O COME, O COME EMMANUEL
Advent 2007: “Christmas in Song and Story”
Week #3
Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; 11:1-12
Special Note: This sermon will employ an A Capella vocalist to sing one verse of the Christmas hymn at strategic points throughout the sermon.
Sermon Objective: To show nature and character of our Savior – the incarnate God.
SERIES INTRO
This is our third week of Advent. This year’s theme is “Christmas in Story and Song.” We are using a different Christmas Hymn/Carol each week as our theme.
The first week we looked at O Holy Night. We discovered that even though many rejected the song because it was written and arranged by “secular people” that God claimed it and transformed the secular into the sacred. It is often God’s good pleasure to use the foolish things of the world to shame the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27) and we would do well to remember that `What God did cleanse, … declare not thou common;’ (Acts 10:15 YLT).
The following week we looked at Joy to the World. We discovered that joy has a divine origin and is not an emotion. It is evidence of the presence and approval of God.
Last week we did not meet for worship due to the winter storm.
In coming weeks we will look at:
• Today’s theme is O Come, O Come Emmanuel.
O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL: LYRICS
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
SERMON INTRO
Isaiah 7:14
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 11:1-12
1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD –
3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;
4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious. 11 In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the sea.
12 He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.
VOCALIST SINGS STANZA #1.
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
It is the oldest Christmas carol you know. This popular song dates back to the year 800 and represents an important and ancient series of services celebrated by the Church.
• Originally each verse was its own separate chorus. One chorus was sung each day for the seven days leading up to Christmas.
• Each chorus was sung or chanted A Capella.
• Each chorus was sung in Latin.
• They were referred to as the “O Antiphonals” because each verse began with “O”.
• Each chorus emphasized a different Old Testament prophecy of the coming Messiah which was fulfilled at Jesus’ birth.
• It wasn’t until one thousand years later (approximately 1850) that the choruses were compiled, put to their present day music, given a refrain, and distributed.
• The carol has been translated into scores of languages.
• It is sung in all denominations around the globe.
So what do we learn from this ancient carol? The first stanza emphasizes the “person” of the Messiah. It refers to Isaiah 7:14 and begins by appropriately striking the chord of deity. “Emmanuel … God with us.”
Christmas is nothing short of the most historic day in human history. God became flesh and dwelt among us. It is a cornerstone of the Christian faith. It is this truth that sets us apart from false cults like Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witnesses as well as other world religions. We understand and emphatically declare that Jesus Christ, the babe in the manger was the God of the universe in human flesh. The Bible teaches this clearly
• John the Apostle says: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4, KJV)
• The preacher who wrote the sermon we call Hebrews says, The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being (1:3, NIV)
His humanity was essential if he was to ransom those trapped in sin. Hebrews 2:16-18 says: For surely it is not angels, he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Indeed, our Christmas carol begins where any treatise on the central figure of Christmas must begin, by declaring Christ to be nothing less than redeemer God.
Jesus Christ is worthy of the name “Immanuel” and is worthy to be celebrated in song.
VOCALIST SINGS STANZA #2.
O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Isaiah 9:6 foretells of various “offices” which will be held by the Messiah; among them ... Wonderful Counselor.
Throughout Scripture wisdom is closely linked to God. Genuine wisdom finds its roots in God and His Word. In fact, in the Old Testament wisdom became personified and was understood as a constant companion of God. Texts like Proverbs 8:22-31 fueled this. But it was in Jesus Christ that wisdom became more than personified … it became truly incarnate.
The Bible says: but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:24, NIV)
• Jesus was in the beginning (John 1:1)
• Wisdom was in the beginning (Proverbs 8:22-23)
• Jesus was with God (John 1:1)
• Wisdom was with God (Proverbs 8:30)
• Jesus was co-creator (John 1:1-3)
• Wisdom was co-creator (Proverbs 3:19, 8:25; Isaiah 7:21, 9:1-2)
• Jesus provides light (John 1:4, 9)
• Wisdom provides light (Proverbs 8:22)
• Jesus is the bread of life (John 6:35)
• Wisdom is the bread or substance of life (Proverbs 9:5)
• Jesus is the door of the sheep and the good shepherd (John 10:7, 11, 14)
• Wisdom is the door and the good shepherd (Proverbs 8:34-5)
• Jesus is life (John 11:25)
• Wisdom brings life (Proverbs 3:16, 8:35, 9:11)
• Jesus is the way to truth (John 14:6)
• Wisdom is the way (Proverbs 3:17, 8:32-34)
For the human, life and faith are filled with shadows and questions. But Jesus Christ has no such limitation. It, therefore, behooves us to look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
Jesus Christ is fully the “Wisdom of God” and is worthy to be celebrated in song.
