The Fascinating Story of a Little-Known Christmas Song

The year was 1623; a cold snowstorm from the Northeast was blowing into a small German town. Among those caught out in this storm was a Lutheran priest named Weissel. He, among others, sought shelter in a nearby church. The church sexton, a man who looked after the church and churchyard, opened the door, bowed deeply and welcomed the shivering crowd into the church, saying, “Welcome to the House of God! Here everyone is equally welcome, whether aristocrat or laborer. Shall we not go out into the streets and to the gates and receive all who want to come in? The door of the King of Kings is open to everyone.” 

After giving the sexton a pat on the shoulder, Weissel remarked, “He just delivered an outstanding sermon!” As Weissel then waited for the worst of the storm to pass and pondered the sexton’s words, he formed these phrases in his mind, “Lift high the door, Open wide the gates”, based on Psalm 24. Once home, he composed a song of five verses, using those phrases as the opening lines. A straight translation from the German to the English of the first verse would render it like this:

Lift high the door, Open wide the gates;

The Lord of glory is coming.

A King of all kingdoms, a Savior for the whole world,

Who brings Healing and Life with Him.

So rejoice, sing with joy;

Praise be to God, my Creator, rich in counsel.

Yet the story does not end here. Living in this town was also a businessman by the name of Sturgis. A field bordered his house on which was an important pathway used by those living in a nearby home for the poor and feeble. For those people, this path was the direct route into the city and, more importantly, the church. Much to the dismay of these people, Sturgis fenced in that field and locked the gate, so that the path was no longer accessible. Now those living in the poorhouse would have to walk the much greater distance around Sturgis’ property, making the trip more difficult and, for some, impossible. 

The city leaders and numerous citizens begged Sturgis to open the gate and let the people use his path to the church, but he cold-heartedly and repeatedly refused. On the fourth Advent Sunday of this same year, Pastor Weissel, the administrator of the poorhouse, and the poor and feeble stood outside Sturgis’ home as Christmas carolers. First, Weissel delivered a brief message. He spoke earnestly of the many people in the world who, full of pride, close the door of their hearts to the King of Kings. Then he said, “And today, dear Mr. Sturgis, the King of Kings is standing in front of your locked gate. I beg you, open not only this gate that can be seen, but open also the gate of your heart and humbly welcome Him in.” At this moment, the choir started singing Weissel’s song “Lift high the door, Open wide the gates.” Sturgis stood completely still until the very end of the song, when he reached into his pocket, lifted out a key, and unlocked the gate. After that pivotal moment, so the story goes, the gate was never locked again.

This song is one of the most sung Christmas carols in Germany still today. Although it has been translated into the English language under the title “Lift up your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates”, it is not well known here in the States. However, may we remember the message this Christmas season.  Is the door of my heart open for the King of Kings to enter in? Is yours? And are we inviting others who are battling the storms in this life to “come in” out of the cold and into the warmth of a life-giving relationship with Christ? Are we encouraging the proud to humble themselves and open the door of their hearts to the Savior of the world? May we be faithful to this task.

(Source: http://steyler.eu/svd/seelsorge/glaubensleben/Macht-hoch-die-Tu-r.pdf)

-- Amy O’Rear

IMMANUEL, GOD WITH US

            There are three little blond curly heads in our church—Gideon, Peter, and Silas. There is no question that they are brothers—they look very much alike.  And there is no question what family they come from!  Grandma Joy has the same curly blond hair.  They are definitely from the Dilts family.

            I have five children, three boys and two girls.  I like to try to analyze their characteristics and figure out how that came down the family line.  The girls look alike in several ways (maybe from me?).  People often comment on their smiles  (surely from me!).  Stephen got his love of music from me and his grandmother.  Andrew has his great-grandfather’s large hands.  John got his ability to troubleshoot and problem solve from his father.  I have two grandchildren.  Though Mikaela is adopted, I find myself saying, “Oh, she looks just like . . . .”

            I love singing in the cantata each year.  Even the practices are a time of worship for me.  This year I heard Beth sing Mary’s song, and one line jumped out to me in bold.   “Can you see the Father in the Son?”  I have been pondering this line since we began rehearsing.  I can look at my children and where they got their characteristics. . . but when I think of Jesus. . . .Yes, I can see the Father in the Son because Jesus is God Incarnate.  Jesus is God.

