Wise Men Still Seek Him
A Christmas Cantata by Lindy Kerby and C. Michael Perry
© 2011 Little Miracles (http://www.kerbymusic.org)
Far, Far Away
Far, far Away on Judea’s Plains
Shepherds of Old Heard their joyous strains
Glory to God!
Glory to God!
Glory to God in the Highest!
Peace on Earth, Good Will To Men
Peace on Earth, Good Will To Men.
spoken:
Angels rejoiced, announcing the birth of the baby Jesus, to the shepherds. They came
and found him beneath the star, foretold by the prophets.
Far away in the East, Wise Men had also seen the star. They also made the journey to
worship the baby Jesus, though they traveled for many years to find him.
(sung)
Wise Men From the East
traveled from afar
Far, Far Away, Far, Far Away
These were men of faith
seeking Christ, their King
Far, Far Away, Far, Far Away
They knew him, their savior,
they came with gifts believing in the sign foretold
Leaving all, they traveled seeking
for the one, they knew would offer them all
Far, Far Away, (Far, Far Away)
Far, Far Away, (Far, Far Away)
Far away, angels sang
in this glorious hymn of praise
Glory to God!
Glory to God! Glory to God!
Glory to God in the Highest
Glory to God! Glory to God!
Glory to God in the Highest!
Peace on Earth, Good Will to men!
Peace on Earth, Peace on Earth
Peace on Earth
Good Will To Men!
(spoken)
We do not know much about the wisemen, except that they were men of faith, who
knew the signs of Christ’s coming. They were wise in that they knew who He was, and
the important role that he would play in each of their lives.
We too, know of the important role that Christ plays in each of our lives. Today, we
celebrate the birth and life of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
We know that He was born in Bethlehem, to be raised by a virgin, Mary and her
espoused husband, Joseph. Each of these young people were visited by the angel
Gabriel, who told them of their fore-ordained mission to be the earthly parents of The
Son of God. To this overwhelming assignment, they both answered, “Be It Unto Us”.
Be It Unto Us
Precious Mary, a virgin fair and beautiful
above every other virgin there would be
Gentle Joseph, he worked each day as a carpenter
and was betrothed to Mary
He was young, (she was young)
and he was strong, (she was strong)
and they both were willing to be
blessed with a son who’s name was Jesus
They said, “Be it unto Us”.
Precious Mary, she served God as His mother
Imagine that, the mother of the Lord.
Gentle Joseph, not of His blood was he
but he raised Him as his own
and he was kind (she was kind)
and he was mild (she was mild)
and they raised Him as their child.
The King of Kings! Lord of the Highest!
They said, “Be it Unto Us”
Imagine how it felt to raise this child who was their Lord
Although they both were willing, did the veil at all unfold?
Did they contemplate His mission as they raised their little boy
Who was their King– Lord of the Highest
Did they sing? Lord of the Highest!
The King of Kings! Their little Jesus
They said, “Be it Unto Us”.
They said, “Be it Unto Us”.
spoken:
Just like Mary and Joseph, we also have our own special missions to fulfill. Because we
are not perfect, we rely regularly on our Savior’s atonement to help us fulfil our
missions.
Before Christ came, a law was given that young lambs would be sacrificed at the hands
of the priests for sins committed by the members of their community.
Only lambs without spot or blemish could be used, symbolic of the sacrifice that the
spotless Savior would make when he would come.
At the time of Christ’s birth, we know that there were shepherds “keeping watch over
their flocks by night”. It may have been that some of them were sacrificial lambs
reserved for those special sacrifices.
When Christ came, the law was fulfilled, and the sacrament was put in it’s stead. As we
partake of the sacrament, we remember our Savior’s atonement. It is through His
atonement that the Savior takes away not only our sins, but also our weaknesses,
sorrows, and sicknesses. We remember Him, not only as our sacrificial Lamb, but our
shepherd, who continues to call and care for us.
Holy Little Lamb
Shepherds watched the holy lambs
tended to their needs
Each lamb had to be perfect
no blemish could there be
Shepherds sometimes cared for one
who liked to run away
Lovingly to each they’d come
Call to them and say,
Holy Little Lamb
Stay here by my side
Don’t go in the shadows
Stay here in the light
Holy Little Lamb
What are you suffering for?
Come to me, don’t suffer anymore
Angels sang to shepherds
Watching lambs that night
to tell them of a baby born
beneathe a bright stars light
This babe was the promised lamb
our King and Shepherd too
Guiding all his little lambs
He calls to me and you
Holy Little Lamb
Stay here by my side
Don’t go in the shadows
Stay here in the light
Holy Little Lamb
What are you suffering for?
