I have always loved Christmas and everything about the season.  I love the gatherings with family and friends, the lights and decorations, and especially the music. While you can get all of the Christmas music (the music that sings of the birth of Jesus Christ) that you want on the radio as early as October, the music of Advent (the time of anxiously awaiting the coming of Jesus and the four Sundays of preparing our hearts to receive the gifts of Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace that he brings) is usually only heard on the first two Sundays of Advent.  I personally think that this is a shame, because this music is full of poetic imagery that hints of our salvation with texts set to some of the most beautiful melodies in our hymnal.  When I read that Pastor Marc’s sermon is  A Prologue to Liberation and the scripture reading is Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus, my mind immediately went to the first Sunday of Advent.  As Dwight and I talked about the theme for the weekend and the possibility of using Advent music in May, we took the idea and ran with it.  So today you will hear some beloved music from Advent and Christmas, making this the most unique hymn line up for a Mothers’ Day weekend that I can remember.

Matthew 1:18-25  ~ The Birth of Jesus the Messiah 18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah[i] took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son;[j] and he named him Jesus.

Hymn of Adoration ~ Come O Long-expected Jesus  

The text was written by the beloved hymnist Charles Wesley, and was later set to the familiar hymn tune HYFRYDOL.  Charles Wesley is known for being one of the first hymn writers to combine the accepted practice of singing straight from the scriptures with the use of text that has a personal application.  The first verse of the hymn begins with the prophecy from scripture, “Come, O long-expected Jesus, born to set your people free” then moves on to the very personal statement that Jesus is the, “Joy of many longing hearts.”

Hymn of Reflection ~ Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

This hymn dates back to Fifth Century Orthodox churches, and its haunting melody is quite captivating.  The poetry of the second verse powerfully tells of Christ being both fully human and fully divine and of his ultimate sacrifice for humanity singing, “Truly God, yet born of Mary, as of old on earth he stood, Word of God, in human vesture, in the body and the blood.  Christ will give to all the faithful his own self for heavenly food.”

Hymn of Parting ~ Lift Up Your Heads, O Mighty Gates

This is the Advent hymn that I am most excited to be using today!  I absolutely love the way that Dwight plays this hymn, and I hate that we only get to hear it once a year.  This hymn was written by Georg Weissel who lived through repeated plagues and the 30 Years’ War in Germany.  The text is based on Psalm 24 verses 7 and 8 which reads, “Open up, ancient gates!  Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter.  Who is the King of glory?  The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, invincible in battle.”  Weissel recognized Jesus’ birth as the ultimate fulfillment of the ancient psalmist’s praise, and despite all of the death and destruction he had seen in his life he penned these words of hope and praise.  I love the text of the second verse, and for me it is epitome of the spirit of Advent and the new hope of new life that we can receive through Jesus Christ.  In this verse we sing this powerful command, “Fling wide the portals of your heart; make it a temple, set apart from earthly use for heaven’s employ, adorned with prayer and love and joy.”

Brothers and sisters, I hope that today as you worship from your homes you are able to feel the Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace of Jesus Christ, and I pray this prayer for you, paraphrased from the third and fourth verses of our closing hymn:

“Redeemer, come!  We open wide our hearts to you; here, Christ, abide!  Let us your inner presence feel, your grace and love in us reveal.  Come, our Sovereign; enter in!  Let new and nobler life begin.  May your Holy Spirit guide us on, until the glorious crown is won.  Amen.”

Friedens United Church of Christ is an Open and Affirming congregation on the South Side of Indianapolis. In response to Coronavirus and the COVID-19 Pandemic, we are currently recording and posting our worship services online. We invite you to worship with us remotely until it is safe for us to once again meet on our campus.