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Luke recounts how
a group of angels announced
Jesus' birth to shepherds near Bethlehem:
And there were shepherds living out in the
fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the
Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and
they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I
bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today
in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the
Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths
and lying
in a manger.
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the
angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on
earth peace to men on whom His favor rests." (Luke 2:8-14,
NIV)
In 1849 Mr. Edmund Hamilton Sears, a Massachusetts
minister, reflected on this event in a beautiful poem titled It Came
Upon a Midnight Clear.
Ten years later,
Richard Storrs Willis set the poem to music to form
one of the
best-known Christmas carols:
It came upon a midnight clear,
That glorious song
of old,
From angels bending near the earth
To touch their harps of
gold:
"Peace on the earth, goodwill to men,
From heaven's
all-gracious King."
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the
angels sing.
The angels interpret the Savior's birth as an offer of "peace," a
demonstration of God's "goodwil" or "favor" toward fallen humanity. Sears
reminds us that this message of grace, spoken 2000 years ago, applies to
us even now.
Still through the cloven skies they come,
With
peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heavenly music floats
O'er
all the weary world:
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on
hovering wing:
And ever o'er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels
sing.
Much of the world has rejected that grace and the peace that comes with
it. Christ has not yet returned to eliminate evil entirely, and so we
struggle along, enduring the pain and hardship of a fallen race. The Lord
knew that it would be so, and so he reminds his disciples:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you
rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and
humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matt
11:28-30a)
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as
the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be
afraid. (John 14:27)
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In
this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the
world. (John 16:33)
Mr. Sears
offers a similar invitation:
And ye, beneath life's crushing load,
Whose forms
are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps
and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the
wing;
O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels
sing.
For lo, the days are hastening on,
By prophet-bards
foretold,
When, with the ever-circling years,
Comes round the age of
gold:
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendors
fling,
And the whole world gives back the song
Which now the angels
sing.
This Christmas, let us "rest beside the weary road and hear the angels
sing." May "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding," be with
you in this season and always (see Phil 4:7).
Reflect...
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What is the "age of gold" mentioned in this hymn? When will this
"age"
begin?
-
Sears' carol mentions the "Babel
sounds" filling this world. Read the story of the Tower of Babel in
Genesis 11:1-9.
What were those building the tower trying to
accomplish, and why did God punish them? Do you see any parallels between their attitude
and the
attitude of people today?
-
In Luke 2:14, the Greek term
translated "favor" or "goodwill" is eudokia. It literally means
"good thoughts" or "favorable attitude." How can you and your
church help others to understand that
God has "goodwill" toward them, in spite of their
sin?
Publisher's Note...
A brief treatment of the author's
favorite Christmas carol, the magnificent O Holy Night, appears
in Bare Roots
6.5.
This concludes our series on Christmas Carols. After a
brief break, we will launch a new series on John the
Baptist, beginning during the week of January 27. Thank you for
receiving Bare Roots .--CD | 