YOUR SONG FOR CHRISTMAS
The year was 1818. The place was Obernorf in the Austrian Alps. Joseph Mohr was serving as the assistant priest at the Church of St. Nicholas. Franz Grueber was the village schoolmaster and church organist.
Mohr and Grueber had "often talked about the fact that the perfect Christmas hymn had never been written. With this goal in mind, and after he had received word that his own church organ would not function, Father Mohr decided that he must write his own Christmas hymn, immediately, in order to have music for the Special Christmas Eve Mass and to avoid disappointing his faithful congregation. Upon completing the text, he took his words to Franz Grueber, who exclaimed when he saw them, 'Friend Mohr, you have fount it - the right song - God be praised!'
"Soon Grueber completed his task of writing the right tune for the new text. His simple, but beautiful music, blended perfectly with the spirit of Father Mohr's Words. The hymn was completed in time for Christmas Eve Mass, and Father Mohr and Franz Grueber sang their hymn to the accompaniment of Grueber's guitar "
(Kenneth W. Osbeck, 101 Hymn Stories, ©1982 by Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, Page222)
Of course Joseph Mohr's and Franz Grueber's song for Christmas was,
Silent night! Holy Night! All is calm, all is bright
Round Yon Virgin mother and Child,
Holy Infant so tender and mild -
Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in Heavenly peace.
One of the well known American preachers of the 19th Century was Phillips Brooks. Brooks had visited the Holy Land and had spent Christmas Eve in Bethlehem and celebrated at the Church of the Nativity. In 1868, while pastoring in Philadelphia, he was searching for a new carol for his children to sing in their Christmas Eve Program. "The still vivid memory of his holy land visit inspired Brooks to write this text." (Ibid. Page 187)
Phillips Brooks' song for Christmas was,
O Little Town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, The silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting Light -
The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee tonight.
People have written many songs for Christmas.
Hark The Herald Angels Sing
Joy To The World
Come On, Ring Them Bells
Ring the Bells
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
The First Noel, and many more selections are somebody's songs for Christmas.
What is your song for Christmas? I don't mean you have to compose a Christmas Song, and I don't mean you have to chose a favorite, although you probably have. What I do mean is that deep in your heart, you should have a Christmas Song of praise to God. You may express it through one of these Christmas Carols, or through your general attitude.
A song for Christmas is not a modern idea. It actually began with Mary, Zacharias, and the Angels. These dear people help you and I understand what our Christmas Song should be like.
Your song for Christmas should be:
A SONG OF GOD'S GRACE - Luke 1:46-50
A SONG OF GOD'S GREATNESS - Luke 1:51-55
A SONG OF YOUR GRATITUDE - Luke 1:67-75
A SONG OF GOD'S GRANDEUR - Luke 2:13-14
A SONG OF GOD'S GRACE - Luke 1:46-50
The Virgin Mary had received a visit from the Angel Gabriel.
He had given her the great news, that she was going to be the Mother of Israel's promised Messiah, The Lord Jesus Christ.
Luke 1:35 - And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Mary's response to the announcement that she would be the mother of Jesus is classic. She said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. Luke (1:38)
Gabriel had told Mary about another miracle that had taken place. He had told her that her cousin Elizabeth, who was old and called barren, had conceived. Of course Elizabeth was the mother of John the Baptist, the prophet that was supposed to come before Jesus.
1:39-40 - Mary decided to pay a visit to Elizabeth.
1:41-45 - Can you imagine Mary's delight, when Elizabeth confirmed everything that Gabriel had told her. Before Mary uttered more than a greeting Elizabeth, under the influence of God's Holy Spirit, verified what Gabriel had told Mary.
Mary knew that she hadn't imagined anything. Mary was assured that her faith was in the right place.
Mary's response is her Christmas song, which is first of all, a song of grace.
Vs. 47 - Mary is filled with the joy of Christmas! Mary exalts, or magnifies the Lord for all that He had done and would do! Dear friends, that is exactly what we should do in our hearts. Every Christmas Carol that brings glory to God should be sung with an attitude of wanting to magnify God!
Notice something else here. Mary rejoices in God her Savior!
Did Mary need a Savior? Yes! Was it God's intent to send a Savior who would deliver Israel and the world from the penalty of sin? Again, the answer is yes! Consider what Joseph was told when he was instructed to marry Mary.
Matthew 1:20-21 - But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Mary knew that she needed a Savior! She knew that God was providing a Savior!
Vs. 48 - Mary understood God's grace. She understood that she was just one of thousands of young woman in Judea at that time. She understood that it was only by God's grace, that she a young, handmaid to the Lord, would be lifted up to be considered special by countless generations.
Vs. 49-50 - Mary realized that it was God who was showing mercy on her, and that he shows mercy on all that fear Him.
Mary's Christmas song was a song of God's grace.
My friend, in order to have a true Christmas song warming your heart, it has to be a song of God's grace.
Like Mary, you need a Savior, someone to deal with your sins.
Like Mary, you are one person among billions of people who ever lived, not much in the greater scheme of things.
Jesus came to earth to die for Mary's sins.
Jesus came to earth to die for your sins.
Romans 5:6-8 - For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 - For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Jesus dying for our sins was an act of grace.
God's unmerited favor is shown to us when He sent His son to die for our sins.
How do we make this grace ours?
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Have your experienced God's grace in your life by believing on Jesus for eternal life? If you have not, do so today.
If you have trusted Christ as Savior, make sure that your Christmas Song is one that sings praise to God from the heart for the grace that he has shown you!
The next time you sing Hark! The Herald Angles Sing make sure you take note of the grace you are singing about in verse 3.
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Risen 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 angles sing,
Glory to the newborn king!
