Christ Has Risen, In Shining, Truly Majestic, Ascended Sovereignty

About fifty years ago in a country far away, several high school students were in the last stages of losing their treble singing voices. Christmas was coming and among the choirboys of Rivington and Blackrod High School there was much discussion around who would get the honor of singing the acapella processional at the Christmas Eve service. The carol was always the same and only a piping treble voice was allowed to sing it. As the older choristers’ voices were about to break, they knew this would be their last chance.

Finally, one proud young lad was chosen to sing the carol that night. Excitedly waiting at the back, he readied himself to lead the choir down to the altar. A sea of flickering candles glimmered on both sides of the ancient church as he walked quietly down the aisle between them. The teacher signaled and I began to sing, “Once in Royal David’s City.”

One verse of that carol has stayed with me all these years for some reason. It’s this:

For he is our childhood's pattern; Day by day like us he grew,
He was little, weak, and helpless, Tears and smiles like us he knew:
And he feeleth for our sadness, And he shareth in our gladness.

It took me a while to see the birth of this baby as the birth of a king. Not just any king, but the eternal King over all the earth. Not a king who ruled with force but by the power of His sacrifice and presence. Emmanuel–God with us–God for us. Not just on our side, but by our side. He models living in the kingdom of God on earth so we can strive to do it too. He is not a distant king who demands obedience. He is a king who models obedience, feeling our sadness and sharing our gladness. He entered the world as He enters our lives, with a love so strong even death cannot break it. He lived and died, suffered and cried, to heal us, filling our lives with His life so we will live forever. As one old carol puts it:

Where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Christ enters in.

So, this Christmas if you find yourselves drowning in wrapping paper, tinsel, eggnog and Hallmark movies, stop a while to honor the King, who is the gift of God to us all. The wise men brought precious gifts, but the gift of your laid down life is all He truly wants, as the carol reminds us:

...what I have I give Him, give him my heart.

Jesus is the greatest gift you could ever give, so re-gift Jesus wherever you go, without shame, because He is one gift you should keep on giving. Happy Birthday King Jesus!

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Chris Jones is the Global Outreach Director at New Hope Church. He longs for the unreached people of the world to experience the life-changing love of God and for people at New Hope Church to find fullness of joy by obeying the Great Commission.