jesus, but there are Christian implications to the holly. This is one plant in the northern hemisphere during the snowy times that does not seem to be affected by the cold. It looks fresh all year round – not just seasonally. It can relate to Jesus in the red berry that it bears (Mary bore Jesus), but more interestingly it relates to Easter, with the red berry symbolising the blood of Jesus, the thorny parts of holly being the crown of thorns placed on Jesus’ head.
Christmas is now over and the next big season in the church is Easter. The baby Jesus soon turns into the man Jesus walking to the cross for our salvation. ‘Deck the Halls’ is a very happy and lively carol with the “fa-la-la” coming between each line and sung dozens of times. The lyrics were written by the Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant in 1862. The melody is of Welsh origin and can be traced back to the 16th century and a song called ‘Nos Galan’ which is about New Year’s Eve. If you happen to sing this song over Christmas, relate it to your life and decking yourself out personally for the New Year. In which parts of your life could you more imitate Jesus? Reflect on this and read the Colossians verses again. Let’s decorate our lives!
Sing or listen to: Deck the Halls PRAYER V1: Deck the hall with boughs of holly, ‘Tis the season to be jolly, Don we now our gay apparel, Troll the ancient Christmas carol, V3: Fast away the old year passes, Hail the new, ye lads and lasses! Sing we joyous all together, Heedless of the wind and weather. Amen.
Read: Psalm 95:1-7 “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:2 (NIV) James Montgomery (1771-1854) wrote this firstly as a poem on Christmas Eve in 1816, after reading the story of Jesus’ birth in Luke 2. As James was the editor of the Sheffield Iris newspaper in England, this is where he published this poem. A blind songwriter and organist, Henry Smart (1813-1879), in 1867 wrote the melody ‘Regent Square’ as a musical score to Montgomery’s poem. This hymn has such a magical tune, and the words just flow into praise and worship for the birth of our Saviour.
I imagine that James Montgomery must have wondered about the nativity story and God’s part in each of it, which directed him to focus each verse on a different part. Montgomery had a difficult life. He was born in Scotland, but 7 years later his parents left to be missionaries in the West Indies and they left James in a Moravian Community in Ireland and then in a school in England. He did not have a happy life and his marks at school showed his unhappiness, and when his parents died when he was 12, he left school and was a vagabond on the streets. But God had a plan for this young boy. He loved poetry which he sold on the streets of London and in his wanderings, he finally gained employment with a newspaper – the Sheffield Register.
At the age of 23, James became the editor, changed the name of the newspaper to the Sheffield Iris, and now had a platform for his poetry. He became very wealthy and widely respected in the community as he became a supporter of the British Bible Society. Why do I share this story of hard beginnings for a young boy? We may not know the plans of God nor why certain situations occur, but we do know that God can work through hardships to bring about blessings. God’s Son was born in hard circumstances and grew to be the Saviour of the world. This Christmas season reflect on your life and the blessings God has bestowed on you, on your family on the wider community. Let us ‘Worship Christ, the new-born King.’
Sing or listen to: Angels, From the Realms of Glory PRAYER V1: Angels, from the realms of glory, Wing your flight oér all the earth; Ye who sang creation’s story, Now proclaim Messiah’s birth: Come and worship, Come and worship, Worship Christ, the new-born king. Amen.
Read: Hebrews 1:1-9 “The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.’” Luke 1:35 (NIV) The birth of a child is miraculous in itself; waiting nine months and then this little person emerges into the world. But the birth of Jesus was a special event on a special night. It was accented by the stench of a stable, the invasion of heavenly armies, the adoration of lowly shepherds and great kings from the east. How could Mary and Joseph process all this? They even had a direct line of contact to God through the visiting of an angel, but still their question would be: What child is this? This involves the unknown; the Eternal God coming to be a part of our world.
They had the prophecies, but still all was scary and new. As Jesus’ life unfolded over the next 33 years, that question was answered. The birth of Jesus paled in comparison to all the miracles, stories and healings that Jesus performed. William Chatterton Dix, the writer of this carol, knew that as amazing as the birth of Jesus was, it was incomplete without Jesus’ finished work on the cross. It was the resurrection of Jesus and the promise of new life and victory over the grave. “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.” Christmas needs Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
‘What Child is This?’ we sing! Jesus was full of the majesty and the mystery of His Father and had been tasked to perform the greatest rescue plan of all time. But all of this would develop in time, for in that stable, on that amazing night, this child was a great and awesome mystery. The answer to the question: What child is this? – “This, this is Christ the King,” the Son of God and we have come to worship Him. “So bring him incense, gold and myrrh. Come peasant, king, to own him. The King of Kings salvation brings. Let loving hearts enthrone Him.” Jesus is God in the flesh. He is ours and we are His! Sing or listen to: What Child is This?
PRAYER V1: What child is this, who, 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. Amen.
27th December Read: Luke 2:8-14 “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their f locks at night.” Luke 2:8 (NIV) In the six verses of this carol the whole of the story of the shepherds and the angels is told from Luke 2:8-14. Read it from the Bible again and then listen to the carol. This carol is attributed to the Irish poet Nahum Tate, and it was the only Christmas hymn authorised to be sung in the Anglican Church before the 1700’s. Before that only the Psalms of David were allowed to be sung; maybe due to its retelling of the shepherds meeting with the angels from the Bible.
