Who’s Christmas Line?

For you artists and all of you worshippers here at crossbridge church every week — you know, i was thinking… so many many times we really don’t soak in that which we say and sing in public worship every week — We ought to stir up and foster a culture that meditate on the value and depth of some timeless song-writing and lyrics so…

…I’ve curiously been meaning to get around doing this, I’ve read now through over some four hundred Christmas tunes — these are “lines” from songs/ hymns we usually bulldozer through every advent season only that its geniuses get lost in the familiar melodies, but when pondered on closely they sum up the gospel — words i’ve choked on recently while meditating on — stuff you gotta read a few times over to allow it to actually sink in deep — here at Crossbridge our desire for this season is that some of these will profoundly remind us of our need of why even God did what He did. We called it “christmas” but who’s line is it anyways? — pause, reflect.., let it encourage your worship this advent.
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“Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.”
“In all our trials born to be our Friend!”
“He knows our need—to our weakness is no stranger.”
“Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.”
- O Holy Night
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“Sinners, wrung with true repentance,
Doomed for guilt to endless pains,”
“Justice now revokes the sentence,
Mercy calls you; break your chains.”
- Angels From The Realms Of Glory
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“Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
“Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.”
“Born that man no more may die.
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.”
“Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Now display Thy saving power,
Ruined nature now restore;”
“Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.”
- Hark The Herald, Angels Sing
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“There to bend the knee before
Him Whom Heaven and earth adore;
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek Thy mercy seat.”
“And, when earthly things are past,
Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy glory hide.”
- As With Gladness, Men Of Old
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“As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
That the powers of hell may vanish
As the darkness clears away.”
- Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
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“That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.”
“Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.”
“Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.”
“Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.”
- O Come, O Come Immanuel
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“From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.”
“Dear Desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.”
“Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.”
“By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.”
- Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
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“Son of God, love’s pure light;
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,”
- Silent Night
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“Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,”
- What Child Is This?
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“The virgin womb that burden gained
With virgin honor all unstained;
The banners there of virtue glow;
God in His temple dwells below”
“Thy cradle here shall glitter bright,
And darkness breathe a newer light,
Where endless faith shall shine serene,
And twilight never intervene.”
- Come Thou Redeemer Of The Earth
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“That hath made Heaven
and earth of naught,
And with His blood
mankind hath bought.”
“If we in our time shall do well,
We shall be free from death and hell;”
- The First Noel
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“Be Thou our Joy and Brightness,
our Cheer in pain and loss,
Our Sun in darkest terror,
the Glory round our cross,”
“O Lord, now let Thy servant
depart in peace, I pray,
Since I have seen my Savior
and here beheld His day.”
- Thou Light Of Gentile Nations
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“He saith to the weary,
O come unto Me;
The poor and the lowly
His glory may see;
He comforts the mourners
and bids them rejoice.”
- Glad Tidings (Crosby)
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“…let nothing you dismay, remember Christ our Savior was born..,
…To save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray.”
- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
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“Bearing notes of perfect pardon,
Thro’ a Savior crucified.
“Good tidings of great joy
To all people do I bring,
Unto you is born a Savior,
Which is Christ the Lord and King.”
- The Gospel Bells
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“How beautiful the mystery:
Th’eternal Word comes down
To live and love and die and rise,
To claim His victor’s crown.”
- How Beautiful The Mystery
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“Now ye hear of endless bliss: Joy!
Joy! Jesus Christ was born for this!
He has opened the heavenly door,
and man is blest forevermore.
“Now ye need not fear the grave: Peace! Peace! Jesus Christ
was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all,
to gain His everlasting hall.
- Good Christian Men Rejoice
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“When came in flesh
the incarnate Word,
The heedless world slept on,”
“The awful pomp, and earth aghast
Shall tremble at the sign.”
“Thou art the sorrowing
sinner’s Friend,
The gracious and the true?”
“Dwell in our hearts, O Savior blest;
So shall Thine advent’s dawn
’Twixt us and Thee,
our bosom Guest,
Be but the veil withdrawn.”
- When Came In Flesh The Incarnate Word

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 at 8:54 PM in Culture. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.