New meaning to an old song …

Use your imagine for a moment …

It wasn’t grandma who got run over by a reindeer (as the odd “Christmas” song goes), it was the worship leader at your local church, so he’s laid up in bed and can’t lead the Christmas eve worship service.

Guess what …

… the pastor has asked YOU to fill in for him!

“Oh, there’s nothing to it,” claims your pastor, “Just pick three Christmas songs and lead the congregation in singing them. People love to sing Christmas songs, so it will be a breeze!” he assures you.

So what three songs would you pick?

Whether you’re one of those people who can’t wait for stores and shops and businesses of all sorts to start playing “Christmas music” for their customers, or one of those people who can’t wait for the Christmas music to finally stop, most of us have a favorite “Christmas” song or two we enjoying singing or hearing as Christmas Day draws near.

A song written by Meredith Willson in 1951 still usually hits the top 10 Christmas songs in most years. The popular refrain from its title goes, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas …”

Of course, the phrase refers to decorations and gifts that begin to punctuate our landscapes as the holiday draws near, it doesn’t really refer to our world looking a lot like that first Christmas. But to give new meaning to that old song, you could say the world today does look a lot like that first Christmas.

How so?

The world, on that very first Christmas, was a dark, lost world.

Another song (“O Holy Night”), describes the world that first Christmas like this: “Long lay the world in sin and error pining.”

The prophet Isaiah gives us insight to the world at the time of the first Christmas:

“Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine,” Isaiah 9:1-2.

The world at the time of Christ’s birth was, indeed, a dark and sin-broken world.

In that case, it is looking a lot like Christmas, isn’t it?

If you look at the world in 2021, there’s a lot of darkness. It is a world horribly broken by sin.

The good news is that we as Christians, and together as Christ’s church, can proclaim and display to the world at Christmas time (and any time!) the outcome of the truly good news announced on that first Christmas:

“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior — yes, the Messiah, the Lord — has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” Luke 2:8-11.

The Apostle Paul would describe the meaning of that glad announcement like this:

“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners,” Romans 5:6.

That first Christmas, the light of Christ pierced the darkness. His coming into the world He created would change everything for us! Again, we look to Paul for a description:

“For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!” Ephesians 5:8.

“People of light” are people capable of, with great joy, singing: “Joy to the world! The Lord is come. Let earth receive her King!”

The King has come! That’s worth singing about.

Scotty