Our theme for this third Sunday in Advent is music. “When the Messiah comes there will be singing.” I think most of us love the music of Christmas. Of course, I realize that not all of us are musicians.
A man and his wife were browsing in a crafts store one day when the man noticed a display of country-style musical instruments. After looking over the flutes, dulcimers and recorders, he picked up a shiny, one-stringed instrument he took to be a mouth harp. He put it to his lips and, much to the amusement of other shoppers, twanged a few notes on it. After watching from a distance, his wife came up and whispered in his ear, “I hate to tell you this, honey, but you’re trying to play a cheese slicer.” (1)
Not all of us are musicians.
One woman was talking about her parents who had recently retired. Her mom had always wanted to learn to play the piano, so her dad bought her mom a piano for her birthday. A few weeks later, the woman asked how her mom was doing with it.
“Oh, we returned the piano,” said her dad, “I persuaded her to switch to a clarinet instead.”
“How come?” the woman asked.
“Well,” he answered, “because with a clarinet, she can’t sing while she plays.”
We’re not all great singers. That’s all right. We can still make a joyful noise.
I’m reminded of the story of a Roman Catholic Church in which the choir director had gone to a great deal of trouble preparing an excellent soprano for a solo for Sunday Mass. As the soloist’s beautiful voice soared through the church, she was suddenly joined by a bedraggled “street person” who had wandered in and taken a seat near the choir. The newcomer’s voice had seen better days, and it quavered along, slightly off-key, through the entire song. The choir members kept looking frantically at the director, who made no move to interrupt the intruder.
Afterward, some of the members of the choir asked the director why he hadn’t stopped her.
“Because,” he replied, “I wasn’t sure which song God would like better.” (2)
I would hate to think of this season of the year without the great Christmas hymns and carols. Of course, times are a-changing. Have you noticed that the Christmas tradition of caroling seems to be disappearing? There was a time when small groups would go around in neighborhoods and people would sing carols to their neighbors. That tradition is almost extinct. However I did read about a new twist to this old tradition. Now we have what might be called, “virtual caroling.”
A Radio Shack ad a couple of years ago showed how it’s done: A little old lady opens her door to find a video iPod on her front stoop. Out of the small, sleek iPod comes the tinny sounds and tiny pictures of children singing “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.” Next door the kids are waving from a window.
According to Maria Puente of USA Today, it’s an appealing notion: Spread cheer without leaving the warmth (and the giant‑screen TV) of your own home. Virtual caroling. Must be why YouTube boasts more than 300 caroling videos. We can enjoy the carolers without even going to the trouble of opening our front door. (3)
Today’s prophecy from Isaiah tells us that when the Messiah comes, there will be singing. There are few passages as joyful as Isaiah 35. Isaiah writes, “The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God. Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come . . . Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs . . . and the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.’”
It would be difficult to paint a picture in which the joy of the Lord is portrayed more vividly that that. “They will enter Zion with singing . . .” Music is very important to us at Christmas time.
The Gospel of Luke doesn’t actually tell us that the angels were singing in the heavens when Christ was born, but we would like to think they were. Here’s how the verse from Luke’s Gospel actually reads: Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and SAYING, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13-14, emphasis added) Luke tells us they were saying, not singing. I like to think they were singing.
Someone defined the difference between rap music and opera like this: Opera is people singing when they should be talking, and rap is people talking when they should be singing. Maybe the angels were rapping out the message to the shepherds. Probably not. I still would like to think they were singing, singing in beautiful harmony. If they weren’t singing, they should have been. Music is a wonderful gift from God.
There is a quote attributed to Victor Hugo, “Music attempts to express what cannot be said about something on which it is impossible to remain silent.” I like that. It helps explain why music is such an integral part of Christmas.
Music gives us the opportunity to express our joy and thanksgiving.
The famous preacher of another generation C.H. Spurgeon once said, “I used to know an old Methodist; and the first thing in the morning, when he got up, he began singing a bit of a Methodist hymn; and if I met the old man during the day, he was always singing. I have seen him in his little workshop, with his lapstone on his knee, and he was always singing, and beating with his hammer. When I said to him once, ‘Why do you always sing, dear brother?’ he replied, ‘Because I always have something to sing about.’” (4)
That’s a good enough reason to sing. In Isaiah’s prophecy Isaiah promises the people that they will one day return to Zion. Zion is symbolic of Jerusalem, of the Promised Land. Isaiah was writing during the times of the divided kingdom. The land had been overrun numerous times by their enemies. Prisoners of war had been carried off to become slaves in distant lands. Isaiah promises that one day they will be able to return home to Zion, the city of God. For them this will be a time of great joy and so they sing.
For Christians, Zion is that city of God which is heaven. And again, when we enter that place of eternal promise, there will be singing. For those of us who know Christ’s love in our hearts, there is a need to say thank you to God for what God has done for us.
Charles Duke, a former astronaut, came to Christ some years after walking on the moon. After his time with NASA he had lacked purpose and meaning in his life. His wife, Dottie, was also troubled. In fact, she contemplated suicide. But then she began to attend church where she gave her life to Christ. Sometime later at his wife’s Bible study Charles Duke gave his life to Jesus as well. He found a new and compelling purpose for his life. Today he offers this comment on his conversion, “Walking on the moon cannot compare with walking on earth with Jesus.” (5)
When you feel like that you want to sing. Music allows us to express our joy and thanksgiving.
