THOU WHO WAST RICH BEYOND ALL SPLENDOUR

One of our favourite carols, albeit in archaic language, was written during difficult times on the mission field in China. Frank Houghton was consecrated as Bishop of East Szechwan in 1937. Missionaries had been captured by the communist Red Army and released in poor health after over a year of suffering. Others had been captured never to be heard from again. In 1934 the young missionaries John and Betty Stam were captured and beheaded. The news of these sorrows had reached the mission's headquarters in Shanghai. Though this was a very dangerous time for both the Chinese Christians and the foreign missionaries, Frank decided he needed to begin a tour through the country to visit various missionary outposts. While travelling over the mountains of Szechwan, the powerful and comforting words of 2 Corinthians 8:9, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverrty might become rich" were transformed into this beautiful Christmas hymn.

Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour,
All for love's sake becamest poor;
Thrones for a manger didst surrender,
Sapphire-paved courts for stable floor.
Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour,
All for love's sake becamest poor.

Thou who art God beyond all praising,
All for love's sake becamest Man;
Stooping so low, but sinners raising
Heavenward by Thine eternal plan.
Thou who art God beyond all praising,
All for love's sake becamest Man.

Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Saviour and King, we worship thee.
Emmanuel, within us dwelling,
Make us what Thou wouldst have us be.
Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Saviour and King, we worship Thee.

- Frank Houghton (1894-1972)

In 1958, J.B.Philips gave to the world The New Testament in Modern English.

There is no such thing as “timeless English” but this 50 year old translation does get the message over to us of the need to be generous towards others. It appears that those in Corinth had not been that generous to Paul compared with those in the Macedonian churches who gave "to the limit of their means". This should challenge us in every area of our giving especially to those in His service.

2 Corinthians 8 verses 7 to 15
“Already you are well to the fore in every good quality - you have faith, you can express that faith in words; you have knowledge, enthusiasm and your love for us. Could you not add generosity to your virtues?
I don’t give you this as an order. It is only my suggestion, prompted by what I have seen in others of eagerness to help, that here is a way to prove the reality of your love.
Do you remember the generosity of Jesus Christ, the Lord of us all? He was rich, yet he became poor for your sakes so that his poverty might make you rich.
Here is my opinion in the matter. I think it would be a good thing for you, who were the first a year ago to think of helping, as well as the first to give, to carry through what you then intended to do. Finish it, then, as well as your means allow, and show that you can complete what you set out to do with as much readiness as you showed eagerness to begin.
The important thing is to be willing to give as much as we can - that is what God accepts, and no one is asked to give what he has not got. Of course, I don’t mean that others should be relieved to an extent that leaves you in distress.
It is a matter of share and share alike. At present your plenty should supply their need, and then at some future date their plenty may supply your need. In that way we share with each other, as the scripture says, He that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack.” Taken from the J.B. Phillips translation.

Christmas is a good time for showing generosity to others, sharing with those who have little or nothing. One message of Christmas is that of giving with the same generosity of spirit as God the Father did over 2,000 years ago in sending us His beloved Son into the world.

“He who was rich for our sakes became poor” and for a very good reason!

A Favourite Christmas Carol.

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain. Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.
Refrain

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse,
freeThine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.
Refrain

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Refrain

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Refrain

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Refrain

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.
Refrain

O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.
Refrain

This 12th century carol had the original title in Latin of Ve­ni, ve­ni Eman­u­el; it was trans­lat­ed from Latin to Eng­lish by John M.Neale and appeared in Med­iae­val Hymns in 1851. Neale’s orig­in­al trans­l­a­tion be­gan, “Draw nigh, draw nigh, Em­man­u­el.”

The lyrics echo a num­ber of pro­phet­ic themes. The ti­tle comes from the well known Isai­ah 7:14: “Be­hold, a vir­gin shall con­ceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Im­man­u­el.”
Im­man­u­el is He­brew for “God with us.”

The English Hymnal has seven verses, but most other hymnals have five verses.
Their biblical references are:

1. Emmanuel (God with us) - Isaiah 7:14, 35:10, 59:20, 61:1, Matthew 1:23, Psalm 137:1-5

2. Jesse Virgula (the Root of Jesse) - Isaiah 11:1, 11:10

3. Oriens (the dayspring) - Luke 1:78, 1 Corinthians 15:54-57

4. Clavis Davidica (the Key of David) - Isaiah 22:22, Revelation 3:7, Matthew 7:14

5. Adonai (the Lord of Might) - Exodus 3:15

Of all the carols we sing each Christmas this one is a direct link between the Old Testament prophecies and the coming of the Saviour to Bethlehem as recorded for us in the New Testament.

The Prophets of ancient Israel talked about a world much like our own, a world of people in rebellion against the Lord God Almighty. The various prophets show how God has a plan, not only for Israel but also for the whole world; a plan that extends beyond the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. The coming of the infant Jesus did not complete God’s plan. The Incarnation is the Sign assuring us that there is reason to hope.

The reason for the season is Jesus Christ.
In the first Advent we recall the ancient prophecies and signs which led to the birth of the Messiah, and we look forward in hope, applying those same ancient texts to our lives and the world we find ourselves in. While we look forward to His final coming when He will come with power and authority to rule and to reign over all the earth we rejoice that Jesus Christ will come again just as He promised, not only in clouds of Glory but into individual lives as we allow Him to enter in. O come, O come, Emmanuel!

We need to make room for Him.
This involves repentance from sin and the renewing of the Holy Spirit.