The Nativity of Christ
1. Ye souls redeemed with Jesus’ precious blood,
Proclaim the grace of your incarnate God;
Sing that amazing, boundless, matchless love,
Which brought the Lord of glory from above.
2. The eternal Word, who built the earth and skies,
Takes on him flesh, and in a manger lies;
In that dear Babe of Bethlehem I see
My God, contracted to a span for me.
3. Mary’s first-born was God and man in one;
David’s own God, and David’s blessed Son.
Well might the angels wing their way to earth,
To celebrate so glorious a birth.
4. They sang, with new surprise and fresh delights,
Glory to God, in all the angelic heights;
Surrounded with God’s glory, in a blaze
To heaven they fly, the incarnate God to praise.
5. Shall angels sing the honours of his name,
And sinners, saved by grace, silent remain?
Good God, forbid! inflame us with thy love,
And set our grovelling minds on things above.
6. This God-like mystery we will gladly sing,
And own the virgin’s Babe our God and King;
Jehovah Jesus, we will thee adore,
And crown thee Lord of all for evermore.
W. GADSBY
Christmas is a season which almost all Christians observe in one way or another. Some keep it as a religious season. Some keep it as a holiday. But all over the world, wherever there are Christians, in one way or another Christmas is kept.
Perhaps there is no country in which Christmas is so much observed as it is in England. Christmas holidays, Christmas parties, Christmas family-gatherings, Christmas services in churches, Christmas hymns and carols, Christmas holly and mistletoe,—who has not heard of these things? They are as familiar to English people as anything in their lives. They are among the first things we remember when we were children. Our grandfathers and grandmothers were used to them long before we were born. They have been going on in England for many hundred years. They seem likely to go on as long as the world stands.
But, reader, how many of those who keep Christmas ever consider why Christmas is kept? How many, in their Christmas plans and arrangements, give a thought to Him, without whom there would have been no Christmas at all? How many ever remember that the Lord Jesus Christ is the cause of Christmas ? How many ever reflect that the first intention of Christmas was to remind Christians of Christ’s birth and coming into the world? Reader, how is it with you? What do you think of at Christmas?
Bear with me a few minutes, while I try to press upon you the question which heads this tract. I do not want to make your Christmas merriment less. I do not wish to spoil your Christmas cheer. I only wish to put things in their right places. I want Christ Himself to be remembered at Christmas! Give me your attention while I unfold the question—”What think ye of Christ?”
A short extract from ‘What think ye of Christ?’
A Christmas Tract written by J C Ryle