Because music is such a powerful part of our Christmas experience, and something that no restrictions or limitations can take from us, we have chosen to look at some of the Christmas carols we all love to sing. Probably the simplest carol of all is Away in a Manger. The song was first published in 1882 as part of a children’s section in a newspaper and it had the name Luther’s Cradle Song. The next year it was published in a songbook for children called Little Pilgrim Songs with the same title. It said the song was written by Martin Luther for his children, but that story has been debunked. Yes, there was fake news even in 1882.
Martin Luther did write a Christmas song for his son, it was called From Heaven Above to Earth Below. It was written in 1534 and true to Luther’s writing style, it had 15 verses! Martin Luther was an educator, scholar, and theologian who loved to write complex doctrine so when he wrote hymns they were long and involved. Away in a Manger is simply not his style, it’s too simple.
There are also no manuscripts of the song among Luther’s works and the earliest version of Away in a Manger found in German didn’t appear until 50 years after it was published in America. We can say pretty clearly that this song is not a cradle song written by Martin Luther, but whoever wrote it gave us a powerful song that ranks second among the most loved carols we sing.
When we sing Away in a Manger, the picture that comes to us is of a sweet little baby sleeping on a bed of hay. We see a manger, we see animals, and of course we hear the cattle lowing. It’s a gentle song that could be a lullaby, but there is a phrase in the song repeated five times that is anything but gentle. Three times Jesus is called the little Lord Jesus, the twice just the Lord Jesus. This is a powerful statement to make in a simple children’s song.
740 times in the New Testament, Jesus is called or referred to as the Lord, and one of the first times he is called Lord is at his birth. Luke 2:8-11.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
While it might be hard to see a Lord when we picture a little baby sleeping in a manger, the word used in Luke does mean Lord. The word is “kurios” which means supreme in authority, or one having control. My guess is that when we call Jesus Lord, which many of us do, that He has some competition for that title in our heart and life because we like to be in control.
We like to be in control of our lives and one of the most frustrating things about 2020 is that most of what has happened to us, and what is going on around us right now, is out of our control. While we are all a little stressed because we like to be in control, for many people the holidays is always the time that their need for control goes into overdrive. In some families there might be a fight for control over the tree. Is it real or artificial? Wide or thin? White lights, colored lights, flashing lights? And what about tinsel? Do you use it, don’t you use it, do you apply one strand at a time or in big handfuls?
When I was growing up we all wanted to be in charge of setting up the manger scene so we could control where Mary would sit, Joseph would stand, and where all the lowing cattle would be scattered. Actually, probably only I wanted to set it up because I did like to control where they all went, and I still do. Since we can’t control so much this year, some people are trying even harder to control everything from the activities, to the menu to the gift giving and finances, but the only way to enjoy Christmas is to let go of control. Wow, is there ever truth in that statement! The only way to enjoy Christmas is to let go of control. Likewise, the only way to experience the little Lord Jesus is to let go of control. The only way to have Jesus as Christ OUR Lord is to surrender fully to Him.
As we begin to talk about the Lordship of Jesus, let’s be clear that we don’t make Jesus the Lord of our lives, He is the Lord. He was born as the king of Kings and the lord of Lords so he is already Lord of all. He is Lord because He is God in the flesh, so we don’t make Jesus Lord, we surrender to His lordship, we submit ourselves to His authority and control, but have we really done this?
Too many of us are living what some have called a partially surrendered life. We call Jesus Lord, we attend worship, we follow Jesus when it makes sense, but then we follow our own wisdom and try to control our own lives.
For example, we know that Jesus tells us to forgive others, all others, all the time, but then there is that situation where we just aren’t going to forgive. We want to be in control and hold on to the hurt. We might even feel justified in holding a grudge and tell ourselves even Jesus would hold a grudge if he had been through what we had been through. We follow Jesus when it makes sense to us, but then follow our own way and will when it doesn’t. We still want to be in control.
