December 21, 2024 • 48 mins
There’s nothing that warms the heart like great Christmas hymns. And on this Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman, a best-of Christmas broadcast shares the stories behind some of those unforgettable songs. David and Barbara Leeman will take us on a guided tour of music that has stood the test of time. Don’t miss the inspiration, comfort and joy on Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman.
Featured resource: HOSANNA IN EXCELSIS: HYMNS AND DEVOTIONS FOR THE CHRISTMAS SEASON
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Episode Transcript
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S1 (00:00):
Rich theological truths set to unforgettable music. That's what you're
in store for today on building relationships with Doctor Gary Chapman.
S2 (00:08):
Christmas songs and Christmas carols are all around us, and
I think it's a it's a wonderful way to introduce
the gospel in a non-threatening way to the world.
S3 (00:17):
I think we need to help those growing up in
this culture today to understand there's a whole different issue
at Christmas and Santa is not God.
S1 (00:31):
Welcome to building relationships with Doctor Gary Chapman, author of
the New York Times best seller The Five Love Languages. Today,
a husband and wife musical team join us to lead
us into the hymns and carols of Christmas.
S4 (00:43):
David and Barbara Lehman have put together a fantastic resource
for this festive time of year. We're coming back to
it here on the Saturday before Christmas. It's titled Hosanna
in Excelsis Hymns and Devotions for the Christmas Season. Find
out more at five Love languages.com. And when we aired
this program, the first time, I asked Gary if his
(01:05):
heart is for people to encounter the real meaning of
what we celebrate at Christmas.
S5 (01:12):
Well, you're right, Chris. You know, I think sometimes the
Jingle Bells and Santa Claus kind of takes over in
people's minds. And I'm all for whatever, you know is joyful.
But the most joyful thing about Christmas is the birth
of Christ, you know? So the more we can do
to focus people on that. Yeah, I think that's what
(01:35):
every pastor, every Christian really desires.
S6 (01:37):
Yes.
S4 (01:38):
David and Barbara Lehman are both graduates of Biola University
School of Music. David's a retired director of music and worship.
Barbara has taught music at a private Christian school in Texas. Together,
they wrote and published Hosanna Loud Hosanna, which is a
student hymnal that's widely used in churches and Christian schools
(02:00):
and homes are featured. Resource today, though, is their book
Hosanna in Excelsis Hymns and Devotions for the Christmas Season.
I'm holding it in my little hands right now and
it's such a great resource. You can find out more
about it at Five Love languages.com.
S5 (02:17):
Well, David and Barbara, welcome to Building Relationships.
S2 (02:20):
Thank you.
S3 (02:21):
Thank you so much. It's a great privilege.
S5 (02:23):
David, you and Barbara have created a company and a
website called Hosanna. hymnals.com. Tell us why you started that endeavor.
S3 (02:33):
We have always believed that the greatest is what we
offer to God. Uh, the finest, the best of anything.
And we also believe that in regard to music. And so,
as Chris mentioned a moment ago, some years ago, we
put together a book that we say is for students
(02:54):
of all ages, but it's a list of 115 hymns
that include the biographies of the author and composer, and
then a devotional about it. Schools have used them as
their primary book for chapel. A lot of homeschoolers use it.
About two years ago, we felt we needed to do
(03:16):
one of just Christmas hymns, and so that, along with
the Student Hymnal, has formed this. Hosanna! Hymnals company. And
that's what we're doing.
S5 (03:29):
Well, I'm excited about this book. I think it's going
to help a lot of us focus in on the
heart of Christmas. Barbara, why is singing so important? What
happens when we sing together?
S2 (03:40):
Two really good questions when I speak to young, young moms,
first grade moms every year teaching them why singing is
important or why music is important, I said, well, the
first thing I think is because it's important to God.
Take your take your Bible and open it to the
middle and you will find the largest book of the Bible.
They're called the Psalms. It's basically a hymn book right
(04:02):
in the middle of the Bible. And these were written
to be sung. They're not it's not just poetry. They're
songs to be sung in praise to God. So God
has given us this huge, um, amount of poetry and
beauty to praise him with. So that's why it's important,
number one. Number two, I tell them that it's important
that we sing because we are redeemed people. We have
(04:26):
a song to sing. The very first hymn recorded in
the Bible is in the book of Exodus, after the
crossing of the Red sea. And the people had left
their enemies behind and they were rejoicing. And the first
thing they did was saying, I will sing unto the Lord,
for he has triumphed gloriously, the horse and rider thrown
into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation. That is our song.
(04:49):
We are redeemed people. So it's important that we sing,
and it's important that we sing together because it creates
a solidarity. The family becomes united, the generations become united.
The hymns that we have chosen are cross-denominational. So the
denominations become united in one voice of praising God for
our redemption.
S5 (05:10):
David. Many churches have moved away from traditional hymns and
they sing more contemporary songs. What are we missing by
not singing the hymns that people have been singing for
hundreds of years?
S3 (05:25):
If you think of our song canon in churches, what
we generally sing as like a photograph book of history
of your family. Uh, by not singing the hymns, it's
as if we've pulled out all the pictures of Grandma
and grandpa or great grandma and great grandpa, and said,
(05:47):
we only want to see the people that are alive today.
There's nothing wrong with seeing the people that are alive
today or singing or singing contemporary songs. But shouldn't we
look at what the legacy was left for us by
people who wrote these hymns hundreds, even thousands of years
ago that are so good. They're so such quality that
(06:11):
we still sing them today. They've passed that test of time.
So while we think that we can sing all kinds
of hymns and psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, according
to the Apostle Paul, we wonder if we've left off
too many of the ones that really nurture us and
feed us both on the Christian wisdom that people like
(06:36):
Charles Wesley, Isaac Watts and others bring to us. But
we really give only what's contemporary the priority. And there's again,
nothing wrong with the contemporary. We're not against that. We're
just saying don't throw out that which has stood and
(06:56):
served us and still teaches us today.
S5 (07:00):
Yeah, I hear you saying we need the old and
the new together.
S3 (07:03):
That's right. That's right.
S5 (07:04):
Yeah. Yeah. Well, I certainly agree with that. You know, Barbara,
you and David created a unique devotional for the Christmas season.
What did you want to show the reader about the
songs that you chose?
S2 (07:16):
I think a lot of what Dave has just said,
that we want to bring to them from the Christmas season,
some of the greatest Christian spiritual poetry that's ever been written.
We want them to to learn these songs and pass
them down to future generations and preserve them. Secondly, it
is so difficult sometimes at Christmas time to focus on
(07:38):
what's true and real moms are caught up. I raised
four children and I remember the days of I could
hardly wait till Christmas was over just because it was
so much work and so much stress. And I think
that's that's more and more they're. So I think that
getting into these hymns and these carols and singing them
together brings us back to what is true and what
(07:59):
is simple and what is good and what is beautiful. Yeah.
And the third thing is that I think children first
hear about Jesus and understand Jesus at the Nativity. They
relate to the baby. And when we did our first hymnal,
we started with the Christmas section because that this is
where children start with Jesus as he's a child and
(08:21):
in the manger growing up. And also Christmas songs and
Christmas carols are all around us. And I think it's
a it's a wonderful way to introduce the gospel in
a non-threatening way to the world.
S5 (08:34):
David, can you give an example of a Christian Carol,
and give us some of the background of it, so
that our listeners get a feel for what you're doing
in this book?
S3 (08:42):
Sure. But even before I do that, if I might, uh,
Doctor Chapman, I'd like to add to what Barbara just said.
The sad thing of our world today is that when
you ask many people, what's your favorite Christmas song? At
least young people and children are going to say Jingle
(09:02):
Bells or Santa is coming to town. We really believe
that this is needed to to bring back into the
home some of the wonderful songs. I think as John MacArthur.
That said, it's so ironic that Santa Claus has become
a godlike character who visits every home, who knows whether
(09:23):
you've been naughty or nice, and if you were nice,
he gives you a good gift, and if you're naughty,
he gives you a coal. I think we need to
help those growing up in this culture today to understand
there's a whole different issue at Christmas and Santa is
not God. And so we we chose songs that not
(09:44):
only talk about the birth, but that explain the incarnation,
Because that's the doctrine that is so vital. I mean,
we can't really believe in the resurrection unless we believe
in the incarnation that God became man. And so there's
(10:04):
so many carols I could give you example of, but
perhaps the finest one and actually is very popular is
Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Uh, and it was written
by a pastor, Charles Wesley. Uh, the music by one
of the finest composers in history, Felix Mendelssohn. And what's
(10:24):
so remarkable about Hark the Herald Angels sing is that
it's filled with the theology and scripture that tells us
what the incarnation was, and that gives us the gospel
veiled in flesh, the Godhead see. Hail the incarnate deity.
(10:45):
You know, I sang for a number of years in
a large symphony chorus in Dallas, and was around people
of all stripes, denominations or are not. Probably the majority
were not believers. And yet we would sing Hark the
Herald Angels Sing in our Christmas concerts. And I always wondered,
(11:05):
what in the world do they think this is about?