VOCALIST SINGS STANZA #3.
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
The “Rod of Jesse” refers to Isaiah 11:1. Isaiah’s writings predict a time when things will look hopeless. The axe will have been applied to the tree called Israel and only a stump will remain. World powers and world religions will have all but consumed this small nation and its hope of a ruler and redeemer will be nearly forgotten.
But beneath the stump, under the earth, there are living roots. And when all seems lost a single green stem will emerge. It will appear insignificant to any onlooker but over time it grows and becomes strong, mature, and a force to be reckoned with.
Such is the great story of the Messiah. Who would have thought this innocent babe held such promise? Very few; but promise it held … or rather fulfilled.
The rod of Jesse is an encouragement to hope. What God has promised God will do. It may, in fact, look bleak and hopeless but you dare not give up hope for he who said it will be faithful.
If the incarnation shows us anything it shows us that God can keep His promises in spite of Satan’s attempts to thwart God’s plan.
It is always too soon to quit and give up on God.
Jesus Christ deserves the reference “Rod of Jesse” and is worthy to be celebrated in song.
VOCALIST SINGS STANZA #4.
O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
In Luke 1:78: Zacharias the priest says “The dayspring from on high has visited us.”
A more literal translation suggests that “God has visited us as a sun rise from heaven.”
In another Old Testament prophecy it says: The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. (Isaiah 9:2)
Light and darkness are common Biblical metaphors for good and evil … for God’s salvation. Zacharias is rejoicing because God has broken through the blinding darkness with the radiance of the morning sun!
Light changes everything! The world looks different and is easier to navigate when there is light.
Jesus’ did the same spiritually. His arrival illumines the way to God. He even said so, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
Jesus Christ is indeed the “Light of the world” and is worthy to be celebrated in song.
VOCALIST SINGS STANZA #5.
O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
This stanza refers to another of Isaiah’s prophecies.
• Isaiah 22:22 says “The key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder,”
• Again, Isaiah 9:6 says, “The government shall be upon His shoulder.”
The “power of the keys” was a significant role in a monarchy. It is none-the-less true in the Kingdom of God.
• Giving the keys to the government (House of David) connotes the capacity and right to supervise the realm.
• The key holder has the authority to determine who does and who does not serve the King.
Jesus Christ, the infant prince of Isaiah 9:6, is the ruler of God’s kingdom.
The Bible speaks of this prophecies fulfillment when it says: But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Hebrews 1:8-9, KJV)
• His rule is just.
• His rule is gracious.
• And we are the recipients of His righteous reign!
Jesus Christ is qualified to rule God’s Kingdom and is worthy to be celebrated in song.
VOCALIST SINGS VERSE 6.
O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Isaiah 9:6 was a very prominent prophecy about the Messiah. It has many descriptive and predictive phrases about Him. If I may read it yet again, For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father and his enemies have been made His footstool (Hebrews 1:8). He has conquered the hostile enemy that has held a grip on the human soul for millennia. He has set us free from the grasp of sin and death (Romans 8:2)!
Jesus can break the chains that bind you!
He deserves to be called “Mighty God” and is worthy to be celebrated in song.
VOCALIST SINGS STANZA #7.
O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Haggai 2:7 says And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts. (KJV)
We speak of “peace on earth and goodwill toward men.” All nations claim it as their desire and we seem to be on an endless search for it. We even search for this peace through war!
But peace will never be found through human mechanisms. It will only be accomplished in God’s time and through God’s son.
Isaiah longed for world peace too. And he knew when and where it would be fulfilled … in the Messiah … In the reign of God. The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
Jesus Christ is indeed the “Prince of Peace” and is worthy to be celebrated in song.
