Christmas Carols

Carols

I love Christmas! I love everything about it. I even love the cold weather! But one of the things that I really enjoy is the Christmas music. I don’t tend to listen to much music throughout the year, but when this season rolls around my playlist gets red hot with the sounds of Christmas. Even as I write this post, I have instrumental Christmas music playing softly in the background. It may be that the music triggers the sentimental and nostalgic parts of our hearts that endears these classic songs to us so much.

However, in one sense, Christmas has always been marked by music as the King of Glory entered into His creation to save His people from their sin (Matt. 1:21). And this was no somber dirge, but the joyful celebration of glad tidings for all the people (Luke 2:10)! After all, it makes sense because birthdays are generally celebrated with glad and grateful singing. If this is true for our birthdays then how much more appropriate is it to see the birth of Christ our glorious king.

Dark days

We must remember that before Christ came the covenant people of God had experienced centuries of discipline because of their disobedience and now silence. The word of God had not been heard for 400 years and they were weary under the oppression of Roman rule and the seeming absence of their God. All the way back when they were in exile in Babylon they were asked to sing the songs of Zion and they could not because of the depression and despairPsalm 137:4). The point is that they had been so long under darkness and without reason to sing or to hope.

But then…

But then the angel visits Zechariah(Luke 1:8-17) and announced that he would have a miracle child that would be a great prophet sent from God. After this the angel visits Mary and announces that sh e(vs. 26-33), a young virgin, would have a child who would be more than a prophet, he would actually be the very son of God! When Mary gets this news she goes to see her cousin Elizebeth who is pregnant with Zechariah’s baby, and Mary sings the first Christmas song.

Luke 1:46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

Notice that in this song Mary is bursting with praise, humility, and faith because she has believed what God has revealed to her and she rejoices in His goodness and grace not only on her but for all His people.

Even Better…

But the song doesn’t end with a young mothers lullaby, because on the night of Jesus' birth the great heavenly choir of angels came to announce His majestic birth to the humble shepherds watching their flocks that first Christmas night. Their song was one of praise to God who is always and eternally worthy to be worshiped. But it was also a hymn of hope for the peace that would come with the triumphal reign of this newborn King. He has come and accomplished the salvation of His people. He is now reigning while He puts all His enemies under His feet. And He will return to bring peace to those with whom He is pleased, or to put it another way, “peace on earth, goodwill toward men (Luke 2:8-14).”

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