Why Don't You?
- Why Don't You Talk About The Sermon? (1)
- Go on a short-term mission trip? (2)
- Serve On A Camp (3)
- Why don't you practise hospitality? (5)
- Why Don't You Sing Carols? (6)
Have you ever thought about why and, perhaps more personally, how we sing carols? I must admit I wasn’t keen on some of the mushier aspects and poetic license when I was younger. Over time though I’ve learned to appreciate that many carols contain wonderful truths about the nativity. Often, nostalgia and familiarity are the very things that people seek out at Christmas whether or not they usually come to church.
How do you worship at Christmas? Maybe you love singing everything and you throw yourself in with gusto! Or maybe you don’t really like singing or find carols just a bit twee and embarrassing? Let’s take a look at the gospel of Luke and think about one of the first instances of carolling.
The first carols
The shepherds are some of the first to hear the news of Jesus’ birth. The way they acted, spoke and worshipped when they heard the news from the angels is a great story. Imagine sitting on a dark hillside watching over your sheep, looking out for danger – wolves, bears and thieves. Perhaps chatting quietly, the same as every other night. Watching. Suddenly there is an explosion of light in the sky with a host of angels singing! The most light and noise you have ever experienced! Imagine the shock and the fear. Luke tells us that these guys are terrified. Yet the news is amazing. Good news of great joy; news for everyone; news of the long-awaited Messiah! Watchful shepherds, a waiting nation and suddenly the news is here.
In the deathly hush, following the uproarious noise of angel worship, the shepherds leap into action. Let’s go, let’s see this thing we have heard. Off they hurry and so they find the fulfilment of prophecy, the climax of history and the focus of theology. The most earth-shattering, momentous event ever. The birth of the Son of God, the incarnation of the one true God! Here are the shepherds to witness it and, as they demonstrate, to bear witness to it! Their action continues, as with enthusiasm and urgency they spread the news of what they have seen and heard. Their witness is not half-hearted or lack-lustre. Their witness is enthusiastic, descriptive, and full of wonder causing all who hear to be amazed. They are so overwhelmed by the message of good news and joy that it spills out of them. In the darkness, a message of light has come. As they tell everyone and as they return to the hills their hearts and words overflow into worship. They are the first people carolling, worshipping happily.
At Christmas, we have wonderful news to share. This can, for some of us, feel scary and pressurised. How do we share what we believe? We can think, ‘Oh no not me!’ If only there could be a way of joining in corporately with an acceptable way of telling the Christmas story, well then of course I’d join in happily. That is what carols can be. A way of relaying the story of the incarnation, telling it together, in an acceptable way. We can throw ourselves into carols with enthusiasm, carrying one another along with familiar words because the message is true. Jesus has come.
The words are a witness and the way we worship is a witness. This Christmas, why don’t you try singing carols with energy and passion? Worshipping like the shepherds, witnessing like the shepherds and praying that all who hear will be newly amazed!
