THE CAROLS OF CHRISTMAS: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day 12-31-23

THE CAROLS OF CHRISTMAS: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day 12-31-23

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Christmas with the grandkids 

 

I heard a story of a woman who was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable. And after hours of hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids. She was feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season time of the year - overwhelming pressure to go to every party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday food and treats, get that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, make sure we don’t forget anyone on our card list, and the pressure of making sure we respond to everyone who sent us a card. Finally the elevator doors opened and there was already a crowd. She pushed her way in and dragged her two kids in with her and all the bags of stuff. When the doors closed she couldn’t take it anymore and stated, "Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up, and shot." From the back of the car everyone heard a quiet calm voice respond, "Don’t worry, we already crucified him." For the rest of the trip down the elevator it was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.

               Scott Weber

 

In 1863, one of America’s great poets, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, wrote the poem which became the well-known carol, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. When I first heard this song, I wondered, “Why does he suddenly shift from joy at hearing the Christmas bells into such deep despair?” It starts with:

 

I heard the bells on Christmas day

Their old familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet

the words repeat

Of peace on earth, good will to men!

 

Then he says:

And in despair I bowed my head:

“There is no peace on earth,” I said,

“For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good will to men!”

 

The question is clearly answered when we see two verses of the original that are not included in our hymn. In these verses Longfellow speaks of the horrors of the American Civil War that was tearing the country apart. In fact, his son had been seriously wounded in that conflict not long before he wrote the song. (The death of Longfellow’s wife two years earlier may have contributed to his mood too.) Listen to what they say:

 

Then from each black, accursed mouth

The cannon thundered in the South,

And with the sound

The carols drowned

Of peace on earth, good will to men!

 

It was as if an earthquake rent

The hearthstones of a continent

And made forlorn

The households born

Of peace on earth, good will to men!

 

Little wonder he is tempted to despair. And yet he concludes with the resounding affirmation,

 

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.

 

Through the Savior whose birth the angels celebrated, God will accomplish what he has promised.

               Mark Haynes

 

It was not until 1872 that the poem is known to have been set to music. The English organist, John Baptiste Calkin, used the poem in a processional accompanied with a melody "Waltham" that he previously used as early as 1848. The Calkin version of the carol was long the standard. Less commonly, the poem has also been set to Joseph Mainzer’s 1845 composition "Mainzer". Harriet P. Sawyer (1862–1934) also composed a setting for the poem. Other melodies have been composed more recently, most notably in 1956 by Johnny Marks (arranged by Lee Kjelson and Margaret Shelley Vance).

 

Bing Crosby recorded the song on October 3, 1956, using Marks's melody and verses 1, 2, 6, 7. It was released as a single and reached No. 55 in the Music Vendor survey. The record was praised by both Billboard and Variety. "Bing Crosby's workover of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' looks like a big one for the '56 Yule and a hit potential of enduring value."  Crosby is said to have quipped to Marks: "I see you finally got yourself a decent lyricist" At deadline time, not many of this year's Christmas issues had shown much action. This new Crosby record, however, was off to a promising start. As fast as it is catching on early in the month, it is easy to project the impressive volume it will rack up the last half of December." Marks's tune has since received more than 60 commercial recordings, with total sales exceeding 5 million copies.

             Wikipedia 

 

”I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 

 

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.“

               1 Timothy 1:12-17 NIV

 

I.  CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT SIN

 

               A.  Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

 

”Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.“

               1 Timothy 1:15 NIV

 

               B.  The baby born in the manger was born to die on the cross for sinners.

 

”But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.“

               Hebrews 2:9 NIV

 

II.  CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT PEACE ON EARTH AND GOODWILL TO MEN

 

”And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 

 

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”“

               Luke 2:8-14 NIV

              

”Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, good will toward men.“

               Luke 2:14 KJV

 

               A.  A Peace not yet realized

               B.  A Goodwill not yet understood

               C.  A Message not yet received

               D.  A Hope not yet fulfilled

 

III.  CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT OUR SAVIOR

 

               A.  Jesus is the reason for the season!

 

”But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.“

               Galatians 4:4-5 NIV

 

               B.  Easter is the reason for His birth.

 

”You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.“

               Romans 5:6-8 NIV

 

               C.  His return is the reason for His coming!

 

”“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”“

               John 14:1-7 NIV

 

CONCLUSION

 

Johnny Creasong writes:

 

On July 13th, Frances changed Henry’s life by saying "YES" to Him in marriage. Less than a year later, their little home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was blessed with the birth of their first child, Charles. Eventually, the Longfellow household numbered five children-- Charles, Ernest, Alice, Edith, and Allegra.

 

Henry and "Fanny" had a happy little family and a happy life. Sure there were all the "NO’s" every family knows and then some. Fanny recorded in her journal on July 9, 1861: "We are all sighing for the good sea breeze instead of this stifling land one filled with dust. Poor Allegra is very droopy with heat, and Edie has to get her hair in a net to free her neck from the weight."

 

Various accounts of what happened next are told, but one version is that after trimming some of seven-year-old Edith’s beautiful curls, Fanny decided to preserve the clippings in sealing wax. Melting a bar of sealing wax with a candle, a few drops fell unnoticed upon her dress. The longed-for sea breeze gusted through the window, igniting the light material of Fanny’s dress--immediately wrapping her in flames. In her attempt to protect Edith and Allegra, she ran to Henry’s study in the next room, where Henry frantically attempted to extinguish the flames with a nearby, but undersized, throw rug. Failing to stop the fire with the rug, he tried to smother the flames by throwing his arms around Frances--severely burning his face, arms, and hands. Fanny died the next morning. Too ill from his burns and grief, Henry did not attend her funeral.

 

The first Christmas after Fanny’s death, Henry wrote, "How inexpressibly sad are all holidays."

 

A year after the incident, he wrote, "I can make no record of these days. Better leave them wrapped in silence. Perhaps someday God will give me peace."

 

Henry’s journal entry for December 25th 1862 reads: "’A merry Christmas’ say the children, but that is no more for me."

 

Yet in 1863, Henry concludes his famous poem and now beloved song with

 

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.

 

Longfellow had experienced the lament and torment of a life lived in the midst of the promised peace and the epic pain of real life on earth.  He finally found the goodwill toward men in the hope of Christmas.

 

Christmas is about sin.  Christmas is about peace on earth and goodwill toward men.  Christmas is about our savior!

 

INVITATION

 

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now.  If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.