In 1971 Jinx Dawson remade the song, One Tin Soldier for the Billy Jack movies from the Original Caste song recorded in 1969. I love those movies, even if the acting is mediocr. "One Tin Soldier" tells the story of two neighboring tribes, the warlike Valley People and the peaceful Mountain Kingdom which possesses a great treasure buried under a stone. The Valley People demand the treasure. The Mountain People respond that they will share it with "their brothers", but the Valley People invade and slaughter the Mountain People. On overturning the stone, they find nothing except the words "Peace On Earth" inscribed beneath it. While those movies and the song have a "spiritual" tone there is one real problem. They stop too soon and don't give the whole message.
Imagine that you get a letter that reads, "join me for a wonderful dinner and show on Saturday at 8 pm at (insert your favorite expensive restaurant.)" There is no return address and no signature on the note. What a great invitaton to get. It seems exciting and it is your favorite restaurant of course, but it is missing a most important ingredient. It is missing the who. This time of year, we get caught up in all the Christmas cheer. Joy, Love, Peace and all the other "tidings of the season," but without the person of Christ there is something missing. The who isn't there. I hear people sometimes say "I am spiritual but not religious." I get that sentiment to some degree wanting to understand God but not wanting to be affiliated with some corporate church structure, who quite frankly has let many of us down more than once. However, we miss the message of where and who brought us real grace when we choose to remove Jesus. We miss the basis of our faith and mission.
“Faith is only as good as the one in whom it's invested.”
― Lee Strobel, The Case for the Real Jesus: A Journalist Investigates Current Attacks on the Identity of Christ
Don't get me wrong, Peace and joy is a good thing. All the toy drives, efforts to help the less fortunate and energy we expend to help our world is great and inspiring, but Christmas is just the beginning of the ministry of Christ. He ministered to the needs of others all year. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, ministered to the hurt and loved the unloved all year. That's what happens when we bring the person of Christ in to the season. We realize it is built around the personhood of Jesus rather than a seasonal event and it is something we want to do all year.
One peace-on-earth song that may be familiar to you is “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear,” written by Edmund Sears. Reflect on the words of the first stanza:
It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold;
“Peace on the earth, good will to men,
From Heaven’s all gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.
The angels’ message is clear: “Peace on earth, good will to men.” In this case, we also know who sent the message: “Heaven’s all gracious King.”
Let's not let the season dictate the end of the story. Let's make sure the whole message of Christ is heard in the Christmas season. Let's tell the who.
Much love,
Preach
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