Hello. I'm Dr. Kylie Fisher.
Welcome to Heavenly Harmonies, a series designed to help you draw nearer to God's heart through the scriptural message of hymns. Does Jesus care? This is a question we have been considering in our programme so far. Our hymn for this episode gives us new insight into this topic.
Stay with us as we explore the song away in a manger. We have been developing our understanding of hymns by seeing them within the context of the theme of the Bible, God's plan to save people, planet and universe from the devastating effects of sin. And to do this, we have been building up a collection of ideas and scenes.
And between the songs that we've studied so far and that we will study in future episodes, there is starting to be some overlap. But each of these songs brings out a slightly different aspect of this amazing story, a story that angels want to study and that we will study for eternity. So far, we have seen that God works through angels to bring comfort to us in times of heartache.
The Bible also tells us of God's plan to send Jesus, the second person of the Godhead, to show us the full extent of his love. Our hymn for today, away in a manger, speaks of the poverty that Jesus experienced even from the moment of his birth. The experiences of Jesus'life on earth show that he does indeed empathise with us, even in our darkest, most intense sufferings and sorrows.
So let's explore his humble birth in this hymn. So the first verse says, away in a manger, no crib for a bed the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head the stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay. So in this first verse, we have immediate contrasts, because it's talking about a manger, which is, of course, a feeding trough for animals.
And in this manger, in this feeding trough, where there's hay, it's the Lord Jesus who is asleep. Royalty in a stable. What a tremendous image this is for us.
So let's have a look at the Bible. We've been looking at the Bible, at Scripture verses that give us insight into the words of hymns. And the Manger actually is mentioned three times in the Gospel of Luke in association with the birth of Christ.
So let's have a look at these. Some of these verses we have read already, but let's look at them again in the context of this song. And so Luke, chapter two and verse seven is the first of these references.
And so you will remember that we were speaking in our last episode about how Joseph and Mary came to Bethlehem because Joseph was of the line of David and they were all to be taxed. And so while Joseph and Mary were there, the time came for Mary to have her baby, her very special baby. And so then in verse seven, it says she, that is Mary, brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.
So here we see that Jesus, the Lord Jesus, was laid in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. And really, when we think about this now, this was the hometown of Joseph and Mary, and yet they couldn't find a place to stay in. Know an inn or what we would today say, a motel.
Didn't they have any relatives that were living there? It seems very strange. And so not only did they not even have relatives to stay with, but they couldn't even stay at the inn. And so right from the very first moments of Christ's life on earth, we see that he was rejected.
And let's have a look at. And I did read this before, but I'd like to refer once again to Isaiah, chapter 53. We looked at this in an earlier programme, but Isaiah, chapter 53 and verse three, it says, speaking of Jesus.
This is a prophecy of Jesus. It says, he is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hear, as it were, our phases from him.
He was despised and we esteemed him. Not so even from the earliest moments of his life, before his first conscious thought, before he was actually born, Christ experienced. So that's the first reference to Christ being born in a manger.
And then the Scene in the Gospel of Luke changes and we go out into the hills, out into the fields, and there's shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. We read this in an earlier episode and it says, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them. And so this angel appeared to these shepherds and the shepherds were terrified.
But the angel said, don't be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. And so we see here, from this little aside, Christ was not born only for the. You know, we looked at a couple of episodes ago we spoke about Come o come, Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel.
But Israel in the Bible is used as a term for. Yes, it does refer to the literal descendants of Abraham, actually, just giving a little more detail here. So Abraham's son was Isaac.
Well, he had more than one son. But the son that we're particularly concerned with, that was associated with the race of Israel was Isaac. And then his son was Jacob.
And Jacob's name was later changed to Israel. So that's where the idea of Israel Israelites comes from. So it's not referring only in the Bible.
The term Israel does not refer only to the literal descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob or Israel, but it also refers to those who accept Christ. So it's a reference to God's people. And we see from this verse, Luke two, verse ten.
The angel said to the shepherds, I bring you good tidies a great joy which shall be to all people. The Christ was to come not just for one nation, he came for the whole world. And then the angel said, for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And so what must have been the thoughts that filled the minds of the Shepherds as they heard that this Saviour had been born, a Saviour born in the city of David, the city of royalty. And this Saviour was Christ the Lord. Royalty.
So think of the images of power and glory that must have been in the minds of the shepherds at these words. And yet what did the angel say to them? The angel said in verse twelve, Luke chapter two and verse twelve, the angel said, this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
So once again we have this tremendous contrast. Royalty in a manger, royalty in a stable. And yet nevertheless, the shepherds after they.
Then it describes verses 13 and 14 describes an amazing song sung by whole angel choir. We've spoken about that. And so must have just filled the shepherds with awe as they heard this.
