Hark! the Herald-angels Sing

let’s try starting with prayer tonight, after giving out notes

I really enjoy hymns…

I especially enjoy Christmas carols! I was planning on continuing in Acts for the next couple weeks, but we had the opportunity to go to a Getty Music concert last night… and I enjoyed it so much that my mind was changed about what to do for the next couple weeks.

We did this for a couple weeks last year…

What’s your favorite Christmas song? Ok what about specifically carol?

I always enjoy singing, but especially the Christmas songs. I think that’s a general feeling among human beings, not even specific to Christians! Why is that?

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear!

So tonight we are going to talk about a song about singing!

Amazing Grace—366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions 15. Hark! the Herald Angels Sing

Christmas carols as we know them now were abolished by the English Puritan parliament in 1627 because they were a part of a “worldly festival,” which they considered the celebration of Christmas to be. As a result, there was a scarcity of Christmas hymns and carols in the 17th and early 18th centuries. Charles Wesley’s “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” was one of the few written during this period. Wesley’s fine text and the melody by master composer Felix Mendelssohn have given this hymn its great popularity and its standing as a classic among Christmas songs.

Amazing Grace—366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions 15. Hark! the Herald Angels Sing

Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the new-born King; peace on earth, and mercy mild—God and sinners reconciled!” Joyful, all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies; with th’ angelic hosts proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!” Hark the herald angels sing, “Glory to the new-born King!”

Christ, by highest heav’n adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord! Late in time behold Him come, offspring of the virgin’s womb. Veiled in flesh the God-head see; hail th’ incarnate Deity, pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel. Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the new-born King.”

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, ris’n with healing in His wings. Mild He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth. Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the new-born King.”

These herald-angels sing in Luke 2:8-14…

This song I believe is explaining why the angels were singing.

The glory of God being wrapped in humanity and born in a manger so his people can receive salvation is “good news of great joy”!

He was pleased to dwell with us

We have to understand what a big deal this is. He laid his glory by.

Philippians 2:5–8 ESV

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Think about it like this; when you see a bug in your house, or a spider, what do you do to it? I’ve told y’all before about my electric fly swatter… Why do you do that? Cause you’re greater… and it’s your house. Now, is there anything that could convince you to lay aside all that… and become that bug in your own house? Knowing what happens to bugs inside the house? This is like what Jesus did, only the distance between us and a bug is way less than between Jesus and us.

He sat down his… and lived in our weakness.

It says in Hebrews He did it for the joy set before Him.

It says in Ephesians He did it because of the great love with which He loves us.

If that isn’t overwhelming to you then you aren’t fully understanding it or appreciating it! It should fill you with awe and humility that Jesus would do this for you! To give you life!

He brought light and life

John 1:1-5; 9-14 talks about this light and life…

Jesus entered into his creation to bring light, to bring life, to bring rescue.

I think I’ve told y’all before that I’m big into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the movies and shows and everything. The first movie chronologically is about the first avenger, which is who? Captain America. The big moment in the movie is when he hears that the platoon that his best friend Bucky is in has been captured and is being held prisoner. When he hears about it he goes behind enemy lines, breaks into the base where they’re being held so that he can break them out of it. He brought them rescue.

Jesus brings us rescue! From our sin, from the results of our sins, from the curse of sin, from Satan, from death. He brings us life!

Paul David Tripp talks about all this in this way…

God would take on human flesh and invade his sin-broken world with his wisdom, power, glory, and grace. But he wouldn’t descend to a palace. Instead, the Lord Almighty, the Creator, the sovereign King over all things would humble himself and take on the form of servant; he would live on our behalf the life we could have never lived, he would willingly die the death that you and I deserve to die, and he would rise from his tomb as the conqueror of sin and death. He would suffer every single day of his life so that he could, with his life, give grace to rebels, extend love to those who would deny his existence, impart wisdom to those who think they know better, and extend forgiveness to everyone who seeks him. His coming stands as an affirmation that he will not relent, he will not be satisfied until sin and suffering are no more and we are like him, dwelling with him in unity, peace, and harmony forever and ever. –Paul David Tripp

Listen to song and then present Gospel in light of song.

He came that humanity “no more may die”. We die because of sin…

He came to give them second birth, to raise the sons of earth…