November 26 

On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry 

TEXT: Charles Coffin

b. October 4, 1676

d. June 20, 1749

Carolo (Charles) Coffin was born in Buzancy, France. He showed much promise as a child, and by age thirty-six, he became the principal of the College at Beauvais, and later the Rector of the University of Paris. But Coffin is most remembered for his hymns—over ninety can be found with English translations. This hymn may not be well-known, yet it is printed in 145 modern hymnals. Englishman John Chandler translated the original text in Latin in the nineteenth century.

A man of strong convictions, Coffin appealed against the positions of the Pope’s 1713 edict on doctrine, called the Constitution Unigenitus, condemning a French movement called Jansenism that sought to reform the church’s understanding of grace. As a result, the Catholic Church refused to grant him a Christian burial. But like Martin Luther, Coffin stood firm on the principles of God’s Word. No wonder he wrote in stanza four the prayer, “let Your light restore earth’s own true loveliness once more.”

TUNE: Trier manuscript, 15th c.

Adapted, Michael Praetorius

b. February 15, 1571

d. February 15, 1621

Michael Praetorius was a highly esteemed German composer, organist, and teacher. He is known for the development of musical forms based on Protestant hymns. His works include a collection of 1,200 chorales and song arrangements for the Lutheran church. Another of his Christmas hymns in this book is “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming.”

As you sing this hymn … you are singing of what today might be called the prequel to the Christmas story. This was the ministry that God gave to John the Baptist. Refresh your memory of this amazing story by reading “Christmas in the Bible,” #18 and 19.

Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, were cousins and pregnant at the same time. Both births were miraculous, and John’s parents are greatly honored in the story in Luke 1:57–80. John’s words to Israel are also words to us today. Christ is coming—prepare the way in your hearts.

Stanza two in “On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry” guides us to prepare through repentance. Stanzas three and four acknowledge our salvation as a gift of His grace, without which we are as doomed as flowers—bright for a season, but then gone. The world’s current darkness cannot be transformed by political policies or social programs. It can only be restored by His light that entered our world with Jesus’ coming. The final stanza is a doxology to the Trinity, leading us to give praise for this wondrous story of God’s rescue.

Do you think of repentance as part of your Christmas preparation? Typically, we prepare for Christmas through decorating, gift buying, special cooking, traveling, and attending parties. But John the Baptist reminds us that Christmas preparation must begin with a personal inventory of our lives. Consider your sin—both the bad you’ve done and the good you’ve left undone. Then bring them to God in confession. No, you don’t clean yourself up before you come to God. You bring the dirt to God, acknowledging it and asking Him to make you clean. Tell Him you need forgiveness as you prepare today for celebrating the Nativity.