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Instead of you | A Christmas spoken word

Tonight, thank God it's Him: How Christmas songs remind us that the baby in the manger becomes the world's saviour

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Christmas | 2:49

Instead of you | A Christmas spoken word

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Tonight, thank God it's Him: How Christmas songs remind us that the baby in the manger becomes the world's saviour

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00:08

The bells start jingling.

00:10

Mariah starts singling.

00:12

Cinnamon and pine aromas cause us to remember.

00:16

Families get tinseling, excitement tingling.

00:18

For goodness' sake, it's only November.

00:21

Because from the eleventh month the ballads begin.

00:24

Catchy Christmas choruses cling to you and your kin.

00:28

Top to toe in tailbacks.

00:29

The boys of the NYPD choir.

00:31

Chestnuts roasting -

00:32

by now, surely burning - on an open fire.

00:36

Shakin Stevens, WHAM!, Bing Crosby,

00:38

Band Aid, Bublé, Slade.

00:40

Wizard, do you really wish it could be Christmas everyday?

00:43

Think of all the shop assistants,

00:44

six weeks of it to get through!

00:46

As Bono said,

00:47

"Tonight, thank God it's them instead of you."

00:52

But above and around,

00:54

beneath and beyond the modern Christmas ditty

00:57

is a deeper song, eternity long.

00:59

A melody of old, hear it unfold,

01:01

the greatest story ever told.

01:03

A hurting world, an angel's promise,

01:06

a family scandal, a husband's fright,

01:08

in the dark streets shineth the everlasting light.

01:13

Where infinite influence omnipotence suppressed,

01:18

the word becomes flesh in diapers dressed.

01:21

The fabled stable becomes a crèche and blessed.

01:25

As majestic God assumes assumes mortal guise,

01:27

lo within the manger lies,

01:30

He who built the starry skies.

01:34

See the real song of Christmas is more than just a carol.

01:37

It's an anthem of atonement, a refrain of redemption.

01:41

In our anguish heaven smiled.

01:43

The song's composer becomes a child.

01:46

Peace on earth and mercy mild.

01:48

God and sinners reconciled.

01:51

But the peril, the danger of 'away in a manger',

01:54

is it can make our Christmas story stranger,

01:57

and rearrange her from the game changer

01:59

heaven-hell exchanger she is.

02:01

Because the destiny of the Christmas baby

02:03

was to die in our lieu.

02:07

From fairytale birth to criminal's cross,

02:09

tonight, thank God it's Him instead of you.

02:15

So in the musical sweatshirts,

02:17

the John Lewis adverts,

02:19

listen, remember the song.

02:22

In the activity remember the nativity

02:24

your pain and shame undone.

02:26

For to you a son is given.

02:28

Over you a song is sung.

02:31

But don't just remember,

02:33

respond and surrender,

02:35

for Christ the saviour is born.

October 2019
From
Evangelical Alliance
Topics
Christmas

This story was produced by the Evangelical Alliance with the support of