17. December 2023

Children’s Program

Hymn: “What Child Is This?”

In the holy Name of + Jesus. Amen.

Children love to ask questions. Adults don’t always like answering them. Sometimes, the questions are absurd and don’t make sense. Sometimes, the answers are uncomfortable, and adults want to avoid answering. But as the children have heard me say, “There are no bad questions, only bad answers.”

An inquisitive and curious mind is God the Father’s gift. Teaching is the art of stimulating conversation and investigating life's little and big things. This is part of delighting in God’s creation. Even taxonomy can be fun, finding joy in naming the plants, animals, and stars. Who hasn’t looked at the clouds and asked, “What does that look like?” God’s gift of creation enchants us as children.

At some point, we’re told or conditioned to stop asking questions. What happened to the delight, joy, and discovery of learning something new? It’s sad, really. There’s so much to explore, pursue, enjoy, and delight in. And in learning and acknowledging that knowledge is a gift, we worship the giver of every good gift coming down from the Father of lights. Curiosity is a blessing, not a curse, no matter how many times the child asks the same question.

God’s Word is given for our delight, exploration, and investigation. Jesus wants us to wrestle with Him, asking questions and listening to His answers. Every day, we begin our school day by listening to Jesus’ Word and then asking questions. Sometimes, the Word doesn’t reveal the answer to our questions. Where Jesus is silent, we can’t do anything but speculate. Guessing doesn’t save us.

But some Jesus loves to have us ask Him questions about sin, death, faith, life, hope, and salvation. William Dix knew that when he wrote “What Child Is This?” one of his 300 hymns. Often used as a Christmas hymn, "What child is this?" begins with a four-phrase question, and stanza 2 has a two-phrase question, prompting the singer to answer them from the Scriptures.

“Jesus” is the answer in stanza 1, which is a survey of His nativity as He is greeted by angels “with anthems sweet” and by shepherds. Jesus is identified as Christ, King, and "son of Mary." We are to "bring Him laud," an uncommon but understandable word for "praise."

The answer to the question "Why lies He in such mean estate?" depends upon the meaning of the archaic and often confusing term "mean," understood here as "lowly," "inferior," or "humble." The "good Christian" observes this child in fear or reverent awe, for the Word made flesh asks us. He lies ignobly where animals feed in anticipation of His lowly, humble Passion, crucifixion, and death “for me, for you.” The line “the cross be borne” directs our hearts again to the purpose for which Christ was born.

Stanza 3 has no questions, but plenty of gifts are given in faith-filled response to the gift given by God in Christ, namely, salvation from sin, death, and the power of the devil. Faithful, loving hearts enthrone this King. The Wise Men brought three gifts: incense, gold, and myrrh. Everyone, from peasant to king, claims Him as his own, confessing Christ as Lord by faith.

“What Child Is This?” asks questions and directs us to the Scriptures for the answers. It encourages us to be children again, asking and inquiring from Jesus what His Christmas is all about. So, be children again. Explore, investigate, and delight as you hear the story of our Lord Jesus’s nativity again. And join in joyful song as Dix brings us back to a celebration of the birth of our Lord; for Jesus, the babe, the Son of Mary, was born to die so sinners live in Him.

"The false shepherd is always an imposter" Misericordias Domini 2023

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