Check it out! On Sunday we celebrated the 8th anniversary of the Path of Life Bible Church Las Palmas. And – two people were baptized! So, as is the tradition around here, I’m sharing a video of the baptisms…
Benjamin was 33 years old when he wrote this song. By this time he was probably living in Chicago, but he had moved there from his home state of Ohio.
Although it could be argued that this song is not a Christmas song, it is often sung at Christmas. It fits into a category of songs that go through the life of Christ, such as “O Sing a Song of Bethlehem”.
But two years earlier, Benjamin had written a Christmas song.
His actual Christmas song revived when it hit the charts in 2005, sung by Kimberley Locke. But it was popular long before that, and is still well known today. And it holds the historic distinction of being the first modern song about – Santa Claus!
42 years earlier, the modern age of Santa was born with the poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (also called “The Night Before Christmas”). This work had a huge impact on the celebration of Christmas in the United States and around the world. Varied traditions about Saint Nicholas were common. But the tradition that he arrived on Christmas Eve? The names of the reindeer? These ideas, and even the popularity of gift-giving and a focus on children took off like Santa’s sleigh.
Although the poem has been set to music (brilliantly by Ken Darby, featured in a recording by Fred Waring and The Pennsylvanians, and further popularized on the popular radio show – Fibber McGee and Molly), it was not put to music in time to be the first modern Santa song. Benjamin Hanby’s song won out – “Up on the Housetop” (here’s a famous recording from Gene Autry in 1953, but this is the original):
Upon the house, no delay, no pause
Clatter the steeds of Santa Claus;
Down thro’ the chimney with loads of toys
Ho for the little ones, Christmas joys.
O! O! O! Who wouldn’t go.
O! O! O! Who wouldn’t go,
Upon the housetop, click! click! click!
Down thro’ the chimney with good St. Nick.
The most disturbing verse is about “Lazy Jim”, whose stockings are filled with bran, and a new “rattan” – a stalk used for spanking! Why, Ben, did you have to use the name “Jim”?
Anyway, two years after writing his song popularizing the identity of Santa Claus, he wrote a song about the identity of Someone else. St. Nick could not compare with the Baby in the manger. The song began:
Who is He in yonder stall
At whose feet the shepherds fall?
And that’s the only part about Christmas, as the story continues:
Who is He in deep distress,
Fasting in the wilderness?
Who indeed? Then the praise breaks out in the chorus:
’Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!
’Tis the Lord! the King of glory!
At His feet we humbly fall,
Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!
What fictional story could compare with the True Story – the Lord! The King of Glory!
Our worldly perspective misses the truth. The rulers of the first century did not truly realize what they were doing when they put Jesus to death, as Paul explains:
…we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom which has been hidden, which God predestined before the ages to our glory, which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
1 Corinthians 2:7-8
Paul explains that the natural man – the unsaved, unregenerate – cannot understand spiritual truths, “because they are spiritually examined” (1 Corinthians 2:14). They come from the Spirit, through the Apostles, to the Church. The revelation from God can never be reached by building a stepladder to heaven – God had to reveal the big picture to us.
After all, who could have believed that this newborn Baby, who relied on His mother to be fed, who did not even have a proper bed – who could have guessed that this Baby was the Lord of glory?
His fame is worldwide, and has endured for more than 2000 years. And so we are right to ask – who is He?
He is the One deserving the crown of the universe.
But Benjamin is not leaving us at the manger for long. Now Jesus is a grown man, not far off the age of the song’s author. He is fasting, praying, facing temptation in the wilderness. This doesn’t seem to be a great beginning for the Lord of all. But the story isn’t over. Let’s take a closer look over the next few weeks.
I would like to continue the tradition – now 7 years old – of taking a deep dive into a Christmas song during the weeks before Christmas (here’s last year’s song). Many churches will be starting their Advent celebrations this Sunday, so this weekend seems like a good time to start!
Except – well, the song I have for this year – let’s just say, ironies abound.
Because this song isn’t exactly a Christmas song, although you often hear it at Christmas. The title is certainly very Christmassy. But…
The author did write words/music for Christmas hymns – but those are largely forgotten.
But he is famous for a Christmas song – a song that has hit the charts, in fact – but it’s about – well, I won’t give everything away.
His most famous song, not about Chrismtas at all, is a love song, a specific kind of love song.
But as I say, this year I think it’s worth looking at his second-most-famous-Christmas-song-that’s-not-a-Christmas-song, over the next few weeks. Don’t worry, all will become clear.
Today I’m remembering so many people who are no longer here in Mexico. This picture is from a team meeting that we had in Puebla ten years ago today. One has gone on to be with the Lord. Three of our younger members went on to other things in other countries. Some were short or mid-term missionaries, who returned home. Some simply went on to other ministries.
So – we miss them! But we’re happy that some are still here as well, although we don’t see them as much as we would like.
Here we were in 2014, standing in front of the Estrella de Puebla (Star of Puebla), a ferris wheel with a Guinness Record (2013) for “the world’s largest portable observation wheel”. (Portable?? Apparently, yes – it can be taken apart and put into a 40×20 foot container. Who knew? But it’s huge-gantic, 80 metres high.)
Anyway, we rode on it, and took a picture in front of it. Just click on the picture below for a larger version.
It has been a particularly busy teaching time lately, for a couple of reasons.
First, our preachers have been taking turns helping out with the preaching at the church in Jesús María.
But second, since we finished our church doctrine series in Sunday school, we’ve been picking our own themes, at least until the end of the year. Plus we’ve gone back to doing special themes on the first Sunday of the month.
Having a “blank canvas” when it comes to preaching is a huge amount of work! Sometimes you can pull up something you’ve done before, but I don’t actually have a huge number of one-off lessons to teach.
I did pull out one lesson that actually was the first lesson I ever taught in front of a church – that would be at Grace Church in Newmarket – “Principles of the Changed Life”.
This past Sunday the sermon was “Christmas Traditions in the Light of the Bible”. I asked people what Christmas traditions they wanted to talk about, and away we went! Not an easy topic, for sure. But not a dull study. At least, for me!
But that’s not the only blank canvas we have right now. We’re still looking for a house to rent, but also we’re looking for a temporary/permanent place for the church to meet. The place we’re at is increasingly unsuitable and we need to find a place. So I was out taking pictures of a possible place today, and we visited another place last week.
A blank canvas can be exciting, and a whole lot of work! But we’re also getting ready to celebrate our 8th anniversary as a church. And that’s a reminder – that what started as a blank slate can end up as an amazing work of a faithful God! So we’re thankful that we need a place to meet – and a big one at that!
10 years ago today, we went to visit our friend and fellow missionary Chalo in the city of Puebla, and went for a drive in his 1922 Model T Ford. You can read more about that right here. Meanwhile, here are a couple of pictures:
