Christmas without Christ
Luke 2:1-20
Christmas 2005
We are in a point in American History that we want to take God and religion out of all public life for fear we will offend someone. So we don’t thank God at Thanksgiving we are just to be thankful. At Christmas we want to have a happy holiday with no religious intrusion. Christmas has always been a time of Peace on earth, Joy to the World, and good will to mankind. People are nicer at Christmas it seems. So the secular people of our country want to keep the peace, joy, and good will in this winter holiday, but avoid all religious references. What they really want is Christmas without Christ. It would be like Veterans Day without any mention of Veterans, war, death, or sacrifice. Or Martin Luther King Day being celebrated without mentioning MLK in any way shape or form, just enjoy it as a government day off work and school. Our celebrating presidents day, but not mentioning them old presidents that nobody cares about anyway. Do you see how foolish that would seem? But this is far worse, because the joy, peace, and good will literally flow from the reason for the season, “God our creator has come to earth, to save us from our sins, guilt, and shame, and to change us into the kind of people we all want to be around.
On the hospital walls at The James Cancer Center, in Columbus Ohio, a decoration says “Joy to the World” and stops. That describes our world, but without the next line- there is no reason for joy to the world. The LORD IS COME!
A Christmas Witch in Wisconsin Public School
Wisconsin Elementary School Changes "Silent Night" to "Cold in the Night" While Decorating For A Christmas Witch!
In Dodgeville, Wisconsin, Ridgeway Elementary School’s "winter program" has changed the name of "Silent Night" to "Cold in the Night." Sung to the tune of "Silent Night," the lyrics include: "Cold in the night, no one in sight, winter winds whirl and bite, how I wish I were happy and warm, safe with my family out of the storm."
The "winter program" included decorating classrooms with Santa Claus, Kwanza symbols, Menorahs, and Labafana–a Christmas witch!
Also in Wisconsin, the Glendale-River Hills School District has banned every Christmas song which has any Christian "motive or theme." But while banning Christian Christmas songs, the district permits secular holiday songs as well as songs celebrating Hanukkah. In defending this policy, Frances Smith, the district administrator, says that the Hanukkah songs are more cultural than spiritual.
What these schools are doing to our children is not educating, but indoctrinating! And they are using Christmas as an excuse. Following the lead of the National Educational Association, Wisconsin educational leaders preach tolerance and diversity while being highly intolerant! Most of the residents of Wisconsin are tolerant, but not their educational leaders.
Banning nativity scenes. Banning Christmas songs in school. Banning Christmas in advertising.
Calling a Christmas tree a "holiday" tree. Calling a Christmas parade a holiday parade. Refusing to mention the Reason for the season. It is time to take a stand for our children, our families, our faith and our freedom!
Christmas Under Attack
While the trend to replace the word "Christmas" with "holiday" or "winter" in retail stores and public schools has been steadily growing over the years, it seems that this year, the assault on public expressions of Christmas has risen to an unprecedented level. Some stores have become more "Christmas friendly," but examples still abound with what many perceive as the secularization of Christmas.
* The city of Boston recently renamed its Christmas tree in Boston Commons a "holiday tree."
* In their 260 pages of newspaper insert promotions, Target, Kroger, Office Max, Walgreens, Sears, Staples, Lowe’s, J.C. Penney, Dell and Best Buy failed to mention Christmas a single time, according to research conducted by the American Family Association.
* The Glendale-River Hills, Wis., School District has expressly prohibited any song close to the Christmas holiday from having any religious "motive or theme." While banning Christian Christmas songs, the district permits secular holiday songs as well as songs celebrating Hanukkah.
* For about 25 years, Auburn University in Alabama has lit a Christmas tree in December. This year the Student Government Association issued a press release announcing the lighting of the "Holiday Tree" on December 1.
