WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.080 We hope that you enjoy this teaching from Christ Church. 00:00:05.540 --> 00:00:09.519 This material is copyrighted and no unauthorized duplication, 00:00:09.880 --> 00:00:15.280 redistribution, or any other use of any part is permitted without prior consent from Christ Church. 00:00:15.280 --> 00:00:22.620 Please consider donating to this work in the San Francisco Bay Area online at ChristChurchEastBay.org. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:36.320 This reading is from Luke 2.8-18, as printed in the liturgy. 00:00:36.759 --> 00:00:39.120 A reading from the Gospel according to Luke. 00:00:40.060 --> 00:00:45.200 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 00:00:45.799 --> 00:00:49.980 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, 00:00:50.200 --> 00:00:51.740 and they were filled with great fear. 00:00:52.280 --> 00:00:57.859 And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy 00:00:57.859 --> 00:00:59.519 that will be for all the people. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:05.159 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 00:01:05.719 --> 00:01:07.219 And this will be a sign for you. 00:01:07.799 --> 00:01:11.420 You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. 00:01:12.420 --> 00:01:16.640 And suddenly there was with this angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God 00:01:16.640 --> 00:01:22.340 and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased. 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:27.200 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 00:01:27.200 --> 00:01:32.900 Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. 00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:37.560 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in a manger. 00:01:38.359 --> 00:01:42.900 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told to them concerning this child. 00:01:43.400 --> 00:01:46.340 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds had told them. 00:01:46.340 --> 00:01:48.380 This is the gospel of the Lord. 00:01:49.100 --> 00:01:50.719 Praise to you, Lord Christ. 00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:59.039 I'm going to hold you for one more moment for this reading from the first epistle to Timothy. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:05.420 Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great. 00:02:06.280 --> 00:02:13.659 He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, 00:02:14.219 --> 00:02:18.079 was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory. 00:02:18.759 --> 00:02:20.099 This is the word of the Lord. 00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:21.639 Thanks be to God. 00:02:22.359 --> 00:02:24.840 So, good morning, Christchurch. 00:02:26.919 --> 00:02:31.919 It's dawned on me that Christmas Eve is three weeks from today. 00:02:33.219 --> 00:02:35.159 How many of you feel ready for that? 00:02:36.120 --> 00:02:37.060 Not at all. 00:02:37.180 --> 00:02:37.699 Not at all. 00:02:38.759 --> 00:02:43.879 So, the season of Advent is meant to help us get ready, to prepare ourselves. 00:02:44.300 --> 00:02:49.159 And the way we're doing that this year at Christchurch is just looking at these carols of Christmas, 00:02:49.159 --> 00:02:56.960 wanting to appreciate the truths of the Scriptures by these beautiful and beloved carols, 00:02:57.240 --> 00:03:02.019 and use these carols as a doorway into these biblical truths. 00:03:02.020 --> 00:03:09.580 So, last Sunday, we looked at a carol that Christians have been singing for 1,200 years and counting called, 00:03:09.700 --> 00:03:10.780 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. 00:03:11.000 --> 00:03:12.500 You just sang it beautifully. 00:03:12.500 --> 00:03:17.020 But I want to ask you this morning, what's the first Christmas carol? 00:03:17.080 --> 00:03:20.219 What's the oldest of our Christmas carols? 00:03:21.199 --> 00:03:30.759 It's what we just read from the Gospel of Luke, that carol of the angels that they sang on that first Christmas night in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. 00:03:30.759 --> 00:03:36.819 And it's on that carol that the carol Hark the Herald Angels Sing is based. 