O holy night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
· In 1847, commissioned by a parish priest for a Christmas Mass
· Poem penned by Placide Cappeau – atheist poet/wine merchant
· Music by Jewish composer Adolphe Charles Adams
· When church leaders discovered who wrote the song it was banned and denounced but French people sang it anyway
· About 20 years later American writer--John Sullivan Dwight – loved it and introduced it to America through his magazine – especially since he was an abolitionist and he loved the phrase “chains shall he break for the slave is our brother”
· On Christmas Eve of 1906 Reginald Fessenden former chief chemist for Thomas Edison - spoke into a microphone and, for the first time in history, a man's voice was broadcast over the airwaves: After finishing his recitation of the birth of Christ, Fessenden picked up his violin and played "O Holy Night," the first song ever sent through the air via radio waves.
The song is much beloved. I will never forget listening to my mom sing it year after year. It was a highlight of Christmas for all of us my church.
I want to talk about it today but for a very different reason. I think this beautiful song has within it a response to the one of the greatest longings or wishes in our community today…”I wish I wasn’t so depressed”
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. It affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn't worth living
· One of the most common of mental illnesses - nearly 1 out of 10 Americans will suffer from some form of depression. (350 Million world-wide)
· Martin Seligman, head of the American Psychological Association, believes that the United States is in the throes of an "epidemic" of clinical depression. An American today, he says, is significantly more likely to suffer clinical depression at some point in his or her life than at any other time in the past hundred years.
And not long ago I was one of those 350 Million.
· series of events including the death of my father
· I found myself struggling with some of these symptoms:
- Irritability, restlessness
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
- Fatigueand decreased energy
- Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" feelings
- Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism
…and these symptoms others struggle with:
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and/or helplessness
- Insomnia, early morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
- Loss of pleasure in life
- Overeating or appetite loss
- Persistent aches or pains,headaches,cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment
- Thoughts ofsuicideor suicide attempts
· …and like you, I’m sure, I struggled with feelings of guilt that if I am a follower of Jesus I shouldn’t feel this way.
· finally talked to my doctor…decided against medication…went home and told Penny who asked me pointedly “who do you think you are”…
· I took the medicine! (and you should too)
· after some time things turned and I experienced relief
But…although taking medication is helpful it is certainly not the only answer.
During the rest of our time I want to show you a surprising and powerful aid to dealing with depression…
If you wish you weren’t so depressed then stay with me…
Let’s go back to our song…
The 2nd phrase of the song says…
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A very poignant description of what it feels like to be depressed.
· pining -
toyearndeeply;sufferwithlonging;
tofailgraduallyin vitalityfromgrief or regret
· a worthless soul – this is how depression feels
It’s this worthless soul feeling that those who aren’t depressed don’t get…
“Some friends don't understand this. They don't understand how desperate I am to have someone say, I love you and I support you just the way you are because you're wonderful just the way you are. They don't understand that I can't remember anyone ever saying that to me. I am so demanding and difficult for my friends because I want to crumble and fall apart before them so that they will love me even though I am no fun, lying in bed, crying all the time, not moving. Depression is all about If you loved me you would.”
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
· Here’s another apt description of depression – not just a worthless soul but a weary soul.
· This is why you hear frequently from deeply depressed people how tired they feel. And it doesn’t help to try to snap them out of it!
There is no point treating a depressed person as though she were just feeling sad, saying, “There now, hang on, you'll get over it.” Sadness is more or less like a head cold- with patience, it passes. Depression is like cancer.Barbara Kingsolver, author
Depression comes from a weary soul …it also feels like oppression and slavery…
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
· depression feels very much like being in emotional prison … like it is out of your hand…like you were put here by someone else.
· and it feels like an oppression…which is the word we use when we describe the impact of the evil one on our souls.
o like some being is sitting on our hearts and not letting us up
“I was drawn to all the wrong things: I liked to drink, I was lazy, I didn’t have a god, politics, ideas, ideals. I was settled into nothingness; a kind of non-being, and I accepted it. I didn’t make for an interesting person. I didn’t want to be interesting, it was too hard. What I really wanted was only a soft, hazy space to live in, and to be left alone.” –Charles Bukowski
So…you get the point, right?
· I actually believe that Placide Cappeau write these words as an expression of his own soul. I think he himself wished to be free from…pining, weary worthless soul, oppression of depression.
· I also find it stunning that he wrote in his very own poem what I believe one of the most powerful aids or remedies to depression…worship.
O holy night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
· Note: the “thrill of hope”
· Note: “weary soul rejoices
· Note: “a new and glorious morn”
· and note: the source of the hope and joy…“Fall on your knees” – posture of worship
Worship is a powerful source of healing in depression!
It puts me to mind of these verses: from two of the most depressed men in the Bible Jeremiah and Job.
Lamentations 3:22 page____________
Lamentations 3:22-24 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
Job 1:20 page ______________
And this…
At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." Job 1:20-21
Two of the most depressed people in history turned to worship for healing.
How does worship bring healing in depression?
1. Worship awakens the morning
· Song: “yonder breaks a new and glorious morn”
· Jeremiah: “compassions new every morning”
· worship distills the darkness
· worship unlocks…”the thrill of hope” …there may yet be a new day
2. Worship places us in the sovereign hand of God
· (I am not alone nor am I ignored)
· Jeremiah: “the Lord is my portion”
· Job: “the Lord gave and the Lord took away”…may his name be praised
· worship re-orients
o worship re-locates me from my cave to the palm of his hand
o He is experiencing everything with me
o I AM NOT ALONE!
Worship is one of the most powerful remedies to depression for it awakens the morning and places us in the sovereign hand of God.
Here’s another way to look at it…
Depression Worship
Self-focused Focused on the great OTHER
Drifting Anchoring
Is Muting or Stifling Is Expressive and passionate
Why? What now?
Worship is one of the most powerful remedies to depression for it awakens the morning and places us in the sovereign hand of God.
This I discovered a few years ago…
Yes, I went to the doctor and got on medicine (and you should too)
Yes, I rested
Yes, I talked with loved ones
Yes, I exercised
but…yes, I worshipped!
and it awakened the morning and placed me in the sovereign hand of God.
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night ….Oh night divine