Frederick Buechner, a wonderfully inspired writer with more than 30 books, relates a story told by an Episcopal priest friend. It goes something like this:
It was Christmas Eve and the children’s pageant was underway. Parents, relatives and parishoners watched as all the tiny characters took their places, recited their lines and sang their songs. Soon it was time for the angels to make their grand entrance; and angelic little cherubs they were, dressed in white and adorned with halos.
As they processed down the center aisle one tiny girl, tripping over her too-long celestial robe became hemmed in, with older children towering around her blocking her view. Unable to see what was going on she became frantic and stretching on her tiptoes trying to see the manger scene hidden by the angelic host around her, cried out, “Let Jesus show!”
The minister immediately stopped the service, shouted an “amen,” and offered the benediction. “It was,” says Buechner, “the greatest sermon he ever preached.”
Amid all the barriers trying to prevent us from seeing and sharing the peace and goodwill of Christmas, we need to stop and shout out, “Let Jesus show.” And then reveal the Christ within us to become the bearers of peace and goodwill in our fractured world.
We, who offer our creative jazz talents in worship, have but one purpose—to let Jesus show through our music. May the wild blessings of spiritual jazz ring out this Christmas.
Jazz to the world!
Cliff & Tim