"There's a Song in the Air"
The Season of Expectancy
Luke 3:3-18
Intro
Preparing for Christams
Compare and contrast of people who's hearts might not be in it.
Seen in decorating homes
Trees
Background
THERE'S A SONG IN THE AIR, tune name CHRISTMAS SONG, was composed by Karl Pomeroy Harrington in 1904 and published the next year in The Methodist Hymnal. Harrington was professor of Latin and director of the glee club at the University of North Carolina, 1891-1899.
Both the author of the words, and the composer of the music were in New England* when they played their particular roles in this song's interesting history.
Josiah Gilbert Holland, a one-time high school drop-out because of poor health, tried his hand successively at photography and calligraphy before enrolling in a medical school. After earning his medical degree and practicing his profession for a few years, he forsook medicine to become the owner and editor of a newspaper, and remained a writer, poet, novelist and editor until his death.
It was in a book of his poems that was published in 1872 that the four stanzas of "There's a Song in the Air" appeared in print for the first time.
Holland's Christmas poem became very popular, and when a new hymnal was being prepared for publication in 1905, three noted composers submitted melodies for "There's a Song in the Air." Since the publishers considered all three tunes to be excellent, the three were printed in the new hymnal, but the melody composed by Harrington became the most preferred and memorable.
Harrington composed the song on a small organ at his vacation retreat while spending some time there in July 1904, on a sudden impulse, he sat at the keyboard of the old organ, and then and there proceeded to compose his lovely melodic tune for Holland's stirring stanzas.
There's a song in the air!
There's a star in the sky!
There's a mother's deep prayer
and a baby's low cry!
And the star rains its fire
while the beautiful sing,
for the manger of Bethlehem
cradles a King!
2. There's a tumult of joy
o'er the wonderful birth,
for the virgin's sweet boy
is the Lord of the earth.
Ay! the star rains its fire
while the beautiful sing,
for the manger of Bethlehem
cradles a King!
3. In the light of that star
lie the ages impearled;
and that song from afar
has swept over the world.
Every hearth is aflame,
and the beautiful sing
in the homes of the nations
that Jesus is King!
4. We rejoice in the light,
and we echo the song
that comes down through the night
from the heavenly throng.
Ay! we shout to the lovely
evangel they bring,
and we greet in his cradle
our Savior and King!
It is a song of Expectancy, anticipation, suspense, animation, excitement, exhilaration, eagerness, and interest. The song that rings in the air during the Christmas season strums those notes. One character in the Birth of Christ who is usually not mentioned at Christmas, one individual who usually is not in any Christmas pageant, Christmas play, Christmas program is actually the herald of those notes of expectancy. It is ultimately charge to prepare the way for the Coming of the Son of God. He is the voice of the "song in the air."
He is introduced in Luke 1:41-45
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
NIV
His role is revealed in Luke 3:3-18 (turn there with me now)
3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
"A voice of one calling in the desert,
'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. 5 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.
6 And all mankind will see God's salvation.'"
7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."
10 "What should we do then?" the crowd asked.
11 John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."
12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?"
13 "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?"
He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely -- be content with your pay."
15 The people were waiting expectantly . . .
JOHN THE BAPTISTS ROLE HELPS US UNDERSTAND WHAT "WE SHOULD THEN DO" IN EXPECTATION OF THE SON OF GOD.
Prepare the Way
'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. 5 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.
6 And all mankind will see God's salvation.'"
John's Mission was to prepare the way, to seek to prepare the hearts of the people for the coming of Jesus the Son of God.
It is his calling, his purpose; it is directly tied to the Christmas story. He is the baby that leaps in the womb when Mary approaches pregnant with Jesus.
Preparing the way, preparing for anything assumes active participation. It's doing something. We prepare the way for Christmas by decorating our homes, stockpiling treats, shopping for gifts. But John challenged the people to prepare for the coming of the Savior in a much different way.
How?
Check your Fruit
He first challenged anyone who would listen to him to check their fruit. To check what their life produced, to check their actions and attitudes and to see if they were in line with a heart that had turned form self to God.
Look with me at vs 8.
8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
He goes on to challenge them no to just assume that their heritage or their religious affiliation was enough.
And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."
T.S. Having heard the challenge to check their fruit the people cry out for concrete examples. "What Should we do then? So John applies the truth in specific ways.
Practice Generosity
This the crowd cries out. Men and women, rich and poor, notable and forgettable, honored and outcast. To everyone present John responds to their cry "what should we do then?" with and amazing challenge. Whoever you are, whatever your calling, status or state John challenges the crowd to prepare for his coming by practicing generosity.
10 "What should we do then?" the crowd asked. To everyone
11 John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."
Practicing Generosity has always been a way to position our hearts so that we are more ready to to receive the greatness of the glory of the Jesus as he comes.
GENEROSITY -- Liberality in spirit in giving. Christian giving should be "a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation" (2 Cor 9:5).
Is it any wonder. The king of glory is coming to give the greatest gifts, born of the greatest motives for giving--grace and mercy.
Appl: When we practice generosity we prepare our hearts for his coming. Beware of token gifts that merely seek to put a balm on our own hearts so we don't feel so bad on spending so much upon ourselves. Prepare the way, check you fruit, is it evident you practice generosity? How will you do that this Christmas season. Get extravagant.
T.S. Specific groups in the crowd now begin to cry out for help and examples. John responds to them.
Walk with Integrity
To those with access to power, or control over money when they cry out "what should we do?" John challenges them to walk with integrity.
Jesus is righteous (without wrong), perfectly just (never makes decisions based on anything besides what is right), sinless, blameless and he is coming to dwell among us. So he challenges all those who might easily use their
12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?"
13 "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?"
He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely
Abide in Contentment
To those concerned about money.
be content with your pay."
The Result
15 The people were waiting expectantly . . .