00:03:37.979 --> 00:03:47.699 Now, even if you have no religious background at all, you most likely have some familiarity with this carol Hark the Herald Angels Sing. 00:03:47.819 --> 00:03:53.539 Some of you may remember it as the concluding scene in the movie It's a Wonderful Life. 00:03:53.539 --> 00:04:08.819 And all the people of Bedford Falls are gathered together in the home of George and Mary Bailey as they're helping George to pay off his debts in this financial predicament that he's found himself in. 00:04:09.419 --> 00:04:11.959 And they're singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing. 00:04:13.079 --> 00:04:20.719 Yesterday, I looked up a wonderful recording of this carol done in St. Paul's Cathedral in London. 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:30.960 And the very first comment on the YouTube video said, I'm not a Christian, but you've got to admit that Christians have some really good music. 00:04:31.700 --> 00:04:34.300 And I couldn't agree more, especially with this. 00:04:34.500 --> 00:04:35.960 Not all of our music is good. 00:04:37.320 --> 00:04:39.220 But some of it's really good. 00:04:39.760 --> 00:04:42.120 Now, where did this Christmas carol come from? 00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:51.920 Well, if you go back to Oxford University in the 18th century, there was a group of students that regularly met together to read the Bible and to pray. 00:04:52.120 --> 00:04:54.480 And they were so serious about this. 00:04:54.720 --> 00:05:05.720 They were so serious about their methods for how to have a relationship with God that people mocked them as Methodists for their intense methods and spiritual disciplines. 00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:10.519 One of those students was a classic scholar at Oxford named Charles Wesley. 00:05:10.519 --> 00:05:23.379 And after many, many years of going through the motions of nominal Christianity, just heartless Christianity, he eventually had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. 00:05:24.279 --> 00:05:36.579 And on May 21, 1738, he accepted the gospel not only as true for the world objectively, but he accepted it as true for him subjectively. 00:05:37.180 --> 00:05:39.579 He applied it to himself personally. 00:05:39.579 --> 00:05:44.219 And you can hear that in the lyrics of many of his hymns where he says, 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:50.399 Amazing love, how can it be that thou, my God, should die for me, he says, for me. 00:05:51.339 --> 00:06:00.299 So Charles Wesley amazingly wrote this hymn, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, one year, within a year after his conversion. 00:06:01.240 --> 00:06:04.399 And the original title was A Hymn for Christmas Day. 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:08.759 And it's arguably one of the greatest hymns that's ever been written. 00:06:08.759 --> 00:06:12.899 And it's a privilege to walk through it with you now. 00:06:12.959 --> 00:06:15.019 So we're going to do the same drill as we did last week. 00:06:15.099 --> 00:06:18.800 We're going to look at the foundations, the biblical foundations of this familiar carol. 00:06:19.240 --> 00:06:21.180 And then we're all going to sing this carol together. 00:06:21.319 --> 00:06:25.740 And we want to remember that great text from the prophet Isaiah a couple weeks ago, 00:06:25.740 --> 00:06:33.519 where he says that at the sound of their voices, the doorposts and the thresholds shook as the angels were singing. 00:06:33.620 --> 00:06:36.540 And that's how we want to sing our Christmas carols this year. 00:06:36.540 --> 00:06:43.540 So allow me just to read today's carol so it's fresh in your mind and you have it there in your liturgy. 00:06:45.260 --> 00:06:54.939 Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Glory to the Newborn King, Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled. 00:06:55.740 --> 00:06:59.460 Joyful all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies. 00:07:00.180 --> 00:07:04.540 With the angelic hosts proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem. 00:07:04.540 --> 00:07:09.800 Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ the everlasting Lord. 00:07:10.580 --> 00:07:14.020 Late in time behold him come, offspring of the virgin's womb. 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:18.200 Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail the incarnate deity. 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:22.980 Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel. 00:07:24.379 --> 00:07:28.320 Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace, hail the Son of righteousness. 