Unto You

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

This evening we gather to hear the words of St. Luke, recording the birth of our Lord, and the angel's proclamation to the shepherds of the great tidings. Listen again:

Fear not; for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

One might say that this was the first Christmas sermon ever preached. It was delivered from heaven to earth by the angelic messengers of the Lord Himself. And the angel's message continues to be preached year after year, because we can never get enough of hearing it.

O Holy Night?

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

What a night Christmas Eve is! The Festival of the Incarnation of our Lord has come once again and it is good to be here this evening in order to hear of God's revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed and through the prophetic writings is made known to all nations (Romans 16:25-26).

Throughout Christendom there are many gatherings taking place this night as the people of God congregate to hear the Word and to receive Christ in the Sacrament. In many such churches, the Lord's undershepherds tell children of all ages, the Story - the historical account - of the Savior's Birth in Bethlehem on that night so long ago and so far away. In truth, it is the privilege of such local undershepherds, men who have been entrusted by the Lord, to guide and lead the people to Bethelehem to see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us. This is truly a Holy Night – the most holy night of all.

This is a holy night because the angels proclaimed it to be when they visited the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night. And so throughout generations, people have sung this truth: that this is O Holy Night.

Glory and Peace - Now!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” So called out the multitude of the heavenly host who appeared in the Bethlehem sky on the occasion of our Lord's birth. The glory of the Lord has broken out upon the earth. No longer is God merely an unseen force above the highest heavens.

What an odd juxtaposition we have on this night! In the same sitting, you sing “Away in a Manger” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”. You are called upon to contemplate the baby born in a stable, and the words of the army of heaven who lit up the dark Judean wilderness. Fear not, proclaims the angel. Your savior is born this night in the City of David. And what a savior He is, indeed! Your savior is a baby. A child born of the flesh of a woman, born of natural means following the natural course of man. And yet that baby, so frail and feeble and dependent, is at once the Lord of Hosts, the King of the Universe, the Creator of all that is and all that ever shall have been. Consider this: the angels light up the sky and their song resounds through the cosmos to worship one who suckles at the breast of a virgin mother.

Gloria in Excelsis Deo!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!” Thus sang the multitude of the heavenly host who appeared to the shepherds on the occasion of our Lord's birth. “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Thus said John the Baptist when our Lord came to him at the Jordan River. These exclamations are indeed fitting for the glory and splendor of the Lord of Hosts, who comes in glory.

God is indeed seated in glory upon the throne of heaven, encircled by the angels and archangels and all the company of heaven. It is He who is and who was and who is to come, the First and the Last. He is worthy of our praise, worship, glory, and thanksgiving, for He has done marvelous things. After all, it is the Lord of Hosts who created heaven and earth and all that is in them. It is He who created you and me, and every living thing. It is He who keeps the heavenly bodies in their proper motions, and keeps the earth spinning aright.

"On This Day Earth Shall Ring"

On this day angels sing; 
        with their song earth shall ring, 
        praising Christ, heaven's King, 
        born on earth to save us; 
        peace and love he gave us.

On this night, we wait in anxious expectation of the One who comes to save us from our sins. On this night, we wait for the birth of the very Son of God come in the flesh. On this night, we anticipate the blessed Incarnation of our Lord and Savior. On this night, we hear the fulfillment of the ancient prophesies. On this night, we eagerly await the coming of the One who will rend the heavens and come down, the savior of the nations, the consolation of Israel and the joy of the world.