Short Christmas Thought #6 - Sweet Little Jesus Boy

Sometime in early November Patrice pulled me aside and asked me if Kara were going to sing "that wonderful carol" again this year sometime during
our various celebrations.

I remembered the song she meant, even though every song Kara sings is memorable. And with her father, Joe, playing her accompaniment, it is even more special.

And so it came to pass....at our Christmas concert, Kara came on stage to sing, Sweet Little Jesus Boy. I was sitting beside Patrice and heard her deep sigh.

Sweet little Jesus Boy

They made you be born in a manger

Sweet little Holy Child

Didn't know who You was

Didn't know You came to save us Lord?

To take our sins away.

Our eyes were blind, we couldn't see

We didn't know Who You was.

Long time ago, You was born

Born in a manger low

Sweet little Jesus Boy

The world treat You mean, Lord

Treat me mean, too

But that's how things is down here

We didn't know 'twas You.

You done showed us how

We is trying

Master, You done showed us how

Even when You're dying.

Just seem like we can't do right

Look how we treated You

But please, sir, forgive us Lord

We didn't know 'twas You.

Sweet little Jesus Boy

Born long time ago

Sweet little Holy Child,

And we didn't know who You was.

A year or so ago Robert Cottrill commented on this blog about one of the articles. I found out he wrote a book on Christmas songs titled, Discovering the Songs of Christmas, and I ordered a copy.

There is a gold mine of devotional Christmas thoughts, including something on this song, in this marvelous book.

He tells us that the writer of the song was Robert MacGimsey (1898-1979),
an African-American songwriter and exceptional  whistler. Incredibly, he could whistle in three-part harmony--leading one symphony conductor, Mishell Piastro, to quip, "He makes the violin envious!"

MacGimsey wrote the Christmas song  in the 1930's, during the Great Depression, and during a time of great racial strife. He wrote it in the form of a modern-day spiritual.

He knew first hand the sting of prejudice and cruelty, and he poured the pathos of his own experience into his song.

Some people knew who Jesus was --Anna, John the Baptist, Simeon, the Wise Men, and others.

Some didn't seem to care -- the priests who told Herold where the Child was to be born -- why didn't they go and see for themselves?

Probably all of us have had the experience of saying something cruel or
unflattering, at least something that shouldn't be repeated, only to find out that the person we were referring to was in the room--or within hearing--or a family member was present. (Or maybe I am the only one who has ever done that!)

Knowing who is around certainly determines much of our behavior!

Peter reminded the crowds in Jerusalem, and us today, of such a time: But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer  [Barabbas] to be granted to you...Yet now, brethren, I know you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. (Acts 3:14, 17)

But we do know. We are not ignorant of His Lordship. We are the recipients of His glorious forgiveness. We live in His lush landscape of His grace.

We have received the greatest gift of all time - for all time!

P.S. But I have trouble getting away from the talent of being able to whistle in three-part harmony! I wonder if there are old recordings. I would love to hear it!

Good News from Gotham - Revival?

A few months ago Chuck Colson's editorial featured some startling information on church growth in New York City.

He wrote it after the New York City officials excluded prayer and members of the clergy from the 9/11 10th anniversary service.

One former city official (deputy mayor when the terrorists flew planes into the Twin Towers on 9/11) commented, "To have a memorial service where there is no prayer, this appears to be insanity to me."

 [I think most of us agreed with that -- that was not the case here in Bay City, where clergy and prayer were prominent in our anniversary service!]

Here's some more of Colson's article:

While it is easy to get upset at the decisions like this of timid city leaders, Christians can rejoice at some good news in Gotham. As the Washington Post reporter earlier this yer, 'New York is exploding with religious fervor...It's hard for many folks outside the Big Apple -- who write off the country's largest city as hopelessly secularized -- to grasp this.

...According to the Values Research Institute, Central Manhattan has nearly 200 evangelical churches today--with 39% of them started since the year 2000. During one two-months period in 2009 researchers found that one new evangelical church was opened every Sunday in New York.

Colson asks, "What, besides the Spirit of God, explains all this recent vitality?"

     Well, 9/11 itself was part of the answer. LifeWay Research has     found that 38% of Americans are more open to considering  matters of faith after national crisis...The Sunday after the 9/11 attacks, attendance at the great Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan jumped from 2,800 to 5,400, and on the spot pastor Tom Keller decided to add another service.

Colson goes on to cite some other reasons....

      Despite the fact that many white Christians were leaving NewYork in the 60's and 70's because of crime and other factors, huge numbers of immigrants were coming in -- and many of them Christians. They came from Eastern Europe, from Asia, Africa, Latin America. People saw an opportunity to start churches and spread the gospel.

 There was also the emergence of powerful voices raising the public profile of Christianity in New York -- like Keller himself and my hear friend, the late Father Richard John Neuhaus.

Colson goes on to tell a story about a young man, Michael Carrion, whose parents were incarcerated. When he was 6 years old, one of Colson's Prison Fellowship angels Tree volunteer came to him with a Christmas gift and a special message: "Your dad loves you and so does Jesus." He prayed with Michael.

That one prayer, Michael told Chuck, changed the course of his life and the life of the South Bronx, where he is now the Rev. Dr. Michael Carrion of Promised Land Covenant Church. and Michael has helped plant four churches in the Bronx. His goal is to plant 20 within the next 5 to 8 years.

Colson concludes, "So even if city officials keep God off the dais at the 9/11 ceremony, there's no stopping Him from building His church-- in New York or anywhere else.

I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
(Matthew 16:18)

Pray today for:

• Prison Ministries of Chuck Colson and  those prison outreaches our church supports.
• Revival - all over this nation - and wouldn't revivals in prisons be a great place to start?

Sermon Notes for 11/27/11

Thoughts from Daniel 3....A Perfect Picture of Man's Religion

Bro Mike's text was Daniel 3:1-7

This text tells us about the gold image King Nebuchadnezzar erected on the plain of Dura in Babylon.

At its completion the people were told that when they heard the sound of horns, flutes, zithers, lyres, harps, pipes and all kinds of other music, that they should fall down and worship the image. Those who did not were to be thrown into a fiery furnace.

Man's Perfect Religion:

1. A god everyone can see. The image was 90' tall and 9' wide. So it was easy to see.

Now Thomas, (called Didymous), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put  my hand into his side, I will not believe it."  John 20:24
A perfect religion has a god people can see.

2. A doctrine everyone can understand. We don't want to have to think. When you hear the music, bow down. If you don't bow down, you're thrown into a blazing furnace. That's very clear. Easy to follow.

3. Its origin everyone ignores. They watched the image being built. There was no question about where it came from.

Bro Mike then took us to Acts 17 to hear "A Word from God on Man's Religion." Paul is in Athens and brings the good news of the gospel to them.
They are very religious -- idols all over the city. Even an idol "To the Unknown God" in case they left one out!

God expects us to search out "religion." Then He wants us to come to Him....He has revealed Himself. Because of His grace.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.
           Ephesians 2:8-9

 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. That is what the ancients were commended for.  Hebrews 11:1-2