00:07:29.340 --> 00:07:33.960 Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings. 00:07:34.540 --> 00:07:39.600 Mild he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die. 00:07:40.360 --> 00:07:45.140 Born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth. 00:07:45.939 --> 00:07:51.439 Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Glory to the Newborn King. 00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:58.879 I just want to simply walk through the stanzas of this great carol and talk first of all about the praise of the angels, 00:07:59.240 --> 00:08:02.980 the nature of the newborn, and the purpose of his birth. 00:08:03.399 --> 00:08:08.480 The praise of the angels, the nature of the newborn, and the purpose of his birth. 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:10.180 First of all, the praise of the angels. 00:08:10.180 --> 00:08:19.180 This very first line, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, puts us with those shepherds as they were hearing the heavenly host, 00:08:19.280 --> 00:08:22.319 which is an army of angels. 00:08:22.939 --> 00:08:26.460 And Luke chapter 2 that we read, it doesn't say that they're singing, 00:08:27.240 --> 00:08:31.680 but it does say that they're praising God with high poetic verse. 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:36.299 And so we just kind of fill in the gap and say, how could they help but break into song? 00:08:37.019 --> 00:08:42.860 These angels that appear to these shepherds are called heralds or divine messengers. 00:08:43.899 --> 00:08:49.620 Now, I, to date, have not yet seen one of these immaterial spiritual beings, 00:08:50.379 --> 00:08:52.399 but I'm confident that one day I will. 00:08:52.399 --> 00:09:01.840 And when these angels show up in the Bible, people instinctively fall down on the ground thinking that they're dying 00:09:01.840 --> 00:09:03.539 or thinking that they're already dead. 00:09:03.799 --> 00:09:06.139 And the angels always have to say what? 00:09:06.939 --> 00:09:07.860 Fear not. 00:09:07.959 --> 00:09:09.199 Do not be afraid. 00:09:10.279 --> 00:09:13.500 So I'm not really sure I'm quite ready to meet one of these creatures. 00:09:14.579 --> 00:09:20.779 But these heralds, these messengers, they're giving the first announcement of something momentous. 00:09:20.779 --> 00:09:21.659 And what is that? 00:09:21.659 --> 00:09:25.559 They're saying, glory to the newborn king. 00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:29.500 These divine messengers are announcing a royal birth. 00:09:30.600 --> 00:09:34.159 And this isn't just a king and a long line of kings. 00:09:34.919 --> 00:09:39.579 The original words of this hymn said, glory to the king of kings. 00:09:39.620 --> 00:09:41.219 This is the king. 00:09:42.299 --> 00:09:50.120 And so what sort of kingdom, what sort of agenda, what kind of policies will this king come to put into effect? 00:09:50.120 --> 00:09:57.840 That you might tremble at the army of angels that, you know, what in the world are they about to say about this king? 00:09:57.840 --> 00:10:03.740 But what they actually say is, peace on earth and mercy mild. 00:10:04.740 --> 00:10:10.040 This king that's coming has an agenda that's not for war but for peace. 00:10:10.039 --> 00:10:13.539 For people who are estranged from God. 00:10:13.939 --> 00:10:22.719 People who find themselves under the condemnation and the just judgment and the wrath of God for our selfishness and our self-centeredness. 00:10:23.599 --> 00:10:28.019 This king has come to give us peace on earth and mercy mild. 00:10:28.019 --> 00:10:31.399 God and sinners reconciled, it says. 00:10:32.539 --> 00:10:43.159 You see, our deepest problem, our most fundamental problem as human beings is that though we were made to be centered upon God, we've centered our lives upon ourselves. 00:10:43.159 --> 00:10:51.439 And we think, maybe we don't say it out loud, but we think to ourselves, I know best how to run my life. 00:10:51.500 --> 00:10:53.360 I know better than God how to run my life. 00:10:54.039 --> 00:10:57.719 And in fact, I'm better off just being sort of independent from God. 00:10:57.759 --> 00:11:01.459 And we live our lives that way as kind of functional atheists. 