Say What?

Maybe you've been listening to Christmas tunes over the last few weeks to get in the mood.  Some of the lyrics have lately caught my attention.  I even heard a few in Starbucks the other day, and the words weren't about Santa Claus.  The power of Christmas really came out as I was sipping my grande drip.

Here are a few snippets:

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen 

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay;
Remember Christ, our Saviour,
Was born on Christmas day,
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray.

Hark! the Herald Angels Sing 

Mild He lays His glory by,
born that man no more may die;
Born to raise the sons of earth,
born to give them second birth
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King"

O Holy Night

Truly He taught us
to love one another;
His law is love and
His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break
for the slave is our brother
And in His name
all oppression shall cease.

I wonder if Howard Schultz realizes the music is proclaiming good news about Jesus.

• We have turned our backs on God ("when we were gone astray").

• We are, subsequently, enslaved by Satan and sin ("to save us all from Satan's power").

• Death is the result of sin ("born that man no more may die").

• Jesus came in humility as a human ("mild he lay") to break the chains of slavery caused by sin ("chains shall He break") by suffering and dying on a cross.

• Jesus can cause us to be born a second time, a spiritual birth ("born to give them second birth").

• Jesus teaches us how to love one another ("truly he taught us") and empowers us by the Holy Spirit to do it ("and in His name all oppression shall cease").

• We defeat death and are raised to a new life with Him for eternity ("born to raise the sons of earth").

Thanks, Starbucks, for sharing the true meaning of Christmas with me.