I was in high school when I first heard Twisted Sister’s I Wanna Rock. It brought images of Dee Snyder, Eddie Van Halen, and Quiet Riot. As many times as I heard the song, I never thought of Dolly Parton.
Dolly Parton, the country singer, composer, author, actress, and theme park owner, has recently released her long awaited album titled Rockstar. Back in 2022, Parton was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She almost declined because she had never recorded rock music. Fortunately, she accepted and promised to release a collection of rock songs.
Recently, that collection, aptly named Rockstar, was released. I listened to the entire Deluxe album over the past three days, which is saying something because the deluxe edition on Spotify includes 39 songs and is just three minutes shy of being three hours long.
Several years ago, Dolly Parton blew me away when I visited Dollywood. I was expecting it to be hokey. Instead, it was awesome. The same is true of Rockstar.
Dolly has a few original songs on the album including World On Fire (click here to listen). The song has a strong beat, great guitar lines, and strong lyrics (Leave it to Dolly to sing about God in one verse and a politician’s derriere in the next). Dolly also partners with some iconic rock stars including Sting, Steve Perry, John Fogarty, Kid Rock, Steven Tyler, Stevie Nicks, Peter Frampton, Joan Jett, Chris Stapleton, Pink, Brandi Carlile, Kevin Cronin, Elton John, Melissa Etheridge, Rob Halford, Simon Le Bon, Linda Perry, Emmylou Harris, Sheryl Crow, Pat Benatar, Michael McDonald, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, and a few more to produce nearly three dozen quality covers.
That’s a lot.
As I began the album on Spotify, I figured I would be skipping some of the songs, but instead, I was compelled to hear Dolly Parton perform classic songs like Free Bird, Every Breath You Take, and Purple Rain. Curiosity caused me to check out this album. Solid music with great vocals and powerful guitar riffs kept me listening.
But what impressed me most about the album was that this amount of quality songs was recorded and released by a performer who is 78 years old. To me, that should be inspiring to anyone who desires to continue producing any kind of content, making a difference, and being awesome as they get older.
The original author of O Come, O Come Emmanuel is unknown, but it was most likely an 8th or 9th century monk or nun. Roughly 1000 years later, an Anglican priest named John Mason Neale discovered the song while reading Psalterium Cationum Catholicorum, an ancient book of Latin poetry and music.
Neale lived in the Madeira Islands near the continent of Africa, where he had started an orphanage, a school for girls, and a ministry to reclaim prostitutes. He spoke many languages, including Latin, and was able to translate O Come, O Come Emmanuel into English. He first played and sang it for the people he served, who were considered the lowest of society. It was so well received that Neale included the song in his 1851 collection titled Mediaeval Hymns and Sequences.
The song is written as if you are in the first century and you are awaiting the actual birth of the Messiah. An anticipation is there for what Jesus would bring. The original Latin text contains seven antiphons (verses) which work together to help the reader or singer focus on the coming Christmas. Most modern versions do not include all seven and rarely in the same order as the original. Here are those verses in order and their related meanings:
O Sapentia (Wisdom)
O Adonai (Hebrew for God)
O Radix Jesse (Root of Jesse)
O Clavis David (Key of David)
O Oriens (Dayspring)
O Rex genitium (King of the Gentiles)
O Emmanuel (God with Us)
You can see from the order above that the 8th and 9th century Christians who declared these verses sang them in the opposite order than most people today. Back then, they wouldn’t sing the “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” verse until Christmas Eve. They did this because it was the fulfillment of the song and of the expectation of the Messiah.
The original Latin text creates a reverse acrostic which is not fulfilled or seen until the last verse is sung. When the ancient worshipers finally sang this verse on Christmas Eve, the reverse acrostic was solved for all the see. The message it proclaimed was “I shall be with you tomorrow.”
I love classic Christmas movies. There’s something about the poignant nostalgia that peeks into my world when I watch George Bailey battle with Mr. Potter, Ebenezer Scrooge soften at the sight of Tiny Tim, and Kevin McCallister chat with his scary neighbor in church. So many of these lines are perfect for this time of year and are perfect for sermon illustrations, blog posts, and Christmas conversations. I hope you enjoy this list.