00:11:02.779 --> 00:11:06.579 And the Bible says that that's having enmity toward God. 00:11:06.659 --> 00:11:08.600 It's being estranged from God. 00:11:08.600 --> 00:11:15.879 And what this carol is telling us is that this king has come so that we would no longer be the enemies of God. 00:11:15.960 --> 00:11:20.840 He's come to bring our rebellion and our hostility toward God to an end. 00:11:21.320 --> 00:11:27.580 And to put us back into a right and a reconciled relationship with our maker and our judge. 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:36.019 Well, who is it that can receive this peace and this mercy and this reconciliation that this king has come to bring? 00:11:36.019 --> 00:11:44.840 Well, I point you back to our text in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2, verse 14, where the angels are praising God and they're saying, 00:11:45.399 --> 00:11:52.240 Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests. 00:11:53.199 --> 00:11:58.840 This is a universal announcement for all people at all times and in all places. 00:11:58.840 --> 00:12:11.899 But it seems to suggest that this is only effective for those upon whom God's favor rests, upon whom His grace has come to rest. 00:12:12.899 --> 00:12:15.440 Does this king come to bring peace for everyone? 00:12:16.560 --> 00:12:26.259 Well, if you're indifferent to the king, if you're opposed to this king, then you're not going to get the peace that he comes to bring. 00:12:26.259 --> 00:12:35.679 It's only as you surrender to the king, only as you pledge your allegiance to this king and give glory to the God who sent him, that you will have His peace. 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:42.480 And so, what then is the proper response to this angelic announcement? 00:12:42.779 --> 00:12:45.299 The proper response is hark. 00:12:45.960 --> 00:12:46.700 It's a great word. 00:12:46.980 --> 00:12:47.419 Hark. 00:12:47.419 --> 00:12:47.459 Hark. 00:12:48.379 --> 00:12:51.759 Which means, it's an old way of saying, listen up. 00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:54.059 Listen very carefully. 00:12:54.299 --> 00:12:56.899 Pay extremely close attention. 00:12:58.199 --> 00:13:05.299 The prophets of Israel talk all the time about how people can have ears, but they do not hear. 00:13:06.659 --> 00:13:13.519 And so, the question is, are you hearkening to these messengers and to their heavenly message, 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:16.419 not just with your ears, but with your heart? 00:13:16.419 --> 00:13:18.839 Have you heard with your heart what they're saying? 00:13:19.839 --> 00:13:25.779 And if the answer to that question is yes, and that God's favor has come to rest upon you, 00:13:25.939 --> 00:13:35.699 and you are all in with this newborn king, then here's what this carol tells us about how we're to respond to this message. 00:13:35.700 --> 00:13:39.740 It says, joyful all you nations, rise. 00:13:40.379 --> 00:13:43.460 Join the triumph of the skies. 00:13:44.660 --> 00:13:51.240 If you believe what these angels are saying, the only right response is to stand up. 00:13:51.320 --> 00:13:57.040 It says, rise up in humble adoration and joyous praise of God, 00:13:57.039 --> 00:14:00.959 and join in the delight and the elation of heaven. 00:14:02.459 --> 00:14:08.839 It says, with the angelic hosts proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem. 00:14:08.840 --> 00:14:20.240 Now, I don't know about you, but in this season ahead, we are going to busy ourselves with many, many things. 00:14:20.759 --> 00:14:23.200 The calendar is already too full. 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:26.020 And some of you are going to be traveling. 00:14:26.100 --> 00:14:29.100 How many of you are going to be traveling in this next season? 00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:30.180 Some of us are going to be traveling. 00:14:30.460 --> 00:14:32.180 We're going to be buying and giving gifts. 00:14:32.700 --> 00:14:34.840 We're going to be hosting and attending parties. 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:37.840 We're going to be dealing with our family dysfunctions. 00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:45.860 Well, what were these angels busy doing in this moment? 00:14:45.940 --> 00:14:47.220 What are they busy doing? 