Our Christmas Carol Luke 2:1-20
1. We have been caroling during our season of advent three part series on Christmas Carols
• The first message titled “Zechariah’s Christmas Carol” First Christmas Carol was Zechariah’s Benedictus the song he sung to his son John the Baptist
• The Second message was “Mary’s Christmas Carol”it was known as “The Magnificat” or Mary’s praise.
• Tonight is “Our Christmas Carol” we will call it “ The Gloria”.
2. What is your favorite Christmas Carol?
• “Silent Night, Holy Night,” “Joy to the World,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” “The First Noel” and Maybe Charles Wesley’s, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”
3. Why are we looking at Wesley’s “Hark the Harold Angels Sing”? 1739
• One reason the text we just heard is based on the lyrics sung by a choir of angels who appeared to shepherds in a field. Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
• The second reason In Charles Wesley’s original, the hymn begins with, “Hark ! How all the welkin rings.” not Hark! The Harold Angels Sing”
• What’s a “welkin”? It’s an old English word that refers to the sky, the firmament or the “vault of heaven” that contains the stars and all the heavens.
• The first line of this carol went like this: “Hark! How all the welkin rings, glory to the King of Kings.” The message is that the whole cosmos was ringing with the news of the birth of the savior
• George Whitefield changed the line to read: “Hark! The herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king.”
• Wesley noted that the angels in verse 13 don’t “sing,” they “say.” And the glory given by the angels is to “God in the highest heaven” (v. 14).
4. What is the Gloria ? Gloria in excelsis Deo (Glory be to God in the highest),
• The “Gloria is an Announcement “ Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” (v. 14).
• The announcement “born this day in city of David a Savior Christ The Lord”
• The Angel announced to the world “I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:
5. Finally, Zechariah had a Christmas Carol called the benedictus, Mary had a Christmas Carol called the Magnificat, Charles Wesley had a Christmas Carol called Hark ! How all the Welkin Rings, glory to the king of kings” and we have A Christmas Carol called “Gloria”
• Our Christmas Carol we give God Glory for the birth of Messiah, fully human and fully divine.
• Our Christmas Carol we give glory to God as Charles Wesley put it, “all the welkin rings” with this news. “Peace on earth and mercy mild,” given to all n
• Our Christmas Carol we give God Glory as the Wesley’s carol sings God and sinners reconciled.”Joyful, all ye nations rise. Join the triumph of the skies. With angelic hosts proclaim, ‘Christ is born in Bethlehem!’” Here in Wesley’s carol, is the essence of the gospel:
• Our Christmas Carol is Be reconciled to God How does that happen? It happens through faith, trusting Jesus,
• Give God Glory for Gods rescue plan. Whatever old life we’ve struggled with, whatever sin hounds us, the good news is that the peace of Christ can overcome them.
• Take this thought home with you God has stepped toward us in Jesus. Will you step toward God? Will you be reconciled to God?
• The whole welkin is ringing with praise to God for what God has done by coming in person in Christ. Let’s join the song!