Or maybe we want to be in control of our finances, and while Jesus tells us to give to God, to give to the poor, and to give generously of all we have so that we can have treasure in heaven, we still think we know what is best and how and when and what to give. We are afraid of giving away too much because then we won’t have enough for ourselves and our future. We think we know what is best so hold on to control and live just a partially surrendered to God.
This is what a partially surrendered life looks like:
Trust in the Lord with some of your heart, and lean on your own understanding; in some of your ways submit to him, and make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6,
Now clearly Proverbs doesn’t say this, but isn’t this how we often live? We trust Jesus when it makes sense, but then lean on our own understanding. We will submit to God when it doesn’t cost too much, but then follow our own will when God’s plan seems too difficult or doesn’t make sense.
I was talking to someone last week about some decisions I made during college that didn’t work out very well. Both involved my moving to CA only to discover once I was there that CA was not the place for me. They asked me if I really thought it was God’s will for me to move there at the time. As I reflected on that question, I had to be honest and say, no, it was probably more my will.
In one situation I had let bitterness and an unforgiving spirit take over my heart, and in the other situation I wasn’t even going to worship on a regular basis. Looking back on those times now, I realize I was making my own decisions and leaning on my own desire, and chasing after my own dreams. God was with me, God guided and helped me through that time, but I was only partially surrendering my life.
After some difficult teaching Jesus shared with the crowds about not judging others and the need to forgive, Jesus knew they didn’t want to follow God’s way and so he said this, why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say? This is what Jesus says to a partially surrendered life and it’s what he says to us more often that we might like to admit.
Why do you call me Lord when you haven’t fully surrendered to me? Why do you call me Lord and yet still try to be in control of your own life? So let me ask you, what is the area of your life where you still want to be in control? Where is it that you still want to be in charge? What have you not fully surrendered to Jesus?
It might be a relationship where you still want to call the shots, or where you don’t want to forgive. Maybe you haven’t fully surrendered your children, and your family, or your health to God. Maybe it is your job and future, or maybe you are still holding on to your finances in fear of not having enough. What area of life have you only partially surrendered to the little Lord Jesus? Can you step out and fully surrender it to Jesus this week?
A fully surrendered life looks like this. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6.
The one in the Christmas story who shows us how to live this way is Mary. She trusted God to do something in her life that made no sense, had never been done before, and was beyond her ability to comprehend. She could not lean on her own understanding or make her path straight. She had to trust the Lord with all her heart and with all her soul and with all her strength. When asked to surrender to God, Mary said, I am the Lord’s servant. May it be with me according to your word.
I am the Lord’s servant. Mary is saying, God I belong to you and am giving you control. God asks Mary to surrender control not so he could be a harsh dictator but because he wanted to bless her. God wants us to belong to him not so he can control our every action but so he can lead us into the fullness of life and love.
The only way I know how to live this kind of fully surrendered life is to live it moment by moment, day by day. While we might be able to point to a day or time when we surrendered to Jesus as our Savior, the lordship of Jesus is a commitment we need to make every day. It is a surrender that needs to take place in every conversation, every relationship, and every decision. It’s a life of daily worship, where we pray without ceasing, and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the little Lord Jesus.
While we celebrate the Lord Jesus as a little child who entered into the world through a manger in Bethlehem, let us never forget that he also came as the king of Kings, and the lord of Lord, and he came to be the Lord in our lives.
Next Steps
A Way In A Manger
Read Luke 2:8-11.
● What does Jesus being Christ the Lord mean to you?
● Why do people have trouble letting go of control?
● In what areas of celebrating Christmas do you have trouble letting go of control?
Proverbs 3:5-6 for the partially surrendered life.
Trust in the Lord with some of your heart, and lean on your own understanding; in some your ways submit to him, and make your paths straight.
● In what ways have you been guilty of living a partially surrendered life?
● In what areas have you leaned on your understanding and not on the word of God?
● What is keeping you from fully surrendering to God?
● How can you give this area to Jesus this week?
Proverbs 3:5-6 for the fully surrendered life.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and He will make your paths straight.
● How did Mary live out these verses? Luke 1:26-38.
● What would it take for you to say “yes” to God’s will?
● What one area of your life can you surrender to Jesus this week?