“Christmas was on its way. Lovely, glorious, beautiful Christmas, upon which the entire kid year revolved.” – Ralphie, A Christmas Story
“I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year” – Ebenezer Scrooge, A Christmas Carol
“Faith is believing in things when common sense tell you not to.” – Fred Gailey, Miracle on 34th Street
“It’s Christmas Eve and we are going to celebrate being young and being alive.” – Miles, The Holiday
“Seeing isn’t believing. Believing is seeing.” Judy Elf, The Santa Clause
“Tell her that you love her. You’ve got nothing to lose and you’ll always regret it if you don’t” – Daniel, Love Actually
“Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” – Clarence, It’s A Wonderful Life
“The thing about trains… it doesn’t matter where they’re going. What matters is deciding to get on.” – The Conductor, The Polar Express
“This is extremely important. Will you please tell Santa that instead of presents this year, I just want my family back?” – Kevin McAllister, Home Alone
“If you’re worried and you can’t sleep, count your blessings instead of sheep. Then you’ll fall asleep counting your blessings.” – Bob Wallace, White Christmas
“Never be afraid when people can’t see what you see. Only be afraid if you no longer see it.” – Jeronicus Jangle, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
“What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more!” – The Grinch, How The Grinch Stole Christmas
“Just because I can’t see it doesn’t mean I can’t believe it.” – Jack Skellington, The Nightmare Before Christmas
“I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It’s not bad at all really. Maybe it just needs a little love.” – Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Christmas
“That’s what Christmas memories are made from, they’re not planned, they’re not scheduled, nobody puts them in their Blackberry, they just happen.” – Kelly Finch, Deck the Halls.
“That’s the one good things about regret. It’s never too late. You can always change tomorrow if you want to.” – Claire Phillips, Scrooged
“I suppose it all started with the snow. You see, it was a very special kind of snow. A snow that made the happy happier, and the giddy even giddier. A snow that’s make a homecoming homier, and natural enemies, friends.” – Narrator, Frosty the Snowman
“I think there must be something wrong with me, Linus. Christmas is coming, but I’m not happy. I don’t feel the way I’m supposed to feel.” – Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Christmas
“When we love someone, we are really loving God.” – Courtney B. Vance, The Preacher’s Wife
“Surprised, Eddie? If I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet I wouldn’t be more surprised than I am right now.” – Clark Griswold, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” Buddy, Elf
“You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out!” Every Adult, A Christmas Story
“If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that love is actually all around.” Richard Curtis, Love Actually
“A toy is never happy until it is loved by a child.” King Moonraiser, Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer
“This is Christmas, the season of perpetual hope.” Kate McAllister, Home Alone
“No matter what happens, we are family.” Sam, Love the Coopers
“Would you like to go eat food? You know, the code?” – Buddy, Elf
“God Bless Us, Everyone.” – Tiny Tim, A Christmas Carol
All across the nation and around the world, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. However, it many houses of worship, even those with the best decorations, it doesn’t yet sound much like Christmas. There are many reasons for this (and I’ll write more in future posts) but one reason is that the sound and feel of many Christmas carols and songs are often quite different from many modern worship songs. Christmas carols are filled with nostalgia and wonder, yet many are written in mysterious sounding keys with varying time signatures and often have hard to understand lyrics. On the other hand, worship songs are often written in straightforward time signatures with predictable (I mean that in a good way) lyrics and (dare I say it) easier to play keys.
It is possible to have the best of both worlds, but like many good things, it takes some effort. That’s why I’m always pleased to hear new Christmas worship songs that are strong musically and lyrically and quite frankly, work well for powerful worship experiences. One of my new favorites is the new Christmas anthem Manger Throne, written by Jonathan Smith and Tony Wood and released by Phil Wickham.
Here’s what Wickham recently shared with CCM magazine: “More than a Christmas song, this is a worship song… Every Christmas season, when I take the time to think on it, I am amazed in a greater way of the moment when Creator stepped into creation. God in human flesh. Heaven walking on earth. Everything about how Jesus came was different than what we would have expected, and also far better. He met us right in our humanity.”
Check out Manger Throne at one of the links below.
In recent years, I’ve written about Christmas services, traditions, and worship practices. I’ve shared the origins of Christmas carols and posted pictures from family and church celebrations. I’ve never even written a short note about white bread.
Until now.