There’s a second thing music does for us: it draws us closer together as the family of Christ. In my mind, I can see that band of refugees Isaiah envisions returning to their homeland, singing as they travel together. I love to be part of a congregation that is singing the great hymns of the church. I love to be at a Christmas party when someone suggests that we sing carols. It’s one of the touchy-feely moments that is almost sacramental. We sing together and we feel like an extended family. That’s the way Christmas ought to be.
Rich Mullins was a beloved artist and songwriter in the world of contemporary Christian music. Before he was tragically killed in a jeep accident on September 19, 1997, he had written many beautiful praise songs that have touched the hearts of many people.
Eric Hauck, a close friend of Rich, recalled being with him in a worship service just a few days before he died. Some friends wanted to gather together and praise God, and everyone had brought instruments to play together. The music sounded awful even the leaders were singing out of tune. Rich later went up to the microphone and said, “I love to be in church. I love to listen to people sing and play from their heart. In my profession we worry about being in tune and sounding good, but this music tonight is the most pleasing to God, because it is so real, and it comes from the hearts of the children of God.” That was the last time Eric ever saw Rich Mullins cry. (6)
Some of us know what he was talking about and why he was crying. We know about the power of music to draw people together in worship. It reaches across the boundaries of social status, and gender and race.
Under a cultural exchange program a rabbi from Russia was visiting with a Christian family in Texas. Since it was Christmas the family wanted to take him to some of the finest places in Houston, so they all went to a favorite Chinese restaurant. Throughout the meal the rabbi extolled the wonders of America in comparison to the bleak conditions of his homeland. When they had finished eating the waiter brought the check, a fortune cookie, and a small brass Christmas tree ornament as a present for the rabbi. They all laughed when the rabbi pointed out that the ornaments were stamped “made in India.”
But the laughter soon subsided when they saw that the rabbi was quietly crying. They all thought that the rabbi must have been offended by receiving a Christmas tree as a gift. But no, he smiled and shook his head and said, “Nyet, I was shedding tears of joy to be in a wonderful country, in a Chinese restaurant in which a Buddhist gives a Jew a Christmas gift made by a Hindu!” (7)
Christmas reminds us that Christ came to shine his light into the heart of everyone on this earth, of whatever race or creed. When we sing, we sing as the family of God. I have often wondered why God created us with voices that are so different. The soprano can hit such high notes; the bass can get so low. But then we blend our voices into one glorious sound. To me, it easily qualifies as proof of God’s existence. Why would blind evolution give us such a gift? It makes no sense. Music calls us together into one beautiful family. Especially at Christmas. We sing “Joy to the World” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and “What Child Is This” and I believe the angels sing with us. When the Messiah comes there will be singing. Singing allows us to express our joy and thanksgiving. Singing draws us closer together.
And most importantly of all, music speaks to us of God.
Several years ago there was an article in a church journal about a church in Jackson, Tennessee that used music to help what are called at‑risk children. They used volunteer piano teachers who gave lessons to under‑privileged kids. The idea worked. Pride, self‑esteem, and academic performance among these kids from disadvantaged backgrounds were all enhanced. Not only that, but the program caught the attention of the Rockefeller Foundation for Fine Arts in New York. The foundation thought the program might be developed nationally. So they sent world‑renowned pianist Lorin Hollander to go to Jackson and take a look.
While Hollander was there he shared something significant with his audience. He shared with them his own experience of being a battered child. He said that there are a lot of children out there who are mortally wounded in the soul. These are children who are battered spiritually and creatively. And then Hollander said this. He said that music can bring the spirit of love into the lives of these children who have become lost. By allowing them to discover creativity in music, they can begin to express the divine love of God. Finally, Mr. Hollander had this to say: “When I was a little child and first heard Bach, I told my sister we didn’t have to be afraid of the dark anymore; someone is watching over us. I heard it in the music.” (8)
Music speaks to us of God. That is why music has always been part of the church. And, of course, that is why music is such a big part of Christmas. So, let us prepare for the birth of Christ with songs of joy and thanksgiving. Let us sing as God’s people with one unified voice. And let us pray that in the music we will sense the Holy Spirit at work in our lives drawing us closer to one another and to God. Isaiah writes about the coming messianic age, “They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” That’s the promise of Christmas. That’s worth singing about.
1. Ed Preacher’s Laughter for a Saturday.
2. Kate Kellogg, The Catholic Digest, September 1992, p. 65.
3. USA Today, 12‑17‑07, pp. 1‑2D. Contributed by Dr. John Bardsley.
4. http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/2260.htm.
5. Jerry Ruff, http://www.sumcnj.com/sermons/srm2003/Sermon07.13.03.htm.
6. Daily Grace: Devotional Reflections to Nourish Your Soul (Colorado Springs, Co: Cook Communications Ministries, 2005), p. 112.
7. C. Robert Allred, Th.D., http://www.bobssermons.com/sermons/archive/041212.htm.
8. Charles Hoffman, “A Thing of Beauty,” in The United Methodist Review, 3/24/94. Cited by Rev. San Dieguito, http://www.sdumc.org/sr083103.