Cowboy Church - Christmas Eve Service

 Hello, my friends and welcome to a special Christmas Eve service of Cowboy Church. 

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Remember Whose Birthday It Is. Now there is no one who loves the little things about Christmas then me. I love giving and receiving gifts, spending time with the family and seeing all the beautiful Christmas lights and there is no bigger defender of Santa Claus than me. However, all of this pales in comparison with the true meaning of Christmas, Jesus Christ our Lord. Because of this day we have our salvation and a sense of hope even in the darkest days. The fact that God would send his own son to Earth as a human being to suffer and die like the rest of us so that we could one day go to heaven never ceases to amaze me and there is no better Christmas gift one can receive than Jesus Christ. In his 1960 book, My Favorite Christmas Story, Roy Rogers wrote, "To me leaving the baby out of any Christmas story is like leaving the salt out of your food. Any story that does that is as useless as the pony express or the stagecoach." This is followed by Jim Reeves with Mary's Little Boy Child. Next comes southern Christian rock band Third Day with their version of Angels We Have Heard on High. This hymn began as a traditional French carol (Les anges dans nos campagnes) dating back to the 18th century. The English language version of this hymn was written by James Chadwick in 1862. However, this version of the song differs from the original French version. This was a very loose translation and in fact Chadwick would also write some original lyrics not to be found in the French version of this hymn. Because of this the two hymns are often viewed as different songs. This version of the song comes from Third Day's 2006 Christmas album, Christmas Offerings. That album's title references two previous Third Day albums, both of which were designed as albums of worship music, 2000's Offerings: A Worship Album and 2003's Offerings II: All I Have to Give. This is followed by Johnny Cash with I Heard thew Bells on Christmas Day. This song began as a poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on December 25th, 1864. At this time the United States was still in the midst of a civil war and this poem reflected and commented on this, ending with a message of hope, that even through all this war and violence, "God is not dead nor does he sleep." This poem featured two stanzas that were not used in the later hymn that directly referenced the Civil War. John B. Calkin composed the music in 1872. Next is Gene Autry and Rosemary Clooney with their 1952 recording of The Night Before Christmas. This song was written by Johnny Marks, who also wrote Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Afterwards is The Petersens with God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. This is followed by Charley Pride with Joy to the World. This hymn started off as a poem by Issaac Watts in 1719. He never intended this to be either a song or associated with Christmas. It in fact would not become a song until a century later when a Boston music teacher, Lowell Mason would discover it and put it to music. Over time it would become more and more associated with Christmas until it would become one of the most famous Christmas carols. Next is Martha Mears and The Sons of the Pioneers with Jingle Bells. James Lord Pierpont wrote this song in 1857. Despite being known as a Christmas song today, it was originally written with a different holiday in mind. Under its original title, One Horse Open Sleigh this song was written to be used in a Thanksgiving service at a Church where Pierpont was the organist. The song was so well received that it played again at the Church on Christmas day. For a song written to be performed at a Church, the original lyrics were racier than one would think and would be changed so that children's church choirs can perform the song. Today's musical selection ends with George Jones singing Silent Night. This song was written in 1818 by Josef Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber. Raised in Salzburg, Mohr became an ordained priest on August 21, 1815. He was then sent to a town just north of Salzburg called Obendorf. That is where he met a schoolteacher named Franz Xaver Gruber, who would later become the organist at Old Saint Nicholas Church in 1816. They were in a need for a song on Christmas Eve, 1818. Mohr presented Gruber with a poem he had written a few years before, and Gruber quickly put it to music on his guitar (the organ was broken) and that Christmas Eve the first ever audience heard Silent Night. The tempo of that earlier version was faster paced than the one we know today but it was still very popular with the audience and would soon become a song synonymous with Christmas. 

Up next is a 1952 Christmas episode of Roy Rogers' radio show. 

Up next is the C.S. Lewis essay, What Christmas Means to Me.

Now the Reverend Billy Graham with a 1953 Christmas message. 

Luke 2:1-20


1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. 2 This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.

4 And Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, 5 to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough—because there was no room for them at the lodging place.

8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”

13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

14 Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and peace on earth to people He favors!

15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the feeding trough. 17 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard, just as they had been told.

Matthew 1:18 - 2:12

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying,“Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for from you shall come a ruler

who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

Thanks for joining me and Merry Christmas. Happy trails to you until we meet again. 

Resources Used

http://www.worldofchristmas.net/christmas-carols/heard-the-bells.html#:~:text=Henry%20W.%20Longfellow%20wrote%20the%20lyrics%20of%20%27I,was%20originally%20composed%20by%20Joseph%20Mainzer%20in%201845.

https://www.whatsaiththescripture.com/Fellowship/Edit_I.Heard.the.Bells.html

https://www1.cbn.com/story-behind-song-joy-world

https://www.liveabout.com/jingle-bells-history-2456082