* The management company that oversees a subdivision in Novi, Michigan, sent the Samona family a letter demanding they remove a nativity scene from their front yard or face fines of up to $100 per week. After being contacted by the attorney representing the Samona family, the company reversed its position, and sent an apology along with a gift basket.
* School teachers in Jackson County, Georgia, are prohibited from wearing any pins, angels, crosses or clothing that has any religious connotation or affiliation. They are also under instruction not to have "Christmas" parties in the classroom, but to refer to them as "winter" parties.
* A Seattle-area school district recalled its December lunch menus for 23 elementary schools because they were printed with the greeting "Merry Christmas." The greeting on the 11,500 menus was changed to "Happy Holidays" at a cost of $494.
While the situation may look bleak, some positive changes are taking place.
* A spokesman for Target told the New York Times this week that it might make reference to Christmas in advertising later this year.
* Sears announced recently that it has placed "Merry Christmas" signs at the front entrances to all their stores nationwide.
* A "Merry Christmas" ad thanking shoppers and employees is planned by Macy’s.
* Ads for Dillard’s say: "Discover Christmas. Discover Dillard’s."
* Walgreens is distributing a letter stating that "Next year, you can be assured our advertising will better incorporate ’Christmas’ — and our holiday trees will be called Christmas trees."
Ridgeway Elementary School in Dodgeville, Wis., has now dumped "Cold in the Night" from its "winter program," thanks to an avalanche of phone calls and emails. The district administrator confirmed that the traditional Christmas carol, "Silent Night," will now be sung. Matthew D. Staver, president and general counsel of Liberty Counsel, commented that "Christmas is a state and federal holiday. We don’t change the names of any other federal holiday, nor do we change the words to songs commemorating these holidays. It is absurd to have children sing ’Cold in the Night’ in place of ’Silent Night.’" Liberty Counsel sent two letters to the school district on behalf of concerned parents.
The D.C. Everest High School District in Weston, Wis., has reversed course and decided not to censor religious themes from a student-sponsored, homeroom-door decorating competition. The principal of the school, Thomas Johansen, previously said that the doors could depict "any winter scene," so long as there are "no religious ties" — those with religious themes would be disqualified. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes submitted petitions signed by 200 students and a warning letter was sent by the Liberty Counsel resulting in a district e-mail to its employees: "Our school attorneys have advised us that the phrase ’no religious ties’ in the Winter Spirit Week Door Decorating rules is not in compliance with existing laws."
The American Family Association has ended its boycott against Target — a boycott that began because the retailer failed to include any mention of Christmas in its advertising and in-store promotions. The official statement from the Minneapolis-based company said, "Over the course of the next few weeks, our advertising, marketing and merchandising will become more specific to the holiday that is approaching — referring directly to holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah. For example, you will see reference to Christmas in select television commercials, circulars and in-store advertising. ... We do not have a policy or intention of excluding the word ’Christmas’ from our holiday advertising or marketing."
Officials with the Memphis Public Library system have agreed to allow figures representing Baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the wise men back into a nativity scene on the library’s community shelves after receiving a letter from the Alliance Defense Fund. The scene is part of the local Broadmoor Memphis Church Christmas show and announcement. But, officials with the Bartless Public Library had informed church members that "inappropriate" figures in the creche — specifically, those of the Baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the three magi — could not be displayed.
Christmas Without Christ
I’ve been reading about how Japan celebrates Christmas, which has become a major event over there. They put up decorations, exchange presents, send cards, sing yuletide songs, decorate trees, serve special seasonal treats (especially strawberry-decorated cakes), and make a big fuss over St Nick, Rudolph and Frosty. Their Santa is sometimes dressed like a Samurai (I wonder if he carries a sword). It is very important for single adults to have a date for a romantic dinner on Christmas Eve. And for reasons I couldn’t determine, a big Christmas tradition is attending a concert of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. The one thing the Japanese do not do at Christmas is honor Christ. That’s because Japan is nearly 99% Shinto and Buddhist. A missionary to Japan was asked if Christmas was Santa’s birthday. Only ½ of 1% of Japan’s population is Christian. So where do you think they got this commercial version of Christmas? From us. They are attracted to the glitter and romance of the American version of Christmas, and have adopted nearly everything except the spiritual significance of the season.
