S1: Rich theological truths set to unforgettable music. That's what you're
S1: in store for today on building relationships with Doctor Gary Chapman.
S2: Christmas songs and Christmas carols are all around us, and
S2: I think it's a it's a wonderful way to introduce
S2: the gospel in a non-threatening way to the world.
S3: I think we need to help those growing up in
S3: this culture today to understand there's a whole different issue
S3: at Christmas and Santa is not God.
S1: Welcome to building relationships with Doctor Gary Chapman, author of
S1: the New York Times best seller The Five Love Languages. Today,
S1: a husband and wife musical team join us to lead
S1: us into the hymns and carols of Christmas.
S4: David and Barbara Lehman have put together a fantastic resource
S4: for this festive time of year. We're coming back to
S4: it here on the Saturday before Christmas. It's titled Hosanna
S4: in Excelsis Hymns and Devotions for the Christmas Season. Find
S4: out more at five Love languages.com. And when we aired
S4: this program, the first time, I asked Gary if his
S4: heart is for people to encounter the real meaning of
S4: what we celebrate at Christmas.
S5: Well, you're right, Chris. You know, I think sometimes the
S5: Jingle Bells and Santa Claus kind of takes over in
S5: people's minds. And I'm all for whatever, you know is joyful.
S5: But the most joyful thing about Christmas is the birth
S5: of Christ, you know? So the more we can do
S5: to focus people on that. Yeah, I think that's what
S5: every pastor, every Christian really desires.
S6: Yes.
S4: David and Barbara Lehman are both graduates of Biola University
S4: School of Music. David's a retired director of music and worship.
S4: Barbara has taught music at a private Christian school in Texas. Together,
S4: they wrote and published Hosanna Loud Hosanna, which is a
S4: student hymnal that's widely used in churches and Christian schools
S4: and homes are featured. Resource today, though, is their book
S4: Hosanna in Excelsis Hymns and Devotions for the Christmas Season.
S4: I'm holding it in my little hands right now and
S4: it's such a great resource. You can find out more
S4: about it at Five Love languages.com.
S5: Well, David and Barbara, welcome to Building Relationships.
S2: Thank you.
S3: Thank you so much. It's a great privilege.
S5: David, you and Barbara have created a company and a
S5: website called Hosanna. hymnals.com. Tell us why you started that endeavor.
S3: We have always believed that the greatest is what we
S3: offer to God. Uh, the finest, the best of anything.
S3: And we also believe that in regard to music. And so,
S3: as Chris mentioned a moment ago, some years ago, we
S3: put together a book that we say is for students
S3: of all ages, but it's a list of 115 hymns
S3: that include the biographies of the author and composer, and
S3: then a devotional about it. Schools have used them as
S3: their primary book for chapel. A lot of homeschoolers use it.
S3: About two years ago, we felt we needed to do
S3: one of just Christmas hymns, and so that, along with
S3: the Student Hymnal, has formed this. Hosanna! Hymnals company. And
S3: that's what we're doing.
S5: Well, I'm excited about this book. I think it's going
S5: to help a lot of us focus in on the
S5: heart of Christmas. Barbara, why is singing so important? What
S5: happens when we sing together?
S2: Two really good questions when I speak to young, young moms,
S2: first grade moms every year teaching them why singing is
S2: important or why music is important, I said, well, the
S2: first thing I think is because it's important to God.
S2: Take your take your Bible and open it to the
S2: middle and you will find the largest book of the Bible.
S2: They're called the Psalms. It's basically a hymn book right
S2: in the middle of the Bible. And these were written
S2: to be sung. They're not it's not just poetry. They're
S2: songs to be sung in praise to God. So God
S2: has given us this huge, um, amount of poetry and
S2: beauty to praise him with. So that's why it's important,
S2: number one. Number two, I tell them that it's important
S2: that we sing because we are redeemed people. We have
S2: a song to sing. The very first hymn recorded in
S2: the Bible is in the book of Exodus, after the
S2: crossing of the Red sea. And the people had left
S2: their enemies behind and they were rejoicing. And the first
S2: thing they did was saying, I will sing unto the Lord,
S2: for he has triumphed gloriously, the horse and rider thrown
S2: into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song,
S2: and he has become my salvation. That is our song.
S2: We are redeemed people. So it's important that we sing,
S2: and it's important that we sing together because it creates
S2: a solidarity. The family becomes united, the generations become united.
S2: The hymns that we have chosen are cross-denominational. So the
S2: denominations become united in one voice of praising God for
S2: our redemption.
S5: David. Many churches have moved away from traditional hymns and
S5: they sing more contemporary songs. What are we missing by
S5: not singing the hymns that people have been singing for
S5: hundreds of years?