Born to give them second birth. They have no idea
what they're singing. They just happily sing it because it's
a pretty tune. But if you look at it as
a believer and you study that text, you'll see so
(11:25):
many quotations from Scripture packed that really helps people to
understand the incarnation.
S5 (11:34):
Yeah. And I think in families, as we sing songs
like that and discuss them with our children at whatever
age they may be, we're helping them understand the concept
of God becoming man.
UU (11:48):
Hides the Herald Angels sing glory to the newborn King.
S1 (12:00):
This is building relationships with Doctor Gary Chapman. Our guests
are David and Barbara Lehman, authors of Hosanna in Excelsis
Hymns and Devotions for the Christmas Season. You can find
out more at Five Love languages.com. Well, coming up, the
oldest Christmas hymn, Straight Ahead on Moody Radio.
UU (12:19):
Brings praise with healing in his wings. Smiley faces, glory
by honor. Prayer. No more may die. Born to raise us.
(12:40):
Sons of earth. Born to give him Them. Second birth. Hark!
The herald angels sing. Glory to the newborn King. Of
(13:08):
the father's love begotten. Ere the worlds began to be.
He is orphaned. Omega. He the source, the ending.
S7 (13:25):
He.
S1 (13:26):
This is building relationships with Doctor Gary Chapman, author of
the New York Times bestseller The Five Love Languages. If
you want to hear a passed program, take an assessment
of your love language or see our featured resource today,
go to five Love languages.com. It's written by David and
Barbara Lehman and it's titled Hosanna in excelsis. Hymns and
(13:46):
devotions for the Christmas Season. You can find out more
at Five Love languages.com.
S5 (13:53):
Barbara. Before the break, David gave us one of the
great hymns at Christmas time. How about one of the
carols that has meant a lot to you and speaks
deeply to you?
S2 (14:02):
One of my favorite carols in the book is probably
the oldest text that we have in the book. It
comes from the fifth century, and it's a carol, number
eight of the Father's Love begotten. The two name is
Divinum Mysterium, divine mystery, and it makes the incarnation and
the birth of Christ so mystical and so beautiful. And
(14:25):
I love it because it basically originates in John one.
In the beginning was the word, and the word was
with God, and the word was God. He was in
the beginning with God. All things were made through him,
and without him was not anything made that was made.
In him was life, and the life was the light
of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the
(14:47):
darkness is not overcome it. And then verse 14, and
the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we
have seen his glory, glory as of the only son
from the father, full of grace and truth. Those words
are are mysterious when you read them in a way.
And the carol, I think, underscores that of the father's
(15:08):
love begotten ere the worlds began to be. He is
Alpha and Omega, he the source, the ending, he of
the things that are and have been. And that future
years shall see evermore and evermore. It's put out plainsong
chant from the 12th century that is so well paired
with the words. And then the second verse has a
(15:30):
phrase in it. It's talking about that Mary has, by
the Holy Ghost, conceived and bore the Savior of our race.
And the babe, the world's Redeemer first revealed his sacred face.
When I first thought that to the children that I
was teaching, it just grabbed me in a way that
suddenly in the manger, we had all of human history.
(15:52):
We had, from the promises and the prophets and the
history of Israel. Suddenly the promise was here, and there
was his face right before them. And that just explodes
my imagination. I think of Simeon in the temple, 400
years of silence. He was aware of that since they
had heard from the prophets. And yet he held in
his arms and wanted to behold that sacred face. And
(16:14):
what a blessed story that is in our Christmas chapel
that we did every year at my school. This was
held a very special place. This particular song and the
children that read that scripture before it from John one,
were usually a first grader and a second grader, and
these children would read that it was a service of
(16:36):
lessons of carols that we put together for our Christmas program.
And after they would read that and we would sing
that carol. It was just a very moving and stunning
moment in our in our chapel.
S5 (16:47):
Yeah. So you're looking back with a lot of memories
of that particular. A lot of memories. Yeah. With with
young children. That's wonderful. Uh, David, what do you hope
happens as individuals or families go through this devotional together?
S3 (17:02):
Well, obviously, we're hoping that they begin to love these
hymns that can feed their souls, feed their families souls.
We hope that it draws them together. There's something about
singing together that's unique. I never saw it, uh, exemplified
(17:23):
more than years ago, after nine over 11, when all
of the Congress stood on the steps of the Capitol
and sang together God Bless America. Why did they do that?
What caused them to think that singing was so important
at this point? Well, it's almost indefinable, but it obviously
drew them together and allowed them to say as one.
(17:45):
This is how we feel right now. Yeah, and that's
what we do with Christmas. If we sing together as
a as a church, as a small group, as a
Sunday school class or as a family, it draws us together.
It unites us in what we believe and what we
think we should be doing about this time of the year.
S5 (18:05):
A lot of us are wishing they could still get
on the steps and sing together. David.
S3 (18:10):
Yeah, that's for sure.
S5 (18:12):
Yeah. Well, you know, Covid might be the thing that
brings us together eventually. I don't know.
S3 (18:18):
But it might be.
S5 (18:19):
Yeah. You know, Barbara, you divided this collection into three sections.
Tell us what they are and why you divided them
this way.
S2 (18:28):
Well, the Christmas season has three portions to it. And
I think in America today we think about Christmas Day.
And that's Christmas is one day of the year. But
in the Christian year, it begins four Sundays before Christmas
with advent. Advent is a word that means waiting or coming.
And we're celebrating the waiting or the coming not only
of Christmas that year, but we're remembering the long wait
(18:50):
that Israel had waiting for their Redeemer. And I think
it's important that we remember that, and we teach our
children that and that. I have a little poem again,
back to my teaching days advent, Christmas, epiphany, Lent and Easter. Alleluia.
And a Pentecost event. Christian year. Christian year. Celebrate the
seasons of the Christian year as our children learn that
(19:13):
every year it helped them. I felt like it helped
introduce the gospel story through the life of Christ to children.
I did not grow up in a liturgical church that
celebrated the different seasons of the Christian year, but I
found that I grew to love them as an adult
when I understood them better. When I understand the coming
of Christ and waiting and lighting the advent calendars, that
(19:33):
brings great meaning and anticipation to something besides opening up
presents on Christmas morning. And then of course, Christmas is
our second section and we call it in our book.
We call it the Nativity. This all the songs in
that section starts before Christmas, but they're all songs of
the angels and the Nativity, the story of the birth.
(19:55):
And then after Christmas Day begins the season of epiphany.
I think this one is probably the least known of
the three, the three sections, or the three seasons of
the Christmas year to us. And yet, to me, it's
wonderful because epiphany is about the story of the three
wise men coming. They follow the light. Light is a
(20:16):
sign of epiphany. Epiphany is a word that means I
get it. I finally understand it's an epiphany to me.
The light bulb goes on and the light bulb that
goes on that is so amazing is that Jesus did
not just come to the Jewish people, the Israelites. He
came for all of us. We are the ones who
we Gentiles are the ones who were afar off and
(20:39):
brought near. So I think epiphany is totally appropriate for
us to celebrate after Christmas, because it's the part of
the Christmas story where we come in that includes us.
And I love teaching that to the children every year
as we go through those, the various carols. I wanted
to make note to it that we have a section
(20:59):
that describes each of those in our book, advent, The Nativity,
and epiphany. But we also placed poetry, Old English poetry
that we found by Robert Herrick, uh, before the advent.
What sweeter music can we bring than a carol for
to sing the next two sections of John Milton's poem
on Christmas morning? We took selections from that to help
(21:23):
just add beauty to the book, describing a more beautiful
way those three seasons of Christmas.
S5 (21:30):
Yeah. You know, I'm guessing, Barbara, that a lot of
us who did not grow up in liturgical Surgical churches
really have never really sensed the depth of what you
just walked us through. You know, advent, Nativity, epiphany. And
that's why I think this book is going to be
kind of a fresh light on the whole Christmas season
(21:51):
for for many Christians who did not grow up in liturgical,
you know, services. So, you know, to me, I think
you're giving a great service just in those three things,
you know, and focusing on those three things. So thank.
S2 (22:04):
You.
S5 (22:05):
David. We usually use the term Christmas carols, but you're
calling them Christian hymns. What's the difference?
S3 (22:14):
Well they're really synonymous, but with a distinction. A carol
is not necessarily a sacred song. The people that call
Jingle Bells A Christmas Carol. Uh, maybe as Christians we
we wouldn't. But to the world, that's what's seen. And
generally the word carol To find something that's a little
(22:36):
bit light hearted and you can dance to. It has
that sense, but these songs in the book could be
called carols, but we called them hymns because hymns are
always a sacred text, a text about a deity. And
(22:56):
so that's what they are to us. But again, they're both.
S5 (23:01):
Yeah. Okay. So we have a choice. We can sing
Christmas hymns or Christmas carols. I like that distinction because
I think you're exactly right. Barbara, give us another Carol
and give us the story again.
