A Christian friend of mine wrote to say “Merry Christmas" today and included a link to a song that I had not heard of before. This holiday song prompted by a 4-year-old's question, "Where's the Line to See Jesus?" and recorded by Becky Kelley has gone viral on YouTube with more than a million hits. With the politically correct's push in America to remove references of the birth of Jesus Christ by to replacing “Merry Christmas” with “Happy Holidays” or “Seasons Greetings”, & "Winter Break or Festival", it is refreshing to both hear this song's message, and see the growing popularity. The world needs a Savior today, as mush as ever before. It’s time that we proclaim the gospel proudly and boldly, because salvation is found nowhere else and people need to hear the truth. We all need to come to a "saving" faith in Jesus. Enjoy the video and Merry Christmas! Brian
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My post today is a my take on this song. My take will be unpopular and many will ask me why didn't I think of your take?
Lord bless you brother. You are the softer side of my reasoning.
Pastor Gregg, I see your point that commercialization and misrepresentation of the Christ Child is counter-productive in the cause for Jesus, but respectfully disagree with your final analysis on this song as a “biblically empty song” for these reasons. (1) We do not tell the Lord by what method He may reach the Lost that He seeks. (2) The Holy Spirit prepares the heart of the predestined listener in advance to receive the message of the gospel in whatever presentation of gospel seed planting or watering. (3) The message is not about getting in line to see Jesus, like Santa. The message is: There is more to Christmas than Santa Claus, shopping and presents. I see “the line” as a metaphor, though an innocent child’s question, as a call for Believers to celebrate the incarnate Intercessor between God & man (our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ). The line ultimately means coming to the foot “the Cross” in repentance by a lost & dying world in sin & darkness, and is obvious in the questions and bridge of the song:
It’s Christmas time, it’s His birthday. Why don’t we see Him more?
Where’s the line to see Jesus? He was born for me.
Santa Claus brought me presents. But Christ gave His life for me.
In the blink of an eye, at the sound of His trump, We’ll all stand in line at His throne.
Every knee shall bow down, every tongue will confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord.
From an evangelism prospective, I do not see a biblically empty song, but an opportunity. As the Apostle Paul says in Philippians 1:18 “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice.” I think Christ was the intent.
We may agree to disagree, but it is my hope that those who do not know the Lord, after hear such a song, would ask (as in Acts 17:23) “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.”, and the gospel may be given. It’s up to the people of God to give the message of salvation and eternal life in Jesus Christ.
Thank you for your prospective and comments, as they spark thought-provoking Acts 17:11 Christian examination.
I truly appreciate you and your comment. I know I will take some major hits on this. Our take on it is as different as our spiritual gift. You, as an evangelist would see an opportunity here. I have no problem or criticism with that. As one with the gift of teaching, I see it as sentimentalism (mind you, I am not judging the artists motives) void of scripture. The tools the Holy Spirit uses to convict that predestined listener is the word of God not a song tag line.
Also, I am not an evangelical (yes-evangelistic) the major foundational brick to evangelicals is their commitment to "We do not tell the Lord by what method He may reach the Lost that He seeks." Another way that the founders of evangelicalism stated their difference between them and "fundamentalists" is that "the ends justify the means," or "whatever is specifically prohibited in the bible is an ok method."
Again, I am not judging you nor criticizing you. I think we are good enough friends and have written back and forth enough to be able to "agree to disagree."
If someone should come to Christ as a direct result of the song, I would rejoice, praise God and be happy!
Please don't miss my point - The little boy asked the question, where are the lines to see Jesus. My answer was the explanation why there are no lines. The human heart will not line up for the God of the bible.
The little boy's question was not, "is this a good theological tool for evangelism?" My answer was not an explanation of why this not an good evangelism tool or whether this song could be used as an evangelistic tool.
Remember, don't miss the point of my blog - all I was saying is no one according to Romans 3 will line up for the Jesus of the bible. I have no doubt if a sovereign God wants to use this song in order for someone to explain the gospel great.
Gregg
I do not have any problem with discussing these issues with you at all. What good is the parts of the body of Christ if they can not argue thier individual perspectives based upon the light that the Lord has given them.
We know that salvation only comes through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and this song did not give the gosgel. But our Pastor Jason says: "You catch the fish before you clean them". Nobody found salvation directly through this song, or "Amazing Grace", or "A Mighty Fortress is our God", "the Old Rugged Cross" or "Hark the Herald", but seeds may be planted in the hearts by the Holy Spirit through these and other psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19). The song of Moses in Exodus 15 is actually Holy Scripture. Is "Joy To The World" sentimental? It sure makes me feel good to sing it to the Lord. Why? It's not that the ends justify the means, when the means (the Christian song) is intended to point to Christ, praise Christ, and/or worship God (Father, Son & Holy Spirit) as the end. So the questions I ask is, "What is the intent?" Did it point to Christ? Was the song out of context from the Word of God? Was it trying to "catch" or "clean"?
Surely, what is specifically prohibited by the Bible is never an ok method. I don't think that the question is, if someone came to Christ as a direct result of this song, but if someone heard about Christ, or asked a question about Christ, or truly seek Christ in their heart in part by this song or any Christian song and the Holy Spirit. How does any sinner put their hope in the Lord? All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but while we were dead in our transgressions and sins, and by nature objects of wrath, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ. As you say, "The human heart will not line up for the God of the bible". I see that your point answered the four year old boy's question to his mother, who obviously told her son (the best that you can to a four year old) that Christmas was about celebrating the coming of the Lord incarnate. He wanted to know why there was a line for Santa and not one for Jesus, if Christmas is about Jesus. I saw Ephesians 2:1-3, and I saw Romans 3:10-12 & 23, but didn't catch Ephesians 2:4-9 or Romans 3:24. It seemed that you were questioning a song that wasn't telling people to get in a line to see Jesus, like the line to see a secular Santa Claus, but telling people to turn from Santa, from buying presents with no thought of Jesus, to get out of the Rat Race and follow Jesus, heave a relationship with the Lord and Savior of the world, and live for Christ, the reason for the season (so to speak) and your salvation. I think that Becky Kelley is not against you, but for you, if you asked her. I believe that she and her dad, (who wrote the song) were intending to point people to Jesus and nothing else. I do not think that they were trying to deceive people, distort the Word of God or just make people feel good in their lost and spiritually dead state. I may be wrong.
I want people to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, so do you and so does Becky Kelley. That's what I see - a mis-guided world of hurt with Christ, and brothers & sisters, in different ways, doing what they can to point the way and help them find Jesus. May the Holy Spirit use all in God children in their genuine faith and service for the Lord.
Your brother in Christ
Thank you Brian. Yes, there will always be some that set out to attack what you do- even when it's for good, they can find some way to twist it around to make a point and bring focus back to their "wisdom". Thank you for your kind words. You got our message exactly right- let's focus on the Reason for the Season! God bless and Merry Christmas! ~ Becky Kelley
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