00:14:47.820 --> 00:14:50.100 They're busy praising God. 00:14:51.240 --> 00:14:55.180 And there's really nothing more important than the praise of God. 00:14:56.160 --> 00:15:02.120 And I want to suggest that if this is not on the top of your priority list in this next season, 00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:06.300 not just on Sunday mornings, but Monday through Saturday, 00:15:06.299 --> 00:15:12.179 then I want to suggest that you adopt this angelic priority of praising God. 00:15:12.259 --> 00:15:17.679 Because heaven came down singing the praise of God, inviting the earth to join in, 00:15:18.599 --> 00:15:23.459 to joyful all you nations, rise up and join the triumph of the skies. 00:15:24.459 --> 00:15:30.179 One of the ways that our humanity is restored to us is by praising God, 00:15:30.259 --> 00:15:33.599 which is the primary activity for which He made us. 00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:40.639 And this carol is a rousing invitation for us to praise God in this season of Advent and Christmas. 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:47.820 But it's also an invitation to proclaim this King that God has sent, 00:15:47.920 --> 00:15:54.139 to share the angelic message with others about God's long-promised, long-awaited Messiah. 00:15:54.139 --> 00:16:00.220 With the angelic hosts proclaim, it says, Christ is born in Bethlehem. 00:16:00.500 --> 00:16:03.139 I want you to think about who among your family, 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:07.220 who among your friends and your co-workers and your neighbors, 00:16:07.980 --> 00:16:11.419 needs to hear this message in a fresh way, 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:18.080 that God has made a way for God and sinners to be reconciled. 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:24.840 And perhaps you might invite them and bring them as we talk next week about joy to the world and what that means. 00:16:25.000 --> 00:16:27.259 Silent night the following week and what that means. 00:16:27.500 --> 00:16:32.620 Invite them to come to our 5 p.m. candlelight Christmas service on Christmas Eve. 00:16:33.560 --> 00:16:40.580 This carol, this Christmas carol, calls all the nations of all the peoples of the world 00:16:40.580 --> 00:16:45.820 to come and praise the one true Creator God and His newborn King. 00:16:46.660 --> 00:16:50.100 That's what these angels are all about, the praise of the angels. 00:16:50.220 --> 00:16:54.840 I want to talk also not only about the praise of the angels, but the nature of the newborn. 00:16:56.160 --> 00:16:58.980 Let's think together about the nature of this newborn. 00:17:01.180 --> 00:17:05.660 Having established the subject of praise in this poem, 00:17:05.660 --> 00:17:11.580 and having commanded all the nations to join in with this praise, 00:17:12.300 --> 00:17:14.820 really the rest of this poem, the rest of this hymn, 00:17:15.660 --> 00:17:21.019 gives us a list of all that's praiseworthy about this newborn King. 00:17:22.140 --> 00:17:25.620 For as lowly as His birth in Bethlehem may be, 00:17:26.220 --> 00:17:28.420 this is no ordinary newborn. 00:17:28.759 --> 00:17:31.759 I mean, these newborns that we had up here, they're pretty cute. 00:17:33.259 --> 00:17:35.140 But this newborn is different. 00:17:35.660 --> 00:17:42.519 We say in the second stanza that this is Christ by highest heaven adored. 00:17:43.720 --> 00:17:44.600 Now think about that. 00:17:45.220 --> 00:17:48.560 These angelic beings are ancient. 00:17:49.860 --> 00:17:53.920 They've been around a very, very long time, dwelling in the presence of God. 00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:56.880 They were there as the eyewitnesses of creation. 00:17:58.019 --> 00:18:03.040 And they bore witness when God spoke with a word and He said, 00:18:03.039 --> 00:18:04.000 let there be light. 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:04.019 Let there be light. 00:18:05.159 --> 00:18:06.019 And bang! 00:18:07.200 --> 00:18:10.960 A vast expanse of galaxies burst into existence. 00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:17.579 Now astronomers estimate that there are 3,000 billion trillion stars. 00:18:18.819 --> 00:18:21.779 I think we have more than one astrophysicist here. 00:18:21.899 --> 00:18:23.180 Please correct me if I'm wrong. 00:18:23.180 --> 00:18:28.640 But there's an estimated 3,000 billion trillion stars. 00:18:28.779 --> 00:18:31.539 That's a three with 24 zeros behind it. 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:41.779 And every single one of those stars can put out the amount of energy every second that's equal to a trillion atom bombs. 