MESSAGE FOR CHRISTMAS SERVICE – December 26th 2021
Read Luke 2: 8 – 20
In the bleak midwinter, 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 midwinter…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 midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.
Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air,
But his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshiped 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.
(CHRISTINE ROSETTI, 1830-94)
A new version of Christina Rossetti’s familiar poem, “In the Bleak Midwinter” has been released to encourage churchgoing over the festive season. It reached no.1 in the UK iTunes Classical Charts, last Wednesday. It will compete alongside Adele, Ed Sheeran and Elton John, and other stars in the Christmas singles chart this month. Dale (the composer) says, “Although [the poem] was written nearly 150 years ago, it has a timeless mystery and is wonderfully evocative of a journey from the wintry landscape to the stable and the heart of the nativity story. I have long wanted to set this text. . . I hope people will enjoy the setting and that it helps connect them with the amazing story which is at the heart of Christmas.” The real Christmas…
“At Christmas, God becomes human. His heart beats. As a frail child in a cold manger, he takes his first breaths on this earth. We often dress this time of year up, adding all the trimmings. These things are wonderful, but they are not the heart of Christmas. The only thing that makes Christmas perfect is Jesus, who sees, loves and welcomes all. The message of this carol is that the only thing we need to give him and each other is our hearts — our very own selves.” (Justin Welby)
In a sense – at Christmas – God surprises us: He becomes real. A God who is not real or is far off; a God who cannot identify with His people is no god at all: He cannot help…He cannot save…
Christmas is the ultimate time to give and receive wonderful surprises wrapped in shiny paper. We know them as Gifts: a thing simply given; something acquired without compensation…something presented…a present
But in Jesus Christ God gave the greatest gift of all – better than a world cruise, a pile of money; better than the must-have tech which will be obsolete in a matter of months and will add only end up landfill…
“And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose or forfeit your own soul in the process?” (Matthew 16:25)
A gift we need…God didn’t send an educator, a scientist, an economist, an entertainer; He sent a saviour. The thing (the gift) we most needed was forgiveness…
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.
I think He would like us to spend more of our money (and time) on helping those who are in need…to remember the children who have nothing this Christmas…to phone someone and thank them for some service…to be kind…it can be a cruel and merciless time…to give something away to charity without counting the cost…to visit someone who is lonely…to forgive someone who has mistreated you…
Some gifts you can give are beyond value! The message of this carol is that the only thing we need to give him (the one who has everything) and each other… is our hearts — our very own selves.
“Christmas is based on the exchange of gifts: the gift of God to man, His Son; and the gift of man to God when we first gave ourselves to Him!” (Vance Havner)
Happy Christmas…GB Mark