140-102 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
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Luke 2:1-14
Luke 2:1-14
Every major sport has athletes that fans consider to be the GOAT (greatest of all time). These are the ones who have excelled at their sport, they have demonstrated exceptional skill and determination to be the best at what they do.
Football: Tom Brady
Basketball: Michael Jordan
Golf: Tiger Woods (Jack Nicklaus)
Baseball: Babe Ruth
Some of those are debated but you get the idea. I’m sure you’re thinking “What’s this got to do with Xmas?” Nothing in and of itself...
There is one man that is considered the GOAT when it comes to hymns that have been used in the corporate worship of the church...
Charles Wesley
He was 18th of 19 children born to Samuel and Susannah. Born premature in Dec 1707. His brother John has been considered the organizational genius behind the founding of Methodism. Charles wrote 8,989 hymns. That is 10x what Isaac Watts composed (the other hymn-writer who could lay claim to GOAT). Hundreds of Wesley’s hymns are still in use today in various churches/denominations:
And Can It Be
O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Christ the Lord is Risen Today
Soldiers of Christ Arise
Rejoice the Lord Is King
And what could legitimately be said is the greatest (at least one of) Xmas hymn Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. (You have that printed on the back of your notes this morning)
Charles’ mother Susannah rigorously taught the children for 6 hours a day (she knew Greek, Latin and French). He then spend 13 years at Westminster School where the only language permitted in public was Latin. Then he went to Oxford for 9 more years and received a Master’s degree. Charles would later join his brother (both now ordained) to become a missionary to Indians in Georgia. When Charles returned to England it was the Moravians (German speaking protestants) who challenged Charles to consider the condition of his soul. He was converted May 1738(3 days before John), “Charles began reading Martin Luther’s volume on Galatians while ill. He wrote in his diary, “I labored, waited, and prayed to feel ‘who loved me, and gave himself for me.’ ” He shortly found himself convinced, and journaled, “I now found myself at peace with God, and rejoice in hope of loving Christ.” Two days later he began writing a hymn celebrating his conversion.”
Wesley’s original text thus spanned ten stanzas of four lines. It began with:
Hark how all the welkin rings,
“Glory to the King of Kings,
Welkin is old English (sky or heavens). In 1753 George Whitefield (contemporary of Wesleys) made alterations to Wesleys poem including the beginning:
Hark! the Herald Angels sing
Glory to the new-born King!
The tune, so familiar to us today was the contribution of a young prodigy of the 19th C: Felix Mendelssohn (widely known for his oratorio Elijah). In 1840 Mendelssohn composed Festgesang (Op 68) AKA “Gutenberg Cantata” on the 400th anniversary of the invention of printing. The melody for Hark! was adapted from that work.
An initial observation about the hymn:
Our hymn provides us with a profound reflection: that angels are highly involved creatures among God’s creation.
In Relation to Prophets & Apostles
They brought revelation, brought answers to prayers, aided or encouraged in times of danger, aided in evangelistic efforts (but didn’t preach)
In Relation to Unbelievers
They sometimes announce impending judgment, sometimes inflict judgment, they serve as reapers in separating unbelievers at the end of the age, they will bind and imprison Satan and his angels
In Relation to Believers
They observe Xn experiences (salvation), involved in general ministry of helping (Heb 1:14), rejoice at conversion, minister to the righteous at death, gather the elect for the millennial inaugural
In Relation to Christ
They predicted His birth, announced His birth, protected Him as an infant, ministered to Him after His temptation, strengthened Him at Gethsemane, rolled away the stone on resurrection morning, announced His resurrection, present at ascension, will accompany His return, will forever praise and worship Him
Hark! recognizes that God’s angels are active—particularly at the birth of LJC.
I want to walk thru the hymn with you this morning and draw out 3 details that move us to join the angelic hosts in worshiping the “new-born King.”
1. The Sinner’s Reconciliation
1. The Sinner’s Reconciliation
One of the most memorable phrases…really a key truth that summarizes the whole purpose for the incarnation (birth of Jesus) and His earthly ministry is “God and sinners reconciled!”
Lk 2:14—on earth peace among men: The hymn “peace on earth and mercy mild...” Leaves the question: “what is peace and how is it obtained?”
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Peace can be an inner calm within the heart/soul…during storms of life (peace of mind). But the peace a sinner needs most (his basic, fundamental need) is the fullness of a right relationship with God resulting from justification. All men enter the world at war with God…enemies of God (Rom 8:7—hostile). There is no one in a neutral standing before God (those who are active in their rebellion and passive in their resistance are at war with God).
God’s attitude toward unrighteousness:
For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells with You. The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity. You destroy those who speak falsehood; The Lord abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.
God is a righteous judge, And a God who has indignation every day. If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and made it ready. He has also prepared for Himself deadly weapons; He makes His arrows fiery shafts. Behold, he travails with wickedness, And he conceives mischief and brings forth falsehood.
But the Lord abides forever; He has established His throne for judgment, And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.
The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.
Those who have peace with God are no longer enemies, no longer objects of His divine, deserved wrath. Paul says “thru our LJC.” That is how peace is obtained—that is purpose of our Lord’s incarnation.