S2 (23:13):
This is a carol by association. I love by association.
It's called Once in Royal David's City. It was written
by an Irish woman, Cecil Alexander, who started writing poetry
very young and continued to write. And she decided to
do a set of poems to teach children the meaning
of each of the phrases of the Apostles Creed. And
(23:36):
she wrote once in Royal David's City for the for
the part of the creed that says, born of a virgin,
and laid in a manger, born of the Virgin Mary.
And so it begins with telling that that sweet, simple story,
another word about her that I just wanted to say
is that I want us to remember that these people
who wrote these were they were they were poets. They
(23:59):
were learned people. And of this particular author, one time
she wrote a poem called The Burial of Moses, and
it caused Alfred, Lord Tennyson, to say that it was
one of the few poems by another author that he
wished he himself had written. And I tell that story
just to say it elevates who we're reading, and the
worth of why it is important for us to pay
attention to these kind of old, dusty poems, maybe that
(24:22):
we haven't thought about in a long time. Again, this
song is used in the lessons in carol service that
King's College does, and each year it begins the service.
And several years ago, at the um, encouragement of one
of our parents, school parents and board members. His name
is Stephen Neilson. I don't know if any of you
(24:42):
are familiar with Stephen, but he's a concert pianist who
used to be part of the duo Neilson and Young.
And he suggested to me, why don't we do a
service of lessons and carols? And then he proceeded to
help us each year, put this together. And also he
I just want you to know that the piano recording
we have of all these carols is Stephen Neilson playing.
(25:02):
So you can sing as a family, being accompanied by
a concert pianist, if you care to, to do that. Anyway,
at the beginning of the service we have the service
starts with my great privilege. Every year was to choose
the child that would learn the first verse and would
sing it acapella unaccompanied to begin the service. And the
(25:25):
most poignant point of that service to me was after
a beautiful prelude, the church is quiet, probably 1000 1200
people sitting in silence, and they're all waiting for one thing.
They're waiting to hear that small voice from the back
of the room, begin acapella and walk down the aisle
singing this one simple, beautiful verse together and alone. And
(25:47):
then we join on the second verse, a whole congregation.
To me, that was a more moving than any Christmas
pageant that you could ever, you could ever put on,
because it was a group of people and parents and
students and children joining together and singing that wonderful story
and waiting for that moment when the when the story
(26:07):
was told. Once in Royal David's city stood a lowly
manger shed. And then it goes on to talk about
Jesus as our childhood pattern. And our eyes at last
shall see him. It takes us on to heaven, all
of the stories there.
UU (26:21):
And our eyes at last shall see him through his John.
Redeeming love for the child. So dear and gentle is
our Lord in heaven above. And he leads his children
(26:52):
on to the place where he is gone.
S1 (27:05):
Well, this is building relationships with Doctor Gary Chapman. Our
featured resource today is Hosanna in Excelsis Hymns and Devotions
for the Christmas Season. You can find out more at
Five Love languages.com. You can also hear podcast of today's program,
or see when Gary's coming to your area for a seminar,
and you can find out more about our guests, David
and Barbara Lehman. Just go to five Love languages.com.
S5 (27:29):
Barbara, in this past segment, you gave us a visual
picture of a student, a young student, maybe a first grader,
singing a cappella, the first stanza of this song. So
we got this picture in our minds. Now we're seated
there with these 1200 people. Read that stanza again, and
let us all experience the truth about which this child
(27:52):
is singing happily.
S2 (27:55):
Once in Royal David's city stood a lowly cattle shed,
where a mother laid her baby in a manger for
his bed. Mary was that mother mild. Jesus Christ, her
little child.
S5 (28:11):
Wow. I think all of us can feel that. You know,
we could, we can. We can see that child singing
it and we can see what the child is singing about.
So I did that because I want our listeners to
get a feel for what this devotional book can really
do for them individually as well as for for the family. So, David,
(28:33):
give us another Carol and the story.
S3 (28:36):
Well, let me talk about one that when it was
written in the 1800s, would never have been sung in church.
And the reason is it would have been considered much,
much too frivolous, too happy. And they were somber and
severe in their celebration of worship. And yet it was, uh,
(28:58):
probably used because the people loved it so much. But
no one claimed the authorship. It's totally, uh, anonymous because
they didn't want to be censored by the church. Do
you have any guess as to what that Carol is?
It's God rest you merry, gentlemen.
S5 (29:17):
Oh, really? Yes.
S3 (29:20):
So we don't know exactly when it was written. Uh,
the precise date, uh, and obviously who wrote it, but
somewhere in the 1800s, and it brought joy to people.
Charles Dickens employed the song in A Christmas Carol, but
it was way too much joy for Scrooge. He rejected
it and all it could proclaimed. But we think it's
(29:43):
a wonderful song. It's a little bit more horizontal in
direction than vertical toward God. It's really to encourage one another.
God rest you, you see, and don't let anything dismay you. Remember, Christ,
our Savior was born on Christmas Day to save us
from Satan's power when we had gone, gone astray. And
(30:06):
then it always ends with this short refrain O tidings
of comfort and joy. Two pillars that the songwriter said
we need in our lives. And oh boy, is it
not true today. Comfort and joy. Wow. And so it's
a great song to take. uh, we always try to
(30:27):
do some caroling in our neighborhood. I played the accordion,
and I strap it on and grab another few Christian
families and walk up and down our street singing songs
like God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen and others that are
familiar because we think it's a wonderful way to share
Christ at Christmas with our neighbors.
S5 (30:47):
Yeah. Well, I hope Covid will not keep you from
doing that this year. You know, maybe they can stand
six feet apart while they sing. Okay.
S3 (30:55):
Of course. Of course. And at least we're outside.
S5 (30:59):
Absolutely. You know, Barbara, I know that you have a
heart for those who feel intimidated about singing with others,
you know, in a public gathering or maybe sometimes even
in the family. And they feel like they can't sing well,
you know, and so they're reticent. What would you say
to those people?
S2 (31:16):
Well, the first thing I would say to them is sing.
S5 (31:20):
Uh.
S2 (31:21):
God has given us the gift of song to all
people and every person that can speak can sing. And
I think that the culture has given us a different
message telling us, well, there are singers and there are listeners,
and I often have people say to me, oh, you
don't want to hear me sing? And I would like
to say to them, oh, yes, I would love to
hear you sing. And I think that the fact is
(31:42):
that people feel because of this performance mentality that we
have had, which was really only been around the last
couple of hundred years, I think before that everyone sang more.
That was the only music. If you wanted music, you
provided it for yourself. But that performance mentality has given
us a sense that we're being judged by our singing,
and no one should ever feel judged by their singing.
(32:04):
And so I would simply encourage people, even if you
haven't grown up singing or you're not used to it,
just just try, you know, just get it out there.
I think parents of young children know that your young
child can learn to sing. It's much harder as an adult,
but little children can all learn to sing. And so
that guess that's one of my, um, vocations in life,
(32:26):
is to encourage people to sing.
S5 (32:29):
You know, I'm thinking also, if you're standing in a
congregation singing and you happen to be a musician, I mean,
you know, a trained musician, I hope in hearing the
person next to you maybe missing a note here or there,
you would just say, God bless them. I'm glad they're singing.
S3 (32:46):
Amen.
S5 (32:48):
Amen. Absolutely. Well, David, there's a song you included that
I don't think I've ever heard. Why did you include.
Here's the name of the song on Jordan's bank, The
Baptist's Cry.
S3 (33:01):
Well, it's not talking about Baptists by denomination, but it's
talking about John the Baptist, who obviously had a very
important part in the Christmas story because he was a
foreteller of Jesus. And I think he needs to have
some recognition for that. And so this, this great hymn, uh,
(33:25):
it is true. I'm not surprised you don't know it. Uh,
not very many people sing it. Although would you believe
it's found in 145 modern hymnals? But it was written
in the late 1600s and, uh, by a person who
was trying to teach people against some of the doctrines
(33:49):
of the Catholic Church. And, uh, he it's only the
first verse that really refers to John the Baptist. From
there on, it goes on to exclaim the Christmas story,
the mystery of the incarnation, and it guides us through
our repentance. That is part of the advent expression. So
(34:11):
it is in our advent part of the book, and
it encourages us and the gift of grace by which
without we're doomed as flowers. Bright for a season, then gone.
We know that the only way that our current political
issues and social problems will be solved is by the
(34:34):
power of Christ and the grace of forgiveness. And so
it has that all in this book, in this song.
And we just felt we have 43 hymns. And it
was not easy choosing which ones should go in this.
We stopped at 43 because we wanted one for every
day at the beginning of advent, which is four weeks,
(34:56):
the the Sunday, four weeks before Christmas Day, and then
through January 6th, which is the epiphany. And so that's
how we came up with 43, and we tried to
use all the most familiar carols, the first Noels and
Silent Night and so forth. But then we were able
to include a few of these, like on Jordan's bank,
(35:18):
that are not as familiar.