Contributed by: Robert Leroe
AT WAR OVER CHRISTMAS?
I know you are probably frustrated by the verbiage battles related to Christmas this year. Should we say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays? Should we have church on Christmas Sunday morning (December 25) or give everyone the day off? Should holiday decorations on public property include a nativity scene or not? It seems this Advent Season, more than ever, we are at war over Christmas. I hope not!!
You’d Better Watch Out
800 Christmas defense lawyers are coming to town.
A Christianity Today editorial | posted 12/16/2005 09:30 a.m.
Thanks to the calendar and retailer panic, the Christmas season came early this year. But not as early as the seasonal debate over public Christmas celebrations. The "December dilemma" is now stretching back into October.
It’s become a tradition of sorts: government workers muzzled from wishing people "Merry Christmas," carols squelched in city holiday parades, candy canes confiscated from public school classrooms. The First Amendment doesn’t prohibit any of these, but fear of offense (and of "theocracy") has kept such bans going. Similar fears have led to a separation of church and store, as businesses denude their "holiday" promotions of any reference to what the said "holiday" might be.
If we lived in Whoville, we might respond each and all with singing and joy, and without any gall. But this isn’t Whoville, and we’d rather brawl.
Or so it seems. On the punditry front, The War on Christmas, by Fox News’s John Gibson (not a churchgoer), is duking it out with How the Republicans Stole Christmas, by MSNBC’s Bill Press. "The war on Christmas really is a war on Christians," Gibson told Focus on the Family. "And they’ve gotten away with it."
Focus and others are determined to make sure "they" don’t get away with it any more. A press release for the Alliance Defense Fund’s Christmas Project warns of "more than 800 attorneys available nationwide to combat any improper attempts to censor the celebration of Christmas in schools and on public property." The Christmas Project is joined by other efforts, such as the Liberty Counsel’s Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign. Other Christian organizations are boycotting companies that wish "Happy Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas," and they have seen some success.
Such efforts may be perceived as brash or combative, but they work. The lawsuits may be particularly well timed this year, as retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s rule on government Christmas displays (frequently summarized as allowing crèches if they’re accompanied by a suitable number of plastic reindeer) has left a confusing mess.
Lawsuits and boycotts may be helpful and necessary. But the focus must be on upholding principles, not demonizing perceived enemies. There is true common ground: The ACLU, National Association of Evangelicals, National Council of Churches, Christian Legal Society, Jewish and Muslim groups, and the country’s largest teachers’ unions have agreed on an extensive set of guidelines for religious holidays in the public schools.
This is not the first "war" over the day. In the mid-1600s, British Parliament and the Massachusetts Bay Colony outlawed Christmas celebrations. The enemies of Christmas were the forerunners of modern evangelicals: the English Puritans. Not only was Christmas based in paganism, they argued, but much seasonal revelry remained so. "The generality of Christmas-keepers observe that festival after such a manner as is highly dishonorable to the name of Christ," wrote Increase Mather, the Boston Puritan. Historian Stephen Nissenbaum, in The Battle for Christmas, says the day "involved behavior that most of us would find offensive and even shocking today." As Puritans and their neighbors worked together to combat drunkenness and other riotous behavior associated with the day, Christmas returned, Nissenbaum writes, "embraced by different groups with different cultural agendas."
That’s worth remembering before we fight for Christmas in the name of cultural heritage. Our priority is not to make Christmas recognized in our society, but to make it religiously significant for the people who celebrate it. It’s not the crèche on the lawn that’s important. It’s whether we’re encouraging people to make room for the Christ child in their hearts.