Shepherding is actually the first profession that the Bible mentions – “Abel was a keeper of sheep…” (Genesis 4:2). It was dangerous work where they had to protect the sheep from predators, finding grass and water and making sure that all the sheep were safe and none strayed. Shepherds were also considered society’s outsiders. Ceremonially unclean, they were not permitted to worship in the Temple and their character was questionable and so any testimony was inadmissible in court. Yet this carol reminds us that God has a way of turning the social order upside-down. Sometimes the world’s outsiders are considered God’s insiders.
Those that were unclean and not allowed to give testimony were the first that God told the news of Jesus’ birth, and they were charged with telling the world of this history altering news. Their testimony was listened to throughout the town of Bethlehem. All through Jesus’ ministry he reached out and touched those whom society had rejected. This beautiful carol tells of the birth of God’s Son. This is life-altering news. Let’s not keep it to ourselves but use Jesus’ example and step out of society’s norms and share the Gospel like the shepherds so long ago, with all who will listen. Turn this world upside-down and inside-out with the incredible love of a loving God. Sing or listen to: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
PRAYER V3: ‘To you, in David’s town this day Is born of David’s line A Saviour, who is Christ the Lord; And this shall be the sign:’ V6: ‘All glory be to God on high, And to the earth be peace; Good-will henceforth from heaven to men Begin and never cease.’ Amen.
by Pastor Jim Strelan
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That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the word of life (1 John 1:1).
Read 1 John 1:1–10
As I was growing up, I fought against an idea of God that had him as very removed from me and my life, someone to fear, respect and keep at a distance. Then, there was a movement to bring God closer and be my friend, and this came through Jesus. Some called it the Jesus Revolution. While I would much rather have an idea of God that says he is approachable and nearer than distant, sometimes I think we need to pause for a moment and just consider who he is.
When we think of God in the human form of Jesus, flesh and blood, living our life, understanding our fears, crying our tears, stop for a moment and recognise just who this Jesus is. Especially now at Christmas: the bawling, red, wrinkly baby Jesus in the shed out the back in the feed box is the one who was from the beginning. You might know the song ‘Mary, Did You Know?’. It has the words, ‘Mary, did you know this sleeping baby you’re holding is the Great I Am?’
The writer of 1 John calls on us to pause for a moment and reflect: the one who was heard, seen, touched and with his followers is the one who was from the beginning, one with the Father. That’s mind-boggling. But not so mind-boggling if you have a view of God who is distant from us, who is removed from us. But if he is close to us, with us, even in us, that gives a different perspective. What is proclaimed is an eternal mystery, not just a fanciful, wishful-thinking thing. As wondrous as it is, it is something seen and heard (verse 3).
This eternal Jesus, who is one with the God of the universe, is with you. Little old you, little old me. We are connected, and we are in fellowship (verse 3). Be humbled and be glad.
Jesus, I acknowledge who you are, and I am in awe. I am overawed when I think about how you took on the form of a baby, entering my world, for me and for all. Thank you. Amen.
Jim is a retired pastor who lives with his wife, Ruth, on the north side of Brisbane. He is a proud and not very humble Brisbane Lions supporter. Jim likes to read, listen to music and play golf. He and Ruth love being with their young grandchildren and watching them grow. For Jim, grace is everything, and he will share that however and whenever possible.
Good King Wenceslas 26th December
Read: Titus 3:4-8, 14 “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”
1 Peter 2:21 (NIV) On the 26th December (Saint Stephen’s Day), a Bohemian king (modern day Czech Republic) went on a journey through the snowy and harsh winter to provide for (give alms to) poor peasants. With his servant the king struggles against the cold weather, and the servant is about to give up, but the king tells him to place his feet into his footsteps and so together they go step by step through the deep snow.
Wenceslaus l (the original spelling), 907-935, was not a king but rather a much-loved Duke of Bohemia in the 10th century. He was a kind man who had compassion to all, even earning the nickname ‘the father of all the wretched’. Wenceslaus l was eventually sainted by the church after he suffered a martyr’s death. The Holy Roman Emperor Otto l also declared Wenceslaus a king posthumously and made him the patron saint to the Czech Republic. (This is not the same person who actually held the title King Wenceslas l of Bohemia who reigned 3 centuries later.) In Prague there is a statue of Saint Wenceslas on horseback which can be found in Wenceslas Square. John Mason Neale wrote about this story in his lyrics to this beautiful Christmas carol in 1853.
Even though this carol does not tell of the story of Jesus, nevertheless it does share the story of a person who made himself lowly, being a monarch, to help those less fortunate than he. He stepped out into the cold of the world to bring comfort, not just in words but in his actions, giving food, help and money to help those less fortunate. This truly is the essence of Jesus coming to earth as a lowly baby. God sent His Son to earth not as a king to rule, but as a man to help, heal and comfort those in need. As the servant stepped in the King’s footprints so we also step in Christ’s example. This Christmas season remember how blessed we have been and find some time to also bless others in need. Sing or listen to Good King Wenceslas.
PRAYER V5: In his master’s steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted; Heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed. Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing, Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing. Amen.