UU (35:21):
To you, O Christ, our praises me who died and
set your people free, who with the father we adore
and Holy Spirit evermore. It came upon the midnight clear.
(36:04):
That glorious song, O Lord, the angels bending near the
earth to touch their harps of Hold peace on earth.
Good will to men from hands. All gracious King, the
(36:32):
world in.
S1 (36:33):
Thanks for joining us today for building relationships with Doctor
Gary Chapman. And thanks for telling a friend about the
program to maybe you know, someone who would benefit from
our conversation. You'll find a link to the podcast or
stream at five Love languages.com. Plus, you'll see the resource
Hosanna in Excelsis Hymns and Devotions for the Christmas Season.
It's written by our guests, David and Barbara Lehman. Also,
(36:56):
the music you're hearing throughout the program is from a recording.
David and Barbara produced both instrumental music as well as vocals,
and you can find out more about that recording by
going to Hosanna hymnals.com. That's Hosanna hymnals. Com.
S5 (37:11):
Barbara. This year, 2020 has been an unusual year and
a difficult year for many, many, many people. Why should
these Christmas hymns offer unique encouragement and guidance as we
near the end of this year?
S2 (37:28):
Well, the message of Christmas is basically a message of hope.
Christmas isn't the end of the story. It's the beginning
and the end of the story we haven't experienced yet.
We're still looking forward to it, and I think it's
important that we remember that. Uh, first of all, that
that that Jesus Christ is coming. We're still waiting for
(37:49):
the Second Advent. And when he comes, he will, he will,
he will rule the world. And that gives me a
lot of hope. Also, just I was thinking that during
this time, so many churches are not meeting and not singing.
Of all the times that we're in our homes, we
want to be singing and we want to be singing
this story, and we want to be singing the songs
(38:11):
of hope. What else is going to take our eyes
off of what we've been just saturated with for this
whole entire year of all the bad news. And so
I think that that's it. I think just that because
that it's, it's a a resource that families can use
to fill our homes with, with the singing and the
and the story of the gospel and the truth of
God and the story of Christmas, when many of us,
(38:34):
or many of my friends that I know around the
country haven't been going to church, that would be my
simple answer.
S5 (38:40):
David, give us an example from the book of of
how this might be.
S3 (38:44):
Well, another hymn that may not be familiar to a
lot of people. It's a Lutheran hymn, but it was
written in the city of Zittau, Germany, which is near
the Czech and Polish borders, probably in around 1638, by
a German pastor who was living. And all of the
(39:06):
people that he wrote this for were living during what
is considered one of the longest and most destructive wars
in European religious history. It's known as the 30 Years War,
in which whole regions died of famine and disease, as
well as the the armies killing. And so there was
(39:28):
we think we have it pretty bad today. I'm sorry.
It's nothing like during the 30 Years War in Germany.
But this man was able to encourage them to rejoice.
Listen to this text. O rejoice, ye Christians, loudly, for
our joy has now begun. Wondrous things our God has done.
(39:51):
Tell abroad his goodness proudly, who our race has honored,
thus that he deigns to dwell with us. Joy, oh joy,
beyond all gladness Christ has done away with sadness, hence
all sorrow and repining for the son of grace is shining.
(40:11):
That's just the first verse.
S5 (40:13):
Oh it's powerful.
S3 (40:15):
It is so powerful. And the music that was written
to it, uh, helps it to be defined like few hymns.
It just rises with the encouragement of a melody. You
can't hardly get out of your head. Yeah. And, uh.
And then it's the prayer. The last stanza is Jesus,
guard and guide thy members. Fill them with thy boundless grace.
(40:38):
Hear their prayers in every place. Fan the flame. Faiths
growing embers. Grant all Christians far and near. Holy peace
a glad new year. Mm. I just love that.
S5 (40:53):
That's a great prayer for us right now. It is.
S3 (40:56):
It really is. And one of the reasons we chose
it was that 50 years ago yesterday, Barbara and I
were married, and we had this sung at our wedding
because we we loved it so much. And I happen
to know that it's also Chris's anniversary yesterday. And so
(41:16):
the fabrics and the lemons celebrate together that God has
given us great joy in our marriages.
S5 (41:25):
Well, maybe we should all just sing that right now.
Or maybe not.
S3 (41:32):
Maybe number 38 in your book.
S5 (41:37):
Barbara, give us another. These are exciting. Give us another
example from the book.
S2 (41:42):
Well, one that is familiar to all of us and
stays on the same theme that I love. Joy to
the world. The Lord is come. First, I love it
because it says the Lord is come. Not that he
has come, but he has come. But it's sort of
that eternal present. He is come. And this is a
Christmas Carol that we actually begin this season of epiphany with,
(42:05):
because there's really no mention of Christmas, per se, in
this Carol. It's talking about the Lord coming, but it's
not talking about a manger or angels. I'm sure it
is referring to the first coming as well as the second,
but it's taken from Psalm 98 where I sing to
the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things.
(42:25):
His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation
for him. The Lord has made known his salvation. He
has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
Then it goes on to talk about the mountains and
the hills and heaven and nature, saying that, that, that, uh,
that Isaac Watts so wonderfully put into the hymn, uh,
(42:46):
and then it but it ends with I love it
ends with ends with Psalm 98. Uh, nine for he
comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world
with righteousness and the peoples with equity. And I think
all of us just long for that day. We look
around us and we we see who is ruling us
(43:06):
and who is in charge. And we long for the
day that King Jesus comes back and judges the world
and righteousness and equity. He rules the world with truth
and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of
his righteousness and wonders of his love. And I think
that's again, there's our hope that we look for at
the end of this year, at the beginning of next year.
(43:28):
So that's that's always a favorite hymn for me to
sing any time of the year.
S5 (43:32):
Oh, yeah. Every Christian longs for the coming of Christ again.
And David, in the 43 hymns that are in this book,
we mentioned earlier that there are some of them that
people probably will not know. What can they do to
learn these hymns and to sing them?
S3 (43:49):
Well, I think the easiest way is to get a
copy of our recording. We put all 43 hymns and
we recorded them each twice, one with voices of mother
and a father and three children that so it kind
of patterns what the family could sound like, but it
(44:11):
also obviously teaches the song. And then right after that
is that same song with just a piano for you
to sing along. These aren't highly produced with orchestra or anything.
They're simple and so you can both learn them and
sing with them. If you get a copy of this recording,
which is on, by the way, on a USB card.
(44:33):
So because it would take way too many CDs, you
can download it or stream it, I should say like
from Spotify, but it's limited. They they wouldn't give us
that many 8086 spaces to put our songs on. So
the best way is to get the USB, plug it
into your computer or your whatever you use for listening
(44:56):
to music.
S5 (44:58):
Barbara, you all do include a few of the newer
carols in the book. Just tell us about one of those.
S2 (45:05):
Well, let's see, we have two of the Getty songs
in there that I think we've talked about before. Joy
has dawned, but there's one that I really love that
is written by a Lutheran pastor whose name is Jaroslav Vajda,
and it's called Where Shepherds Lightly Knelt, number 13. And
I think what I love about it is, as Dave
puts it, it sort of puts the the poet into
(45:26):
the sandals of the shepherds. Being at the nativity scene
where shepherds lightly knelt and kept the angel's word, I
come in half belief. A pilgrim strangely stirred. But there
is room and welcome there for me there is room
in welcome there for me. It's the third stanza that
I love. How should I not have known Isaiah would
(45:46):
be there? His prophecies fulfilled with pounding heart I stare
a child, a son, the Prince of peace for me,
a child, a son, the Prince of Peace for me.
To me that just says everything. There he is in
that moment again. Isaiah, all the prophecies that I've read
about the Messiah. There they are in that stable in
(46:08):
that manger.
S5 (46:09):
Yeah. Yeah. And it's good to know that there are
some folks in our generation who are writing hymns. So that's. Yeah.
That's powerful. Well, David and Barbara, it's been great to
have you with us today on building relationships. Thank you
for putting this together. I know it grows out of
your whole life ministry, and it's very, very rich. It's
(46:31):
going to help a lot of people, I think, and
I'm encouraging our listeners to take advantage of this.
S3 (46:35):
Well thank you. It's been our privilege to be able
to share it with your listeners. And, uh, and in
real essence, there were 43 other authors to this book
besides us.
S8 (46:48):
Yes.
S3 (46:49):
And they they bring the value that's, uh, timeless to
this book.
S2 (46:55):
Thank you so much for inviting us.
S4 (46:57):
What a great resource for the whole family. David and
Barbara Lehman have been with us today, and they've put
together Hosanna in excelsis. Hymns and devotions for the Christmas Season.
You can find out more at our website. Five Love languages.com. Again,
go to five Love languages.com. Now the music you've heard
throughout the program today is available both instrumental and vocals.
(47:21):
Find out more about those recordings go to Hosanna! hymnals.com. Hosanna. hymnals.com.
Thanks for joining us for this Best of Christmas broadcast.
Now don't miss next week. It's our final conversation of
2024 as Doctor Chapman takes your questions from our listener line.
