December 14: He Sent His Son | Mormon Tabernacle Choir

He Sent His Son is a Primary song of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It is sung year-round by millions of children worldwide. The lyrics are fantastic but this arrangement is much sweeter than the original.

This whole song encapsulates the Christmas message! God the Father sent His Son to earth to give us a perfect example of how to live so that we can return to the Him and inherit eternal life. This is one of the reasons I started this blog.

I’ve separated out the lyrics below so that I can illustrate something. Notice the construction of this song: question posed, answer given (repeated).

Let’s take these one at a time:

• Love - God the Father could teach the world of true love by sending his Only Begotten Son to earth. We are told in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son…”
• Tenderness - God the Father taught the world of tenderness by sending His Son as a “newborn babe” in a peaceful, humble and holy way. To be tender is to be easily moved to sympathy or compassion or to simply be nice.
• “The pathway we should go” - The lyrics suggest that God the Father could teach the world which pathway we should go by sending His Son to walk alongside men so that we could follow.
• Sacrifice - The lyrics suggest that God the Father taught the world about sacrifice by allowing His Son to die for us and allowing Him to rise again (or resurrect) with living breath. I had a Sunday School teacher teach me the definition of sacrifice which is to “surrender something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.” To emulate the Savior, we should find opportunities in our life to sacrifice something we prize for that of a higher or more pressing reason. Then we will know just how much God loves us.
• The will of God/what the scriptures say - The lyrics suggest that God the Father could teach the world what His will is for us by having faith and hope and helping others and living like His Son. John 13:15 says “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.”

It’s amazing to think of the effort that Heavenly Father makes to teach His children! Sometimes the answers to life’s questions are subtle and are right in front of us.

I like how the song concludes reemphasizing the commandment to “live like His Son.” Trying to follow the example of the Savior is a lifetime pursuit. When difficulties arise, we can open the scriptures and read how the Savior dealt with people and situations. How can one profess to follow Jesus Christ and not read His words? If you are following somebody, you are imitating or copying them. You are using somebody as an exemplar. You are watching them. You are mimicking them. You are responding and acting like them. So the study of God’s word is crucial if one is to “live like His Son.”

How have you tried to emulate the Savior in your life?

He Sent His Son

How could the Father tell the world of love and tenderness?

He sent his Son, a newborn babe, with peace and holiness.

How could the Father show the world the pathway we should go?

He sent his Son to walk with men on earth, that we may know.

How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, of death?

He sent his Son to die for us and rise with living breath.

What does the Father ask of us? What do the scriptures say?

Have faith, have hope, live like his Son, help others on their way.

What does he ask? Live like his Son.

Words: Mabel Jones Gabbott
Music: Michael Finlinson Moody
Performed by: Mormon Tabernacle Choir