So then verse 15 describes the response of the shepherds. They were not put off by the fact that this royal baby was in a manger. So verse 15, Luke chapter two, verse 15 says, it came to pass as the angels were gone, away from them into heaven.
The shepherd said, one to another, let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. So the shepherds recognised that these angels came from God. This was a special baby.
This was in fact the Son of God. And it says that in verse 16, they, the shepherds, came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the Babe lying in a manger. So here we have the third reference to baby Jesus.
In a manger, even though he was born in poverty, still the shepherds recognised him as the promised Saviour, the promised Messiah. And verse 17 actually says when they, that is, the shepherds had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. Verse 20 says, the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told unto them.
So when the shepherds went to that stable in Bethlehem, they found things just exactly the way that the angel had said. And they knew that this was a special message from God. So, yeah, this verse coming back to our song, this first verse of away in a manger presents this incredible contrast.
The saviour of the world, the Lord of Glory, lying in a manger. That's just such an amazing thought. And I'd like to read a few words from the desire of ages, this beautiful book that we do have as a free offer for our 1st 100 listeners in Australia to request this book.
And so, yeah, we'd like to read the desire of ages. And starting on page 48, it says, we marvel at the Savior's sacrifice in exchanging the throne of heaven for the manger and the companionship of adoring angels for the beasts of the stall. That's just really an incredible thought, isn't it? And leads us into our second verse.
Let's have a look at the second verse of this hymn. Now the cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes. So once again we have this tremendous contrast.
We have the Lord of Glory, the little Lord Jesus, and yet he's in a place where there's animals, where the animals are kept. What a tremendous contrast this is. And so we see that Christ stepped down from the throne of glory.
We've read about God's throne being in heaven. Psalm 103. God's throne is in heaven.
His kingdom rules over all. And Christ left all of that to be born in the greatest poverty, the greatest humiliation. And so people might wonder, can Jesus really understand me? Can he really understand my experienced, you know, the greatest poverty, the greatest suffering on earth.
As we were reading earlier, he was despised, he was rejected right from the beginning of his life, right from the moment of his birth. So, yes, he can understand it all. So this is just really an incredible thought.
So let's go on now to the second part of the second verse. I've sort of stopped that verse right in the middle of it. So we have little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.
And then we have real change of scene. I love thee, Lord Jesus look down from the sky and stay by my side till morning is nigh. So Jesus came to be born as a baby in Bethlehem.
He then grew up. He lived a pure and spotless life. And after dying for our sins, he was raised to life on the third day, and he returned to heaven.
Now, there's a number of places where we could read about his return to heaven, but let's just look back in my Bible. It's just one page back. Mark, chapter 16 and verse 19.
And it says there. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, which is the disciples, here's the key point. He was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God.
So after his death and resurrection, Christ returned to heaven, and he's now sitting on the right hand of God. And that's what this part of the song is speaking about. So Jesus did live here on earth, but he has returned to heaven.
And while he is up in heaven, he actually has an important work to do. He hasn't gone back to heaven just to be on holidays and just leaving us here in this dark world. He is doing an important work for us now, which hopefully we will speak about in future episodes.
But for this episode, let's see what the final verse of this hymn says to us and speak just very briefly about this work that Christ is doing in heaven. So the final verse of away in a manger says, be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay close by me forever and love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in thy tender care and fit us for heaven to live with thee there.
This is a beautiful hymn. It's a lovely hymn that many children even sing. But we don't have to be just a child in terms of, like, under 15 or anything like that, to be one of God's children.
We're all God's children, no matter what our age. But what is this verse saying to us? This verse of the song is really a prayer. So this verse is speaking about Christ up in heaven, and it's actually directed a prayer that's directed to Christ up in heaven.
We can pray directly to Christ as he is up there for us in, you know, because he has been on earth, Jesus, as we were saying before, he perfectly understands our situation here on earth, our trials and our sufferings, and he's able to help us in our daily life. That's what this song is saying. That's what this song is asking.
Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay close by me forever. And so it's ASKING FOR CHRIST TO BE CLOSE TO US. AND THERE'S SOME BEAUTIFUL VERSES ABOUT THIS IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS THAT I THINK REALLY REFLECT THE MEANING OF THIS SONG.
Hebrews, you could look in Hebrews chapter two. WELL, ACTUALLY, IT'S MANY VERSES IN HEBREWS. You could look particularly in chapter two.
But we're going to read some verses from Hebrews chapter four today. Hebrews chapter four and verses 15 and 16. And this speaks about Christ up in heaven, and it speaks about him as a priest.
And it says there in Hebrews 415, we have not an high priest, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin. And so Jesus experienced all the temptations, all the sufferings, all the sorrows that we have to experience, and he experienced those in much greater degree, in fact, than what we ever will have to experience. No one was so tempted as Christ when he was upon earth, and yet he did not sin.
