New Heaven, New War (excerpt) This little Babe so few days old, Is come to rifle Satan’s fold; All hell doth at his presence quake, Though he himself for cold do shake; For in this weak, unarmed wise, The gates of hell he will surprise. With tears he fights and wins the field, His […]
Archive of posts tagged Christmas
Joy to the World, by Scott Hahn
Joy to the World: How Christ’s Coming Changed Everything (And Still Does), Scott Hahn (Image, 2014), hb. 175 pp. I really enjoyed this book where Scott Hahn expounds key texts related to the Christmas story. Hahn writes for a popular audience and provides clear exposition. Of course, in places his Catholic take on things (e.g., […]
Wonderful New Christmas Hymn
Merry Christmas from the Van Nestes! Here is a new favorite of my family’s after singing it at our church’s Christmas Eve service last night. It is a marvelous hymn, theologically rich and lyrically beautiful, written by Justin Wainscott. You can read Justin’s discussion of the hymn here. It can be sung to the tune […]
“Second Adam from Above, Reinstate Us in Thy Love”
One of the best things about classic Christmas hymns is how good they are at biblical theology, of grasping how the incarnation fits in the story of the whole Bible. Many of these songs are filled with allusions to Old Testament texts which people today often miss, and these songs often connect Christ’s coming with […]
Preaching Christmas
Pastors often talk about the challenge of preaching on Christmas once they have done so several years in one place. This is a real issue, and I think a key answer is awareness of biblical theology- seeing that Christmas is not simply one event in the Bible but is the culmination of the hopes and […]
The Power of Symbols, Christmas
One of the best books I read this year was The Rage Against God: How Atheism Led Me to Faith by Peter Hitchens (who writes incredibly well, like his recently deceased brother). As we approach Christmas I was reminded of his discussion of the Communist attempt to suppress any vestige of Christmas in Russia. Drawing […]
“All My Heart This Night Rejoices”
Here is wonderful 17th century Christmas hymn by Paul Gerhardt which expounds the meaning of the Incarnation. This is hymnic gospel proclamation! Let us take great comfort in the work of Christ, God come to get us. All my heart this night rejoices, As I hear, far and near, sweetest angel voices; “Christ is born,” […]
Incarnation poem from Bede
In Bede’s A History of the English Church and People, he includes a hymn in honor of a woman named Etheldreda. I can’t endorse all that is in the poem, but I appreciated this portion on the Incarnation. See! God most high resigns His royal throne, Descends to earth, and enters Mary’s womb; To free […]