00:18:41.779 --> 00:18:52.119 These angels saw God create all of that with a word. 00:18:52.799 --> 00:18:53.559 Let there be light. 00:18:54.839 --> 00:19:02.000 And yet here in Bethlehem, they've just seen something so amazing, 00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:08.059 something so incredible, something that's blowing their angelic minds. 00:19:09.400 --> 00:19:10.500 And what is that? 00:19:12.059 --> 00:19:19.960 Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ the everlasting Lord, has taken a human body. 00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:28.119 The everlasting Lord is lying in the most famous animal trough ever. 00:19:28.839 --> 00:19:29.799 He's lying in a manger. 00:19:29.799 --> 00:19:35.819 Now in all the unfathomable ages before the universe was created, 00:19:35.940 --> 00:19:43.299 these angels saw Christ in all of His glory, in all of His power. 00:19:44.419 --> 00:19:50.799 And these angels knew about this covenant that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit had made, 00:19:50.919 --> 00:19:53.779 each with one another in eternity past, 00:19:53.779 --> 00:20:00.180 promising to themselves that they would send this one as the Savior of the world. 00:20:00.299 --> 00:20:07.220 And so highest heaven since that moment has been adoring Christ as the everlasting Lord for all the ages. 00:20:07.399 --> 00:20:12.259 But yet here in this moment, they are astonished. 00:20:12.259 --> 00:20:21.140 They're astonished that the everlasting Lord is somehow a newborn baby in the arms of Mary. 00:20:22.920 --> 00:20:28.420 Late in time, behold Him come, offspring of the virgin's womb. 00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:33.700 Now late in time does not mean the Messiah was late showing up, 00:20:33.799 --> 00:20:39.299 that He missed as sometimes us pastors can show up late for these scheduled appointments. 00:20:39.299 --> 00:20:40.519 We apologize for that. 00:20:41.519 --> 00:20:43.500 But He didn't miss His scheduled appointment, 00:20:44.500 --> 00:20:50.279 but rather now after centuries and after millennia of God's promises 00:20:50.279 --> 00:20:55.480 and of God's people waiting for those promises to be fulfilled, 00:20:55.579 --> 00:20:57.299 the time is here. 00:20:58.139 --> 00:21:00.180 As the Apostle Paul says in Galatians 4, 00:21:00.180 --> 00:21:00.519 He says, 00:21:00.620 --> 00:21:02.519 When the set time had fully come, 00:21:03.299 --> 00:21:04.900 God sent His Son, 00:21:05.400 --> 00:21:06.779 born of a woman. 00:21:08.360 --> 00:21:10.480 And now comes the profound line, 00:21:10.660 --> 00:21:13.960 and I think maybe my favorite line in the whole carol, 00:21:14.060 --> 00:21:14.519 where it says, 00:21:14.980 --> 00:21:15.920 Veiled in flesh, 00:21:16.180 --> 00:21:17.480 the Godhead see. 00:21:18.779 --> 00:21:19.900 Veiled in flesh, 00:21:20.019 --> 00:21:21.160 the Godhead see. 00:21:22.220 --> 00:21:26.080 And what that means is that when you are looking at Jesus, 00:21:27.080 --> 00:21:28.980 you are seeing God. 00:21:28.980 --> 00:21:34.539 And that if you want to know what God is like, 00:21:34.799 --> 00:21:35.579 who God is, 00:21:35.640 --> 00:21:37.259 and what God does, 00:21:37.620 --> 00:21:39.039 look at Jesus. 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:41.900 I want to give you a couple of texts 00:21:41.900 --> 00:21:44.779 that I think probably Charles Wesley was thinking about 00:21:44.779 --> 00:21:46.640 as he was writing this line. 00:21:47.140 --> 00:21:50.720 Jesus says to His disciple Philip, 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:53.240 in the Gospel of John chapter 14, 00:21:53.339 --> 00:21:53.700 He says, 00:21:53.700 --> 00:21:54.000 Philip, 00:21:54.500 --> 00:21:56.319 anyone who has seen Me 00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:57.819 has seen the Father. 00:21:58.980 --> 00:22:00.380 Anyone who has seen Me 00:22:00.380 --> 00:22:01.880 has seen the Father. 00:22:03.299 --> 00:22:07.400 In the opening lines of this great epistle to the Hebrews, 00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:09.640 we read these words. 00:22:09.720 --> 00:22:09.980 It says, 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:10.539 The Son, 00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:12.400 Jesus Christ, 00:22:12.500 --> 00:22:12.980 the Son, 00:22:13.420 --> 00:22:15.180 is the radiance of God's glory 00:22:15.180 --> 00:22:18.500 and the exact representation of His being. 