So BECAUse Of that, he CAN PERFECTLY UndERStAND our FEELINGS. So verse 16 says, let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. So these are really wonderful and amazing thoughts in this beautiful song.
So before we listen to Barry and Cecily Harker sing this song for us, let's speak about the musical expression of, you know, Jesus came here. He came here to live as our example in all things. AnD I'D LIKE TO REAd A VERSE ABOUT THIS ONE.
Peter, chapter two and verse 21. It says, even here unto we called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps. And so Christ is our perfect example in all things.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST A WAY IN WhicH CHRIST IS OuR EXAMPlE THAT MAYBE WE DON'T OFTEN THINK ABOUT. And that's actually in terms of our voice. AND AS I HAVE BEEN.
Well, as I've been singing over the past, however many been having lessons and teaching singing and things like this, I have thought about Jesus'use of the voice. BUT AS I'VE BEEN PREPARING These presentations, it's led me to think about this more deeply. And I've found out some new things.
So I'm really excited to be able to share a few of these Bible passages that show us how Christ is actually our example in the voice. And that Bible does actually speak about this. So Matthew, chapter 26 and verse 30.
Matthew, chapter 26 and verse 30. And this is speaking about Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed the night just before he was crucified. This actually speaks about Jesus singing.
Matthew 26 and verse 30 is speaking about actually the disciples. When they were with Jesus, they were in the upper room and they'd had the first communion service. And it says in this verse when they, that is the disciples and Jesus had sung and hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives.
So there we have an example from the Bible that Jesus actually did sing in his life on earth. So that's really an amazing thing. But also I think we can learn a lot not only from actually Jesus'example, of singing, of which there's a lot less recorded.
Even though we do have this verse that speaks about Jesus singing, but we can actually learn from his voice and from the way that he spoke. So the Italians have a saying, sikanta comma sipala, which means sing as you speak. And actually speaking and singing are very closely related.
Really the main difference between singing and speaking is that in singing we make the vowels longer and we also give them a more definite pitch. Probably partly because they're longer. Singing and speaking are almost exactly the same thing.
And you can improve your singing voice a tremendous amount by working on your speaking voice. Actually, when I am practising a song that I'm going to sing, I do a lot of practise by speaking the words of songs. It is a really amazing way to practise.
And I love this verse in John chapter seven and verse 46. And in this verse there were some, actually Roman officers in the temple that had been sent by the priests, the priests who absolutely hated Jesus. These officers had been sent by the priests to arrest Jesus.
But these Roman officers were just so spellbound by the things that he said that they came back to the priests without Jesus with them. And the priest said, well, where is he? Why haven't you brought him? And John seven, verse 46 says, the officers answered, never man spake like this man. So that's just really amazing.
No one spoke like Christ did. And so he is the one that we can learn the most from. And I think actually by digging deeply into the Bible, we can learn a lot from Christ as our example.
And if you look through the Bible, you can start to notice, and particularly the Gospels, of course, you can start to notice how Christ varied his voice. And we've spoken about that, that you can't just sing every verse of a song the same way. You need to vary the voice.
And so I would encourage you to start looking through the Bible and looking for ways that Christ varied his voice. We can also see from the Bible that Jesus felt things very deeply and that his emotion was expressed in his voice. In fact, in Matthew, chapter seven and verse 29, it says, jesus spoke with authority.
And so I think that that's a really key underlying principle for when we're singing, to have that confidence, that assurance that particularly when we're singing hymns, that these words are true. So I would like to suggest that's a wonderful underlying thought to have in your mind when you're singing hymns. And so then just thinking about with that underlying idea of confidence in God, confidence in his word, how would we vary the words of away in a manger? So I would like to suggest that that first verse would be filled with away in a manger.
No crib for a bed. It would be filled with wonder, with awe, with sorrow, even that tinge of sorrow, to think that Christ was so despised and rejected. The second verse, I think, would be more intense.
It would probably have greater volume. The third verse, I think, would really be sung as a prayer. So let's listen to Barry and Cecily Harker singing this beautiful song, away in a manger.
Sleep on, baby, away Jesus no cry Jesus, look down from the sky and stay by my side Till the morning day was my forever and love me I pray Let all the children in my dream and it was forever to live with me it so as we were reading earlier, Hebrews four, verse 16, says, let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Jesus truly does understand our sufferings, our challenges, our difficulties in life. Let's just say a brief prayer.
Dear Lord, we're so grateful for Jesus that he came here. He experienced our sorrows and sufferings, and that we can come to him and present our requests before him. I just pray that you will help us to have this same empathy that Christ has for others and to express that in song.
Thank you for hearing and answering our prayer in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you for joining me today on heavenly Harmonies.
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[email protected] Join me again next time to discuss another hymn. But until then, goodbye and God bless.