S3: If you think of our song canon in churches, what
S3: we generally sing as like a photograph book of history
S3: of your family. Uh, by not singing the hymns, it's
S3: as if we've pulled out all the pictures of Grandma
S3: and grandpa or great grandma and great grandpa, and said,
S3: we only want to see the people that are alive today.
S3: There's nothing wrong with seeing the people that are alive
S3: today or singing or singing contemporary songs. But shouldn't we
S3: look at what the legacy was left for us by
S3: people who wrote these hymns hundreds, even thousands of years
S3: ago that are so good. They're so such quality that
S3: we still sing them today. They've passed that test of time.
S3: So while we think that we can sing all kinds
S3: of hymns and psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, according
S3: to the Apostle Paul, we wonder if we've left off
S3: too many of the ones that really nurture us and
S3: feed us both on the Christian wisdom that people like
S3: Charles Wesley, Isaac Watts and others bring to us. But
S3: we really give only what's contemporary the priority. And there's again,
S3: nothing wrong with the contemporary. We're not against that. We're
S3: just saying don't throw out that which has stood and
S3: served us and still teaches us today.
S5: Yeah, I hear you saying we need the old and
S5: the new together.
S3: That's right. That's right.
S5: Yeah. Yeah. Well, I certainly agree with that. You know, Barbara,
S5: you and David created a unique devotional for the Christmas season.
S5: What did you want to show the reader about the
S5: songs that you chose?
S2: I think a lot of what Dave has just said,
S2: that we want to bring to them from the Christmas season,
S2: some of the greatest Christian spiritual poetry that's ever been written.
S2: We want them to to learn these songs and pass
S2: them down to future generations and preserve them. Secondly, it
S2: is so difficult sometimes at Christmas time to focus on
S2: what's true and real moms are caught up. I raised
S2: four children and I remember the days of I could
S2: hardly wait till Christmas was over just because it was
S2: so much work and so much stress. And I think
S2: that's that's more and more they're. So I think that
S2: getting into these hymns and these carols and singing them
S2: together brings us back to what is true and what
S2: is simple and what is good and what is beautiful. Yeah.
S2: And the third thing is that I think children first
S2: hear about Jesus and understand Jesus at the Nativity. They
S2: relate to the baby. And when we did our first hymnal,
S2: we started with the Christmas section because that this is
S2: where children start with Jesus as he's a child and
S2: in the manger growing up. And also Christmas songs and
S2: Christmas carols are all around us. And I think it's
S2: a it's a wonderful way to introduce the gospel in
S2: a non-threatening way to the world.
S5: David, can you give an example of a Christian Carol,
S5: and give us some of the background of it, so
S5: that our listeners get a feel for what you're doing
S5: in this book?
S3: Sure. But even before I do that, if I might, uh,
S3: Doctor Chapman, I'd like to add to what Barbara just said.
S3: The sad thing of our world today is that when
S3: you ask many people, what's your favorite Christmas song? At
S3: least young people and children are going to say Jingle
S3: Bells or Santa is coming to town. We really believe
S3: that this is needed to to bring back into the
S3: home some of the wonderful songs. I think as John MacArthur.
S3: That said, it's so ironic that Santa Claus has become
S3: a godlike character who visits every home, who knows whether
S3: you've been naughty or nice, and if you were nice,
S3: he gives you a good gift, and if you're naughty,
S3: he gives you a coal. I think we need to
S3: help those growing up in this culture today to understand
S3: there's a whole different issue at Christmas and Santa is
S3: not God. And so we we chose songs that not
S3: only talk about the birth, but that explain the incarnation,
S3: Because that's the doctrine that is so vital. I mean,
S3: we can't really believe in the resurrection unless we believe
S3: in the incarnation that God became man. And so there's
S3: so many carols I could give you example of, but
S3: perhaps the finest one and actually is very popular is
S3: Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Uh, and it was written
S3: by a pastor, Charles Wesley. Uh, the music by one
S3: of the finest composers in history, Felix Mendelssohn. And what's
S3: so remarkable about Hark the Herald Angels sing is that
S3: it's filled with the theology and scripture that tells us
S3: what the incarnation was, and that gives us the gospel
S3: veiled in flesh, the Godhead see. Hail the incarnate deity.
S3: You know, I sang for a number of years in
S3: a large symphony chorus in Dallas, and was around people
S3: of all stripes, denominations or are not. Probably the majority
S3: were not believers. And yet we would sing Hark the
S3: Herald Angels Sing in our Christmas concerts. And I always wondered,
S3: what in the world do they think this is about?
S3: Born to give them second birth. They have no idea
S3: what they're singing. They just happily sing it because it's
S3: a pretty tune. But if you look at it as
S3: a believer and you study that text, you'll see so
S3: many quotations from Scripture packed that really helps people to
S3: understand the incarnation.
S5: Yeah. And I think in families, as we sing songs
S5: like that and discuss them with our children at whatever
S5: age they may be, we're helping them understand the concept
S5: of God becoming man.