(47:43):
Let me thank our production team, Steve Wick and Janice.
Backing building relationships with Doctor Gary Chapman is a production
of Moody Radio in Chicago in association with Moody Publishers,
a ministry of Moody Bible Institute. Merry Christmas.
Rich theological truths set to unforgettable music. That's what you're
in store for today on building relationships with Doctor Gary Chapman.
S2 (00:08):
Christmas songs and Christmas carols are all around us, and
I think it's a it's a wonderful way to introduce
the gospel in a non-threatening way to the world.
S3 (00:17):
I think we need to help those growing up in
this culture today to understand there's a whole different issue
at Christmas and Santa is not God.
S1 (00:31):
Welcome to building relationships with Doctor Gary Chapman, author of
the New York Times best seller The Five Love Languages. Today,
a husband and wife musical team join us to lead
us into the hymns and carols of Christmas.
S4 (00:43):
David and Barbara Lehman have put together a fantastic resource
for this festive time of year. We're coming back to
it here on the Saturday before Christmas. It's titled Hosanna
in Excelsis Hymns and Devotions for the Christmas Season. Find
out more at five Love languages.com. And when we aired
this program, the first time, I asked Gary if his
(01:05):
heart is for people to encounter the real meaning of
what we celebrate at Christmas.
S5 (01:12):
Well, you're right, Chris. You know, I think sometimes the
Jingle Bells and Santa Claus kind of takes over in
people's minds. And I'm all for whatever, you know is joyful.
But the most joyful thing about Christmas is the birth
of Christ, you know? So the more we can do
to focus people on that. Yeah, I think that's what
(01:35):
every pastor, every Christian really desires.
S6 (01:37):
Yes.
S4 (01:38):
David and Barbara Lehman are both graduates of Biola University
School of Music. David's a retired director of music and worship.
Barbara has taught music at a private Christian school in Texas. Together,
they wrote and published Hosanna Loud Hosanna, which is a
student hymnal that's widely used in churches and Christian schools
(02:00):
and homes are featured. Resource today, though, is their book
Hosanna in Excelsis Hymns and Devotions for the Christmas Season.
I'm holding it in my little hands right now and
it's such a great resource. You can find out more
about it at Five Love languages.com.
S5 (02:17):
Well, David and Barbara, welcome to Building Relationships.
S2 (02:20):
Thank you.
S3 (02:21):
Thank you so much. It's a great privilege.
S5 (02:23):
David, you and Barbara have created a company and a
website called Hosanna. hymnals.com. Tell us why you started that endeavor.
S3 (02:33):
We have always believed that the greatest is what we
offer to God. Uh, the finest, the best of anything.
And we also believe that in regard to music. And so,
as Chris mentioned a moment ago, some years ago, we
put together a book that we say is for students
(02:54):
of all ages, but it's a list of 115 hymns
that include the biographies of the author and composer, and
then a devotional about it. Schools have used them as
their primary book for chapel. A lot of homeschoolers use it.
About two years ago, we felt we needed to do
(03:16):
one of just Christmas hymns, and so that, along with
the Student Hymnal, has formed this. Hosanna! Hymnals company. And
that's what we're doing.
S5 (03:29):
Well, I'm excited about this book. I think it's going
to help a lot of us focus in on the
heart of Christmas. Barbara, why is singing so important? What
happens when we sing together?
S2 (03:40):
Two really good questions when I speak to young, young moms,
first grade moms every year teaching them why singing is
important or why music is important, I said, well, the
first thing I think is because it's important to God.
Take your take your Bible and open it to the
middle and you will find the largest book of the Bible.
They're called the Psalms. It's basically a hymn book right
(04:02):
in the middle of the Bible. And these were written
to be sung. They're not it's not just poetry. They're
songs to be sung in praise to God. So God
has given us this huge, um, amount of poetry and
beauty to praise him with. So that's why it's important,
number one. Number two, I tell them that it's important
that we sing because we are redeemed people. We have
(04:26):
a song to sing. The very first hymn recorded in
the Bible is in the book of Exodus, after the
crossing of the Red sea. And the people had left
their enemies behind and they were rejoicing. And the first
thing they did was saying, I will sing unto the Lord,
for he has triumphed gloriously, the horse and rider thrown
into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation. That is our song.
(04:49):
We are redeemed people. So it's important that we sing,
and it's important that we sing together because it creates
a solidarity. The family becomes united, the generations become united.
The hymns that we have chosen are cross-denominational. So the
denominations become united in one voice of praising God for
our redemption.
S5 (05:10):
David. Many churches have moved away from traditional hymns and
they sing more contemporary songs. What are we missing by
not singing the hymns that people have been singing for
hundreds of years?
S3 (05:25):
If you think of our song canon in churches, what
we generally sing as like a photograph book of history
of your family. Uh, by not singing the hymns, it's
as if we've pulled out all the pictures of Grandma
and grandpa or great grandma and great grandpa, and said,
(05:47):
we only want to see the people that are alive today.
There's nothing wrong with seeing the people that are alive
today or singing or singing contemporary songs. But shouldn't we
look at what the legacy was left for us by
people who wrote these hymns hundreds, even thousands of years
ago that are so good. They're so such quality that
(06:11):
we still sing them today. They've passed that test of time.
So while we think that we can sing all kinds
of hymns and psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, according
to the Apostle Paul, we wonder if we've left off
too many of the ones that really nurture us and
feed us both on the Christian wisdom that people like
(06:36):
Charles Wesley, Isaac Watts and others bring to us. But
we really give only what's contemporary the priority. And there's again,
nothing wrong with the contemporary. We're not against that. We're
just saying don't throw out that which has stood and
(06:56):
served us and still teaches us today.
S5 (07:00):
Yeah, I hear you saying we need the old and
the new together.
S3 (07:03):
That's right. That's right.
S5 (07:04):
Yeah. Yeah. Well, I certainly agree with that. You know, Barbara,
you and David created a unique devotional for the Christmas season.
What did you want to show the reader about the
songs that you chose?
S2 (07:16):
I think a lot of what Dave has just said,
that we want to bring to them from the Christmas season,
some of the greatest Christian spiritual poetry that's ever been written.
We want them to to learn these songs and pass
them down to future generations and preserve them. Secondly, it
is so difficult sometimes at Christmas time to focus on
(07:38):
what's true and real moms are caught up. I raised
four children and I remember the days of I could
hardly wait till Christmas was over just because it was
so much work and so much stress. And I think
that's that's more and more they're. So I think that
getting into these hymns and these carols and singing them
together brings us back to what is true and what
(07:59):
is simple and what is good and what is beautiful. Yeah.
And the third thing is that I think children first
hear about Jesus and understand Jesus at the Nativity. They
relate to the baby. And when we did our first hymnal,
we started with the Christmas section because that this is
where children start with Jesus as he's a child and
(08:21):
in the manger growing up. And also Christmas songs and
Christmas carols are all around us. And I think it's
a it's a wonderful way to introduce the gospel in
a non-threatening way to the world.
S5 (08:34):
David, can you give an example of a Christian Carol,
and give us some of the background of it, so
that our listeners get a feel for what you're doing
in this book?
S3 (08:42):
Sure. But even before I do that, if I might, uh,
Doctor Chapman, I'd like to add to what Barbara just said.
The sad thing of our world today is that when
you ask many people, what's your favorite Christmas song? At
least young people and children are going to say Jingle
(09:02):
Bells or Santa is coming to town. We really believe
that this is needed to to bring back into the
home some of the wonderful songs. I think as John MacArthur.
That said, it's so ironic that Santa Claus has become
a godlike character who visits every home, who knows whether
(09:23):
you've been naughty or nice, and if you were nice,
he gives you a good gift, and if you're naughty,
he gives you a coal. I think we need to
help those growing up in this culture today to understand
there's a whole different issue at Christmas and Santa is
not God. And so we we chose songs that not
(09:44):
only talk about the birth, but that explain the incarnation,
Because that's the doctrine that is so vital. I mean,
we can't really believe in the resurrection unless we believe
in the incarnation that God became man. And so there's
(10:04):
so many carols I could give you example of, but
perhaps the finest one and actually is very popular is
Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Uh, and it was written
by a pastor, Charles Wesley. Uh, the music by one
of the finest composers in history, Felix Mendelssohn. And what's
(10:24):
so remarkable about Hark the Herald Angels sing is that
it's filled with the theology and scripture that tells us
what the incarnation was, and that gives us the gospel
veiled in flesh, the Godhead see. Hail the incarnate deity.
(10:45):
You know, I sang for a number of years in
a large symphony chorus in Dallas, and was around people
of all stripes, denominations or are not. Probably the majority
were not believers. And yet we would sing Hark the
Herald Angels Sing in our Christmas concerts. And I always wondered,
(11:05):
what in the world do they think this is about?
Born to give them second birth. They have no idea
what they're singing. They just happily sing it because it's
a pretty tune. But if you look at it as
a believer and you study that text, you'll see so
(11:25):
many quotations from Scripture packed that really helps people to
understand the incarnation.