Copyright © 2006 Christianity
Church on Christmas? Sorry, We’re Closed
Paul J. Dean
Pastor, Counselor & Professor
"There is an old carol that has a line that goes, ’And all the bells on earth shall ring, on Christmas Day, on Christmas Day, and all the bells on earth shall ring, on Christmas Day in the morning.’ If churches still bother with bells anymore, they won’t be ringing on Christmas Day in the morning this year. Chestnuts roasting on an open fire and presents under the tree are issuing a louder call."
So says Ingrid Schlueter as she laments the nation-wide news reports concerning churches closing on Christmas this year. For example, Fox News reports, "This Christmas, no prayers will be said in several mega-churches around the country. Even though the holiday falls this year on a Sunday, when churches normally host thousands for worship, pastors are canceling services, anticipating low attendance on what they call a family day."
The famous Willow Creek Church in South Barrington, Illinois is leading the way in this move saying they wanted people to be able to "be with their families on Christmas Day" rather than be in church.
Schlueter asks, "What does it say about the followers of Jesus Christ that the day on which his incarnation is remembered, there is no desire to gather corporately as the visible church on earth to worship at His feet? What does it say about our pastors and leaders who are more concerned about family values than emulating the example of the Magi in worshiping the long awaited Messiah?
They traveled a vast distance to find the Lord of glory in his humble home. We can’t be bothered to drive across town. What a searing indictment this is of those who claim to follow Christ." What an indictment indeed. This indictment raises a number of issues for the contemporary church.
First, there is the issue of the object of the Christian’s true devotion: Christ. He is more to be preferred than anything. He is the pearl of great price, the treasure in the field, the bread of life, and the living water that quenches our thirst in such a way that we will never thirst again. He satisfies completely and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore. When men prefer things over Christ, the heart of the problem is a problem with the heart.
We are not talking about law here. There is no Scripture that says we must be in church every time the door is open or that we must celebrate the birth of Christ. However, Christians go to church on the Lord’s Day out of love for Christ. Indeed it is a heart issue for those who choose to celebrate a cultural holiday bound up in materialism rather than gather with God’s people for worship on a day that has significant meaning in the Christian context.
What do I love more is the question we should be asking ourselves: Jesus or things? Part of the problem lies in the fact that many Christians have no concept of the all satisfying joy that is to be had in Christ. Some have not been discipled in that regard.
Others, sadly, are Christians in name only. Far too many Christians see church or worship as a duty rather than a delight. Again, this view is an issue of the heart. A heart transformed by the love and grace of Christ will find greater pleasure in Him than in anything. Yet, in our self-centered, Laodicean, and consumeristic culture, when Santa Claus and Jesus Christ compete, it is Santa Claus who wins. This reality should break our hearts.
Second, there is the issue of compromise. The commitment of the church is guided by the commitment of consumers rather than godly leaders. A certain mode of thinking exists in a great number of churches today that says we should give the people what they want rather than what they need. Addressing felt-needs is the watchword of our day. Of course, felt needs is simply another way of speaking of selfish desires.
Yet, we are told to survey the lost world and find out what they want in church and then provide it. Can anything be more completely contrary to the Scriptures? Lost people don’t know what they need. We are to be that city set upon a hill shining forth the light of the gospel that men might see their true need, come to Christ, and be saved.
Churches that fall into this mode of thinking are quite frankly man-centered as opposed to God-centered. The problem lies in the realty that such a commitment completely compromises the nature, mission, and work of the church. In the case before us and in a diversity of others, this mind-set leads to a bowing to secular culture rather than to the Lord of Glory.
David Wells, Professor of History and Systematic Theology at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary said, "This is a consumer mentality at work: Let’s not impose the church on people. Let’s not make church in any way inconvenient. I think what this does is feed into the individualism that is found throughout American culture, where everyone does their own thing." In Judges 17:6, the condemnation of God rests upon the development in Israel that everyone did that which was right in his own eyes. Such is the case in the Israel of God today.