UU: Hides the Herald Angels sing glory to the newborn King.
S1: This is building relationships with Doctor Gary Chapman. Our guests
S1: are David and Barbara Lehman, authors of Hosanna in Excelsis
S1: Hymns and Devotions for the Christmas Season. You can find
S1: out more at Five Love languages.com. Well, coming up, the
S1: oldest Christmas hymn, Straight Ahead on Moody Radio.
UU: Brings praise with healing in his wings. Smiley faces, glory
UU: by honor. Prayer. No more may die. Born to raise us.
UU: Sons of earth. Born to give him Them. Second birth. Hark!
UU: The herald angels sing. Glory to the newborn King. Of
UU: the father's love begotten. Ere the worlds began to be.
UU: He is orphaned. Omega. He the source, the ending.
S7: He.
S1: This is building relationships with Doctor Gary Chapman, author of
S1: the New York Times bestseller The Five Love Languages. If
S1: you want to hear a passed program, take an assessment
S1: of your love language or see our featured resource today,
S1: go to five Love languages.com. It's written by David and
S1: Barbara Lehman and it's titled Hosanna in excelsis. Hymns and
S1: devotions for the Christmas Season. You can find out more
S1: at Five Love languages.com.
S5: Barbara. Before the break, David gave us one of the
S5: great hymns at Christmas time. How about one of the
S5: carols that has meant a lot to you and speaks
S5: deeply to you?
S2: One of my favorite carols in the book is probably
S2: the oldest text that we have in the book. It
S2: comes from the fifth century, and it's a carol, number
S2: eight of the Father's Love begotten. The two name is
S2: Divinum Mysterium, divine mystery, and it makes the incarnation and
S2: the birth of Christ so mystical and so beautiful. And
S2: I love it because it basically originates in John one.
S2: In the beginning was the word, and the word was
S2: with God, and the word was God. He was in
S2: the beginning with God. All things were made through him,
S2: and without him was not anything made that was made.
S2: In him was life, and the life was the light
S2: of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the
S2: darkness is not overcome it. And then verse 14, and
S2: the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we
S2: have seen his glory, glory as of the only son
S2: from the father, full of grace and truth. Those words
S2: are are mysterious when you read them in a way.
S2: And the carol, I think, underscores that of the father's
S2: love begotten ere the worlds began to be. He is
S2: Alpha and Omega, he the source, the ending, he of
S2: the things that are and have been. And that future
S2: years shall see evermore and evermore. It's put out plainsong
S2: chant from the 12th century that is so well paired
S2: with the words. And then the second verse has a
S2: phrase in it. It's talking about that Mary has, by
S2: the Holy Ghost, conceived and bore the Savior of our race.
S2: And the babe, the world's Redeemer first revealed his sacred face.
S2: When I first thought that to the children that I
S2: was teaching, it just grabbed me in a way that
S2: suddenly in the manger, we had all of human history.
S2: We had, from the promises and the prophets and the
S2: history of Israel. Suddenly the promise was here, and there
S2: was his face right before them. And that just explodes
S2: my imagination. I think of Simeon in the temple, 400
S2: years of silence. He was aware of that since they
S2: had heard from the prophets. And yet he held in
S2: his arms and wanted to behold that sacred face. And
S2: what a blessed story that is in our Christmas chapel
S2: that we did every year at my school. This was
S2: held a very special place. This particular song and the
S2: children that read that scripture before it from John one,
S2: were usually a first grader and a second grader, and
S2: these children would read that it was a service of
S2: lessons of carols that we put together for our Christmas program.
S2: And after they would read that and we would sing
S2: that carol. It was just a very moving and stunning
S2: moment in our in our chapel.
S5: Yeah. So you're looking back with a lot of memories
S5: of that particular. A lot of memories. Yeah. With with
S5: young children. That's wonderful. Uh, David, what do you hope
S5: happens as individuals or families go through this devotional together?
S3: Well, obviously, we're hoping that they begin to love these
S3: hymns that can feed their souls, feed their families souls.
S3: We hope that it draws them together. There's something about
S3: singing together that's unique. I never saw it, uh, exemplified
S3: more than years ago, after nine over 11, when all
S3: of the Congress stood on the steps of the Capitol
S3: and sang together God Bless America. Why did they do that?
S3: What caused them to think that singing was so important
S3: at this point? Well, it's almost indefinable, but it obviously
S3: drew them together and allowed them to say as one.
S3: This is how we feel right now. Yeah, and that's
S3: what we do with Christmas. If we sing together as
S3: a as a church, as a small group, as a
S3: Sunday school class or as a family, it draws us together.
S3: It unites us in what we believe and what we
S3: think we should be doing about this time of the year.
S5: A lot of us are wishing they could still get
S5: on the steps and sing together. David.
S3: Yeah, that's for sure.