S5 (11:34):
Yeah. And I think in families, as we sing songs
like that and discuss them with our children at whatever
age they may be, we're helping them understand the concept
of God becoming man.
UU (11:48):
Hides the Herald Angels sing glory to the newborn King.
S1 (12:00):
This is building relationships with Doctor Gary Chapman. Our guests
are David and Barbara Lehman, authors of Hosanna in Excelsis
Hymns and Devotions for the Christmas Season. You can find
out more at Five Love languages.com. Well, coming up, the
oldest Christmas hymn, Straight Ahead on Moody Radio.
UU (12:19):
Brings praise with healing in his wings. Smiley faces, glory
by honor. Prayer. No more may die. Born to raise us.
(12:40):
Sons of earth. Born to give him Them. Second birth. Hark!
The herald angels sing. Glory to the newborn King. Of
(13:08):
the father's love begotten. Ere the worlds began to be.
He is orphaned. Omega. He the source, the ending.
S7 (13:25):
He.
S1 (13:26):
This is building relationships with Doctor Gary Chapman, author of
the New York Times bestseller The Five Love Languages. If
you want to hear a passed program, take an assessment
of your love language or see our featured resource today,
go to five Love languages.com. It's written by David and
Barbara Lehman and it's titled Hosanna in excelsis. Hymns and
(13:46):
devotions for the Christmas Season. You can find out more
at Five Love languages.com.
S5 (13:53):
Barbara. Before the break, David gave us one of the
great hymns at Christmas time. How about one of the
carols that has meant a lot to you and speaks
deeply to you?
S2 (14:02):
One of my favorite carols in the book is probably
the oldest text that we have in the book. It
comes from the fifth century, and it's a carol, number
eight of the Father's Love begotten. The two name is
Divinum Mysterium, divine mystery, and it makes the incarnation and
the birth of Christ so mystical and so beautiful. And
(14:25):
I love it because it basically originates in John one.
In the beginning was the word, and the word was
with God, and the word was God. He was in
the beginning with God. All things were made through him,
and without him was not anything made that was made.
In him was life, and the life was the light
of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the
(14:47):
darkness is not overcome it. And then verse 14, and
the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we
have seen his glory, glory as of the only son
from the father, full of grace and truth. Those words
are are mysterious when you read them in a way.
And the carol, I think, underscores that of the father's
(15:08):
love begotten ere the worlds began to be. He is
Alpha and Omega, he the source, the ending, he of
the things that are and have been. And that future
years shall see evermore and evermore. It's put out plainsong
chant from the 12th century that is so well paired
with the words. And then the second verse has a
(15:30):
phrase in it. It's talking about that Mary has, by
the Holy Ghost, conceived and bore the Savior of our race.
And the babe, the world's Redeemer first revealed his sacred face.
When I first thought that to the children that I
was teaching, it just grabbed me in a way that
suddenly in the manger, we had all of human history.
(15:52):
We had, from the promises and the prophets and the
history of Israel. Suddenly the promise was here, and there
was his face right before them. And that just explodes
my imagination. I think of Simeon in the temple, 400
years of silence. He was aware of that since they
had heard from the prophets. And yet he held in
his arms and wanted to behold that sacred face. And
(16:14):
what a blessed story that is in our Christmas chapel
that we did every year at my school. This was
held a very special place. This particular song and the
children that read that scripture before it from John one,
were usually a first grader and a second grader, and
these children would read that it was a service of
(16:36):
lessons of carols that we put together for our Christmas program.
And after they would read that and we would sing
that carol. It was just a very moving and stunning
moment in our in our chapel.
S5 (16:47):
Yeah. So you're looking back with a lot of memories
of that particular. A lot of memories. Yeah. With with
young children. That's wonderful. Uh, David, what do you hope
happens as individuals or families go through this devotional together?
S3 (17:02):
Well, obviously, we're hoping that they begin to love these
hymns that can feed their souls, feed their families souls.
We hope that it draws them together. There's something about
singing together that's unique. I never saw it, uh, exemplified
(17:23):
more than years ago, after nine over 11, when all
of the Congress stood on the steps of the Capitol
and sang together God Bless America. Why did they do that?
What caused them to think that singing was so important
at this point? Well, it's almost indefinable, but it obviously
drew them together and allowed them to say as one.
(17:45):
This is how we feel right now. Yeah, and that's
what we do with Christmas. If we sing together as
a as a church, as a small group, as a
Sunday school class or as a family, it draws us together.
It unites us in what we believe and what we
think we should be doing about this time of the year.
S5 (18:05):
A lot of us are wishing they could still get
on the steps and sing together. David.
S3 (18:10):
Yeah, that's for sure.
S5 (18:12):
Yeah. Well, you know, Covid might be the thing that
brings us together eventually. I don't know.
S3 (18:18):
But it might be.
S5 (18:19):
Yeah. You know, Barbara, you divided this collection into three sections.
Tell us what they are and why you divided them
this way.
S2 (18:28):
Well, the Christmas season has three portions to it. And
I think in America today we think about Christmas Day.
And that's Christmas is one day of the year. But
in the Christian year, it begins four Sundays before Christmas
with advent. Advent is a word that means waiting or coming.
And we're celebrating the waiting or the coming not only
of Christmas that year, but we're remembering the long wait
(18:50):
that Israel had waiting for their Redeemer. And I think
it's important that we remember that, and we teach our
children that and that. I have a little poem again,
back to my teaching days advent, Christmas, epiphany, Lent and Easter. Alleluia.
And a Pentecost event. Christian year. Christian year. Celebrate the
seasons of the Christian year as our children learn that
(19:13):
every year it helped them. I felt like it helped
introduce the gospel story through the life of Christ to children.
I did not grow up in a liturgical church that
celebrated the different seasons of the Christian year, but I
found that I grew to love them as an adult
when I understood them better. When I understand the coming
of Christ and waiting and lighting the advent calendars, that
(19:33):
brings great meaning and anticipation to something besides opening up
presents on Christmas morning. And then of course, Christmas is
our second section and we call it in our book.
We call it the Nativity. This all the songs in
that section starts before Christmas, but they're all songs of
the angels and the Nativity, the story of the birth.
(19:55):
And then after Christmas Day begins the season of epiphany.
I think this one is probably the least known of
the three, the three sections, or the three seasons of
the Christmas year to us. And yet, to me, it's
wonderful because epiphany is about the story of the three
wise men coming. They follow the light. Light is a
(20:16):
sign of epiphany. Epiphany is a word that means I
get it. I finally understand it's an epiphany to me.
The light bulb goes on and the light bulb that
goes on that is so amazing is that Jesus did
not just come to the Jewish people, the Israelites. He
came for all of us. We are the ones who
we Gentiles are the ones who were afar off and
(20:39):
brought near. So I think epiphany is totally appropriate for
us to celebrate after Christmas, because it's the part of
the Christmas story where we come in that includes us.
And I love teaching that to the children every year
as we go through those, the various carols. I wanted
to make note to it that we have a section
(20:59):
that describes each of those in our book, advent, The Nativity,
and epiphany. But we also placed poetry, Old English poetry
that we found by Robert Herrick, uh, before the advent.
What sweeter music can we bring than a carol for
to sing the next two sections of John Milton's poem
on Christmas morning? We took selections from that to help
(21:23):
just add beauty to the book, describing a more beautiful
way those three seasons of Christmas.
S5 (21:30):
Yeah. You know, I'm guessing, Barbara, that a lot of
us who did not grow up in liturgical Surgical churches
really have never really sensed the depth of what you
just walked us through. You know, advent, Nativity, epiphany. And
that's why I think this book is going to be
kind of a fresh light on the whole Christmas season
(21:51):
for for many Christians who did not grow up in liturgical,
you know, services. So, you know, to me, I think
you're giving a great service just in those three things,
you know, and focusing on those three things. So thank.
S2 (22:04):
You.
S5 (22:05):
David. We usually use the term Christmas carols, but you're
calling them Christian hymns. What's the difference?
S3 (22:14):
Well they're really synonymous, but with a distinction. A carol
is not necessarily a sacred song. The people that call
Jingle Bells A Christmas Carol. Uh, maybe as Christians we
we wouldn't. But to the world, that's what's seen. And
generally the word carol To find something that's a little
(22:36):
bit light hearted and you can dance to. It has
that sense, but these songs in the book could be
called carols, but we called them hymns because hymns are
always a sacred text, a text about a deity. And
(22:56):
so that's what they are to us. But again, they're both.
S5 (23:01):
Yeah. Okay. So we have a choice. We can sing
Christmas hymns or Christmas carols. I like that distinction because
I think you're exactly right. Barbara, give us another Carol
and give us the story again.
S2 (23:13):
This is a carol by association. I love by association.
It's called Once in Royal David's City. It was written
by an Irish woman, Cecil Alexander, who started writing poetry
very young and continued to write. And she decided to
do a set of poems to teach children the meaning
of each of the phrases of the Apostles Creed. And
(23:36):
she wrote once in Royal David's City for the for
the part of the creed that says, born of a virgin,
and laid in a manger, born of the Virgin Mary.
