Luke 2

As I was reading this chapter I remembered a message I preached last year. Below is a portion of it. 

 The Songs of the Season- Hark the Herold Angels Sing

Bethlehem wasn’t an important place. It wasn’t a big city. In fact, it was until modern times very hard to get to. Only those needing to go there to meet family (or for taxes) went there. There were those who might go through trying to avoid Jerusalem and the authorities, which might give you an idea of what they might be like.

It was an agrarian town having farmers (wheat and grain) on the plateau and in the valleys a great place for sheep. The only issue was that shepherds weren’t considered the most reliable people. In fact, they were considered just above a common criminal. The problem there is when people treat you like scum most people start acting like it. 

One scholar studied the history of Bethlehem and figured that the area might have had one of the highest infant mortality rates around (60%). 

When Mary and Joseph first arrived, they couldn’t even find lodging in an inn (3 words for shelter and this was the lowest)

Yet, God came to meet us there. He came, first, to those the world looked down on. 

History of the Hymn

Written by Phillips Brooks: Harvard Professor, Bishop, Evangelist, staunch abolitionist. 

Was known to keep toys in the office and would play with kids. 

Description by Phillip Brooks: 1865 right after the Civil War in Bethlehem. 

“Before dark we rode out of town to the field where they say the shepherds saw the star. It is a fenced piece of ground with a cave in it, in which, strangely enough, they put the shepherds. . . . Somewhere in those fields we rode through, the shepherds must have been. As we passed, the shepherds were still ‘keeping watch over their flocks,’ or leading them home to fold.” writes hymnologist Albert Bailey, Christmas Eve service “conducted in . . . Constantine’s ancient basilica (326 A.D.) built over the traditional site of the Nativity, a cave. The service lasted from 10 P.M. to 3 A.M.!”

The hymn was printed on an informal leaflet in December 1868 and then appeared in The Sunday School Hymnal in 1871.

Its original tune, by Louis H. Redner (1931-1908), a wealthy real estate broker who served as a church organist. He was asked to compose music but still did not have it the night before Christmas Eve (given it long before). On the night before the Christmas Eve service he felt defeated, so he went to bed. During his fretful sleep, it seemed that he heard music.

In England, it is sung to the tune of  a folk tune, “Forest Green”

Its popularity wasn’t that great until it was sung by Elvis.

LIGHT OF THE LYRICS

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie; above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by. Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light; the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary And gathered all above While mortals sleep, the angels keep Their watch of wondering love O morning stars together Proclaim the holy birth And praises sing to God the King And Peace to men on earth

How silently, how silently The wondrous gift is given! So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of His heaven. No ear may hear His coming, But in this world of sin, Where meek souls will receive him still, The dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem Descend to us, we pray Cast out our sin and enter in Be born to us today We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tidings tell O come to us, abide with us Our Lord Emmanuel

Omitted Stanza:

Where children pure and happy Pray to the blessed Child, Where misery cries out to thee, Son of the undefiled; Where charity stands watching And faith holds wide the door, The dark night wakes, the glory breaks, And Christmas comes once more.

APPLICATION OF OUR HEART

As we look at what happened in Bethlehem, though God sent angels and the shepherds told the news, for most of the rest of the world this act of God happened silently.  The world ignored this little town that no one went to unless they needed to. In fact, it wasn’t until modern Israel developed the road system it wasn’t easy to get to. Like the song pointed out the world just kept going on as if this wonderous thing never happened.

It is the same though for most of us. God moves in us and sometimes we don’t see it and when we do, for most of the people around us it is unnoticed at the time. 

2nd Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old has gone. The new has come.”

Others may not see but it will show and we will know it.

A woman testified to the transformation in her life that had resulted from her experience in conversion. She declared, "I’m so glad I got religion. I have an uncle I used to hate so much I vowed I’d never go to his funeral. But now, why, I’d be happy to go to it any time."

God wants to bring Christmas not just years ago but today. In each of us. Others may not notice but God is there to be born in us. 

And we need it, we need the good news of the gospel, we need Jesus.