Christmas DT on Hymns

DEVOTION TIME: Christmas Devotions on Hymns November 28 – December 3, 2011 1

INTRODUCTION O come, Thou Wisdom from on high, The traditional Christian calendar marks the month before Christmas as And order all things far and nigh the season of Advent. During this year’s Advent, our daily devotions To us the path of knowledge show, will be based on selected Christmas hymns, and the scriptures that gave And cause us in her ways to go. inspiration to them. The coming of Jesus into the world is a gift and a miracle that is best captured through wonder and praise. We want to also O come, Desire of nations, bind familiarize ourselves with the words to these timeless hymns so that we All nations in one heart and mind, can immerse ourselves more fully in worship of the Christ of Christmas Bid envy, strife and quarrels cease, during this season. Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28 The word Emmanuel means “God with us,” and was the subject of prophesy regarding the coming Messiah. When Jesus came, it was in PRAYER FOR TODAY’S DT fulfillment of this promise. It’s also the promise that Jesus left the disciples with—and applies to all his followers down to this day. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. Matthew 1:21–23 He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Psalm 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, 23:1-3) because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: INTRODUCTION 23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.” We start with a favorite Advent hymn, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” Read the words to the hymn several times, and sing the hymn in personal Matthew 28:18–20 worship. (Audio of the hymns will be available on 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on GracepointDevotions.org) earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of DEVOTION HYMN, TEXT & REFLECTION QUESTIONS the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have O Come, O Come Emmanuel commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the O come, O come, Emmanuel, age.” And ransom captive Israel, Reflect on the promise of Emmanuel that was fulfilled in the That mourns in lonely exile here coming of Jesus, and that stands as a continuing promise for all of Until the Son of God appear. Christ’s followers.

Rejoice! Rejoice! The mournful longing in this hymn captures the experience of exile— Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. that sense of being banished from home, to which we long to return. Read the intense longing and sorrow expressed in the Psalm below. O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer Our spirits by Thine advent here; Psalm 137 Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, 1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. And death’s dark shadows put to flight. 2 There on the poplars we hung our harps, DEVOTION TIME: Christmas Devotions on Hymns November 28 – December 3, 2011 2

16 3 for there our captors asked us for songs, He saw that there was no one, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” so his own arm worked salvation for him, 4 and his own righteousness sustained him. How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land? 17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, 5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. and the helmet of salvation on his head; 6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, he put on the garments of vengeance if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy. and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. 1 Peter 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, Reflect on the words “captive Israel,” and “until the Son of God To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, appear.” Describe how all humanity is captive, and cannot save Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, … itself, that we need to be “ransomed,” and that our only hope is that “the Son of God appear.” The Bible describes Christians as aliens and strangers in the world. In what ways can you identify with this sense of not being quite at home in the world? Personal Prayer Write a prayer in response to today’s passages.

Isaiah 59:9-17 9 So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows. 10 Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like men without eyes. At midday we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead. 11 We all growl like bears; we moan mournfully like doves. We look for justice, but find none; for deliverance, but it is far away. 12 For our offenses are many in your sight, and our sins testify against us. Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities: 13 rebellion and treachery against the LORD, turning our backs on our God, fomenting oppression and revolt, uttering lies our hearts have conceived. 14 So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. 15 Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice. DEVOTION TIME: Christmas Devotions on Hymns November 28 – December 3, 2011 3 DEVOTION TIME: Christmas Devotions on Hymns November 28 – December 3, 2011 4

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29 Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, 21 PRAYER FOR TODAY’S DT and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. John 8 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy 12 place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. (Psalm 24:1-4) world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” DEVOTION HYMN, TEXT & REFLECTION QUESTIONS John 9 2 Reflect on the following stanzas and the scripture passages that As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked follow and write a personal response. him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no O Come, O Come Emmanuel one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer Our spirits by Thine advent here; O come, Thou Wisdom from on high, Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And order all things far and nigh, And death’s dark shadows put to flight. To us the path of knowledge show, And cause us in her ways to go. Isaiah 9 2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those 1 Corinthians 1:17–30 living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its John 1:1–5 power. 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

John 3:16-21 20 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the 17 philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God 21 did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand miraculous signs whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not 23 believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those DEVOTION TIME: Christmas Devotions on Hymns November 28 – December 3, 2011 5 whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. 26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things —and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Personal Prayer Write a prayer in response to today’s passages. DEVOTION TIME: Christmas Devotions on Hymns November 28 – December 3, 2011 6

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30 and faithfulness the sash around his waist. 6 The wolf will live with the lamb, PRAYER FOR TODAY’S DT the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; “Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me and a little child will lead them. know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere 7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s and the lion will eat straw like the ox. life is but a breath. Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He 8 The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest. will get it. “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you. Save 9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, me from all my transgressions.” (Psalm 39: 4-8) for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. DEVOTION HYMN, TEXT & REFLECTION QUESTIONS Revelation 7:9–10 Reflect on the following stanzas and the scripture passages that 9 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no follow and write a personal response. one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: O Come, O Come Emmanuel “Salvation belongs to our God, O come, Desire of nations, bind who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” All nations in one heart and mind, Bid envy, strife and quarrels cease, Personal Prayer Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace. Write out a personal prayer based on the words of the hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” Isaiah 11:1–9 1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD— 3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; 4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness will be his belt DEVOTION TIME: Christmas Devotions on Hymns November 28 – December 3, 2011 7 DEVOTION TIME: Christmas Devotions on Hymns November 28 – December 3, 2011 8

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1 and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to PRAYER FOR TODAY’S DT their country by another route.