And so it begins with telling that that sweet, simple story,
another word about her that I just wanted to say
is that I want us to remember that these people
who wrote these were they were they were poets. They
(23:59):
were learned people. And of this particular author, one time
she wrote a poem called The Burial of Moses, and
it caused Alfred, Lord Tennyson, to say that it was
one of the few poems by another author that he
wished he himself had written. And I tell that story
just to say it elevates who we're reading, and the
worth of why it is important for us to pay
attention to these kind of old, dusty poems, maybe that
(24:22):
we haven't thought about in a long time. Again, this
song is used in the lessons in carol service that
King's College does, and each year it begins the service.
And several years ago, at the um, encouragement of one
of our parents, school parents and board members. His name
is Stephen Neilson. I don't know if any of you
(24:42):
are familiar with Stephen, but he's a concert pianist who
used to be part of the duo Neilson and Young.
And he suggested to me, why don't we do a
service of lessons and carols? And then he proceeded to
help us each year, put this together. And also he
I just want you to know that the piano recording
we have of all these carols is Stephen Neilson playing.
(25:02):
So you can sing as a family, being accompanied by
a concert pianist, if you care to, to do that. Anyway,
at the beginning of the service we have the service
starts with my great privilege. Every year was to choose
the child that would learn the first verse and would
sing it acapella unaccompanied to begin the service. And the
(25:25):
most poignant point of that service to me was after
a beautiful prelude, the church is quiet, probably 1000 1200
people sitting in silence, and they're all waiting for one thing.
They're waiting to hear that small voice from the back
of the room, begin acapella and walk down the aisle
singing this one simple, beautiful verse together and alone. And
(25:47):
then we join on the second verse, a whole congregation.
To me, that was a more moving than any Christmas
pageant that you could ever, you could ever put on,
because it was a group of people and parents and
students and children joining together and singing that wonderful story
and waiting for that moment when the when the story
(26:07):
was told. Once in Royal David's city stood a lowly
manger shed. And then it goes on to talk about
Jesus as our childhood pattern. And our eyes at last
shall see him. It takes us on to heaven, all
of the stories there.
UU (26:21):
And our eyes at last shall see him through his John.
Redeeming love for the child. So dear and gentle is
our Lord in heaven above. And he leads his children
(26:52):
on to the place where he is gone.
S1 (27:05):
Well, this is building relationships with Doctor Gary Chapman. Our
featured resource today is Hosanna in Excelsis Hymns and Devotions
for the Christmas Season. You can find out more at
Five Love languages.com. You can also hear podcast of today's program,
or see when Gary's coming to your area for a seminar,
and you can find out more about our guests, David
and Barbara Lehman. Just go to five Love languages.com.
S5 (27:29):
Barbara, in this past segment, you gave us a visual
picture of a student, a young student, maybe a first grader,
singing a cappella, the first stanza of this song. So
we got this picture in our minds. Now we're seated
there with these 1200 people. Read that stanza again, and
let us all experience the truth about which this child
(27:52):
is singing happily.
S2 (27:55):
Once in Royal David's city stood a lowly cattle shed,
where a mother laid her baby in a manger for
his bed. Mary was that mother mild. Jesus Christ, her
little child.
S5 (28:11):
Wow. I think all of us can feel that. You know,
we could, we can. We can see that child singing
it and we can see what the child is singing about.
So I did that because I want our listeners to
get a feel for what this devotional book can really
do for them individually as well as for for the family. So, David,
(28:33):
give us another Carol and the story.
S3 (28:36):
Well, let me talk about one that when it was
written in the 1800s, would never have been sung in church.
And the reason is it would have been considered much,
much too frivolous, too happy. And they were somber and
severe in their celebration of worship. And yet it was, uh,
(28:58):
probably used because the people loved it so much. But
no one claimed the authorship. It's totally, uh, anonymous because
they didn't want to be censored by the church. Do
you have any guess as to what that Carol is?
It's God rest you merry, gentlemen.
S5 (29:17):
Oh, really? Yes.
S3 (29:20):
So we don't know exactly when it was written. Uh,
the precise date, uh, and obviously who wrote it, but
somewhere in the 1800s, and it brought joy to people.
Charles Dickens employed the song in A Christmas Carol, but
it was way too much joy for Scrooge. He rejected
it and all it could proclaimed. But we think it's
(29:43):
a wonderful song. It's a little bit more horizontal in
direction than vertical toward God. It's really to encourage one another.
God rest you, you see, and don't let anything dismay you. Remember, Christ,
our Savior was born on Christmas Day to save us
from Satan's power when we had gone, gone astray. And
(30:06):
then it always ends with this short refrain O tidings
of comfort and joy. Two pillars that the songwriter said
we need in our lives. And oh boy, is it
not true today. Comfort and joy. Wow. And so it's
a great song to take. uh, we always try to
(30:27):
do some caroling in our neighborhood. I played the accordion,
and I strap it on and grab another few Christian
families and walk up and down our street singing songs
like God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen and others that are
familiar because we think it's a wonderful way to share
Christ at Christmas with our neighbors.
S5 (30:47):
Yeah. Well, I hope Covid will not keep you from
doing that this year. You know, maybe they can stand
six feet apart while they sing. Okay.
S3 (30:55):
Of course. Of course. And at least we're outside.
S5 (30:59):
Absolutely. You know, Barbara, I know that you have a
heart for those who feel intimidated about singing with others,
you know, in a public gathering or maybe sometimes even
in the family. And they feel like they can't sing well,
you know, and so they're reticent. What would you say
to those people?
S2 (31:16):
Well, the first thing I would say to them is sing.
S5 (31:20):
Uh.
S2 (31:21):
God has given us the gift of song to all
people and every person that can speak can sing. And
I think that the culture has given us a different
message telling us, well, there are singers and there are listeners,
and I often have people say to me, oh, you
don't want to hear me sing? And I would like
to say to them, oh, yes, I would love to
hear you sing. And I think that the fact is
(31:42):
that people feel because of this performance mentality that we
have had, which was really only been around the last
couple of hundred years, I think before that everyone sang more.
That was the only music. If you wanted music, you
provided it for yourself. But that performance mentality has given
us a sense that we're being judged by our singing,
and no one should ever feel judged by their singing.
(32:04):
And so I would simply encourage people, even if you
haven't grown up singing or you're not used to it,
just just try, you know, just get it out there.
I think parents of young children know that your young
child can learn to sing. It's much harder as an adult,
but little children can all learn to sing. And so
that guess that's one of my, um, vocations in life,
(32:26):
is to encourage people to sing.
S5 (32:29):
You know, I'm thinking also, if you're standing in a
congregation singing and you happen to be a musician, I mean,
you know, a trained musician, I hope in hearing the
person next to you maybe missing a note here or there,
you would just say, God bless them. I'm glad they're singing.
S3 (32:46):
Amen.
S5 (32:48):
Amen. Absolutely. Well, David, there's a song you included that
I don't think I've ever heard. Why did you include.
Here's the name of the song on Jordan's bank, The
Baptist's Cry.
S3 (33:01):
Well, it's not talking about Baptists by denomination, but it's
talking about John the Baptist, who obviously had a very
important part in the Christmas story because he was a
foreteller of Jesus. And I think he needs to have
some recognition for that. And so this, this great hymn, uh,
(33:25):
it is true. I'm not surprised you don't know it. Uh,
not very many people sing it. Although would you believe
it's found in 145 modern hymnals? But it was written
in the late 1600s and, uh, by a person who
was trying to teach people against some of the doctrines
(33:49):
of the Catholic Church. And, uh, he it's only the
first verse that really refers to John the Baptist. From
there on, it goes on to exclaim the Christmas story,
the mystery of the incarnation, and it guides us through
our repentance. That is part of the advent expression. So
(34:11):
it is in our advent part of the book, and
it encourages us and the gift of grace by which
without we're doomed as flowers. Bright for a season, then gone.
We know that the only way that our current political
issues and social problems will be solved is by the
(34:34):
power of Christ and the grace of forgiveness. And so
it has that all in this book, in this song.
And we just felt we have 43 hymns. And it
was not easy choosing which ones should go in this.
We stopped at 43 because we wanted one for every
day at the beginning of advent, which is four weeks,
(34:56):
the the Sunday, four weeks before Christmas Day, and then
through January 6th, which is the epiphany. And so that's
how we came up with 43, and we tried to
use all the most familiar carols, the first Noels and
Silent Night and so forth. But then we were able
to include a few of these, like on Jordan's bank,
(35:18):
that are not as familiar.
UU (35:21):
To you, O Christ, our praises me who died and
set your people free, who with the father we adore
and Holy Spirit evermore. It came upon the midnight clear.
(36:04):
That glorious song, O Lord, the angels bending near the
earth to touch their harps of Hold peace on earth.
Good will to men from hands. All gracious King, the
(36:32):
world in.
