FLESH

To the human mind there is something almost illogical in the assertion that God became a man. It is like speaking about a square circle. Yet this is what Christmas says -- and we take refuge from our bewilderment not in explanation but in adoration (Ralph P. Martin).

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth (John 1:1, 14).

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given to us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life (I John 5:20).

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (Liturgy of St. James. 5th. Century).

FORM

Christianity is the story of how the rightful King has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage. (--- C. S. Lewis).

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-8).

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life --- the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest in us ---that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you... (I John 1:1-3). 

The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest forever after the order o Melchizedek." The Lord is at your right hand, he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth (Psalm 110:4-6)

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Gentle Mary Laid Her Child (Joseph Cook, 1919).

FLESH

The mystery of the humanity of Christ, that he sunk himself into our flesh, is beyond all human understanding. (Martin Luther).

Then [Jesus] stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe."  Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God." (John 20:27)  

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory(I Timothy 3:16).

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: What Child Is This? (Traditional English Carol).  

ESTATE

What was the estate of Christ's humiliation?

The estate of Christ's humiliation was that low condition, wherein he for our sakes, emptying himself of his glory, took upon him the form of a servant, in his conception and birth, life, death, and after his death, until his resurrection. (Westminster Larger Catechism, Q/A 46)

Let earth and heaven combine,

Angels and men agree,

To praise in songs divine

The incarnate Deity,

Our God contracted to a span,

Incomprehensibly made man.

(Charles Wesley)

 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (Galatians 4:6)

 

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Hark! the Herald Angels Sing (Charles Wesley, 1739).

BORN

Rejoice that the immortal God is born that mortal men may live in eternity. ---- Jan Hus

....and Jacob, the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. (Matthew 1:16).

...an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:20-21).

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God:

What Child Is This (traditional English carol).

PERESCUTED

And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven(Matthew 5:10).

Which, being interpreted is: Blessed are those who are fully aware, and willing to pay, the high cost of Christian discipleship. -- pgs

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: The Son of God Goes Forth to War (Reginald Heber, 1827).

MATTER

We matter to God. Inexplicably. Undeservedly. Even we dedicated Christians tend to forget this truth -- or doubt it or altogether reject it -- when we encounter trouble. It is difficult to understand why we matter, but we do. God is watching, listening to us, speaking promises into the cacophony of our worries and the certainty of their fulfillment into our most deeply buried hopes. --- Patty Kirk, "Confessions of an Amateur Believer."

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust." -- Psalm 91:1-2

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God:

Call Jehovah Your Salvation.

SEE

Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and when He sat down, His disciples came to Him. And He opened is mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8).

Which, being interpreted, means believers who now know, worship and serve God alone -- sincerely loving Him, desiring Him,  being cleansed by Him and fully satisfied in Him -- "see" Him by faith now, and shall "see" Him person-to-Person in heaven, forever.

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Be Thou My Vision (Ancient Irish poem, 8th. Century).

AFFLICTION

Thou shalt never find a bundle of affliction which has not been bound up in the midst of sufficient grace. ---- CH Spurgeon

 

....a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me (II Corinthians 12:7-9).

SUPERNATURAL

Supernatural living through supernatural empowering is at the very heart of New Testament Christianity.  -- J. I. Packer

 

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light (Colossians 1:9-12).

PENITENCE

True faith is suffused with penitence. And just as faith is not only a momentary act but an abiding attitude of trust and confidence directed to the Savior, so repentance results in constant contrition. The broken spirit and the contrite heart are abiding marks of the believing soul. -- John Murray

 

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise(Psalm 5:17).

 

But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word (Isaiah 66:7b).

REPENTANCE

Evangelical repentance is that which carries the believing soul through all his failures, infirmities, and sins. He is not able to live one day without the constant exercise of it. It is as necessary unto the continuance of spiritual life as faith is. It is that continual, habitual, self-abasement which arises from a sense of the majesty and holiness of God, and the consciousness of our miserable failures.  ---- John Owen

 

The sacrifies of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise(Psalm 51:17).

