The Real Song of Christmas

There is an incredibly worrying trend in our society.

Christmas music is being played earlier and earlier.

Last year, I was sat in Costa Coffee on November 8th and was already being serenaded by Slade, Wizzard, Shakin’ Stevens and, of course, Mariah with their festive offerings. The boys of the NYPD choir were already singing ‘Galway Bay’ at a time when it was seriously meteorologically improbable that any snow would be fallin’. If we carry on this way, in a few years’ time, we will be putting up trees in September.

The thing is, I love the songs of Christmas.

Christmas is a sensory experience. The smells of the tree and food, the sight of the bright lights in the darkness, the feel of garish festive jumpers, the tastes of mince pies, mulled wine and cinnamon treats and the sound of bells and carols. You can hear Christmas coming… And it turns out Christmas songs go a long way back.

Many will feel their age when considering Band Aid is 35 years old this year.

Rewind a few more decades to the chestnuts roasting on an open fire in the 1940s.

We began singing Good King Wenceslas in 1853.

But today I'm remembering an anthem from the very first Christmas, from the praises of angels on a hillside. Interestingly, despite the claims of many of our favourite carols, the Bible doesn’t actually say these words were sung, but within them we find heaven’s heralding that something seismic is happening: ‘I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a saviour has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord.’ (Luke 2:10-11) May you hear today the real song of Christmas: that there is good news… a saviour has been born to you.

At Christmas, the glad tidings we celebrate is that God is with us: he really did come to us in our mess. But it is not just that he is with us, the good news is that he has come to save us. A saviour has been born. He is not just Immanuel, ‘God with us’, he is Jesus, ‘God saves.’

If our greatest need 2000 years ago was enlightenment, God would have sent a philosopher.

If it were for health, he would have sent a doctor.

If it were for entertainment, he would have sent Netflix (other streaming services are available).

But our greatest need then was the same as it is now. We need forgiveness. So God sent a saviour.

Today may you hear sung over you the greatest song of all; that you are loved beyond your wildest imaginations, that the baby in the manger grew up and died a criminal’s death so you could be free from your past and have hope for the future.

Let that chorus sink in for a moment.

You don’t just passively listen to the best songs, they invite you in. This Christmas don’t let the good news of the angels wash passively over you. Hear the invitation to join in with its melody, feel its rhythm and sing along. May you not only just listen this refrain of redemption, may it capture your heart and be on the tip of your tongue. Our society desperately needs to hear this anthem of the angels 2000 years on.

We need to be good news people in a bad news world.

So in the musical sweatshirts, the John Lewis adverts, listen, remember the song
In the activity remember the nativity, your pain and shame undone
For to you a son is given, over you a song is sung
But don't just remember, respond and surrender, for Christ the saviour is born.

Watch Phil's spoken word piece, 'Instead of You'