S5: Yeah. Well, you know, Covid might be the thing that
S5: brings us together eventually. I don't know.
S3: But it might be.
S5: Yeah. You know, Barbara, you divided this collection into three sections.
S5: Tell us what they are and why you divided them
S5: this way.
S2: Well, the Christmas season has three portions to it. And
S2: I think in America today we think about Christmas Day.
S2: And that's Christmas is one day of the year. But
S2: in the Christian year, it begins four Sundays before Christmas
S2: with advent. Advent is a word that means waiting or coming.
S2: And we're celebrating the waiting or the coming not only
S2: of Christmas that year, but we're remembering the long wait
S2: that Israel had waiting for their Redeemer. And I think
S2: it's important that we remember that, and we teach our
S2: children that and that. I have a little poem again,
S2: back to my teaching days advent, Christmas, epiphany, Lent and Easter. Alleluia.
S2: And a Pentecost event. Christian year. Christian year. Celebrate the
S2: seasons of the Christian year as our children learn that
S2: every year it helped them. I felt like it helped
S2: introduce the gospel story through the life of Christ to children.
S2: I did not grow up in a liturgical church that
S2: celebrated the different seasons of the Christian year, but I
S2: found that I grew to love them as an adult
S2: when I understood them better. When I understand the coming
S2: of Christ and waiting and lighting the advent calendars, that
S2: brings great meaning and anticipation to something besides opening up
S2: presents on Christmas morning. And then of course, Christmas is
S2: our second section and we call it in our book.
S2: We call it the Nativity. This all the songs in
S2: that section starts before Christmas, but they're all songs of
S2: the angels and the Nativity, the story of the birth.
S2: And then after Christmas Day begins the season of epiphany.
S2: I think this one is probably the least known of
S2: the three, the three sections, or the three seasons of
S2: the Christmas year to us. And yet, to me, it's
S2: wonderful because epiphany is about the story of the three
S2: wise men coming. They follow the light. Light is a
S2: sign of epiphany. Epiphany is a word that means I
S2: get it. I finally understand it's an epiphany to me.
S2: The light bulb goes on and the light bulb that
S2: goes on that is so amazing is that Jesus did
S2: not just come to the Jewish people, the Israelites. He
S2: came for all of us. We are the ones who
S2: we Gentiles are the ones who were afar off and
S2: brought near. So I think epiphany is totally appropriate for
S2: us to celebrate after Christmas, because it's the part of
S2: the Christmas story where we come in that includes us.
S2: And I love teaching that to the children every year
S2: as we go through those, the various carols. I wanted
S2: to make note to it that we have a section
S2: that describes each of those in our book, advent, The Nativity,
S2: and epiphany. But we also placed poetry, Old English poetry
S2: that we found by Robert Herrick, uh, before the advent.
S2: What sweeter music can we bring than a carol for
S2: to sing the next two sections of John Milton's poem
S2: on Christmas morning? We took selections from that to help
S2: just add beauty to the book, describing a more beautiful
S2: way those three seasons of Christmas.
S5: Yeah. You know, I'm guessing, Barbara, that a lot of
S5: us who did not grow up in liturgical Surgical churches
S5: really have never really sensed the depth of what you
S5: just walked us through. You know, advent, Nativity, epiphany. And
S5: that's why I think this book is going to be
S5: kind of a fresh light on the whole Christmas season
S5: for for many Christians who did not grow up in liturgical,
S5: you know, services. So, you know, to me, I think
S5: you're giving a great service just in those three things,
S5: you know, and focusing on those three things. So thank.
S2: You.
S5: David. We usually use the term Christmas carols, but you're
S5: calling them Christian hymns. What's the difference?
S3: Well they're really synonymous, but with a distinction. A carol
S3: is not necessarily a sacred song. The people that call
S3: Jingle Bells A Christmas Carol. Uh, maybe as Christians we
S3: we wouldn't. But to the world, that's what's seen. And
S3: generally the word carol To find something that's a little
S3: bit light hearted and you can dance to. It has
S3: that sense, but these songs in the book could be
S3: called carols, but we called them hymns because hymns are
S3: always a sacred text, a text about a deity. And
S3: so that's what they are to us. But again, they're both.
S5: Yeah. Okay. So we have a choice. We can sing
S5: Christmas hymns or Christmas carols. I like that distinction because
S5: I think you're exactly right. Barbara, give us another Carol
S5: and give us the story again.
S2: This is a carol by association. I love by association.
S2: It's called Once in Royal David's City. It was written
S2: by an Irish woman, Cecil Alexander, who started writing poetry
S2: very young and continued to write. And she decided to
S2: do a set of poems to teach children the meaning
S2: of each of the phrases of the Apostles Creed. And
S2: she wrote once in Royal David's City for the for
S2: the part of the creed that says, born of a virgin,
S2: and laid in a manger, born of the Virgin Mary.
