This is one of the liturgy pages for the Methodist Church's Hush the Noise Advent and Christmas campaign 2024. A full list of the services can be found here. A PDF containing all the services can be downloaded here.
Christmas 2: Jesus, the Love Song
5 January 2025
Bible readings
Jeremiah 31:7-14
For thus says the Lord:
Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,
and raise shouts for the chief of the nations;
proclaim, give praise, and say,
“Save, O Lord, your people,
the remnant of Israel.”
See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north
and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,
among them the blind and the lame,
those with child and those in labour together;
a great company, they shall return here.
With weeping they shall come,
and with consolations I will lead them back;
I will let them walk by brooks of water,
in a straight path where they shall not stumble,
for I have become a father to Israel,
and Ephraim is my firstborn.
Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
and declare it in the coastlands far away;
say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him
and will keep him as a shepherd does a flock.”
For the Lord has ransomed Jacob
and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.
They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,
and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord,
over the grain, the wine, and the oil,
and over the young of the flock and the herd;
their life shall become like a watered garden,
and they shall never languish again.
Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,
and the young men and the old shall be merry.
I will turn their mourning into joy;
I will comfort them and give them gladness for sorrow.
I will give the priests their fill of fatness,
and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty,
says the Lord.
John 1:1-18
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’” From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is the only Son, himself God, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
Songs and hymns
All my days I will sing this song of gladness (StF 343)
And still he calls us (website only)
Jesus comes with all his grace (StF 326)
Jesu, the joy of loving hearts (StF 365)
Lord, you have my heart (StF 559)
My eyes be open to your presence (StF 560)
Only by grace can we enter (StF 565)
The world God imagines (website only)
There’s a light upon the mountains (StF 188)
Also see: Resource Hub Worship Calendar suggestions for 5 January 2025
Opening liturgy
The year is new, the day is new,
The light is newly shining,
The song is newly sung.
Let’s share the song,
With angels let us sing.
We cannot touch with harps of gold,
But touch and speak and pray we can,
With smiles and words and deeds.
Let’s share the song,
With angels let us sing.
So hush the turmoil with words of hope,
And hush the pain with needed care,
And hush two thousand years of wrong,
Let’s share the song,
With angels let us sing.
Let’s share the song,
With angels let us sing.
Background notes
In this final service in the season of Christmas, we wrap up the Hush the Noise series with two beautiful passages that give us a broad perspective on God’s saving work, and an invitation to join in. We see Jesus as the cosmic, eternal Word – maybe we can think of Jesus as the song that the angels have been singing, that we can sing too.
In Jewish tradition a song is a valid metaphor for God. The phrase ‘The Lord is my strength and my song’ (Ozi v’Zimrat Yah)(1) is the only one that features in all three sections of the Hebrew Bible – Torah (Exodus 15.2), Psalms (Psalm 118.14) and Prophets (Isaiah 12.2.) The word zimrat derived from zamar (instrumental music) has proved hard to translate to English;(2) the NRSV chooses ‘defence‘, and gives the alternative ‘song’ in a footnote.
The God-as-song metaphor is explored in Rob Bell’s Nooma film ‘Rhythm’:
When I think of God I hear a song, a song that moves me. It has a melody and it has a groove. It has a certain rhythm. And people have heard this song for thousands and thousands of years. Across continents and cultures and time periods people have heard the song, and they’ve found it captivating, and they’ve wanted to hear more. There have always been people who say there is no song and who deny the music, but the song keeps playing. And so Jesus came to show us how to live in tune with the song.(3)
Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,
and the young men and the old shall be merry.
In this vision of the future, all kinds of people will be caught up in a dance, moving with all their being in response to the song they hear. Mourning will turn into dancing. God has the power to transform all things, and has promised to do it.(4)
In the beginning was the Word...
There are clear parallels with Genesis 1, both the use of the word ‘beginning’ and the motifs of light and dark.(5) Preachers might wish to make reference to last year‘s Bible Month, which explored the book of Genesis.
The term ‘Word’ (logos) is used frequently in the Old Testament, both for the creative work of God speaking (singing?) new things into being, and for communication through the prophets. The word always conveys action.(6)
Methodist Way of Life: Live
Questions for discussion
- Which secular love songs help you understand Jesus’ love? Which show the difference between human love, and God’s unconditional love for us?
- How does the idea of Jesus as a song make you feel?
- How has the divine love song transformed you as you’ve joined in with it?
Hands-on activities
- Make simple spin drums to use as part of sung worship, these can be made from cardboard tubes or cheese triangle boxes! Paper plates or bowls could also be used. Instructions and supplies needed for making these can be found here: DIY Spin Drum for Kids Birthday Parties Decorate the drums with sticker musical notes or draw them with a black pen.
- Print out copies of the A4 ‘Hush the Noise’ handout. Enjoy colouring in the pictures and words whilst reflecting on this past season of Advent and Christmas. Consider the following questions: What is one new thing that has struck me about the birth of Jesus? Has there been one thing I sense God has been saying to me? What one thing would I like to take into this new year? Feel free to jot down responses on the sheet.
Prayer ideas
Add a musical note to the tree. What is the action you will take so that the message is not just for Christmas but is for life?
The good news to get across
The eternal love song took on human form in Jesus.
Ways people can respond
Take a couple of minutes now to hush the noise. How could you pay more attention to the song of love that’s always being sung, and join in with it?
Prayer of blessing
The angels are still singing, and the Word has become flesh.
Hush the noise, hear them sing, repeat the song.
And the blessing of God,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be yours/ours, now and always. Amen.
References
(1) rabbishefagold.com/ozi-vzimrat-yah/
(2) Brevard Childs, Exodus (1974) SCM, London, p. 242.
(3) Rob Bell, NOOMA: Rhythm – 011.
(4) Walter Brueggemann, Jeremiah 26-52, To Build, To Plant (1991) Eeerdmans, Grand Rapids, pp. 61-63.
(5) Raymond Brown, The Gospel According to John (1966) Doubleday. New York, p. 4.
(6) C.K. Barratt, The Gospel According to St. John (1978) SPCK, London, p. 153.