“Songs of Santa” from the lesson series Music of Christmas, December 2021
our Scripture
Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works
(Ecclesiastes 9:7 NASB).
| Ecclesiastes 9:7 NIV | Ecclesiastes 9:7 NET | Ecclesiastes 9:7 NLT | Ecclesiastes 9:7 NCV | Ecclesiastes 9:7 MESSAGE |
| Ecclesiastes 9:7 KJV |
Ecclesiastes 9:7 NRSV | Ecclesiastes 9:7 HCSB |
Ecclesiastes 9:7 ESV |
Ecclesiastes 9:7 RVA60 |
our Lesson
Does it strike you strange that a Christmas lesson for a group of believers in a conservative church would be titled, “Songs and Santa?” I thought so. Let’s explore this a little by wandering back to an Old Testament book, and maybe by doing so, we will understand that God is not opposed to us singing songs about Santa during the Christmas season.
The Old Testament book we need to consider is the book of Ecclesiastes. Hebrew scholars attribute the book to King Solomon, but the author identifies himself as “the Preacher, the song of David, the king in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:1). I believe there is a great deal of the book that has been misunderstood or misinterpreted. Let’s try to examine a few teachings in the book, before we discuss a specific passage.
Santa and Ecclesiastes
Seven times in the book of Ecclesiastes, the Preacher encourages the reader to pursue joy (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25, 3:12-13, 3:22, 5:18-20, 7:14, 8:15, 9:7-10, 11:7 – 12:1). Being joyful seems to indicate an individual finds sincere contentment and pleasure in God and His blessings in both time of pleasure and times of pain, in moments that are sacred and moments that are secular.
The book contrasts the ways of the world with the ways of the Kingdom. He uses imagery of light and darkness, the ways of the wise as opposed to the ways of the foolish, and the way of life as opposed to the ways of judgment.
The Preacher says, “Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes” (Ecclesiastes 11:9). The words are startling because Moses in the Torah characterized the people as “stubborn, unbelieving and rebellious” (Numbers 14:11, Deuteronomy 9:6-7) and scolded them, “not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes” (Numbers 15:39).
But the context here is different. Here the Preacher is speaking to the wise, not the fool. The context of Ecclesiastes helps us understand the Preacher is not encouraging unrestricted pursuit of pleasure. The wise see the sun as a manifestation of God’s goodness (Ecclesiastes 7:11-12). The wise “will know the proper time and the just way” (Ecclesiastes 8:5). If the wise heart is leaning toward God, your heart and your eyes will lead you in the right direction.
There is a stated caution with the words. Every step, every decision, every purchase, every television channel, every click of the mouse can lead you into judgment (Ecclesiastes 11:9). All things are permissible, though not everything is profitable.
If you are among the wise, if you have tasted that the Lord is good, do not hesitate to follow your eyes and your heart in your celebrations. Solomon’s words in our text guide our thoughts. If you want to sing songs of celebration about Santa during the season which celebrates the coming of the Savior, sing your songs in happiness with a cheerful heart. God enjoys seeing you smile.
But don’t lose sight of the real reason that you sing and are happy. You have not been saved by Santa. As you robustly sing the songs of Santa, let every note, every crescendo, every stanza remind your soul:
But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in time of trouble (Psalm 59:16 NIV).
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them (Acts 16:25 NIV).
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, an in your name I will lift up my hands (Psalm 63:3-4 NIV).
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance (Psalm 32:7 NIV).
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts (Colossians 3:16 NIV).
I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples (Psalm 108:3 NIV).
My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you – I whom you have delivered (Psalm 71:23 NIV).
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord praise His name, proclaim His salvation day after day (Psalm 96:1-2 NIV).
Do not let a song of Santa ring through the air that you do not remember the evening when Mary gave birth to her firstborn son, in the city of David.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased” (Luke 2:13-14 ESV)!
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come (Revelation 4:8b NASB).
Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for you created all things, and because of Your will they existed and were created (Revelation 4:11 NASB).
Peace on earth will come to all, if we just follow the Light.
Let’s give thanks to the Lord above.
Santa Claus comes tonight.