In 1942, Ellen Barbara Segner created Little Miss Sunbeam for the Quality Bakers of America. The character was based on a young girl Segner observed playing in New York’s Washington Square Park. Over the years, she produced over 30 oil paintings of Little Miss Sunbeam for the company in its marketing
For well over 60 years, the Quality Bakers of America has changed its bread packaging just after Thanksgiving to add an image of Little Miss Sunbeam bowing her head in prayer. Next to her, the phrase “Not by bread alone” is written. This is a portion of a quote from Jesus who, in Matthew 4:4, said “It is written: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God.” This packaging usually remains until early in the new year.
The Quality Bakers of America’s blog states that the annual temporary change in marketing “serves as a gentle nudge to look beyond the material aspects of life. It encourages consumers to reflect on the spiritual nourishment that goes hand in hand with the festive season.”
I don’t know anything about the Quality Bakers of America. Their executives and employees may simply be continuing the packaging for tradition’s sake or as a marketing technique. Regardless, the image and message has reminded millions at Christmas time that people need more than the meeting of physical needs to truly live.
A few years ago, my wife invited a mom and her preschool daughter to our home to help decorate for Christmas. She asked the young girl if she would place the Nativity scene figures in a small stable that was sitting on an end table near our sofa. The little girl smiled upon hearing the opportunity. She looked carefully at each piece before placing the Baby Jesus figure, who was of course lying in a manger, in the center of the stable. Then, she slowly placed Mary and Joseph, the animals, the shepherds, the wise men, and finally, the angel.
Sounds pretty normal, right? Most people would probably use the same process.
Except…
Instead of facing the figures outward, this young girl placed them facing the center of the stable.
I remember thinking, “What has she done? These characters aren’t facing the people who will be looking at the nativity scene. They look like they’re just focused on Jesus.”
Then, I realized that she had it right. Jesus is the center of the story. It’s all about Him. Why would the figures look at anything or anyone else but Him?
That’s a good life lesson for us all as well. This year, let’s fix our eyes on Jesus. Let’s make Christmas all about Him.
“You can’t be here without a name tag!” snapped the lady in front of us.
My wife and I were visiting a park in Long Beach, Mississippi when we happened upon a group of tables covered with house plants. We thought they were for sale. We were wrong.
The offended lady pursed her lips. “You are walking through a private gathering of our plant exchange club. The only way you can participate is by having a nametag.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “We didn’t realize. There were no signs, so we thought it was some kind of farmer’s market.”
“Well, it’s not,” she remarked. “And since you don’t have a nametag, you’ll have to leave.”
As we turned to exit, we noticed a woman waving us to her table.
“Hi,” she said. “We have one more plant to trade or sell. Would you take it so we could leave?”
“I’m sorry,” I said, “But we were just told we had to leave because we didn’t have a nametag.”
She knowingly smiled and shook her head.
“Nonsense,” she said. “Now this Aloe vera plant is yours if you want it. But, it comes with a story that you must hear if you’re going to take it.”
We were hooked.
“What’s the story?” I asked.
“Well,” she smiled. “This is Jimmy Buffet’s Aloe vera plant.”
“Does he know you have it?” asked my wife.
“Yes,” she laughed. “I grew up in the country down the road from Jimmy’s grandma near Pascagoula, Mississippi. She had a lot of these plants behind her house. After she passed, they were blown over and the pots broke. By the time Jimmy visited and we walked across the property, the plants were about to die. He told me I could have them if I wanted them. I saved a few and this is one of its descendants. Would you like it?”
“How much?” I asked.
“It’s free as long as you agree to tell your friends you have Jimmy Buffet’s Aloe Vera plant.”
Which is what I’m doing right now.
Today, I learned that Jimmy Buffet passed away peacefully on September 1st. I’m sorry for his family. I’ve listened to some of his music, but the truth is, I had to remind myself of his songs by opening Spotify. Margaritaville, Brown-Eyed Girl, It’s Five O-Clock Somewhere, and Cheeseburger in Paradise were a few songs I remembered well.
In case you’re interested, Jimmy Buffet’s Aloe vera plant has completed several propagations. We have at least five or six pots with its offspring. I’m not surprised his grandma’s neighbor was trying to give one away. They multiply really fast.
And to think, we almost missed it because we didn’t have a name tag.
