By Al Duncan
Jesus Christ is the reason for the Christmas season. The word Christmas derives from Christ”s mass a celebration of Christ”s birth. And yet, the past 40 years Merry Christmas has been progressively replaced with happy holidays. In just one generational-span, the phrase Merry Christmas has become politically incorrect. The name Jesus Christ has become taboo unless used in condemnation or as a curse word.
I find this obvious expunging of the name of Jesus Christ perplexing for a couple of reasons. First it”s impossible to deny the existence of Jesus Christ, there”s far too much data. Moreover the world”s date-keeping system is established upon his birth, B.C. meaning before Christ and his death, A.D. meaning Anno Domini, year of our Lord. Secondly the origin and accurate portrayal of Jesus Christ is found in the Bible, which clearly establishes that the heart of his teaching was to “Love one another.” Even so the Bible reveals that he, along with his faithful followers, will be hated and persecuted by the world-system for no cause.
Isaac Watts wrote “Joy to the World”, William Sandy and Davies Gilbert wrote, “The First Noel” and George Fredrick Handel wrote, “The Hallelujah Chorus.” I can think of no three songs more appropriate to illustrate the reason of Jesus Christ”s coming and the purpose behind the Christmas season.
Joy To The World: “Joy to the world the lord is come. Let earth receive her king. Let every heart prepare him room, and saints and angels sing, and saints and angels sing, and angels sing.
“Joy to the world, the savior reigns. Let their songs employ, while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains, repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
“Joy to the world with truth and grace and makes the nations prove the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love. And wonders of his love, and wonders and wonders of his love.”
The First Noel: “The first noel, the angel did say, was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay. In fields where they lay keeping their sheep, on a cold winter”s night that was so deep.
“Noel, noel, noel, noel, born is the king of Israel. They looked up and saw a star shining in the East, beyond them far and to the earth it gave great light. And so it continued both day and night.
“Noel, noel, noel, noel, born is the king of Israel. And by the light of that same star, three wise men came from country far; to seek for a king was their intent, and to follow the star wherever it went.
“Noel, noel, noel, noel, born is the king of Israel. This star drew near to the northwest, O”er Bethlehem it took its rest; and there it did both stop and stay. Right over the place where Jesus lay.
“Noel, noel, noel, noel, born is the king of Israel. Then entered in those wise men three, full reverently upon their knee and offered there in his presence, their gold, and myrrh and frankincense.
“Noel, noel, noel, noel, born is the king of Israel.”
The Hallelujah Chorus: “Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! For the lord God Omnipotent reigns. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! For the lord God omnipotent reigns. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! “For the lord God omnipotent reigns. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! “The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our lord and of his Christ, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever and he shall reign for ever and ever and he shall reign for ever and ever and he shall reign forever and ever.
“King of kings, forever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! And lord of lords, forever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
“King of kings, for ever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! And lord of lords, forever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
“King of kings, forever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! And lord of lords, forever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
“King of kings, and lord of lords, and he shall reign forever and ever and he shall reign forever and ever.
“King of kings forever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! And he shall reign forever and ever, forever and ever. King of kings, and lord of lords, king of kings, and lord of lords, and he shall reign forever and ever, king of kings, and lord of lords. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!”
Amen.
Al Duncan is a author, businessman and Record-Bee columnist. He can be contacted at alduncan@pacific.net.
