Another Verse for Christmas
Christmas Eve 2006
It’s Christmas eve, it’s time to sing,
to celebrate, to raise your voices and let bells ring.
We pull out all the stops, making thus and so,
Getting it all ready, and wondering... “Will it snow?”
And yes, tonight is one of those times,
That I’ll preach a sermon… completely in Rhyme.
It’s becoming a tradition, and something I’d share
to be a little different, and to be aware
to hear the Christmas message in a slightly new way,
To have a little fun in making words play.
We gather here tonight, perhaps to reclaim,
a bit of our childhood, and fond memories remain.
There’s a magic tonight, so we’d like to believe,
that amidst all of our stresses we want to relieve.
So we come here tonight, to hear the old story,
Of shepherds, and angels, and of God’s wondrous glory.
The child in the manger, a symbol filled with God’s power,
Who comes to us in the midst of a truly dark hour.
“In those days…” with familiar old words,
Luke begins his story of angels and shepherds.
It’s a story we know, because each year we tell,
of that first Christmas night, and we know it so well.
But do we? I think is a good question to ask,
‘cause to live the story is really our task.
That sense of a gift, given once long ago,
Is far more than sentiment, or warm fuzzy glow.
But we get all caught up, amidst colours and cheer,
that we really miss the point of this time of year.
As the nights of December grow long and grow cold,
It is the season of darkness, we fear will take hold.
The leaves are all gone, the grass shouldn’t be green,
well, at least if we had some snow it wouldn’t be seen!
It is into this season, of blustery cold wind,
that we find something on which our hopes to pin.
It’s no mistake that we mark Christ’s birth,
on what Roman calendars recorded on earth,
the sun’s lowest point as it traverses the sky,
the twelfth month’s solstice, a new season is nigh.
Before book keepers and date makers had the last say
the twenty-fifth of December was winter’s first day.
The shortest day, it was, the longest night.
Amidst the deep darkness, there came a great light.
It was appropriate to mark this and for good reason,
for the sun’s light would lengthen for the rest of the season.
Symbolic and powerful this day would be
to celebrate the birth of Mary’s baby.
But there’s more to it than that, we have to affirm,
It can’t be simply a seasonal term.
These are echoes from Isaiah, a prophet long past,
whose vision, whose words, whose hope was so vast,
That, even ‘midst crisis at ev’ry turn,
his hope for the future is something we learn.
Midst war, strife and turmoil this ancient prophet spoke,
When Israel’s own kings were little more than a joke.
Assyria, and Egypt, and other powers-that-be,
used Jerusalem as a pawn, and everyone could see
that this would not end, or rather not end well.
so Isaiah expressed hope of one called Emmanuel.
Maybe a king, a righteous heir of David’s line,
who would take up the throne, who’d have a real spine
to stand up to these powers, and remain faithful and true
to the God of their ancestors, who would see them through.
But his words had an echo that would stretch far over time,
Beyond even Isaiah’s own vision, it was truly sublime.
The wish for a child, one who would set all things right,
became a hope for the future, and gave a new light.
Midst those times in history when darkness closed in,
Isaiah’s wonderful lyrics became a new hymn,
Never give up… Never say die…
Even when Jerusalem in ruins would lie.
God’s up to something, the people would say,
Isaiah’s words would help them to pray,
even in the midst of their own darkness and strife,
it was a real sense of hope that gave them new life.
Then came Jesus, the tiny child in the manger,
and Isaiah’s words became a bit stranger.
For the hope of a king, a good ruler on the throne,
Seemed so out of place in this musty first home.
But God’s point was not a majestic, imperial king,
But the humble contrast of this tiny little thing.
A helpless little baby, human like you and me,
That in such poor surroundings it is God that we see.
It is a message we miss, amidst all of the hype,
of commercials and sales, and things of that type.
We think bigger is better, and want a grand scale,
A widescreen TV, there’s many for sale!
So maybe we just need to take a little time,
To step back, to pause, and remember that line
That midst this season’s frenetic busy pace,
What’s most important is truly God’s grace.
God’s great gift, not expecting anything in return,
Given to us, without reserve, and nor did we earn.
A lesson most powerful, but we did not deserve,
But God loves us still, and without reserve.
That is the message the Christ child does bring,
At the core of our faith, and why we do sing.
It’s a story so powerful, so filled with promise and hope,
a child’s cry from the manger, with a truly vast scope.
Yet it’s really so simple, because all can see
the wonder and miracle of a little baby.
In a time where everyone was expecting the majestic
God came to us in a way that was so domestic.
It’s revealing, and shows us something of God’s heart,
that the wonder of Christmas is truly an art.
because it helps us to look beyond the big things,
to the tiny little miracles that each day brings.
Instead of grumbling, griping, criticizing, or complaining
Finding that small measure of hope can be truly sustaining.
It can be hard, don’t get me wrong,
God is there, and has been for so long.
When the darkness seems to be more than we can handle
The hope of Christmas is to just light a candle.
It is something tangible, and it’s certainly not trite
that no amount of darkness, can overcome light.
It flees away at the tiniest little spark,
When a candle is lit, it’s no longer dark.
That’s the message of both the prophets and Luke,
of light overcoming darkness, it’s truly no fluke,
that together they find focus on this night most holy,
pointing to the child in a manger so lowly.
Jesus is born, a candle is lit
It can’t really be any more fit.
it shines right through even the darkest facade
That in the end, we all matter to God.
It inspires us to see everyone in a whole different light,
to spur us to action and live what is right.
And so now I finish, this poem draws to a close,
I hope you stayed with me without taking a doze.
And I wish you God’s blessings, this Christmas again,
With the Christ Child, and Holy Spirit, I now say Amen.
to celebrate, to raise your voices and let bells ring.
We pull out all the stops, making thus and so,
Getting it all ready, and wondering... “Will it snow?”
And yes, tonight is one of those times,
That I’ll preach a sermon… completely in Rhyme.
It’s becoming a tradition, and something I’d share
to be a little different, and to be aware
to hear the Christmas message in a slightly new way,
To have a little fun in making words play.
We gather here tonight, perhaps to reclaim,
a bit of our childhood, and fond memories remain.
There’s a magic tonight, so we’d like to believe,
that amidst all of our stresses we want to relieve.
So we come here tonight, to hear the old story,
Of shepherds, and angels, and of God’s wondrous glory.
The child in the manger, a symbol filled with God’s power,
Who comes to us in the midst of a truly dark hour.
“In those days…” with familiar old words,
Luke begins his story of angels and shepherds.
It’s a story we know, because each year we tell,
of that first Christmas night, and we know it so well.
But do we? I think is a good question to ask,
‘cause to live the story is really our task.
That sense of a gift, given once long ago,
Is far more than sentiment, or warm fuzzy glow.
But we get all caught up, amidst colours and cheer,
that we really miss the point of this time of year.
As the nights of December grow long and grow cold,
It is the season of darkness, we fear will take hold.
The leaves are all gone, the grass shouldn’t be green,
well, at least if we had some snow it wouldn’t be seen!
It is into this season, of blustery cold wind,
that we find something on which our hopes to pin.
It’s no mistake that we mark Christ’s birth,
on what Roman calendars recorded on earth,
the sun’s lowest point as it traverses the sky,
the twelfth month’s solstice, a new season is nigh.
Before book keepers and date makers had the last say
the twenty-fifth of December was winter’s first day.
The shortest day, it was, the longest night.
Amidst the deep darkness, there came a great light.
It was appropriate to mark this and for good reason,
for the sun’s light would lengthen for the rest of the season.
Symbolic and powerful this day would be
to celebrate the birth of Mary’s baby.
But there’s more to it than that, we have to affirm,
It can’t be simply a seasonal term.
These are echoes from Isaiah, a prophet long past,
whose vision, whose words, whose hope was so vast,
That, even ‘midst crisis at ev’ry turn,
his hope for the future is something we learn.
Midst war, strife and turmoil this ancient prophet spoke,
When Israel’s own kings were little more than a joke.
Assyria, and Egypt, and other powers-that-be,
used Jerusalem as a pawn, and everyone could see
that this would not end, or rather not end well.
so Isaiah expressed hope of one called Emmanuel.
Maybe a king, a righteous heir of David’s line,
who would take up the throne, who’d have a real spine
to stand up to these powers, and remain faithful and true
to the God of their ancestors, who would see them through.
But his words had an echo that would stretch far over time,
Beyond even Isaiah’s own vision, it was truly sublime.
The wish for a child, one who would set all things right,
became a hope for the future, and gave a new light.
Midst those times in history when darkness closed in,
Isaiah’s wonderful lyrics became a new hymn,
Never give up… Never say die…
Even when Jerusalem in ruins would lie.
God’s up to something, the people would say,
Isaiah’s words would help them to pray,
even in the midst of their own darkness and strife,
it was a real sense of hope that gave them new life.
Then came Jesus, the tiny child in the manger,
and Isaiah’s words became a bit stranger.
For the hope of a king, a good ruler on the throne,
Seemed so out of place in this musty first home.
But God’s point was not a majestic, imperial king,
But the humble contrast of this tiny little thing.
A helpless little baby, human like you and me,
That in such poor surroundings it is God that we see.
It is a message we miss, amidst all of the hype,
of commercials and sales, and things of that type.
We think bigger is better, and want a grand scale,
A widescreen TV, there’s many for sale!
So maybe we just need to take a little time,
To step back, to pause, and remember that line
That midst this season’s frenetic busy pace,
What’s most important is truly God’s grace.
God’s great gift, not expecting anything in return,
Given to us, without reserve, and nor did we earn.
A lesson most powerful, but we did not deserve,
But God loves us still, and without reserve.
That is the message the Christ child does bring,
At the core of our faith, and why we do sing.
It’s a story so powerful, so filled with promise and hope,
a child’s cry from the manger, with a truly vast scope.
Yet it’s really so simple, because all can see
the wonder and miracle of a little baby.
In a time where everyone was expecting the majestic
God came to us in a way that was so domestic.
It’s revealing, and shows us something of God’s heart,
that the wonder of Christmas is truly an art.
because it helps us to look beyond the big things,
to the tiny little miracles that each day brings.
Instead of grumbling, griping, criticizing, or complaining
Finding that small measure of hope can be truly sustaining.
It can be hard, don’t get me wrong,
God is there, and has been for so long.
When the darkness seems to be more than we can handle
The hope of Christmas is to just light a candle.
It is something tangible, and it’s certainly not trite
that no amount of darkness, can overcome light.
It flees away at the tiniest little spark,
When a candle is lit, it’s no longer dark.
That’s the message of both the prophets and Luke,
of light overcoming darkness, it’s truly no fluke,
that together they find focus on this night most holy,
pointing to the child in a manger so lowly.
Jesus is born, a candle is lit
It can’t really be any more fit.
it shines right through even the darkest facade
That in the end, we all matter to God.
It inspires us to see everyone in a whole different light,
to spur us to action and live what is right.
And so now I finish, this poem draws to a close,
I hope you stayed with me without taking a doze.
And I wish you God’s blessings, this Christmas again,
With the Christ Child, and Holy Spirit, I now say Amen.
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