Tag: Songs of the Season

Songs of the Season

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“For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

It’s the third Friday of the season of Advent, and that means it’s time for our final Song of the Season for this year. Christmas is a wonderful time for many, many people. There are just so many different things to look forward to. But it can also be hard. It can be hard when those elements weren’t ever present in someone’s life. It can be hard when they once were there but are gone now. For most people, there is at least one memory of a Christmas past when everything was perfect. It probably really wasn’t at the time – no time ever is – but it is frozen in our memories in such a way that all we see is the good. Christmas is often a time when we long for that. Today’s song takes us there. Pull out your tissues because this one might draw up some tears. Let’s listen to Freeze the Frame by Michael W. Smith.

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Songs of the Season

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“When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Our culture doesn’t like to wait. We have become an instant society. Everywhere we go and in almost everything we do we are finding ways all the time to get or experience what we want faster than we already do. We could easily point to things like microwaves, of course, but how about shipping on packages? Have you experienced yet ordering something and having it delivered to your house in under 24 hours? Grocery shopping used to be a chore. Now you can sit on your couch (or at your desk), order everything you want, and on your way home pull into the pick up spot, hit a few buttons on your phone, and be driving home in a few minutes with what would have taken you an hour to pick up on your own. It’s almost like we don’t really believe anything is worth waiting for anymore. But there are some things we have to wait for. Life doesn’t cooperate otherwise. God doesn’t cooperate otherwise. And today’s song of the season is a reminder that some things are worth the wait.

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Songs of the Season

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“Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

The time has come for one of my favorite annual traditions. Songs of the Season are back! There is no season with a musical collection associated with it like the Christmas season. The songbook itself is not only enormous, but each of the songs has been treated to an almost endless variety of covers. They have been reproduced in every genre, every style, by every artist imaginable. And more and more are being released each year. So, each year, during this special season, we take a look at a handful of the songs that have most caught my eye. This year we are going to start with my favorite song in a brand new version that…made a bit of a splash when it was released a few weeks ago. Let’s take a look at Skillet’s version of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.

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Songs of the Season: Luke 2:13-14

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“Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!'” (CSB – Read the chapter)

This is the final Friday of the season of Advent which means this is our final song of the season. I have been especially drawn this year back to the traditional Christmas carols when I have listened to Christmas music. There’s certainly an element of nostalgia there. Hearing and singing songs that remind me of good times in the past is heartwarming. I suspect you’re not so different from me in that regard. But the other reason I have been drawn back to those old songs in recent years is that I have become more and more aware of just how great are the truths those old songs proclaim. Many of those old carols make declarations and observations about Jesus that are deep and profound. By packaging such truths in wildly repeatedly forms, they have served as vehicles to help a culture that is awash in secularism to not lose sight entirely of what the season is really all about. Let’s talk for a few minutes this morning about Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.

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Songs of the Season: Colossians 1:15-16

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“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through him and for him.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

The idea of gods coming to Earth and posing as humans to be able to interact with their people is not one that was invented by Christians. Indeed, if the gods never interacted with their people at all, they would be far more difficult for us to worship. Many religions across human history, then, have included some sort of a story – and in the case of polytheistic religions, many stories – of gods putting on humanity like a disguise in order to be among their people for one reason or another. But Christianity did introduce to the world the idea of a god becoming fully human. Throughout the Advent season we are preparing to celebrate the fact that God became a man. The ruler and creator of the world took on human flesh as a newborn baby. Today’s song of the season celebrates the wonder of this reality in a powerful way. Here is Manger Throne from Phil Wickham.

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