S1 (36:33):
Thanks for joining us today for building relationships with Doctor
Gary Chapman. And thanks for telling a friend about the
program to maybe you know, someone who would benefit from
our conversation. You'll find a link to the podcast or
stream at five Love languages.com. Plus, you'll see the resource
Hosanna in Excelsis Hymns and Devotions for the Christmas Season.
It's written by our guests, David and Barbara Lehman. Also,
(36:56):
the music you're hearing throughout the program is from a recording.
David and Barbara produced both instrumental music as well as vocals,
and you can find out more about that recording by
going to Hosanna hymnals.com. That's Hosanna hymnals. Com.
S5 (37:11):
Barbara. This year, 2020 has been an unusual year and
a difficult year for many, many, many people. Why should
these Christmas hymns offer unique encouragement and guidance as we
near the end of this year?
S2 (37:28):
Well, the message of Christmas is basically a message of hope.
Christmas isn't the end of the story. It's the beginning
and the end of the story we haven't experienced yet.
We're still looking forward to it, and I think it's
important that we remember that. Uh, first of all, that
that that Jesus Christ is coming. We're still waiting for
(37:49):
the Second Advent. And when he comes, he will, he will,
he will rule the world. And that gives me a
lot of hope. Also, just I was thinking that during
this time, so many churches are not meeting and not singing.
Of all the times that we're in our homes, we
want to be singing and we want to be singing
this story, and we want to be singing the songs
(38:11):
of hope. What else is going to take our eyes
off of what we've been just saturated with for this
whole entire year of all the bad news. And so
I think that that's it. I think just that because
that it's, it's a a resource that families can use
to fill our homes with, with the singing and the
and the story of the gospel and the truth of
God and the story of Christmas, when many of us,
(38:34):
or many of my friends that I know around the
country haven't been going to church, that would be my
simple answer.
S5 (38:40):
David, give us an example from the book of of
how this might be.
S3 (38:44):
Well, another hymn that may not be familiar to a
lot of people. It's a Lutheran hymn, but it was
written in the city of Zittau, Germany, which is near
the Czech and Polish borders, probably in around 1638, by
a German pastor who was living. And all of the
(39:06):
people that he wrote this for were living during what
is considered one of the longest and most destructive wars
in European religious history. It's known as the 30 Years War,
in which whole regions died of famine and disease, as
well as the the armies killing. And so there was
(39:28):
we think we have it pretty bad today. I'm sorry.
It's nothing like during the 30 Years War in Germany.
But this man was able to encourage them to rejoice.
Listen to this text. O rejoice, ye Christians, loudly, for
our joy has now begun. Wondrous things our God has done.
(39:51):
Tell abroad his goodness proudly, who our race has honored,
thus that he deigns to dwell with us. Joy, oh joy,
beyond all gladness Christ has done away with sadness, hence
all sorrow and repining for the son of grace is shining.
(40:11):
That's just the first verse.
S5 (40:13):
Oh it's powerful.
S3 (40:15):
It is so powerful. And the music that was written
to it, uh, helps it to be defined like few hymns.
It just rises with the encouragement of a melody. You
can't hardly get out of your head. Yeah. And, uh.
And then it's the prayer. The last stanza is Jesus,
guard and guide thy members. Fill them with thy boundless grace.
(40:38):
Hear their prayers in every place. Fan the flame. Faiths
growing embers. Grant all Christians far and near. Holy peace
a glad new year. Mm. I just love that.
S5 (40:53):
That's a great prayer for us right now. It is.
S3 (40:56):
It really is. And one of the reasons we chose
it was that 50 years ago yesterday, Barbara and I
were married, and we had this sung at our wedding
because we we loved it so much. And I happen
to know that it's also Chris's anniversary yesterday. And so
(41:16):
the fabrics and the lemons celebrate together that God has
given us great joy in our marriages.
S5 (41:25):
Well, maybe we should all just sing that right now.
Or maybe not.
S3 (41:32):
Maybe number 38 in your book.
S5 (41:37):
Barbara, give us another. These are exciting. Give us another
example from the book.
S2 (41:42):
Well, one that is familiar to all of us and
stays on the same theme that I love. Joy to
the world. The Lord is come. First, I love it
because it says the Lord is come. Not that he
has come, but he has come. But it's sort of
that eternal present. He is come. And this is a
Christmas Carol that we actually begin this season of epiphany with,
(42:05):
because there's really no mention of Christmas, per se, in
this Carol. It's talking about the Lord coming, but it's
not talking about a manger or angels. I'm sure it
is referring to the first coming as well as the second,
but it's taken from Psalm 98 where I sing to
the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things.
(42:25):
His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation
for him. The Lord has made known his salvation. He
has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
Then it goes on to talk about the mountains and
the hills and heaven and nature, saying that, that, that, uh,
that Isaac Watts so wonderfully put into the hymn, uh,
(42:46):
and then it but it ends with I love it
ends with ends with Psalm 98. Uh, nine for he
comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world
with righteousness and the peoples with equity. And I think
all of us just long for that day. We look
around us and we we see who is ruling us
(43:06):
and who is in charge. And we long for the
day that King Jesus comes back and judges the world
and righteousness and equity. He rules the world with truth
and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of
his righteousness and wonders of his love. And I think
that's again, there's our hope that we look for at
the end of this year, at the beginning of next year.
(43:28):
So that's that's always a favorite hymn for me to
sing any time of the year.
S5 (43:32):
Oh, yeah. Every Christian longs for the coming of Christ again.
And David, in the 43 hymns that are in this book,
we mentioned earlier that there are some of them that
people probably will not know. What can they do to
learn these hymns and to sing them?
S3 (43:49):
Well, I think the easiest way is to get a
copy of our recording. We put all 43 hymns and
we recorded them each twice, one with voices of mother
and a father and three children that so it kind
of patterns what the family could sound like, but it
(44:11):
also obviously teaches the song. And then right after that
is that same song with just a piano for you
to sing along. These aren't highly produced with orchestra or anything.
They're simple and so you can both learn them and
sing with them. If you get a copy of this recording,
which is on, by the way, on a USB card.
(44:33):
So because it would take way too many CDs, you
can download it or stream it, I should say like
from Spotify, but it's limited. They they wouldn't give us
that many 8086 spaces to put our songs on. So
the best way is to get the USB, plug it
into your computer or your whatever you use for listening
(44:56):
to music.
S5 (44:58):
Barbara, you all do include a few of the newer
carols in the book. Just tell us about one of those.
S2 (45:05):
Well, let's see, we have two of the Getty songs
in there that I think we've talked about before. Joy
has dawned, but there's one that I really love that
is written by a Lutheran pastor whose name is Jaroslav Vajda,
and it's called Where Shepherds Lightly Knelt, number 13. And
I think what I love about it is, as Dave
puts it, it sort of puts the the poet into
(45:26):
the sandals of the shepherds. Being at the nativity scene
where shepherds lightly knelt and kept the angel's word, I
come in half belief. A pilgrim strangely stirred. But there
is room and welcome there for me there is room
in welcome there for me. It's the third stanza that
I love. How should I not have known Isaiah would
(45:46):
be there? His prophecies fulfilled with pounding heart I stare
a child, a son, the Prince of peace for me,
a child, a son, the Prince of Peace for me.
To me that just says everything. There he is in
that moment again. Isaiah, all the prophecies that I've read
about the Messiah. There they are in that stable in
(46:08):
that manger.
S5 (46:09):
Yeah. Yeah. And it's good to know that there are
some folks in our generation who are writing hymns. So that's. Yeah.
That's powerful. Well, David and Barbara, it's been great to
have you with us today on building relationships. Thank you
for putting this together. I know it grows out of
your whole life ministry, and it's very, very rich. It's
(46:31):
going to help a lot of people, I think, and
I'm encouraging our listeners to take advantage of this.
S3 (46:35):
Well thank you. It's been our privilege to be able
to share it with your listeners. And, uh, and in
real essence, there were 43 other authors to this book
besides us.
S8 (46:48):
Yes.
S3 (46:49):
And they they bring the value that's, uh, timeless to
this book.
S2 (46:55):
Thank you so much for inviting us.
S4 (46:57):
What a great resource for the whole family. David and
Barbara Lehman have been with us today, and they've put
together Hosanna in excelsis. Hymns and devotions for the Christmas Season.
You can find out more at our website. Five Love languages.com. Again,
go to five Love languages.com. Now the music you've heard
throughout the program today is available both instrumental and vocals.
(47:21):
Find out more about those recordings go to Hosanna! hymnals.com. Hosanna. hymnals.com.
Thanks for joining us for this Best of Christmas broadcast.
Now don't miss next week. It's our final conversation of
2024 as Doctor Chapman takes your questions from our listener line.
(47:43):
Let me thank our production team, Steve Wick and Janice.
Backing building relationships with Doctor Gary Chapman is a production
of Moody Radio in Chicago in association with Moody Publishers,
a ministry of Moody Bible Institute. Merry Christmas.
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