Third, there is the issue of hypocrisy in light of the newly developing "Christmas Controversy." Fox News reports, "It is almost unheard of for a Christian church to cancel services on a Sunday, and opponents of the closures are accusing these congregations of bowing to secular culture." As am I. Further, "Critics within the evangelical community, more accustomed to doing battle with department stores and public schools over keeping religion in Christmas, are stunned by the shutdown."
While I think putting belligerent, public, organized economic pressure on department stores is misguided for a number of reasons, (not that I don’t take a personal stance), with my fellow evangelical critics, I too am stunned by the shutdown. Schlueter noted, "It is interesting that evangelicals are angrily signing petitions and calling up Wal-Mart and Lowe’s managers to demand that clerks say, ’Merry Christmas’ instead of ’Happy Holidays,’ but how many of them will find the doors of their own churches closed and the lights off on one of the high holy days of the Christian church year? Merry Christmas, indeed." Is not this development hypocrisy, or at the very least, spiritual schizophrenia?
Fourth, there is the issue of the message we send to a lost world. The world is watching this new trend and oddly enough, they are just as stunned as we are. Schlueter noted that the very fact that this trend is making headlines says the world has taken notice.
Further, "An NBC affiliate ran a poll on its website asking readers whether they approved of this trend or not. Last time I checked it, 72 percent of readers said they thought the trend was wrong. Even the world knows something is off here."
The world sees this move as compromise, as a lack of commitment to Christ, or to our claim, and no doubt as hypocritical. Surely and sadly, we are sending the message that Christ is not as important as we generally make Him out to be. Is that the message you want your church to send to a lost and dying world?
Fifth, there is the issue of replacing a focus on Christ with a focus on family. While family is certainly important, family means nothing apart from Christ. Moreover, if we vote to close the church on Sunday simply because Christmas falls on Sunday, what message do we send to our children? We in effect tell them that things are more important than Christ. We tell them that Christ is simply too inconvenient sometimes and that He is not really that important.
When we focus on the presents of Christmas morning to the exclusion of the worship of our God, we echo the words of Michael Douglas from the movie "Wall Street," "Greed is good." Materialism has come home to roost and we have become idolaters.
He may be fired for sticking to his beliefs.
Navy Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt is facing the end of a 14-year career because his commanding officer wants him to stop using the name of Jesus.
He said his commanding officer told a Navy board that, as a chaplain, he overemphasizes his own faith.
"He was talking about my sermons and prayers," Klingenschmitt said. "He specifically cited the chaplain school director who told him that I was an immature chaplain because I pray in Jesus’ name."
A 1998 regulation mandates that Navy Chaplains are not allowed to pray in the name of Jesus. But Klingenschmitt says it’s really a battle over First Amendment rights and religious freedom.
"You know our soldiers and sailors, they go overseas to promote religious freedom for other people," he said, "but here in America, they can’t even hear the diversity of religions from their own chaplains."
Jim Backlin, legislative director of the Christian Coalition, said he hopes President Bush will take note of the case.
"The president will see that there is great support for these Chaplain Klingenschmitts of the Navy and in the Air Force and do something about it," he told Family News in Focus. "We do need an executive order protecting the First Amendment rights of military chaplains and other members of the military to pray according to their faith."
Luke 2:1-20 NLT
At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, his fianc’e, who was obviously pregnant by this time. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.
8 That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, 10 but the angel reassured them. "Don’t be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! 11 The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!" 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others – the armies of heaven – praising God: 14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors. " 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.
New King James
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
Meaning of Christmas?
A television interviewer was walking the streets of Tokyo at Christmas time. Much as in America, Christmas shopping is a big commercial success in Japan. The interviewer stopped one young woman on the sidewalk, and asked, "What is the meaning of Christmas?"
Laughing, she responded, "I don’t know. Is that the day that Jesus died?"
There was some truth in her answer.