I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He We Three Kings lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a We three kings of Orient are; rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, Bearing gifts we traverse afar, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust Field and fountain, moor and mountain, in the LORD. (Psalm 40:1-3) Following yonder star.

INTRODUCTION O star of wonder, star of light, We will now consider the song of the Magi from the East, whose stories Star with royal beauty bright, are found in Matthew 2. Note that although the hymn says “we three Westward leading, still proceeding, kings…” scripture does not actually specify their number, only that they Guide us to thy perfect light. brought 3 gifts. Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain; DEVOTION HYMN & TEXT Gold I bring to crown Him again, King forever, ceasing never, Matthew 2:1–12 Over us all to reign. 1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King 2 Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the Frankincense to offer have I; one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and Incense owns a Deity nigh; have come to worship him.” 3 Prayer and praising, voices raising, When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with Worshipping God on high. him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and 5 teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume, Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has Breathes a life of gathering gloom; written: 6 Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Sealed in the stone cold tomb. are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler Glorious now behold Him arise; who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’” King and God and sacrifice; 7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact 8 Alleluia, Alleluia, time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go Earth to heaven replies and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” REFLECTION QUESTIONS 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place  There is so much we’d like to know about the magi, these star- where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 gazers and adventurers from the East. Though they did not have On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and much light, they responded to the light that they had. Their they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures journey—over field and fountain, moor and mountain—was long DEVOTION TIME: Christmas Devotions on Hymns November 28 – December 3, 2011 9

and dangerous (as all long travels were in those days). What possessed them to take such a journey, bearing such precious gifts?

 As you think about the journey of these magi, think about your own journey. How were you led to Christ? What “star of wonder, star of light” guided you? Or, how are you being led to him now? Do you have a seeking heart like these magi?

 What lessons do these magi teach me about spiritual hunger, about decisive commitments, about generosity and the purpose of my treasures?

 Many commentators point out that the 3 gifts of the magi capture important aspects of Jesus: Gold for King, Frankincense, which is an incense, and therefore associated with worship and prayer as well as Jesus' high priestly role, and myrrh which is an embalming spice and points to his sacrificial death. Reflect on the aspects of Jesus that the 3 gifts of the magi highlight, and pray a prayer of thanks for Jesus, God, King of kings, who came to die for me, and who rose to receive all praise and glory.

Personal Prayer Write a prayer in response to today’s passage. DEVOTION TIME: Christmas Devotions on Hymns November 28 – December 3, 2011 10

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2 it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds PRAYER FOR TODAY’S DT returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Hark! the Herald Angels Sing (Psalm 42: 5) Author: Charles Wesley, et. al. Composer: Felix Mendelssohn Scripture: Luke 2:14; Luke 2:10-14 Tune: Mendelssohn DEVOTION HYMN & TEXT Luke 2:1–20 (1) Hark! The herald angels sing, In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be ‘Glory to the newborn King;’ taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took Peace on earth and mercy mild; place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his God and sinners reconciled.’ own town to register. Joyful, all ye nations rise, 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, Join the triumph of the skies; to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and With angelic host proclaim, line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to ‘Christ is born in Bethlehem!’ be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the Hark! The herald angels sing, time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a ‘Glory to the newborn King.’ son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (2) Christ by highest heav’n adored, Christ the everlasting Lord: 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch Late in time, behold Him come, over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and Offspring of a virgin’s womb. the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great Hail th’incarnate Deity! joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel. has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: Hark! The herald angels sing, You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” ‘Glory to the newborn King.’ 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, (3) Hail the heav’n born Prince of Peace! 14 “Glory to God in the highest, Hail the Son of righteousness! and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” Light and life to all He brings, 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds Ris’n with healing in His wings. said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has Mild He lays His glory by, happened, which the Lord has told us about.” Born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was Born to give them second birth. 17 lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word Hark! the herald angels sing, 18 concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard ‘Glory to the newborn King.’ DEVOTION TIME: Christmas Devotions on Hymns November 28 – December 3, 2011 11

REFLECTION QUESTIONS  What contrasts and ironies are in Luke 2:1-20? What do these tell you about how God works, and the preoccupations of Personal Prayer people? Write a prayer of worship and gratitude for the veiled, incarnate deity, son of God, Jesus our Immanuel, who was pleased to take on flesh to dwell with men, and even now, dwells with all his  Note the contrasts in stanza 2 of the hymn. followers.

 What are some responses that the hymn calls for in stanza 1? Given that only the shepherds ended up hearing the Angel’s song and responding, what can we conclude about what it takes to give “glory to the newborn King?”

 As you read the description of Jesus in this hymn, which ones cause you wonder and praise? Which ones bring you comfort and encouragement? DEVOTION TIME: Christmas Devotions on Hymns November 28 – December 3, 2011 12 DEVOTION TIME: Christmas Devotions on Hymns November 28 – December 3, 2011 13

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3

PRAYER FOR TODAY’S DT Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. (Psalm 51:1)

REFLECTION QUESTIONS / PERSONAL PRAYER

 Review this week’s hymns. Reflect on the words, and savor their meaning.  Try to commit to memory the hymns that we covered this week.