S2: And so it begins with telling that that sweet, simple story,
S2: another word about her that I just wanted to say
S2: is that I want us to remember that these people
S2: who wrote these were they were they were poets. They
S2: were learned people. And of this particular author, one time
S2: she wrote a poem called The Burial of Moses, and
S2: it caused Alfred, Lord Tennyson, to say that it was
S2: one of the few poems by another author that he
S2: wished he himself had written. And I tell that story
S2: just to say it elevates who we're reading, and the
S2: worth of why it is important for us to pay
S2: attention to these kind of old, dusty poems, maybe that
S2: we haven't thought about in a long time. Again, this
S2: song is used in the lessons in carol service that
S2: King's College does, and each year it begins the service.
S2: And several years ago, at the um, encouragement of one
S2: of our parents, school parents and board members. His name
S2: is Stephen Neilson. I don't know if any of you
S2: are familiar with Stephen, but he's a concert pianist who
S2: used to be part of the duo Neilson and Young.
S2: And he suggested to me, why don't we do a
S2: service of lessons and carols? And then he proceeded to
S2: help us each year, put this together. And also he
S2: I just want you to know that the piano recording
S2: we have of all these carols is Stephen Neilson playing.
S2: So you can sing as a family, being accompanied by
S2: a concert pianist, if you care to, to do that. Anyway,
S2: at the beginning of the service we have the service
S2: starts with my great privilege. Every year was to choose
S2: the child that would learn the first verse and would
S2: sing it acapella unaccompanied to begin the service. And the
S2: most poignant point of that service to me was after
S2: a beautiful prelude, the church is quiet, probably 1000 1200
S2: people sitting in silence, and they're all waiting for one thing.
S2: They're waiting to hear that small voice from the back
S2: of the room, begin acapella and walk down the aisle
S2: singing this one simple, beautiful verse together and alone. And
S2: then we join on the second verse, a whole congregation.
S2: To me, that was a more moving than any Christmas
S2: pageant that you could ever, you could ever put on,
S2: because it was a group of people and parents and
S2: students and children joining together and singing that wonderful story
S2: and waiting for that moment when the when the story
S2: was told. Once in Royal David's city stood a lowly
S2: manger shed. And then it goes on to talk about
S2: Jesus as our childhood pattern. And our eyes at last
S2: shall see him. It takes us on to heaven, all
S2: of the stories there.
UU: And our eyes at last shall see him through his John.
UU: Redeeming love for the child. So dear and gentle is
UU: our Lord in heaven above. And he leads his children
UU: on to the place where he is gone.
S1: Well, this is building relationships with Doctor Gary Chapman. Our
S1: featured resource today is Hosanna in Excelsis Hymns and Devotions
S1: for the Christmas Season. You can find out more at
S1: Five Love languages.com. You can also hear podcast of today's program,
S1: or see when Gary's coming to your area for a seminar,
S1: and you can find out more about our guests, David
S1: and Barbara Lehman. Just go to five Love languages.com.
S5: Barbara, in this past segment, you gave us a visual
S5: picture of a student, a young student, maybe a first grader,
S5: singing a cappella, the first stanza of this song. So
S5: we got this picture in our minds. Now we're seated
S5: there with these 1200 people. Read that stanza again, and
S5: let us all experience the truth about which this child
S5: is singing happily.
S2: Once in Royal David's city stood a lowly cattle shed,
S2: where a mother laid her baby in a manger for
S2: his bed. Mary was that mother mild. Jesus Christ, her
S2: little child.
S5: Wow. I think all of us can feel that. You know,
S5: we could, we can. We can see that child singing
S5: it and we can see what the child is singing about.
S5: So I did that because I want our listeners to
S5: get a feel for what this devotional book can really
S5: do for them individually as well as for for the family. So, David,
S5: give us another Carol and the story.
S3: Well, let me talk about one that when it was
S3: written in the 1800s, would never have been sung in church.
S3: And the reason is it would have been considered much,
S3: much too frivolous, too happy. And they were somber and
S3: severe in their celebration of worship. And yet it was, uh,
S3: probably used because the people loved it so much. But
S3: no one claimed the authorship. It's totally, uh, anonymous because
S3: they didn't want to be censored by the church. Do
S3: you have any guess as to what that Carol is?
S3: It's God rest you merry, gentlemen.
S5: Oh, really? Yes.
S3: So we don't know exactly when it was written. Uh,
S3: the precise date, uh, and obviously who wrote it, but
S3: somewhere in the 1800s, and it brought joy to people.
S3: Charles Dickens employed the song in A Christmas Carol, but
S3: it was way too much joy for Scrooge. He rejected
S3: it and all it could proclaimed. But we think it's
S3: a wonderful song. It's a little bit more horizontal in
S3: direction than vertical toward God. It's really to encourage one another.