2 Cor 5:17-21;
“Reconcile” is a compound word (katallasso) which lit means the exchange of hostility for a friendly relationship. Friedrich Buschel writes “a transformation of the state between God and us and therewith of our own state, for by it we become new creatures (2 Cor. 5:18), no longer ungodly or sinners, but justified, with God’s love shed abroad in our hearts (Rom. 5:6ff.). God has not changed; the change is in our relation to him and consequently in our whole lives.”
God and sinners reconciled! What a beautiful picture of purpose for which JC took on Himself human flesh.
Hebrews 2:14-18;
This is your greatest need. If you are here today never having believed in the LJC—that is in His death and resurrection, then you are at war with God, an object of His wrath (though it may not seem like it as yet) and the day of reckoning can come at any moment. It is why Christmas is such a precious and joyous reality—b/c JC was born.
2. The Sinner’s Savior
2. The Sinner’s Savior
There is a very deep theology and Christology in Hark!
The Virgin Birth
vs 2 “offspring of the Virgin’s womb”
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
Immortality of the Soul, Resurrection, New Birth
“Born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth”
But the most impressive theology that resonates in this hymn is the Christology that is represented (the nature/character of JC).
Incarnate Deity
All of vs 2 places emphasis that Jesus existed before His conception in Mary’s womb. His eternal nature is divine—deity “Christ the everlasting Lord”
Then we have this: “veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail the incarnate deity…Jesus our Emmanuel”
Do you have a hard time grasping that...Jesus is fully God and fully man?
John Morris “The entire gospel message runs counter to the human mind. The Creator dying for the creation. The judge paying the penalty for the guilty. The immortal One dying. Sinless God substituting for sinners. No human or devil ever could have thought of this scheme, and indeed, no such one did. This is evidenced by the works-oriented salvation offered by all cults and false religions…But make no mistake! The babe in the manger was the Creator, holy and eternal!
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
This is no ordinary infant. He is the “newborn King.” And that is what causes all who encounter Him to marvel…to see Jesus in the humility of humanity, the fragility of infancy and the lowliness of the manger…but seeing the peculiar glory of God.
We see other aspects of His nature:
Prince of Peace
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.
There is coming a day when the fullness of redemption will be fully realized. Right now, that is not the case. You continue to sin. The creation continues to be subject to futility (still under curse). One day sin and its awful effects will be totally removed and the curse will be lifted.
and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”
There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him;
Until then, we have a glorious peace which the Prince of Peace has secured for us.
and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
Sun of Righteousness
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the Lord of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.” “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.
The Messiah is the “Sun of Righteousness.” Scripture attests often to His perfect righteousness.
“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. “In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The Lord our righteousness.’
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,
Malachi (and our hymn) says there will be healing in His wings. This was a promise not for physical healing but spiritual healing that was necessary b/c of the disastrous impact sin has on the human heart.
“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?
The work on the cross…b/c JC is righteous brings the promised healing for all who trust in that perfect work.
Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.
and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
They hymn reminds us that He brings “life and light.”
In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
Life and light are predominant themes in John’s Gospel. John would teach that the same self-existent life that is in the Father is also in LJC.
“For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself;
What he meant by that is Jesus owes His existence to no one else. That can’t be said of any of us. This relates to physical life. Jesus Christ imparts life to man b/c God breathed life into the dust.
So the Lord can/does impart physical life b/c life is in Him. Now as He gives life, immediate value is imparted to the individual b/c man is created in God’s image.
But the life that is in JC brings more than physical life…it imparts spiritual life.
Eph 2:1-6;
Our hymn really does exalt the sinner’s Savior and draws us into true worship of Him who deserves universal praise b/c of who He is.
3. The Saints’ Invitation
3. The Saints’ Invitation
The first word of the hymn “Hark!” invites the saint…those who have been given life that is found in JC alone—it invites us to worship.
First of all, by paying very close, careful attention (meaning of hark) to what the angel is saying in Lk 2.
“Behold I bring you…Christ the Lord.”
The angels, who do not participate in redemption, and keenly interested in what the Creator is doing by way of His incarnation…and it draws from them absolute reverence in their worship.
The hymn says “mild He lays His glory by”…angels ponder “why would He do that?” Why such humiliation for God to become man? They can observe but don’t really understand (not from experience). We understand!
“Born that man no more may die”
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,
“Born to raise the sons of earth”
Rom 6:4ff
“Born to give them 2nd birth”
John 3;
Is it any wonder why the angels sing “Glory to the newborn king?”
Luke shows us the incredible scene: the instantaneous celebration of praise and worship (as if it lit. could not have been contained). Innumerable angels voiced the Gloria in Excelsis Deo.
Their response is one of eagerness, anticipation, joy, thrill of what had just been experienced.
I don’t think the angels fully comprehend what all happened. But we are told that angels in heaven continually behold the face of the Father, and in the fulfillment of His perfect timing, Christ was born to Mary and the angels are employed to announce it to a few lowly shepherds. It is a remarkable scene and the shepherds, having seen the Savior just as they had been told, left vs 20.
This is the only true response to the Christmas message. It is worship, praise, adoration…and it all begins for each one of us with an unconditional submission to LJC. You cannot praise until you are submissive. Then you’re invited to worship along with the angels…the King of kings and Lord of lords.
We’re going to sing this hymn as a response this morning and I trust what we have encountered together will heighten your ability to worship the person of JC like never before.