Christmas "Evil" leading to "Scary Christmas"...
So we're in the middle of the December series called, "the Nighmare before Christmas" and I'm just looking at the genealogy of Christ and the battle against as well as the brokenness within his bloodline of Jesus. It's fascinating really. This week, I'm going to be looking at the birth of Christ through the lens of Rev. 12. Specifically wondering what it must have been like to emerge from the womb of Mary only to be eye to eye with the "dragon who was waiting to devour" you. What a "nativity" scene that is. One character that gets left out of the nativity is the dragon. It makes me wonder about childish little renderings of the Christmas story like "Away in a Manger" and "Silent Night". I decided to rewrite those little jingles to depict the reality of warfare surrounding the birth of Jesus.
Here's my rewrite of "Away in a Manger"...I call it "He lays there in Danger."
He lays there in Danger
Satan wants him dead
The little Lord Jesus
Is Hell’s greatest dread.
The war in the sky
Goes on while he lay
The little Lord Jesus
Is saving the day.
The battle is growing
the poor baby shakes
One look at the dragon
reveals what’s at stake
The combat was raging,
As Jesus arrived,
While young boys were slaughtered,
this baby survived.
The clamor was vicious
Surrounding the child,
Just under the surface
Hell’s angels were riled.
With Infinite power
Lord Sabaoth fought
and with armored angels
our freedom was bought.
Here's the rewrite of "Silent Night"...I've titled it "Violent Night"
Violent Night, Gory Night
Angels poised for a fight
Demons circled ‘round the child
All of Heaven broke loose and went wild
Warring for Heavenly peace.
Warring for Heavenly peace.
Violent Night, Gory night!
Bethlehem filled with fright
Fury streamed from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts shout “Fight, Jehovah!”
Christ, the Warrior is born.
Christ, the Warrior is born.
Violent night, Gory night!
Son of God joins our plight
Valiant dreams for humanities race
Brings the dawn of accessible grace
Born again at Thy birth.
Born again at Thy birth.
I just sometimes feel like there has been so much censorship in the story of God. Stories in the Bible can so easy be abducted from their context and air-brushed to be kid-friendly. I wonder in the long run what this does to the gospel. I think it makes for a pretty boring story when you eliminate the dark side in hopes to compel people with the bright side. I'm sick of the bright side. I want the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God. If the truth is fraught with danger and speckled with brokenness and checkered with salacious details that would get an NC-17 rating at the local theater...bring it on...with some popcorn and sour patch kids ta boot! Anyway...that's my two cents for the day.
Hope you enjoy my "morbid" Christmas carols.
It's my sorry attempt to blend Christmas Eve with Christmas Evil. Both are real. Both are true. And I don't think we do the gospel justice until we learn to sing both.
Here's my rewrite of "Away in a Manger"...I call it "He lays there in Danger."
He lays there in Danger
Satan wants him dead
The little Lord Jesus
Is Hell’s greatest dread.
The war in the sky
Goes on while he lay
The little Lord Jesus
Is saving the day.
The battle is growing
the poor baby shakes
One look at the dragon
reveals what’s at stake
The combat was raging,
As Jesus arrived,
While young boys were slaughtered,
this baby survived.
The clamor was vicious
Surrounding the child,
Just under the surface
Hell’s angels were riled.
With Infinite power
Lord Sabaoth fought
and with armored angels
our freedom was bought.
Here's the rewrite of "Silent Night"...I've titled it "Violent Night"
Violent Night, Gory Night
Angels poised for a fight
Demons circled ‘round the child
All of Heaven broke loose and went wild
Warring for Heavenly peace.
Warring for Heavenly peace.
Violent Night, Gory night!
Bethlehem filled with fright
Fury streamed from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts shout “Fight, Jehovah!”
Christ, the Warrior is born.
Christ, the Warrior is born.
Violent night, Gory night!
Son of God joins our plight
Valiant dreams for humanities race
Brings the dawn of accessible grace
Born again at Thy birth.
Born again at Thy birth.
I just sometimes feel like there has been so much censorship in the story of God. Stories in the Bible can so easy be abducted from their context and air-brushed to be kid-friendly. I wonder in the long run what this does to the gospel. I think it makes for a pretty boring story when you eliminate the dark side in hopes to compel people with the bright side. I'm sick of the bright side. I want the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God. If the truth is fraught with danger and speckled with brokenness and checkered with salacious details that would get an NC-17 rating at the local theater...bring it on...with some popcorn and sour patch kids ta boot! Anyway...that's my two cents for the day.
Hope you enjoy my "morbid" Christmas carols.
It's my sorry attempt to blend Christmas Eve with Christmas Evil. Both are real. Both are true. And I don't think we do the gospel justice until we learn to sing both.
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