            John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  Verse 14 says, “And the Word (Jesus) became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

            John 10:30 says, “I and the Father are one.”  Now we’re getting into the topic of the Trinity and I tell you I cannot explain it.  I have never heard an explanation of the Trinity that satisfied me.  But I don’t have to understand.  My understanding does not change the truth of the statements about the Trinity.  But I believe it and accept it because I believe God’s Word.  So Jesus and the Father are one.

            One of the verses quoted often during the Christmas season is Isaiah 9:6:  “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest upon His shoulders; and his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”  This child would be the Mighty God. 

            Isaiah 7:14 says, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign; Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a Son, and she will call His name Immanuel.”  Immanuel—God with us.  That babe in the manger was God.  We know that.  We even sing about it.  But is it amazing, awe-inspiring, too wonderful for words to us?

            “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see.

              Hail the incarnate Deity.

              Pleased as man with men to dwell,

              Jesus, our Immanuel.” 

(Hark the Herald Angels Sing)

           

“God with man is now residing,

  Jesus, our Immanuel.”

            (Angels from the Realms of Glory)

“Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.”

            (O Come, All Ye Faithful)

            O God!  O Immanuel, God with us!  God Himself came to dwell with us.  Can you see the Father in the Son? 

IMMANUEL!  GOD WITH US!

~~Faith Himes Lamb

Sin Nature--It's so Adorable

Our baby grandson loves to come to our house. He comes in smiling, we hug him and love him as he smiles at us, we put him on the floor and he smiles as he races on all fours to his favorite toys – the electric cords, the fire extinguisher, and the toilet. Of course, he wants to put his mouth on them, and, especially the electric cords, bite them with his two teeth. He already knows we do not want him to play with those things. We give him colorful, fun things that make noise and roll around and are fun to bite. But, no, he insists on going for those things we don’t want him to have.

People say the sin nature shows up early. But he’s so cute! We can’t be mad at him. And he’s so young! It can’t be too bad (yet).

Unfortunately, we may continue to have such a casual attitude toward our own sins, as adults. But it’s so ____________ (fun, harmless, fashionable – fill in the blank). And we’re so _____________ (innocent, not as bad as others, in special circumstances – fill in the blank).

How do our favorite sins, or even the ones that bother us but we keep them, fit in with the Apostle Paul’s admonition to “take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience”? II Cor. 10:5,6.

Every thought? Thoughts can’t be that bad. But God’s Word says, "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." Luke 6:45

Every disobedience? Ouch.

My husband was once talking to a co-worker who told him, “Yes, I know it’s a sin, but I’m not going to give it up.” At least she was honest. But we don’t want to be that honest. We want to excuse ourselves, as we excuse our baby. (Our excusing does not necessarily apply to other people, unless they are harboring the same sins we enjoy.)

Let’s be honest – for our eternal good. God says, of sin, “for the end of those things is death.” Romans 6:21 That’s not adorable. It’s not fun. And it’s not for our good. It’s like biting the electric cords, just because it’s fun.

We try to protect our little children from the serious consequences of poor choices. So does God. He tells us what to avoid and He gives us all good things. Don’t be a baby.

--Lynda Shenefield

We Stand Forgiven

This, the pow’r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross. 

(WORDS AND MUSIC BY KEITH GETTY AND STUART TOWNEND COPYRIGHT © 2005 )

Not too long ago, we sang this song on a Sunday morning, and in memory I returned to childhood when my mother caught me in a lie. I recall that I hid in my playhouse hoping she wouldn't know where I was, but she sought me out and discussed the importance of telling the truth. My mother was gentle, trying to understand why I told the lie, but I recall the "awesome weight of sin" that this song refers to. I felt terrible, wishing I could take back the hurtful words but knowing I couldn't.

Though that childish transgression seems insignificant all these years later, it stands as a time when I knew I was a sinner and understood my need for forgiveness. There are other incidents too painful to recall or mention, but maybe you know what I'm talking about. Maybe you have some weighty memories of your own.

I am so grateful that God forgives, that Jesus was willing to take the blame and bear the wrath so I could "stand forgiven." But I'm not the only one who needs forgiveness. Jesus bore the weight of the whole world's sin. When we consider some of the awful things we've heard, this truth seems too much to imagine.

But let's bring the truth home and determine to be kinder and gentler with those who need the mercy and love of God. As we revel in our own good standing with God, we should pray for others who haven't found it yet--others including the tiresome and the trying, the profane and the cruel. These are people who carry a terrible burden that Jesus longs to lift from their shoulders.

This Christmas season, remember the cross that Jesus came to. Don't let his sacrifice go unappreciated.

 --Sherry Poff