Advent-ure Day 6: Died on a Cross

In Colossians 2, we find a passage that underscores the power of the cross.  We pick up in the 2nd
half of verse 13:
(13b) ...He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

At Christmas, we certainly focus on the cradle, but we must also focus on the cross.  The manger emphasizes the humanity of Jesus, and that is important, because he lived and died as a man, a perfect man, uniquely qualified to served as that perfect sacrifice.  But, the cross and the resurrection cause us to honor the divinity of Jesus, the One who humbled Himself before death, but death could not hold Him and the power of sin was defeated.  We honor our Savior, who gave Himself at the cross.

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It's Day 6 of this year's Advent emphasis, 25: A Christ-mas Adventure, and this week, we are talking about worshipping Jesus for what He's fulfilled.  There are hundreds of prophecies that we find in the Old Testament about who Jesus is, His lineage, His role, and what He would do.  In Psalm 22, we find a stunning account of what actually occurred on the cross in His crucifixion.  Here are just a few verses:

In the 1st verse, we read words that Jesus actually spoke on the cross: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning?"

Now, let's move down to verses 14-19:
14 I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death.
16 For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet;
17 I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me.
18 They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.
19 But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me!

Jesus, an innocent man, a perfect man, became the perfect substitute for our sins.  He was nailed to a cross in our place, so that through Him, we who deserved to die might live with Him eternally.  That's why during Christmas, while we celebrate the manger and the nativity, we should also keep our eyes on the cross.  

That's a message communicated by the 7-foot crosses that Faith Radio has been distributing during the past 3 weeks.  A few remain; contact us to learn more.

We can also pay attention to the message that is communicated in many of the songs, the carols, we hear and sing during the holiday season.

And, worship leaders are paying attention to the rich theology of redemption that is found in familiar carols, including more than just the first verses, a concept embraced by Andrew Lucius, who is associate pastor of music and worship at Bull Street Baptist Church in Savannah.  A recent Baptist Press article says that:

This Christmas, Lucius and other worship leaders are urging churches not to neglect subsequent verses of favorite hymns like "Joy to the World!" "Silent Night," "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," and "O Come, All Ye Faithful."

The article continues:

Those verses shape worshipers' souls, they say, and are rich in theological truth like:

-- "Son of God, love's pure light";

-- "Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail the incarnate deity"; and

-- "Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing."

The article quotes Lucius as saying that the widow "who's going through the Christmas season the first time this year without her husband ... needs more than the first verse of 'Joy to the World!'" He adds, "She needs to sing, 'No more let sin and sorrow grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found.'"

The piece also states: "Scott Aniol, associate professor of church music at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, told Baptist Press 'a lot of Christmas hymns are narrative in nature and tell the whole incarnation story ... If you skip a stanza, you're missing a chunk of the narrative.'"  Ariol points out that the third stanzas of hymns tend to contain the climax of that narrative.

Mike Harland, director of LifeWay Worship, encourages churches to not only sing neglected verses of carols, but also to sing less well-known carols.

The article also offers some suggestions from Harland, Ariol, and Lucius:

-- Sing fewer hymns but more verses.

-- Organize times of carol singing outside normal worship services.

-- Sing medleys of carols that include only lesser-known verses.

-- Don't shy from singing musically challenging hymns like "O Holy Night" with the congregation. People's "familiarity with it actually overcomes the difficulty of singing it," Harland said.

God has given us music for our enjoyment and experience of Him, as well as our instruction.  He, as our Creator, originated the concept, and there's something special about singing and even listening to music.

Songs, including hymns and carols, are containers of messages that can touch the soul.  That is why our musical choices can have a profound impact on how we live and what we think.  Exposure to music that carries a message that is consistent with the Bible can help to shape our thoughts and even our worldview.

We celebrate Jesus coming to earth, but it's helpful at Christmas to also think about the entirety of the gospel story.  And, that involves the cross; the reminder of God's love to us, made available through loving Savior who gave His life so that you and I might live.