WRAP-UP
So what do you need this Christmas? Might you find it in the person of Jesus Christ? If this ancient carol is any indication, you may. Jesus is:
• Completely God
• Your source of Wisdom
• Your trustworthy Hope
• The Light of salvation
• The ruler of God’s eternal kingdom
• The conqueror of evil
• Your source for peace.
I concur with this ancient song. Jesus can meet the deep need of your soul, and of our world, this Christmas season.
He is worthy to be celebrated in song.
As we prepare for communion today – we can do so with hearts filled in confidence and looking to the Savior.
Even so, Lord Jesus, come.
O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL: MORE COMPLETE HISTORY
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” is probably the oldest Christmas carol still sung today. This popular hymn dates back to the ninth century and represents an important and ancient series of services celebrated by the Catholic Church. It also presents the different biblical roles that the church believed Jesus fulfilled. The universal nature of faith in this song comes from a hymn sung in Latin in formal masses to a carol translated into scores of languages. It is sung in all denominations around the globe.
The writer of this carol is unknown. He was no doubt a monk or priest who lived before 800 A.D. He was also a scholar with a rich knowledge of both Old and New Testaments. This hymn was sung in many European churches and monasteries during Advent vespers. It eventually became an intensely important part of the church.
In its original form, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” was known as a song of the “Great Antiphons” or “Great O’s.” The initial Latin text contained seven verses. Each verse represented a different biblical view of the Messiah. One verse was sung or chanted each day during the last seven days before Christmas.
Much more than the very simple, almost monotone melody, the words painted a rich illustration of the many biblical prophesies fulfilled by Christ’s birth. So really, this Christmas carol is a condensed study of the Bible’s view of the Messiah – who he was, what he represented and why he came to earth – the unfolding story of God becoming man. For people in the Dark Ages – few of whom could read or even look upon a Bible – the song was a lesson on how the Old and New Testament came together in telling about the birth and life of Jesus. It brought to life the story of Christ the Savior during years of ignorance and darkness. This carol ranks among the most important in Christian history.
The song owes its worldwide acclaim to a man named John Mason Neale. Born in 1818, this brilliant Anglican priest - educated at Trinity College in Cambridge – should have been destined for greatness. Able to read and write more than twenty languages, Neale was feared for his intelligence and insight rather than embraced as a treasure. At the time, church leaders thought he was too evangelical, too progressive, and too much a free thinker to be allowed to influence the masses. So to thwart is influence and idea he was given a pastorate far away in the Madiera Islands off the coast of Africa, But rather than be diminished as the church had hoped, he established the Sisterhood of St. Margaret, began an orphanage, built a school for girls and a refuge house for prostitutes. His noble work was just beginning!
Though often sick and frail, Neale never stopped ministering to the “least of these.” In his spare moments, he scoured every facet of scripture and scripture-based writing he could find. He came across the old Latin Chant, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” in an ancient Catholic Psalter. Grasping the significance of the song’s inspired text; he translated the hymn into English, using “Draw nigh, Draw nigh Emmanuel,” at first.
The tune that first went with Neale’s translation originated from a community of Franciscan nuns in Lisbon Portugal during the fifteenth century. Neale’s translation and this Latin tune were published together as “Veni Emmanuel”in England during the 1850’s. Originally the hymn had seven verses, but over the next twenty five years, it was cut down to five and re-titled to “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” It grew in popularity in England and America.
Although sung countless times each Christmas, much of the song’s rich meaning seems to have been set aside or lost. While both ancient monks and exiled priest would be amazed that any still remember their work, they would be disappointed to learn so few grasp the full impact of the words. The song was meant to convey that through the Savior, Emmanuel (God with us), salvation, wisdom, peace and understanding is available to all people in the world.
Even today, when sung in public, the original chants of long forgotten monks can almost be heard. Although translated into scores of languages and sung in a wide variety of styles and arrangements, the simplistic, yet spiritual nature of the song remains intact. It is a reverent tribute to the birth of Christ and to the fulfillment of God’s promise to deliver his children from the world. This haunting, yet brilliant song echoes the voices of clerics past, urging us to accept and worship the King.
This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam Church of the Nazarene
Potsdam, New York
www.potsdam-naz.org
