Twas the Night of Salvation

T’was the Night Before Christmas was published December 23, 1893, in the Sentinel newspaper, based out of Troy, New York. The poem was an instant success and was, and has, been republished many times over; having been read somewhere, everywhere, at least once every Christmas. I remember reading the poem many times as a child.

The interesting thing about the poem, is that it was not originally called The Night Before Christmas. It was originally titled A Visit from St. Nicholas. And in it, the idea of ‘Santa Clause’ was born. St. Nicholas was an old elf, with “a long white beard, cheeks like roses, and a nose like a cherry. He was chubby and plump, with a little round belly, that shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.”

St. Nick would bring toys, to boys and girls, by his miniture sleigh, led by eight tiny reindeer. With the ability to access every persons home in the world, St. Nick would invade your dwelling, and leave treasure, instead of thieving it. With a finger to the side of his nose, and nod of his head, St. Nick would up the chimney he go. And as he drove that tiny sleigh, with those tiny reindeer, he would exclaim, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night”.

How could you not love a story like that if you were a kid: fantasy, goodness, and gifts; every child’s dream.

Well I have a better story than that for you…

St. Nicholas - Bishop of Myra

The real St. Nick, was Nicholas the Bishop of Myra. Born in the 3rd century, in the village of Patara, in Asia Minor, Nicholas was raised a devout Christian, born to wealthy parents, who died in an epidemic while he was a youth.

Obeying Jesus words, “to sell what you own and give to the poor”, Nicholas used his inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. Nicholas had dedicated his life to serving God, and his generosity became well-known throughout the country. Along with the needy, children were of special significance to Nicholas’ generosity, as well as sailors and ships.

Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, Nicholas suffered for his faith in Christ. Nicholas was imprisoned and exiled, along with many believers, bishops, priests, and ministers of Christ during this time. Following his release, Nicholas died, and was buried, on December 6, 343 AD in Myra, today the southeast cost of Turkey.

December 6 (or the 19th on the Julian Calender) is celebrated as St. Nicholas Day, in remeberance of Nicholas’ extraordinary life and generosity. So many stories and legends are told of Nicholas, that they reveal why the people so loved and revered his as protector and helper of those in need.

One such story relates to the Christmas Orange. Do you know why you received that when you were a kid? Maybe you still do today. The Christmas Orange was to symbolize the generosity and care of St. Nicholas. The story is told that a poor man had three daughters (make it four and I can really relate). The prospects of a young woman being married in those days, depended upon what value, the dad could give a prospective husband. The larger the dowry, the more likely to find a good husband. No dowry, the likely hood of the young woman being wed was close to nil; and instead she would likely be sold into slavery.

Mysteriously, and to this poor man’s good fortune, on three seperate occassions, three gold bags, or three gold balls, land in the stockings or shoes, laid by the fire, to dry. Tossed through a window, the gold provides the necessary dowry for the girls to be wed. The oranges in the stockings were to symbolize the care and generosity of St. Nicholas.

Pretty cools story. Pretty cool individual. A remarkable person. What we would do to be blessed like that, and to meet an individual like that. But wait… you have. His name is Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He who was born of a virgin, lived a selfless life, to make your life better, to give you better future.

Born God of very God, Jesus’ whole purpose was to do the work of His Father, in destroying the works of Satan, and break the curse of death and sin. The only way that that was possible was to pay the necessary dowry, the penalty for death and sin, to satisfy the wrath of God.

Thus the Word was born as John 1:1-3 states. Jesus, born to reconcile man to God; to make away through death and sin to eternal life in the Kingdom of the Father. Jesus paid the dowry we can not pay. He offered His life, His divine life for ours. He bled and die, but also arose. Without an empty grave , the cradle, the incarnation, is powerless and purposeless.

Will you receive the dowry that God has given to you this night, to have real peace, to have a silent night? I wrote a poem, based on T’was the Night Before Christmas and the Biblical narrative of Jesus’ coming. It tells the story of Jesus, the story of our redemption. May you receive it, believe it, and receive the LORD Jesus Christ and His gift to you this Christmas.

T’was the Night of Salvation

T’was the night of salvation, there was no room in the inn.

‌Bethlehem was a bustle; Caesar declared a registration.

‌Mary and Joseph took room in a stable

‌In expectation of the baby the Holy Spirit enabled.

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With Israel all snug in their beds,

‌Visions of the Messiah, the Anointed One, danced in their heads,

‌When would He come? When would He return?

‌To redeem them from this long hard Roman sojourn.

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When out in the fields there arose such a clamor,

‌Shepherds sprang from their flocks to see what was the matter.

‌Hark! An Angel of the LORD! Hark! An Angel of the Host!

‌The glory of the LORD God gloried all around them to boast.

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The Angel said “Don’t be afraid for Great Joy” is the matter,

‌Good news of a Savior, the Messiah, I proclaim to you, so gather

‌His sign, a baby wrapped in a sash,

‌Lying snuggly in a manger of straw hash.

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Suddenly, there was a Glory of Heavenly Host,

‌Angels praising God and shouting, a toast,

‌Glory to You! Our God, and peace on earth,

‌Peace to those You favor! Grace to our rebirth!

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With an amazement, and excitement, the Shepherds followed.

‌Straight to Bethlehem, to see what the LORD had made hallowed,

‌Mary, and Joseph, and the baby named Jesus,

‌The Incarnate God, born of flesh, is Jesus.

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Now hear! Now come! Now worship and adore!

‌The One born of prophecy and glory and lore,

‌The One born of a virgin, to redeem us all,

‌From the gore of sin, and death, cursed upon us all.

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Isaiah, the prophet, spoke, and the LORD fulfilled,

‌The glory of God is with us, Immanuel, our Creator, One so love-filled.

‌King Ahaz doubted, King Ahaz did not rest,

‌He would not stand firm in the face of a test.

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Then the LORD Himself would give him a sign,

‌A virgin, a son, from an ancient vine,

‌David! King David! A line eternal! A line forever!

‌A government and dominion, never to surrender.

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Justice, Righteousness, Truth, and Peace,

‌Wonderful Counsellor, Eternal Father, Mighty God, Prince of Peace,

‌The Great Light has dawned, eternal darkness has been slayed,

‌By the zeal of God, humanity has been saved.

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Glory! Glory! To the LORD God on High!

‌Our Messiah, our God, was born, born to die.

‌He would be raised up! He would be lifted up! To ascend on High!

‌From cradle to cross, to throne on High.

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Prepared in the Presence, unrecognized by His people,

‌A light of revelation, the only way of salvation, for all people.

‌Come thou Son! Come thou Spirit! Come thou Father!

‌Come that I may live. Come that I may die. Come that I may dance within the One Divinity of Three.

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A suffering Servant, for a suffering Creation,

‌Born in a manger, for humanities elation.

‌Divine anointed royalty, born into human tragedy,

‌Jesus is a costlier and finer gift, than any of our vanity.

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Wise men overjoyed! Fulfillment beyond measure!

‌Wise men find, the most precious treasure.

‌Have you discovered the truth, of this night of salvation,

‌When Jesus came, and made right, our damnation.

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T’was the night of salvation, and all through the Heavens,

‌Creation was stirring, has been stirred, at the Divine revelation.

‌Jesus Christ was born! The Word born to us!

‌T’was a silent night, but it was a glorious night, a night of rejoicing love and elation.

For unto us, and born for us,

Is humanities Salvation.

Jesus Christ, God’s only Son,

Is the Revelation.

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Rev. Shannon Whitehouse Leduc Alliance Church December 24, 2024