Come to me, don’t suffer anymore.
Come to me, Don’t suffer anymore.
spoken:
May we rejoice, as the shepherds did, upon hearing the news that the Savior was born.
Please join with the choir in singing, “Angels We Have Heard On High”.
Congregational Hymn:
Angels We Have Heard On High
Angels we have heard on High
Sweetly singing o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains
Gloria In excelcis Deo
Gloria In excelcis Deo
Shepherds, why this jubilee,
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?
Gloria In excelsis Deo
Gloria In excelsis Deo
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing.
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
Gloria In excelsis Deo
Gloria In excelsis Deo
spoken:
From “The Living Christ” it says, “He is the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the
Messiah of the New. Under the direction of the Father, he created all things. All things
were made by him and without him, was not anything made that was made. He came to
fulfill all righteousness, yet was despised for it.”
He was greater than us all, but born under the lowliest of circumstances. He did not eat
with Kings and rulers, but with the poor and the lonely. The people that sat at his feet
were not well known, but humble followers of Christ, who knew and understood who He
was. He was born in the lowliest and humblest of all places- in a manger, but those that
were seeking him, knew that he was the King of Kings!
Below Us All
In a hollow cave was a stable made
In a simple stall, in a manger laid
Came a newborn King as no King would ever be.
On a night so still, not a sound was heard
’til an angel choir spread the Holy Word:
“There’s a baby born who will be the King of Kings.”
To a place below us all;
To a lowly cattle stall
From His throne of Glory
He came down to Earth to save us all!
And it all began in a hillside town
Where the shepherds watched and a star shown down
But it changed the world, just a single, simple birth
To a place below us all;
To a lowly cattle stall
From His throne of Glory
He came down to Earth
To save us all!
Away in a Manger, no crib for his bed
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the heavens looked down where he lay;
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes.
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle til morning is nigh.
Be near me Lord Jesus While the angels sang and a star shown down
I ask thee to stay While the heavens rang ’round that hillside town close by me forever Did we lend our voice?
and love me I pray Did we make the Heavens ring?
Bless all the dear children To a place below us all;
in Thy tender care To a lowly cattle stall
And fit us for heaven to live— From His throne of glory He came down to earth
to save us all!
Away in a manger
In a place below us all
The stars in the heavens looked down
on the baby born,
on the King of Kings! on the King of Kings!
spoken:
There is only one King of Kings. It is He of whom we celebrate today. In Christ’s day
wise men saw the star and traveled from the East to Bethlehem to be where the Savior
was.
Today, we don’t have to travel to Bethlehem to find the Savior. He is all around us. We
have the spirit to guide us, and scriptures and prophets that help us to find him and to
stay on His path. He still wants us to seek him, and as we do, we do find him.
Wise Men Still Seek Him
They traveled to David, to Bethlehem came
with Mary who was due any day.
But finding no place where the babe could be born
She laid him on a bed made of hay.
There were were sheep there and cattle, A donkey and mule
Above them a star brightly shone.
And shepherds rejoiced as the angels had said
On that day that the Savior was born.
And wise men came seeking their King and Messiah
with gifts from their hearts they did sing.
With tears they rejoiced as their hearts filled with love
For Jesus, their Savior and King.
Jesus grew older, a man he became
His sacrifice blessed the whole Earth.
We now can return all because of His gift,
Indebted we are for His birth.
And wise men still seek him, their King and Messiah
with gifts from their hearts they do sing.
With tears they rejoice as their hearts fill with love
For Jesus, their Savior and King.
Someday we will see Him, our King and Messiah
With gifts from our hearts we will sing.
With tears we’ll rejoice as our hearts fill with love
For Jesus, for Jesus, our King!
For Jesus, our King!
spoken:
May we remember Him in all we do today and every day. He is our King, our Savior and
our Redeemer! As we sing, we have the opportunity to praise him, and to rejoice. Would
you please join the Choir in singing, “Joy to the World”.
Congregational Hymn:
Joy to the World
Joy to the World, the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare him room,
And Saints and angels sing,
And Saints and angels sing,
And Saints, and Saints and angels sing.
Rejoice! Rejoice when Jesus reigns,
And Saints their songs employ,
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more will sin and sorrow grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
Heʼll come and make the blessings flow
Far as the curse was found,
Far as the curse was found,
Far as, far as the curse was found.
Rejoice! Rejoice in the Most High,
While Israel spreads abroad
Like stars that glitter in the sky,
And ever worship God,
And ever worship God,
And ever, and ever worship God.
Joy to the World!
Joy to the World!
Joy, Joy, Joy!!!!
