Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!
 
Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"
                      Charles Wesley, 1739
    Hark the Herald Angels Sing is one of the most beautiful Christmas songs ever written, and at the age of 278 it is as timeless and relevant as ever. It is easy when reading its lyrics to see that Charles Wesley was a serious Bible student and had determined that his song would accurately reflect the Biblical story of the Savior’s birth. A birth that was foretold long before the generation that would live to see it walked the earth. Isaiah recorded, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). Not only was the nature of His birth foretold, but the place of His birth as well (Micah 5:2), a fact Matthew reminded his readers of in establishing his claim to Jesus Messiahship (Matthew 2:6).
    For all the things written about the birth of Christ and its attendant events none can match the Biblical accounts, so, today as I wish you good cheer as you celebrate the birth of Jesus with your families I will simply quote the Word of God:
    “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!"  
    But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of his father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."
    And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God” (Luke 1:26-35).
        Even as Luke gives us an account of Mary’s reaction to her angelic visitor, Matthew adds how Joseph found out the good news:
    “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with Child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."
    All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel" (which means, God with us)” (Matthew 1:18-23).
    Joseph obediently accepted his role in God’s plan, and, as Luke recounted:
    “Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with Child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
    And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a Baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."
    And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!"
    When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this Child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them” (Luke 2:4-18).
    Paul described Jesus as the “Firstborn of all creation” (Colossians 1:15), that is the preeminent or greatest of all mankind— the perfect man. Yet he was more than just a man, as Paul would go on to explain: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:15-17).
    Every December 25th we celebrate the day that God became incarnate, in order to live among us and to lead us to salvation. We may exchange gifts and make merry with family and friends, but it is my hope that each of us will take a moment in the day to honor the birth, the life and death, and the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. And with that I leave you with the lyrics of another beautiful song about the birth of Christ. Merry Christmas!
 
O Holy Night
O holy night
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appeared and the soul felt it's worth

The thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder brinks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees

O hear the angel voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night divine
O night, O night divine

O Holy Night
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error-pining
Till he appeared and the soul felt it's worth

The thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder brinks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees

O hear the angel voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night divine
O night, O night divine.
               
                Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure / translated by                         
                John Sullivan Dwight