It seems the more things change, the more they stay the same.
This is the lesson I learned on New Years Day of Y2K.
Y2K is the abbreviation for the Year 2000. It referred to computer problems expected when the 1999 changed to 2000.
Nothing of note happened that day around the world.
However, where I lived a truck drove into the electrical plant and shut off everyone’s power.
This was before most people had mobile phones, so I was convinced that power outage was worldwide. I jumped into my Cutlass Supreme and started it up.
A Cutlass Supreme was a midsize car produced by Oldsmobile from the mid 60’s to mid 90’s.
So, back to the story…
Uh, Oldsmobile was a 20th century automobile brand which produced over 35 million cars.
Anyway, I drove off to see if things were impacted beyond my street.
I quickly drove into the Kmart parking lot.
Uh, well, Kmart was an American chain of department stores.
However, the lights were already off and the doors were locked.
So, I drove across the street because I saw a car at the Blockbuster Video.
Um, Blockbuster was a video rental store chain which ceased operations in 2014.
You know, they had VHS and DVD rentals
Yeah, VHS stands for Video Home System which plays movies on large black cassettes.
So, anyway…uh, DVD stood for Digital Video Disc. It ended up replacing the VHS tape.
Anyway, since the power was out, I went home and ate my leftover tacos from Chi-Chi’s.
ChiChi’s was a Mexican food restaurant chain in the 80’s and 90’s.
I washed them down with a bottle of Fruitopia.
Fruitopia was a beverage of “fruit integration” which went away in the early 2000’s.
Finally, the electricity came back on, so I kicked back and watched Freaks and Geeks.
Freak and Geeks was a one season show about a 1980’s high school which launched the careers of Seth Rogen, James Franco, Linda Cardellini, John Francis Daley, and Busy Phillips. Even though it was incredibly popular, it was canceled after one season. But I’m not bitter.
Ok, whatever. I guess things really have changed a lot.
Each year on Good Friday at Celebration Church in New Orleans, we do a more interactive type of service with various dramatic elements. I typically share the outline on my blog after the service happens for reference by others. I hope you find it helpful, or at least interesting.
Communion Introduction: How many of you are thankful that the Lord has made a way that we could be brought out of darkness into glorious light? When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he cried, “Look the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) We’re about to observe a special time of worship where we remember how Jesus, as the Lamb of God, paid the price for our sin on the cross. Some people call this observance communion. Some people call it the Lord’s Supper. Some people call it the Lord’s Table. Whatever you call it, one thing is certain. It’s about Him. It’s His communion. It’s His Supper. It’s His communion. He instituted it at the Last Supper while He was observing Passover with His disciples the night before He was betrayed.
The Bible says that “When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table. Jesus said, ‘I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins” (Luke 22:14-15)
Jesus had been with His disciples for three years so He must have celebrated Passover with them before. But this time, Jesus took it further. Instead of a sacrificed animal being the focus of remembrance, He was the focus of remembrance.
The Bible says, “He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” (Luke 22:14-15)
(Lead the people to take the bread)
After supper he took another cup of wine and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant between God and his people – an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out for you.” Do this in remembrance of me. (Luke 22:19-20)
(Lead the people to take the juice – give them instructions about their cups)
Speaker: The Bible teaches us that “Accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. There He told them, ‘Pray that you will not give in to temptation.’ He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not mine.’ Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened Him. He prayed more fervently, and He was in such agony of spirit that His sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood. (Luke 22:39-44)
Is it possible for someone to sweat blood? It’s very rare, but it is possible. The condition is called hematidrosis. It happens when extreme physical or emotional stress causes blood vessels that surround the sweat glands to rupture and blood is lost through the sweat glands. That’s the type of anguish Jesus was going through.
Can you imagine the type of anguish Jesus was going through? He knew what was about to happen if everything continued. He knew He was the sinless Lamb of God. He knew He was about to be betrayed and denied by His closest friends. He knew He was about to be wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. If it would have been us, we would have run away. But He didn’t. Instead, He submitted to His Father’s will.
GARDEN TO THE CROSS SECTION
What happened next must have seemed like a hurricane of activity:
(Read through the next section, only expounding when necessary)
While Jesus was in agony, His disciples were asleep.