Your song for Christmas should be:
A SONG OF GOD'S GRACE - Luke 1:46-50
A SONG OF GOD'S GREATNESS - Luke 1:51-55
Mary's Song continues. She talks about the greatness of God here. And any Christmas Song should remind us of God's greatness!
The thing that strikes me about the greatness of God, is that he is a God of reversals. I was made aware of this by Kent Hughes in his commentary on Luke. (R. Kent Hughes, Luke Volume One, That You May Know the Truth, Crossway Books, Wheaton, Illonois, ©1998 by R. Kent Hughes, pages 56-62)
Those who appear strong become weak. Those who appear weak become strong. Those who are self sufficient become needy and those who are needy have their needs met.
Vs. 51 - Our God is strong! He is omnipotent! The God who sends the thunderstorm and created the great Niagara Falls is the God who works on behalf of those in need!
I love the words of Jeremiah 32:17 - Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:
Notice that God scatters those who are proud in their hearts.
There have been those like Haman in the days of Queen Esther and Adolph Hitler in the days of my parents who proudly thought they would eliminate God's people. God destroyed them!
James 4:6 - But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
There will be a day when all proud people are humbled!
Philippians 2:9-11 - Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Vs. 52 - Many a mighty ruler down through the years has been cast off their throne. But many a humble person has been exalted.
Humility is a key ingredient to the Christian life.
Matthew 5:5 - Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth
Vs. 53 - This verse is true in the physical world, but I especially think of God's greatness here in the area of Spiritual things.
Matthew 5:6 - Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
I think of the Apostles, a small band of 12 men, who hungered and thirsted after righteousness and ended up turning the world upside down for Jesus Christ.
I also think of a King named Agrippa, who had an audience with the great Apostle Paul. Paul preached the Gospel to him, and yet as close as he came to Christianity was the statement, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. (Acts 26:28)
Agrippa was rich, but he was sent away empty.
Vs. 54 - Israel is another indication of God's greatness. God has protected Israel. God has helped Israel, and make no mistake, Israel will one day be victorious with the help of our Lord Jesus Christ! Don't let the current problems in the Holy Land fool you, Israel will once again be preserved by God. And one day as Isaiah 11 promises, Israel will live in total peace under the rule of her Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.
At Christmas make sure that your Christmas song is:
A SONG OF GOD'S GRACE - Luke 1:46-50
A SONG OF GOD'S GREATNESS - Luke 1:51-55
A SONG OF YOUR GRATITUDE - Luke 1:67-75
Let us move on to the song of another Bible character named Zacharias.
Zacharias and Elizabeth were a righteous couple who loved the Lord. However they had no children and they were well beyond the childbearing years.
Zecharias was on duty by himself in the Jerusalem temple burning incense.
The angel Gabriel appeared to Him and made a startling announcement.
Luke 1:13-17 - But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Zecharias did not believe the Angel and became deaf and dumb.
He went home, and it wasn't long before Elizabeth became pregnant. And in nine months Elizabeth had a baby boy!
Vss. 59-64 - Read and Comment
Zacharias, who had been silent for nine months was now able to speak. He was not bitter over God's discipline. Instead he was grateful for what God had done. His song is one of extreme gratitude!
Vs. 68 - Zacharias was grateful for God's visit. God had visited with the supernatural birth of the Messiah's prophet, John the Baptist.
God would visit with the arrival of the Messiah himself, born of a Virgin.
Zacharias was grateful also for God's redemption. Israel was redeemed through these births.
Redemption speaks of the purchase or a slave in order to give him freedom. Jesus was born to die for our sins so He could redeem Israel and everyone else. The only requirement on the part of people is to believe on Him.
Has God visited you with salvation? Have you been redeemed?
Then your Christmas song should be a song of gratitude!
Just think, you would be looking forward to eternal punishment in hell, if it weren't for the work of Christ! Your condition without Christ was terrible!
Zacharias was grateful! How grateful are you for what God has done?
Your song for Christmas should be:
A SONG OF GOD'S GRACE - Luke 1:46-50
A SONG OF GOD'S GREATNESS - Luke 1:51-55
A SONG OF YOUR GRATITUDE - Luke 1:67-75
A SONG OF GOD'S GRANDEUR - Luke 2:13-14
Now we move ahead in our story to the birth of our Savior.
You know the story. When he was born in Bethlehem there was an announcement made to a bunch of Shepherds. First, one angel appeared and made a wonderful announcement.
Vss. 10-12 - Read
Vs. 13 - Here is the fitting conclusion for a Christmas song. It is short but it says so much! Glory to God in the Highest!
The grandeur of this Christmas Song is that God gets all the praise! It is God who allowed Zacharias and Elizabeth to have a baby. It is God who caused Mary, a virgin, to give birth to the Lord Jesus.
It is God who sent a Savior.
It is God who gives redemption.
Our Christmas Song should echo this sentiment of glory to God in the highest. We need to agree with the unknown author whose Christmas song is,
Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o'er the plains,
And the mountains in reply Echo back their joyous strains.
Glo ria in excelsis Deo!
Glo ria in excelsis Deo!
Before we conclude our message about your song of praise, I want you to notice something. If we are going to sing a Christmas song of praise to God that speaks of his grandeur, we also need to wish others peace and good will!
The Christian can not truly praise God with all his heart until he has forgiven those who have hurt him. This Christmas time, make sure that you can truly wish peace and good will to all, because you harbor no grudges and hold no ill feelings.
Ephesians 4:30-32 - And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
So what about your song this Christmas? Make sure that it is,
A SONG OF GOD'S GRACE - Luke 1:46-50
A SONG OF GOD'S GREATNESS - Luke 1:51-55
A SONG OF YOUR GRATITUDE - Luke 1:67-75
A SONG OF GOD'S GRANDEUR - Luke 2:13-14