S3: God rest you, you see, and don't let anything dismay you. Remember, Christ,
S3: our Savior was born on Christmas Day to save us
S3: from Satan's power when we had gone, gone astray. And
S3: then it always ends with this short refrain O tidings
S3: of comfort and joy. Two pillars that the songwriter said
S3: we need in our lives. And oh boy, is it
S3: not true today. Comfort and joy. Wow. And so it's
S3: a great song to take. uh, we always try to
S3: do some caroling in our neighborhood. I played the accordion,
S3: and I strap it on and grab another few Christian
S3: families and walk up and down our street singing songs
S3: like God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen and others that are
S3: familiar because we think it's a wonderful way to share
S3: Christ at Christmas with our neighbors.
S5: Yeah. Well, I hope Covid will not keep you from
S5: doing that this year. You know, maybe they can stand
S5: six feet apart while they sing. Okay.
S3: Of course. Of course. And at least we're outside.
S5: Absolutely. You know, Barbara, I know that you have a
S5: heart for those who feel intimidated about singing with others,
S5: you know, in a public gathering or maybe sometimes even
S5: in the family. And they feel like they can't sing well,
S5: you know, and so they're reticent. What would you say
S5: to those people?
S2: Well, the first thing I would say to them is sing.
S5: Uh.
S2: God has given us the gift of song to all
S2: people and every person that can speak can sing. And
S2: I think that the culture has given us a different
S2: message telling us, well, there are singers and there are listeners,
S2: and I often have people say to me, oh, you
S2: don't want to hear me sing? And I would like
S2: to say to them, oh, yes, I would love to
S2: hear you sing. And I think that the fact is
S2: that people feel because of this performance mentality that we
S2: have had, which was really only been around the last
S2: couple of hundred years, I think before that everyone sang more.
S2: That was the only music. If you wanted music, you
S2: provided it for yourself. But that performance mentality has given
S2: us a sense that we're being judged by our singing,
S2: and no one should ever feel judged by their singing.
S2: And so I would simply encourage people, even if you
S2: haven't grown up singing or you're not used to it,
S2: just just try, you know, just get it out there.
S2: I think parents of young children know that your young
S2: child can learn to sing. It's much harder as an adult,
S2: but little children can all learn to sing. And so
S2: that guess that's one of my, um, vocations in life,
S2: is to encourage people to sing.
S5: You know, I'm thinking also, if you're standing in a
S5: congregation singing and you happen to be a musician, I mean,
S5: you know, a trained musician, I hope in hearing the
S5: person next to you maybe missing a note here or there,
S5: you would just say, God bless them. I'm glad they're singing.
S3: Amen.
S5: Amen. Absolutely. Well, David, there's a song you included that
S5: I don't think I've ever heard. Why did you include.
S5: Here's the name of the song on Jordan's bank, The
S5: Baptist's Cry.
S3: Well, it's not talking about Baptists by denomination, but it's
S3: talking about John the Baptist, who obviously had a very
S3: important part in the Christmas story because he was a
S3: foreteller of Jesus. And I think he needs to have
S3: some recognition for that. And so this, this great hymn, uh,
S3: it is true. I'm not surprised you don't know it. Uh,
S3: not very many people sing it. Although would you believe
S3: it's found in 145 modern hymnals? But it was written
S3: in the late 1600s and, uh, by a person who
S3: was trying to teach people against some of the doctrines
S3: of the Catholic Church. And, uh, he it's only the
S3: first verse that really refers to John the Baptist. From
S3: there on, it goes on to exclaim the Christmas story,
S3: the mystery of the incarnation, and it guides us through
S3: our repentance. That is part of the advent expression. So
S3: it is in our advent part of the book, and
S3: it encourages us and the gift of grace by which
S3: without we're doomed as flowers. Bright for a season, then gone.
S3: We know that the only way that our current political
S3: issues and social problems will be solved is by the
S3: power of Christ and the grace of forgiveness. And so
S3: it has that all in this book, in this song.
S3: And we just felt we have 43 hymns. And it
S3: was not easy choosing which ones should go in this.
S3: We stopped at 43 because we wanted one for every
S3: day at the beginning of advent, which is four weeks,
S3: the the Sunday, four weeks before Christmas Day, and then
S3: through January 6th, which is the epiphany. And so that's
S3: how we came up with 43, and we tried to
S3: use all the most familiar carols, the first Noels and
S3: Silent Night and so forth. But then we were able
S3: to include a few of these, like on Jordan's bank,
S3: that are not as familiar.
UU: To you, O Christ, our praises me who died and
UU: set your people free, who with the father we adore
UU: and Holy Spirit evermore. It came upon the midnight clear.
UU: That glorious song, O Lord, the angels bending near the
UU: earth to touch their harps of Hold peace on earth.
UU: Good will to men from hands. All gracious King, the
UU: world in.