Except for Judas, who appeared with a mob and betrayed Jesus with a kiss
Jesus was arrested and taken to the high priest’s house where Peter, the Rock, denied Him three times before the rooster crowed.
Then Jesus was blindfolded and was mocked and beaten by the guards who cried out, “Prophesy! Who hit you?”
He was given a mockery of a trial before Pilate who said, “I find no basis for your charges against Him.
But when given the choice to release Him, the crowd shouted “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
He was whipped, He was beaten
A Crown of Thorns was shoved on His head.
He was forced to carry the very cross on which He was to be crucified.
CROSS SECTION
The Bible says that, “When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals – one on His right, the other on His left.” (Luke 23:32)
Crucifixion often meant binding or nailing someone to a cross and letting them die slowly. This is what they did with Jesus. They took three nails (hold the nails out), possibly like this, and nailed Him to the cross.
They drove a nail through one hand into the cross (hit the nails together three times)
They drove another nail through his other hand into the cross (hit the nails together three times)
Finally, they drove a final nail through his feet into the cross (hit the nails together three times)
The cross was raised and Jesus hung there for the world to see.
The Bible says, “It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When He had said this, He breathed His last.” (Luke 22:44-46 ESV)
Jesus was dead. The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world was sacrificed there for you and for me. He lived a totally sinless life and was a sacrifice worthy of eternal forgiveness. So, come to the cross and behold the Lamb.
The Cross Video (Video created by Passion City Church – linked to the left)
(When the video ends, the decision Song Behold the Lamb begins.
DECISION TIME
From the time of the first Passover, the Israelites understood God can deliver us from judgment for our sin through the sacrifice of a substitute, even though no animal sacrifice was sufficient for eternal forgiveness. Over 1200 years later, John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and said, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) Jesus gave Himself as a sacrifice on the Cross so we could be forgiven of our sins and live with Him forever. We all have a need to come to the cross and behold the Lamb.
We all have a need for Him – “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (Romans 3:23)
We all deserve punishment for our sin, but God has made a way for us – “For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
He gave His Son for us because He loves us – “But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8)
Admit to God that you are a sinner – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
We must confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts – “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him for the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
We must surrender ourselves to the Lord, making Him Lord of our lives – “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24)
Jesus surrendered Himself for you. What will you surrender of yourself for Him?
Will you give your life to Him as Savior and Lord?
Will you finally surrender those sinful habits to Him?
Will you start tithing or giving to the Lord?
Will you be willing to serve Him however He might ask?
Will you honor Him with your relationships?
Will you surrender to Him by finally sharing His love with your family?
Will you be honest at work, or with your taxes, or with your spouse?
Will you surrender yourself to vocational Christian service?
Is there something else you are willing to surrender to the Lord today? While the music plays, take time to pray, thanking the Lord for His sacrifice and asking Him what you should give to Him. Then, if you’re willing, write it out on your special Good Friday Communication Card you received when you entered tonight.
Being a song that was passed down orally, The First Noel may date to the 13th or 14th century. Some believe the song was inspired by a dramatization of the Christmas Story where actors would act out vignettes as they sang. The song does tell the story of Jesus’ birth from Matthew 2 and Luke 2, and would have worked well as a dramatized song with a repeating chorus.
The word “Noel” is French for “Christmas” which is derived from the Latin word “Natalis,” meaning “Birthday.” Even though “Noel” works well for the chorus of The First Noel, it’s strange to consider that when the ancient singers arrived at the chorus of each verse that they were simply singing, “Christmas, Christmas, Christmas, Christmas….”
The First Noel was first published by Davies Gilbert in 1823 in Some Ancient Christmas Carols. Ten years later, William Sandys published the song in Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern increased the popularity and prominence of the carol. The song originally had nine stanzas, but five are most commonly used today. In most recordings, artists rarely perform more than two or three verses which is a shame because it causes people to miss out on the story of the song. Though the angels appear to the shepherds in the first verse, most of the carol focuses on the journey of the wise men, giving the carol an Epiphany focus. The fourth verse is one of my favorites:
“This Star drew nigh to the Northwest; O’er Bethlehem it took its rest.
And there it did both stop and stay, Right over the place where Jesus lay.”
Merry Christmas.
Click here to read all nine verses of The First Noel.
Click here to hear Claire Crosby and Family sing The First Noel
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