Put Christ into Christmas! (3)

Second, when we but Christ into Christmas, our spirit are lightened by the reawakening of our sense of joy. One of the most dramatic scenes in European history occured when Charles VIII demanded ransom from the free city of Florence. Capponi, the mayor, refused to give a groat. Charles thundered threats. “I will have my trumpets blown,” he blustered.

Capponi’s answer is immortal. “Blow your trumpets,” he shouted. “Blow your trumpets, and we will ring our bells!”

Charles went silent after this, for at the ringing of bells the hidden army of Florence would spring into being.

This story suggests the resources of the Christian in the face of the blustering threats of life. “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, . . . for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Thank God that ever since that heavenly announcement the Christian has had the bells of joy ringing their music of faith and hope in his heart.

There is so much to weight us down, to burden our souls, to depress our minds, to undermine our spirits—so many doubts, so many heartaches, so many regrets, so many disappointment, so many mysteries, so many fears. In our moments of weakness their trumpets of defeat blow many a mournful blast. How shall we answer them save by the bells of joy that become real in our hearts when we put Christ into Christmas?

Almost every Christmas hymn has the dominant note of joy:

Dear Desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel.

Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies.

Joy, joy, and hope, like flowers,
Spring in his path to birth.

Glad tidings of great joy I bring,
To you and all mankind.

Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns:
Let men their songs employ.

As with gladness men of old,
Did the guiding star behold;
As with joy they hailed its light.

Leading onward, beaming bright.
Till the air,
Everywhere,
Now with joy is ringing.

With them the joyful tidings first begun
Of God Incarnate and the Virgin’s Son.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation.

We rejoice in the light,
And we echo the song.

To you the joyous news we bring.

Good Christian men, rejoice,
With heart and soul and voices;
Give ye heed to what we say:
Jesus Christ is born today.

Who said that the Christian faith is a long-faced, grim, gloomy affair of negative restrictions and sad-eyed resignation? There’s nothing dreary about the faith of the Christian when Christ s at the centre of Christmas! The Christian’s very birthright is joy and gladness, which are born at Christmas into the original blood stream of the Christian life. This is no surface happiness. It is the inner radiance and lightness of spirit enjoyed by those who live in the presence of the God of triumph and love, revealed in Jesus Christ.

Modern Christians need to recover this sense of joy. We have no right to be downcast and desolate. We ought to be ashamed of ourselves for being so grouchy and pessimistic. We must quit feeding on our doubts and miseries, and begin to cultivate the singing soul and the glowing heart. Our God is a living God, and in him is reason for buoyancy and cause for rejoicing. Joy is revived by a sense of the divine. Christmas is spotlighted by the renewal of joy.