December 25, 2025 -- John 1:1-5 -- Repetition and more devoted worship

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~hear and obey Jesus!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:1-5 ESV
 
Merry Christmas dear family and friends in Jesus Christ! We sing familiar hymns and psalms and carols. We read familiar Scripture passages, like the one printed today. There is so much repetition. Is it boring? Not at all! Consider these insightful words, penned by Sinclair Ferguson:
Perhaps, after all, it is not merely repetition as such.
There is nothing repetitive (repeat, nothing!) about
the worship of God. Our words can never mean
simply and exactly the same every time we use
them. We better understand the seraphim as they
exclaim ‘holy art thou’ in their worship, if we
grasp that every time they utter the praise of God
and reflect on his holiness they experience an
ever fresh sense of what that word means as they
peer through their wings at his glory.
Sinclair Ferguson, Devoted to God’s Church.
East Peoria: Versa Press Inc., 2022, page 68.
 
To put it another way at Christmas, many of us take time to express our thanks to our dear friends for all they have done in the last year, (or years). Standing by us when times were tough. They encouraged us. Prayed for us. Simply silent there with us when there was nothing to say. So, at Christmas, when we say thank you, there is a greater fullness, and more joy in repeating these words. Though you may have already have said thanks to your friends so often, expressed why you value your friendship regularly, each new time it is repeated, there is a greater fervency, because more time has elapsed, more evidence of the depth of the friendship has been revealed. It is like that with God, except it is magnified.
 
Our repeated worship and praise is richer. It is infinitely greater. The God of all eternity stepped into time and revealed such wondrous love in Jesus Christ that our words often fail to capture our awe and blessedness. We repeat the songs of praise, the carols of love and the psalms of devotion, and powered by the Spirit’s presence in our souls, our worship is deeper, more honest, more-heart-felt each time. Because the longer we live, the more of God’s grace and kindness we understand. The darkness of this world, the stresses imposed by sin and the wreckage our oft-repeated rebellions are overcome by the light of Jesus Christ Who shines, piercing the veil of darkness that once gripped us. In His light we see light.
 
Our Father in heaven, how precious and immense is the salvation You have given us in Jesus Christ. Spirit of the Living God, take our words, our carols, and our prayers, so oft repeated, as soul-meant, sincere, offerings of worship. In the repetition of them, may we realize the depth of Your love to us and increase our love, hope, joy, peace and devotion to You, Triune God of Glory. Amen.
 
https://youtu.be/9Bwn0k0k8xI?si=gnTNNY0ACAkixphm “Hark! the herald angels sing

 

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