SOURCE: Donald Deffner, Seasonal Illustrations, San Jose: Resource, 1992, p. 16.
http://www.sermons.org/christmas5.html
I The Christmas Message of Joy v10
a. The message has a cause for the effect - The Savior has come
“Joy to the World ------ THE LORD IS COME -Let earth receive her king.”
b. The message had a sign - Wrapped in Clothes and lying in a manger” POOR
Cause =He is poor Effect- He will welcome shepherds
II The Christmas Message of Peace v14
a. Said by Multitude of Angels
b. Said to God
c. Said because of God’s intervention into human history - The Lord is Come.
III The Christmas Message of Good Will v14
a. IT must begin with God- God to men
b. Then it can be Men to Men -People to other People
c. If it doesn’t begin with God it is shallow, self seeking, soon gone.
Some Atheists Enjoy Christmas
Christmas isn’t just for Christians anymore.
Nearly half of adult Americans report they personally know someone who doesn’t believe in God but still will celebrate the yuletide this year, according to a survey of 1,001 people conducted by Scripps Howard News Service and Ohio University.
Significantly more people will set up a Christmas tree than will attend a worship service on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. And Americans overwhelmingly believe the holiday has become less focused on the birth of Jesus than it used to be.
"Historically, it has been a struggle for America to find meaningful holidays that include a sufficiently broad number of people. But Christmas seems to have many modes of interpretation upon which we can set our own personal needs," said University of Texas historian Penne Restad, author of the scholarly book "Christmas in America: A History."
"Christmas has become as much a celebration of community as it has a celebration of religion," she said.
The survey asked if "you, personally, know anyone who does not believe in God but still celebrates Christmas?" Forty-five percent answered yes, 51 percent said no and 4 percent were undecided.
"Sure I know people like that. I’m one of them," said New Yorker Ron Barrier, a leader of American Atheists, a 2,500-member national organization defending the rights and interests of atheists. "As a free thinker, I believe the holidays are a great tradition regardless of the underlying basis for them."
IV The Right Response to the Christmas Message v 15
a. A decision to go to Bethlehem
-because the message suggested smelly shepherds would be welcome
-Who watched the sheep????
b. A delight to run v16
-how did they find?
c. A desire to tell v17
d. A lasting affect - Left praising and glorifying God
-never were the same
-they had a God encounter
Conclusion: Like the shepherds you too have heard God’s Christmas message. Not as personally or directly, but after it has stood the test of time. It is still changing lives today. Like the shepherds though if you hear the Christmas message and you don’t come to the Savior personally- you won’t ever get the true joy, peace, and good will the Christmas message brings. The Christmas message is really not just information, but an invitation from God to you to come to the Savior and receive eternal life. Peace, Joy and good will are simply the by products of eternal life the savior gives. You can’t bypass the Christmas message, the manger, or the savior and still get peace, joy, and good will. It didn’t happen then, and it won’t happen this year either.
Twas The Night Before Jesus Came
Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house
Not a creature was praying, not one in the house.
Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care
In hopes that Jesus would not come there.
The children were dressing to crawl into bed,
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.
And Mom in her rocker with baby on her lap
Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.
When out of the East there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash!
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.
With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray
I knew in a moment this must be THE DAY!
The light of His face made me cover my head
It was Jesus returning just like He said
And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth,
I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.
In the Book of Life which He held in his hand,
Was written the name of every saved man.
He spoke not a word as he searched for my name;
When He said, “It’s not here” my head hung in shame.
The people whose names had been written with love,
He gathered to take to His Father above.
With those who were ready He rose without a sound
While all the rest of us were left standing around.
I fell to my knees, but it was too late;
I had waited too long and thus sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight;
Oh, if only I had been ready tonight.
In the words of this poem the meaning is clear;
The coming of Jesus is drawing near.There’s only one life and when comes the last call,
We’ll find that the Bible was true after all!
Copyright 1984, Bethany Farms
