Cowboy Church #201

 Hello my friends and Merry Christmas. It is time for a special Christmas service of Cowboy Church. 

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with the medley of What Child Is This? and Sweet Little Jesus Boy. This medley comes from the duo's 1967 Christmas album, Christmas is Always. 

This is followed by one of my Christmas favorites, Waylon Jennings' version of Away in a Manger. Waylon's voice fits this hymn so perfectly and there is no other version of this song that quite matches the power of this one. Away in a Manger has also been called Luther’s Cradle Hymn. The reason for this is that it was once believed to be written for Martin Luther, who would have sung it to his children. This proved to be false. It was in fact written for a collection that was meant to celebrate Luther's 400th anniversary. Some think that this rumor was started to help sell the song. It is unknow who actually wrote this hymn. 

Gene Autry is not only one of the most prized singers for those of us who love cowboy music, but he is also the artist, who helped popularize three of the most popular Christmas songs, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and Here Comes Santa Claus (the latter of which, Gene co-wrote). As a special treat this Cowboy Church post includes Gene's version of all three of these songs. 

Next is Emmylou Harris singing Light of the Stable. Emmylou recorded this song in 1975. She would later state "Light of the Stable is one of my favorite tracks we ever cut. It was the jelling of the original recording group, the combination of Brain's [Brain Ahern] production and how incredibly creative those guys were was perfect. There is almost more space on the track then there are notes and I always loved that." The song would become the title track of her 1979 Christmas album, which I personally consider one of my favorite Christmas albums.

Now for Tennessee Ernie Ford singing Joy to the World. I think in many ways when we say that Christmas is a joyous time, we too often don't fully comprehend just how joyous it is. We are not just simply spending time with family or giving and receiving gifts. We are celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The one who would die for our sins and who deeply loves us. even when we feel no one else does. There is no greater joy in the world than to know Jesus Christ and to feel his presence with us. Joy to the world indeed. Let us all rejoice together as we listen to Cousin Ernie sing this classic Christmas hymn and let us pay close attention to the lyrics. 

After this is The Sons of the Pioneers with Christmas on the Plains.

Then comes The Statler Brothers with Who Do You Think. I hope that this Christmas all of you will believe such a thing. 

Now for one of my favorite modern-day singers, Anne Wilson with her song Kentucky Fried Christmas. Even if like me you never lived in Kentucky this is an easy song to relate to as it talks in depth about the Christmas traditions that we hold dear. Still this song acknowledges that Christmas is first and foremost about Jesus Christ.  

Today's musical selection ends with Johnny Cash singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing. 

Rather than just a movie trailer today, since it is Christmas I am sharing a whole movie. Enjoy a delightful Christmas themed western, Trail of Robin Hood (1950) directed by the always wonderful William Whitney and starring the one and only King of the Cowboys, Roy Rogers. 

Now for a Christmas message from the Reverend Billy Graham. 

 Luke 1:26-2:40 

In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!"

Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. Don't be frightened, Mary," the angel told her, "for God has decided to bless you! You will become pregnant and have a son, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!"

Mary asked the angel, "But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin."

The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she's already in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."

Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true." And then the angel left.

A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary's greeting, Elizabeth's child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, "You are blessed by God above all other women, and your child is blessed. What an honor this is, that the mother of my Lord should visit me! When you came in and greeted me, my baby jumped for joy the instant I heard your voice! You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said."

Mary responded,

"Oh, how I praise the Lord.

How I rejoice in God my Savior!

For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,

And now generation after generation

Will call me blessed.

For he, the Mighty One, is holy,

And he has done great things for me.

His mercy goes on from generation to generation,

To all who fear him.

His mighty arm does tremendous things!

How he scatters the proud and haughty ones!

He has taken princes from their thrones

And exalted the lowly.

He has satisfied the hungry with good things

And sent the rich away with empty hands.

And how he has helped his servant Israel!

He has not forgotten his promise to be merciful.

For he promised our ancestors -- Abraham and his children --

To be merciful to them forever."

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiance, who was obviously pregnant by this time.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.

The Shepherds and Angels

That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior -- yes, the Messiah, the Lord -- has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!"

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others -- the armies of heaven -- praising God:

"Glory to God in the highest heaven,

And peace on earth to all whom God favors."

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let's go to Bethlehem!" Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.

Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.

Then it was time for the purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. The law of the Lord says, "If a woman's first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord." So they offered a sacrifice according to what was required in the law of the Lord -- "either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."

Now there was a man named Simeon who lived in Jerusalem. He was a righteous man and very devout. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he eagerly expected the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,

"Lord, now I can die in peace!

As you promised me,

I have seen the Savior

You have given to all people.

He is a light to reveal God to the nations,

And he is the glory of your people Israel!"

Joseph and Mary were amazed at what was being said about Jesus. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, "This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others. Thus, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul."

Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, and was very old. She was a widow, for her husband had died when they had been married only seven years. She was now eighty-four years old. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about Jesus to everyone who had been waiting for the promised King to come and deliver Jerusalem.

When Jesus' parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom beyond his years, and God placed his special favor upon him.





Thanks for joining me and I hope that all of you have a very merry Christmas and feel the presence of Jesus Christ our Lord with you not only this Christmas but for the rest of your life. God bless you all and Happy trails to you until we meet again.