Advent Day 17 Feast of Lights Annually we have attended the Feast of Lights at the University of Redlands. Presented each December, the event marks the beginning of the Christmas season in our town and is described as a tapestry of scripture, poetry, music and drama. It is a worship service through spoken word, song, tableau, and instrumental offerings celebrating the Messiah. We are so blessed to live in a community in which the local university celebrates the season of Advent preparing for the birth of the Messiah through choirs, instrumentalists, and readings from Isaiah; celebrates the season of Christmas recreating in three tableaux commemorations of the Annunciation, the birth in Bethlehem, and the Revelation to the shepherds; celebrates the Rejoicing with familiar carols; celebrates the season of Epiphany through Candle Lighting representing the proliferation of the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and celebrates with the Procession of Adoration proclaimed through anthems that honor our Lord. My favorite part is during the Procession of Adoration when hundreds of vocalists and instrumentalist students join in performing the Hallelujah Chorus from Handels Messiah. The Feast of Lights is divine music and Handels Hallelujah is a sword of the spirit! Do you remember that Handel composed the entire oratorio in only 24 days! During August and September of 1741 he wrote from morning to late night. It is said that when Handel finally left his rooms, Messiah completed, he exclaimed that the heavens themselves had opened and he saw the great God himself! I read that in July 1741 Jennens sent Handel a new libretto for an oratorio and in that letter dated 10 July to a friend Jennens wrote: I hope Handel will lay out his whole Genius and Skill upon it, that the Composition may excel all his former Compositions, as the Subject excels every other subject. The subject is Messiah. My prayer is that you turn your whole genius and skill upon heavenly things. I hope this Christmas you turn your whole genius and skill upon Christ. Just as Handels Messiah is a commentary on Jesus Christs Nativity, Passion, Resurrection and Ascension, I pray your lives become a commentary of hallelujahs to our Lord and Savior. Listen to Messiah this season. Luxuriate in The Word of God. Messiah did excel all of Handels other compositions. Just as the Subject excels every other subject. Listening to the beautiful sounds of Christmas, Momma: if you dont know Jesus personally , may we introduce you to Him; may we beseech you to fall down on your face; repent and ask Jesus Christ to be your Savior and then submit to Him as your LORD forever. What JOY! video: Grace Community Church, Pastor J. MacArthur, 12/20/14....enjoy :)
Posted on: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 16:14:00 +0000
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