The Story behind the Carols

*** Please Note, before you go further, you may want to download or have handy "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and "Silent Night".***

Opening Question:

What is your favorite Christmas song?

One of my favorite Christmas songs is “Hark! The Herald Angles Sing”. Why? Because without even listening to the words, there just seems like there is so much power and greatness in the way it they sing it. (Play Audio Clip - 1st Stanza only)

As powerful as the way the sing the song, if you take a minute and pay attention to the words, the real power and greatness is in the words.

So today, I want to take a look at 2 popular Christmas songs – “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Silent Night”. I want to look at what do these songs really communicate and how that information can impact our lives.

Scripture

“Hark! The Herald Angles Sing” (Play Audio Clip)

1. What is the message here? What is being said?
I
t’s talking about a new born King and that through this King there will be peace on earth. Lastly, it talks about how, because of this King, God and sinners will be reconciled

2. Does this correlate with the Bible at all?
Yes, in Luke 2:10-16

It talks about a Messiah/Savior being born (v. 10-11). That correlates with the “new born King” and “God and sinners reconciled” part. As a Messiah was a savior who would bring salvation to the Jewish people (funny thing is that Christ brought salvation to everyone, just the Jews). This Messiah would also be King. Also, this passage talks about peace on earth. It says that the heavenly hosts praised God and said, “on earth peace to men..”

So, this song clearly has a message in it. That message is found in the Bible as well. It is a message of Hope that a Savior will come and bring reconciliation.

Let’s check out another popular Christmas song

“Silent Night” (Play Audio Clip)
1. What is the message here? What is being said?

It’s talking about Christ the savior being born. That this baby is the son of God’s love and that in this baby is redemption and grace.

2. Does this correlate with the Bible at all?

Yes, John 3:16-17: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

God loved us so much that he sent his son into this world. Jesus came offering Grace. He didn’t come into this world to condemn the world but to save it. Rather, he offered redemption and salvation by believing in Him.

Again, this song clearly had a message in it. That message, too, can be found in the Bible. It is a message of Hope that God wants to save us from our present condition. That he gives us grace and salvation.

Application

So again, the message in these songs is a message of Hope that involves love, salvation, reconciliation and grace.

This is the Gospel story – the Good News!

In this we have HOPE.
- Hope that God loves us despite what we have done in the past – Love and Grace
- Hope that God has the Power to save and help in all situations – Salvation
- Hope that God freely gives us grace and love – Reconciliation

As I said in the beginning, a lot of songs you sing this Christmas sound powerful, but you will realize that the true power is in the words that talk about God’s amazing gift to us – His son that has given us so much hope.

Is there 1 thing you can do this week to rest in that hope? Whether it is picking up a Bible and reading the story of Christ’s birth, or getting all the old Christmas hymns together and listening to them and examining the words of hope in them, or it might be putting your trust in Christ for the 1st time by believing and committing to Christ.

All the Carols sung and Christmas traditions followed, good deeds done for others, presents given to others mean nothing unless we individually and humbly recognize our own bankruptcy before God in our sin and our need to RECEIVE Jesus as our Lord. If you have never put your hope and trust in God, I challenge you to reflect this Christmas season on the hope that is found in God.

Whatever it might be, I want you to take 1 minute and think of 1 thing you can do this week to rest in God’s hope found in Christ’s birth.

Whatever it was, I want to encourage you to tell a friend and share your application with them. We’ll never be able to know God’s hope and power unless we leave here today and follow through with it.

In fact, for all of us, this Christmas, let’s live our lives with that hope comes from God and God alone.

Pray