 

Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near; Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:6-7).

MEDITATION

Meditation is the life of most other duties. ---- Richard Baxter

 

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:1-3.

MERCY

And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy (Matthew 5:7).

Which, being interpreted, means blessed is the believer who loves the miserable, forgives the sinner, and feels and acts kindly toward all men, for he will receive loving kindness in return. -- pgs 

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God:
O God of Mercy, God of Might (Godfrey Thring, 1877).

HUNGER

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down; his disciples came to him, and began to teach them, saying:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled (Matthew 5:6).

Meaning: those who earnestly and humbly seek to know and adore God in Christ more and more every day, may fully expect to receive what they desire. --- pgs

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God:   Christ, of All My Hopes the Ground(Ralph Wardlaw, 1817).

POVERTY

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3).

Which means: Blessed are they who, keenly aware of the sinful poverty of their souls, earnestly seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. -- pgs

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God:

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling. Charles Wesley, 1747.   

MEEK

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying:

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5).

Blessed are those who are consciously dependent upon and submissive to God's providence, for they shall reign with Christ in the new heavens and new earth (Romans 4:13). --- pgs

A hymn to read, sing, hum, or whistle, to the glory of God: Teach Me, O Lord, Thy Holy Way. (William T. Matson, 1866).  

SONG

SONGS OF THANKSGIVING

Our God is Mighty, Worthy of All Praising

Declare His glory among the nations (Psalm 96:3).  

Our God is mighty, worthy of all praising; sing unto Him a glad, triumphant song; He is the Lord, supreme in earth and heaven; to Him all strength and majesty belong.

Our God is gracious, infinite in mercy; He bridged the hopeless gulf our sin had made;

He gave His Son to purchase our salvation ---- in Jesus Christ we meet God unafraid!

Our God is faithful; He will work within us, fulfilling all the purpose He has planned, cleansing our hearts and filling with His Spirit, making us strong to keep His last command.

Our God is sovereign over all creation, and soon His earth shall hear His mighty voice; with shout of joy the King shall come in splendor ---- lift up your hearts, confess Him, and rejoice!

Refrain: Declare His glory among the nations, through all creation His triumph sing, till all earth's peoples bow in adoration and Jesus Christ be everlasting King. --- Margaret Clarkson, 1976. (All texts taken from The Trinity Hymnal.)

SONG

SONGS OF THANKSGIVING

Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness (Psalm 115:1).

How can I say thanks for the things You have done for me? Things so undeserved, yet You gave to prove Your love for me; the voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude. "All that I am, and ever hope to be, I owe it all to Thee. To God be the glory, to God be the glory, to God be the glory for the Things He has done.

With His blood He has saved me; with His power He has raised me; to God be the glory for the things He has done. Just let me live my life ---- let it be pleasing, Lord, to Thee; and if I gain any praise, let it go to Calvary. (Andrae Crouch, 1971)

SONGS

A SONG OF THANKSGIVING

Sing to the LORD, all the earth, proclaim His salvation day after day (I Chronicles 16:23).

Can a little child like me thank the Father fittingly? Yes, O yes! be good and true, patient, kind in all you do; love the Lord and do your part; learn to say with all your heart, Father we thank Thee! Father, we thank Thee! Father in heaven, we thank Thee!

For the fruit upon the tree, for the birds that sing of Thee, for the earth in beauty dressed, father, mother, and the rest, for Thy precious, loving care, for Thy bounty everywhere, Father, we thank Thee! Father, we thank Thee! Father in heaven, we thank Thee!

For our comrades and our plays, and our happy holidays, for the joyful work and true that a little child may do, for our lives but just begun, for the great gift of Thy Son, Father, we thank Thee! Father, we thank Thee! Father in heaven, we thank Thee! ---- Mary Mapes Dodge, 1831-1905.