Advent Reflection 10 December
Go tell it on the mountain
Pause for a moment
Do you have a favourite story or memory that you tell people?
Listen to the music
While shepherds kept their watching
O'er silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light
The shepherds feared and trembled
When lo! Above the Earth
Rang out the angel chorus
That hailed our Saviour's birth
Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born!
Down in a lowly manger
Our humble Christ was born
And God sent us salvation
That blessed Christmas morn
Learn about the carol
This is an African-American spiritual song. The text was first published in Folk Song of the American Negro (1907), a study of African American folk music by John W Work, Jr. The song may date back to earlier sources, but the original text was lost.
The refrain theme comes from Old Testament passages in which praise to God for his acts of deliverance was often shouted, both literally and metaphorically, from the mountaintops (Isa. 42:11).
While the three verses tell the essence of the Christmas story, the refrain underscores the missionary impetus of the Christian church: "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matt. 28:19). The "go, tell," is a signal for us to leave the comfortable confines of Christian worship and "go, tell" the message of Christ's redemption to the whole world.
Time for reflection
This is the famous part of the speech by Martin Luther King:
Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. So I'm happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.
But it’s worth taking on the challenge of this paragraph as well….
Somehow the preacher must be an Amos, and say, "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream." Somehow, the preacher must say with Jesus, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to deal with the problems of the poor."…..It's alright to talk about "long white robes over yonder," in all of its symbolism. But ultimately people want some suits and dresses and shoes to wear down here. It's alright to talk about "streets flowing with milk and honey," but God has commanded us to be concerned about the slums down here, and his children who can't eat three square meals a day. It's alright to talk about the new Jerusalem, but one day, God's preacher must talk about the New York, the new Atlanta, the new Philadelphia, the new Los Angeles, the new Memphis, Tennessee. This is what we have to do.
How relevant is our story?
Time for Action
Do one practical act that speaks of your faith.
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