-
Silent Night
Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008 (message contributor)
SILENT NIGHT
Europe in the early 1800s was a place of great war, turmoil and upheaval. Even after the Napoleonic Wars officially ended in 1815, it's effects continued to take their toll.
The year 1816 was one in which national and municipal borders were divided, changed and reset. Areas, such as the Principality of Salzburg, which had long been ecclesiastical provinces of the Church were put under national authority and secularized. Many industries and trades that certain communities depended upon were decimated by the wars and never recovered--spinning the economies into economic depression.
At this time and in one of these communities, a small-town (Maria Pfarr) assistant pastor and Austrian Catholic Priest, penned the words to a poem that would one day echo through time and space. The words laid dormant, however, for another two years.
Shortly before Christmas in 1818, the organ in Joseph Mohr's church broke and could not be repaired in time for Christmas. On December 24, Joseph Mohr went to the home of his friend, the musician-schoolteacher Franz Gruber, and asked Franz to write a melody and guitar accompaniment to his earlier poem so that it could be sung at the Midnight Mass. Set to a guitar accompaniment with two solo voices and a chorus, "Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!" was performed for the first time in St. Nicholas Church, Oberdorf, Austria--because of a broken organ.
Since then, the song we know as "Silent Night, Holy Night" is largely considered the most translated and sung song in human history. It has been referred to by some as, "The Song Heard 'Round The World." On Christmas Eve 1944, on various fronts of World War II it has been reported that Allied and Axis soldiers alike stopped their fighting and sung together "Silent Night, Holy Night."
Although it was written and composed by Catholics for a Catholic Eve mass, the song proved to be much more popular in Protestant than Catholic churches because of the meaning of its lyrics.
From Todd Leupold's Sermon "Silent Night, Holy Night"
Related Sermon Illustrations
-
A Wealthy Businessman, Who Was Well Known For ... PRO
Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on May 8, 2005
A wealthy businessman, who was well known for being ruthless and unethical, told Mark Twain that before he died, he wanted to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He said that when he got there he wanted to climb to the top of Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments, and there read ...read more
-
A Little Boy Was Standing By His Father Watching ...
Contributed by Kent Kessler on Dec 27, 2006
A little boy was standing by his father watching him trying to put a floppy disk into his computer. The father was having trouble getting the disk to go in all of the way. The little boy said to his father, “Maybe it has a penny in it?” Sure enough, when the father fished around inside where the ...read more
-
Don't Think That There Is Any Better Answer To ...
Contributed by David Smith on Apr 21, 2005
don’t think that there is any better answer to that question than the one given by the great painter Renoir. In old age the great French painter, suffered from arthritis, which twisted and cramped his hand. Henri Matise, his artist friend, watched sadly while Renoir, grasping a brush with only his ...read more
-
25 Years Ago A Baby Was Born In A Hospital. He ... PRO
Contributed by Ed Wood on Jun 23, 2005
25 years ago a baby was born in a hospital. He weighed only a few pounds. He had to be pampered and coddled to enable him to live. Now he is 6’2" tall and weighs 200 pounds. There is a vast difference in the baby and the man. Yet the life he now has is the same life he had 25 years ago. Our ...read more
-
In Our Basement We Have A Piece Of Paper Stapled ... PRO
Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on May 8, 2005
In our basement we have a piece of paper stapled to a door frame. About twice a year I bring all the grandkids to the basement and they stand against the door frame to measure how tall they are and how much they have grown. The paper is covered with lines, beside which are their names and dates. ...read more
Related Sermons
-
"'the' Birthday Celebration
Contributed by Maria Saunders on Dec 22, 2016
It’s poor etiquette to attend a party and don’t bring the host/honoree a gift. We should feel privileged to receive an invitation to attend. Therefore, it’s extremely important that we bring the right gifts to the honoree.
-
The Sunday After Christmas Sermon Series
Contributed by Dean Courtier on Aug 20, 2015
How did Christmas 2014 feel to you? Maybe your Christmas wasn’t all you expected. Now that Christmas is over, maybe the excitement has passed and life is already returning to some kind of normal. Whatever normal might be in your life!
-
Lessons Learned From Wise Men
Contributed by Kevin L. Jones on Dec 5, 2013
Some important lessons can be learned form
-
A Light In The Darkness
Contributed by Danny Janes on Dec 10, 2012
Good sermon for first Sunday of Advent -- lighting of Prophet Candle. The theme of light vs. darkness is woven throughout the Bible. This is what the coming of the Light marked in our world.
-
The True Meaning Of Christmas
Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Nov 27, 2016
What is the meaning of Christmas. We enjoy the festivities, the gift-giving, the pageants and decorations. But they veil the real meaning of Christmas. Join is Sunday as Pastor Sligh preaches on the “The True Meaning of Christmas."