S1: Thanks for joining us today for building relationships with Doctor
S1: Gary Chapman. And thanks for telling a friend about the
S1: program to maybe you know, someone who would benefit from
S1: our conversation. You'll find a link to the podcast or
S1: stream at five Love languages.com. Plus, you'll see the resource
S1: Hosanna in Excelsis Hymns and Devotions for the Christmas Season.
S1: It's written by our guests, David and Barbara Lehman. Also,
S1: the music you're hearing throughout the program is from a recording.
S1: David and Barbara produced both instrumental music as well as vocals,
S1: and you can find out more about that recording by
S1: going to Hosanna hymnals.com. That's Hosanna hymnals. Com.
S5: Barbara. This year, 2020 has been an unusual year and
S5: a difficult year for many, many, many people. Why should
S5: these Christmas hymns offer unique encouragement and guidance as we
S5: near the end of this year?
S2: Well, the message of Christmas is basically a message of hope.
S2: Christmas isn't the end of the story. It's the beginning
S2: and the end of the story we haven't experienced yet.
S2: We're still looking forward to it, and I think it's
S2: important that we remember that. Uh, first of all, that
S2: that that Jesus Christ is coming. We're still waiting for
S2: the Second Advent. And when he comes, he will, he will,
S2: he will rule the world. And that gives me a
S2: lot of hope. Also, just I was thinking that during
S2: this time, so many churches are not meeting and not singing.
S2: Of all the times that we're in our homes, we
S2: want to be singing and we want to be singing
S2: this story, and we want to be singing the songs
S2: of hope. What else is going to take our eyes
S2: off of what we've been just saturated with for this
S2: whole entire year of all the bad news. And so
S2: I think that that's it. I think just that because
S2: that it's, it's a a resource that families can use
S2: to fill our homes with, with the singing and the
S2: and the story of the gospel and the truth of
S2: God and the story of Christmas, when many of us,
S2: or many of my friends that I know around the
S2: country haven't been going to church, that would be my
S2: simple answer.
S5: David, give us an example from the book of of
S5: how this might be.
S3: Well, another hymn that may not be familiar to a
S3: lot of people. It's a Lutheran hymn, but it was
S3: written in the city of Zittau, Germany, which is near
S3: the Czech and Polish borders, probably in around 1638, by
S3: a German pastor who was living. And all of the
S3: people that he wrote this for were living during what
S3: is considered one of the longest and most destructive wars
S3: in European religious history. It's known as the 30 Years War,
S3: in which whole regions died of famine and disease, as
S3: well as the the armies killing. And so there was
S3: we think we have it pretty bad today. I'm sorry.
S3: It's nothing like during the 30 Years War in Germany.
S3: But this man was able to encourage them to rejoice.
S3: Listen to this text. O rejoice, ye Christians, loudly, for
S3: our joy has now begun. Wondrous things our God has done.
S3: Tell abroad his goodness proudly, who our race has honored,
S3: thus that he deigns to dwell with us. Joy, oh joy,
S3: beyond all gladness Christ has done away with sadness, hence
S3: all sorrow and repining for the son of grace is shining.
S3: That's just the first verse.
S5: Oh it's powerful.
S3: It is so powerful. And the music that was written
S3: to it, uh, helps it to be defined like few hymns.
S3: It just rises with the encouragement of a melody. You
S3: can't hardly get out of your head. Yeah. And, uh.
S3: And then it's the prayer. The last stanza is Jesus,
S3: guard and guide thy members. Fill them with thy boundless grace.
S3: Hear their prayers in every place. Fan the flame. Faiths
S3: growing embers. Grant all Christians far and near. Holy peace
S3: a glad new year. Mm. I just love that.
S5: That's a great prayer for us right now. It is.
S3: It really is. And one of the reasons we chose
S3: it was that 50 years ago yesterday, Barbara and I
S3: were married, and we had this sung at our wedding
S3: because we we loved it so much. And I happen
S3: to know that it's also Chris's anniversary yesterday. And so
S3: the fabrics and the lemons celebrate together that God has
S3: given us great joy in our marriages.
S5: Well, maybe we should all just sing that right now.
S5: Or maybe not.
S3: Maybe number 38 in your book.
S5: Barbara, give us another. These are exciting. Give us another
S5: example from the book.
S2: Well, one that is familiar to all of us and
S2: stays on the same theme that I love. Joy to
S2: the world. The Lord is come. First, I love it
S2: because it says the Lord is come. Not that he
S2: has come, but he has come. But it's sort of
S2: that eternal present. He is come. And this is a
S2: Christmas Carol that we actually begin this season of epiphany with,
S2: because there's really no mention of Christmas, per se, in
S2: this Carol. It's talking about the Lord coming, but it's
S2: not talking about a manger or angels. I'm sure it
S2: is referring to the first coming as well as the second,
S2: but it's taken from Psalm 98 where I sing to
S2: the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things.
