Sermon Tone Analysis

We’re continuing today in out “Songs and Scriptures of Christ’s Coming” series, and last week we looked at “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” And we saw the past, present, and future blessings of the Advent - the coming of Christ.

This week, we turn again to the Carol that we just sang together, O Come All Ye Faithful.

This one happens to be one of my favorites, and you might say, well you did pick these.

Though it is not my most favorite, we will get to that one in a couple of weeks.

O Come, All Ye Faithful actually has an unknown original origin.

We have a translation of it in our hymnals, because it was originally written in Latin.

You have doubtless heard that resonant Baritone of Bing Crosby singing

Adeste Fidelis, Laeti Trimuphantes .

I’ll stop there, because I’m not Bing Crosby and my Latin is about as good as my jokes are.

But it has become a loved and blessed Carol this time of year, and it really makes wonderful application of the events and truths surrounding the Incarnation.

It alludes to the Wise-Men’s journey to see this new-born king.

It alludes to the Angel’s announcement to the Shepherd, giving glory to God in the Highest.

It Alludes to John’s version of the Christmas Story, where he gives the “story behind the story” in John 1, letting us know that Jesus is the Eternal Logos, the Word, full of Grace and Truth.

But the refrain of the song, the chorus, is really the key application.

O Come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

That is the message of the Carol, that is the message of this sermon today.

Adoring the Lord.

What does that mean?

How do we do that?

Why is it important?

We think of Christ at Christmas, and we think of him as that new-born baby, and we have no trouble imagining fawning over a little infant, but Adoring the Lord Jesus is more than admiring a new-born baby, it is living as if this Lord is everything.

Adoring the Lord Jesus is more than admiring a new-born baby, it is living as if this Lord is everything.

Come and Behold Him, Born the King

As the carol begins, there is a call for the “faithful” to come to Bethlehem and behold Him, the one born the King of Angels.

As we’ve been studying Matthew, I love the allusion to Christ’s Kingship.

That is Matthew’s primary theme, the Kingship of Jesus, the Kingdom of God, and also, that languague in the Christmas story brings our mind to Matthew’s retelling of the account of the Magi.

Now, not much is known about these Magi, these wise-men.

We speculate based on this passage and other hints in history that they were royal astrologers, perhaps from Babylon.

And we have no way of knowing much about their religion, except for the fact that they had access to the Hebrew Scriptures, and they took interest in the prophecy concerning the Star.

Maybe, if they were from Babylon, the influence of Daniel’s faithfulness left behind some interest in the Hebrews and their Religion.

We can only speculate.

But we do know, that because of the Scriptures they were aware of, and the Miraculous work of God to place this star in their gaze, they came with their entourage and fanfare to find the newborn King of the Jews, and they came with the intention of bowing before Him, and giving gifts.

Of course, this started Herod into an uproar - as they came into Jerusalem asking, “where is the new King?

Where is the newborn King?”

And Herod’s ploy and plot was to get them to tell Him when they found the baby, so he could destroy him.

But of course, Jesus was preserved, and the Magi accomplished their mission also.

Now, beyond the mere excitement of finding their intended destination, and a sense of accomplishment, what could possibly have caused these esteemed men to fall down and worship this little baby?

Well, all that went into it - the prophecy of scripture, the miraculous star, the leading to this house, it is clear that the Lord had done a work in the hearts and minds of these wise-men also.

And prompted by the Holy Spirit at seeing the true King of the Jews, they worshipped.

The word worship means to bow down, to prostrate, to make obeisance.

And it is interesting how Matthew doubles the idea, because he says it in two words.

They fell down - literally, they dropped to the ground suddenly, and worshipped, which means to make oneself low.

There was something that came over them, and then something that came from them.

And that, truly, is how it is with our worship of the Lord.

The Spirit of God within us cries out, and the words of a song or a prayer or a “hallelujah” come from us.

Something happens “to us” and “in us” before true worship comes from us.

God desires, as Jesus told the Woman at the Well, those worshipers who worship in Spirit and in truth.

And on that day, these Magi, though perhaps pagan in their origin, were overcome with God’s presence, and they worshipped.

Has God done something in you so profound and wonderful, that you cannot help but worship?

Does the Holy Spirit in you resound with the fact that Jesus is the King, and he deserves our bowing, our humbling, our worship?

O come, Let Us Adore Him!

Glory to God, all Glory in the Highest

The second verse of the Carol brings in the wonderful angelic pronouncement to the Shepherds.

Now, I’ve heard entire sermons on whether or not Angels actually sing or whether they just speak.

And after listening to those sermons I’ve said, “Well that was mostly a waste of my time!”

Does the Bible say that angels sing?

No it doesn’t.

Does it matter whether they sang these words or said them?

Not really.

What matters is what they said, or sung, or proclaimed, and that is what we will focus on.

We find ourselves again near Bethlehem, A small town with that famous background, yet the name of David, though great, would fade into the background of the name of another who would be born there, another King, a better David, and we read about that in Luke 2.

Time wouldn’t permit us to go into much detail, and we certainly have in the past year, but the shepherds were certainly an awkward choice to which the First Noel would come, so to speak.

They were maligned as outsiders and untrustworthy by the society at large.

Yet, their task was incredibly important.

To keep and raise the sheep, sheep being a central element in Jewish worship.

The lamb with imagery going all the way back to the Exodus and the Passover, and of course, that Lamb’s imagery fulfilled in the true Spotless Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

Well, the angel announcement to these humble shepherds was awe-inspiring, to say the least.

They were terrified beyond terrified, yet the message to them was “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy.”

The word for “good news” is Gospel.

Fear not, for behold I bring you the gospel of great Joy.

And what was that Gospel of great joy?

Unto you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

That was the heralded message of the shepherds.

Fear not, because of the gospel of great joy! Christ the Lord is born today, and he is the Savior!

O come, let us adore Him!

After giving the shepherds the instructions on how to find this child, their purpose and message continued with a grand pronouncement!

Now there was not one angel, but a multitude!

An uncountable number to the human eye, no doubt.

And what were they doing?

They were praising God and giving another twofold message.

Glory to God in the Highest!

And peace on earth to those with whom he is well-pleased.

Now that is a wonderful message

Glory to god in the highest

That is the proclamation after the news of the Savior.

The Savior is come, Glory to God!

That is the great news of salvation.

Salvation comes from God alone, and every ounce of our being should cry out and live out Glory to God because of the salvation which he has wrought.

The plan, the person, and the work of Salvation is all God.

God in flesh, the person of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

You ask, what is the good news, what is the Gospel?

Well, the angels put it so simply here, and we can share in this simplicity - Christ the Lord is the Gospel.

He is the good news.

The focus and weight of the Gospel is not a mere statement, it is not a mere thought, it is not mere good intention or a to-do list, no, the weight and glory and goodness of the Gospel is the person, Jesus Christ, our savior.

Peace on earth

Some manuscripts have, “peace on earth, good will to men.”

The idea is really preserved in either statement.

The fact is that peace on earth follows from what God has done in Jesus Christ.

Bringing peace to men in general, in one sense, but in bringing true peace to those who find Christ to be their redeemer.

A particular peace, a specific peace that is grounded, again, not just in an idea or in good intentions, but in the person of Jesus Christ.