S2: His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation
S2: for him. The Lord has made known his salvation. He
S2: has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
S2: Then it goes on to talk about the mountains and
S2: the hills and heaven and nature, saying that, that, that, uh,
S2: that Isaac Watts so wonderfully put into the hymn, uh,
S2: and then it but it ends with I love it
S2: ends with ends with Psalm 98. Uh, nine for he
S2: comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world
S2: with righteousness and the peoples with equity. And I think
S2: all of us just long for that day. We look
S2: around us and we we see who is ruling us
S2: and who is in charge. And we long for the
S2: day that King Jesus comes back and judges the world
S2: and righteousness and equity. He rules the world with truth
S2: and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of
S2: his righteousness and wonders of his love. And I think
S2: that's again, there's our hope that we look for at
S2: the end of this year, at the beginning of next year.
S2: So that's that's always a favorite hymn for me to
S2: sing any time of the year.
S5: Oh, yeah. Every Christian longs for the coming of Christ again.
S5: And David, in the 43 hymns that are in this book,
S5: we mentioned earlier that there are some of them that
S5: people probably will not know. What can they do to
S5: learn these hymns and to sing them?
S3: Well, I think the easiest way is to get a
S3: copy of our recording. We put all 43 hymns and
S3: we recorded them each twice, one with voices of mother
S3: and a father and three children that so it kind
S3: of patterns what the family could sound like, but it
S3: also obviously teaches the song. And then right after that
S3: is that same song with just a piano for you
S3: to sing along. These aren't highly produced with orchestra or anything.
S3: They're simple and so you can both learn them and
S3: sing with them. If you get a copy of this recording,
S3: which is on, by the way, on a USB card.
S3: So because it would take way too many CDs, you
S3: can download it or stream it, I should say like
S3: from Spotify, but it's limited. They they wouldn't give us
S3: that many 8086 spaces to put our songs on. So
S3: the best way is to get the USB, plug it
S3: into your computer or your whatever you use for listening
S3: to music.
S5: Barbara, you all do include a few of the newer
S5: carols in the book. Just tell us about one of those.
S2: Well, let's see, we have two of the Getty songs
S2: in there that I think we've talked about before. Joy
S2: has dawned, but there's one that I really love that
S2: is written by a Lutheran pastor whose name is Jaroslav Vajda,
S2: and it's called Where Shepherds Lightly Knelt, number 13. And
S2: I think what I love about it is, as Dave
S2: puts it, it sort of puts the the poet into
S2: the sandals of the shepherds. Being at the nativity scene
S2: where shepherds lightly knelt and kept the angel's word, I
S2: come in half belief. A pilgrim strangely stirred. But there
S2: is room and welcome there for me there is room
S2: in welcome there for me. It's the third stanza that
S2: I love. How should I not have known Isaiah would
S2: be there? His prophecies fulfilled with pounding heart I stare
S2: a child, a son, the Prince of peace for me,
S2: a child, a son, the Prince of Peace for me.
S2: To me that just says everything. There he is in
S2: that moment again. Isaiah, all the prophecies that I've read
S2: about the Messiah. There they are in that stable in
S2: that manger.
S5: Yeah. Yeah. And it's good to know that there are
S5: some folks in our generation who are writing hymns. So that's. Yeah.
S5: That's powerful. Well, David and Barbara, it's been great to
S5: have you with us today on building relationships. Thank you
S5: for putting this together. I know it grows out of
S5: your whole life ministry, and it's very, very rich. It's
S5: going to help a lot of people, I think, and
S5: I'm encouraging our listeners to take advantage of this.
S3: Well thank you. It's been our privilege to be able
S3: to share it with your listeners. And, uh, and in
S3: real essence, there were 43 other authors to this book
S3: besides us.
S8: Yes.
S3: And they they bring the value that's, uh, timeless to
S3: this book.
S2: Thank you so much for inviting us.
S4: What a great resource for the whole family. David and
S4: Barbara Lehman have been with us today, and they've put
S4: together Hosanna in excelsis. Hymns and devotions for the Christmas Season.
S4: You can find out more at our website. Five Love languages.com. Again,
S4: go to five Love languages.com. Now the music you've heard
S4: throughout the program today is available both instrumental and vocals.
S4: Find out more about those recordings go to Hosanna! hymnals.com. Hosanna. hymnals.com.
S4: Thanks for joining us for this Best of Christmas broadcast.
S4: Now don't miss next week. It's our final conversation of
S4: 2024 as Doctor Chapman takes your questions from our listener line.
S4: Let me thank our production team, Steve Wick and Janice.
S4: Backing building relationships with Doctor Gary Chapman is a production
S4: of Moody Radio in Chicago in association with Moody Publishers,
S4: a ministry of Moody Bible Institute. Merry Christmas.