00:22:18.500 --> 00:22:23.700 The Apostle Paul adds to this. 00:22:23.859 --> 00:22:25.460 He writes to the church in Colossae 00:22:25.460 --> 00:22:26.079 and he says this. 00:22:26.140 --> 00:22:26.400 He says, 00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:30.619 The Son is the image of the invisible God, 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:34.400 for in Christ all the fullness of the deity lives 00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:36.460 in bodily form. 00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:39.559 Veiled in flesh, 00:22:39.680 --> 00:22:40.720 the Godhead see. 00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:43.819 Hail the incarnate deity. 00:22:43.819 --> 00:22:47.119 And this says that it's not enough to simply see Him. 00:22:47.460 --> 00:22:49.119 You need to hail Him. 00:22:49.240 --> 00:22:51.079 To hail is to honor, 00:22:51.319 --> 00:22:52.579 to acclaim. 00:22:53.139 --> 00:22:55.099 Some of you have football teams. 00:22:55.159 --> 00:22:58.059 Don't you say hail in those cheers? 00:22:58.139 --> 00:23:00.619 I think one of you has a cheer like that 00:23:00.619 --> 00:23:01.559 that you were doing yesterday. 00:23:03.659 --> 00:23:04.679 Yes, go blue. 00:23:04.680 --> 00:23:08.660 But to hail Him is to adore Him 00:23:08.660 --> 00:23:11.160 even as the angels are adoring Him. 00:23:11.620 --> 00:23:13.060 And why should we do this? 00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:17.060 Well, it's not because He's the greatest human being 00:23:17.060 --> 00:23:18.980 that our species has ever produced, 00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:20.279 although that's true enough. 00:23:20.680 --> 00:23:22.779 It's that here in Jesus 00:23:22.779 --> 00:23:25.759 is the fullness of God veiled in flesh. 00:23:25.900 --> 00:23:29.039 Here is the deity with a face. 00:23:29.840 --> 00:23:33.160 The deity as a person that you could hug. 00:23:33.160 --> 00:23:36.080 And what does that mean? 00:23:36.140 --> 00:23:39.600 It means that the nature of our humanity 00:23:39.600 --> 00:23:41.980 and the nature of God 00:23:41.980 --> 00:23:45.600 need not remain as permanent enemies 00:23:45.600 --> 00:23:47.980 if God has taken to Himself 00:23:47.980 --> 00:23:50.519 a human nature for good. 00:23:52.600 --> 00:23:53.519 Pleased, it says. 00:23:53.660 --> 00:23:55.740 Pleased as man with men to dwell, 00:23:55.940 --> 00:23:58.060 Jesus our Emmanuel. 00:23:58.300 --> 00:24:00.580 What does it mean that He was pleased to do this? 00:24:00.579 --> 00:24:05.439 It means that He was willingly and gladly 00:24:05.439 --> 00:24:07.879 emptying Himself and humbling Himself 00:24:07.879 --> 00:24:10.679 not out of a sense of sheer duty, 00:24:11.019 --> 00:24:12.480 but out of a sense of delight 00:24:12.480 --> 00:24:15.740 for the joy that was set before Him 00:24:15.740 --> 00:24:18.259 to come and dwell with us 00:24:18.259 --> 00:24:19.740 and to be like us 00:24:19.740 --> 00:24:21.799 in this fallen world 00:24:21.799 --> 00:24:23.399 as a human being 00:24:23.400 --> 00:24:25.600 inhabiting the depths 00:24:25.600 --> 00:24:29.660 and the pain 00:24:29.660 --> 00:24:31.720 and the sorrow 00:24:31.720 --> 00:24:35.000 and the difficulty 00:24:35.000 --> 00:24:36.960 of our human nature 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:38.940 and our human experience 00:24:38.940 --> 00:24:40.720 as Emmanuel, 00:24:40.940 --> 00:24:41.840 which we learned last week, 00:24:41.900 --> 00:24:43.780 means God with us. 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:46.980 So what is it that blows the minds 00:24:46.980 --> 00:24:47.700 of these angels 00:24:47.700 --> 00:24:48.820 more than the creation 00:24:48.820 --> 00:24:50.240 of all the stars 00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:51.140 and all the galaxies? 00:24:51.140 --> 00:24:54.180 It's that God Himself, 00:24:55.360 --> 00:24:56.740 the everlasting Lord, 00:24:57.560 --> 00:24:59.340 would come and take the place 00:24:59.340 --> 00:25:00.540 of sinners 00:25:00.540 --> 00:25:02.259 like me 00:25:02.259 --> 00:25:03.780 and like you. 00:25:06.060 --> 00:25:07.780 That's the praise of the angels 00:25:07.780 --> 00:25:09.220 and the nature of the newborn. 00:25:10.460 --> 00:25:11.400 And I want to just close 00:25:11.400 --> 00:25:12.740 talking about the purpose 00:25:12.740 --> 00:25:14.300 of His birth. 00:25:15.120 --> 00:25:16.740 What's the purpose of His birth? 00:25:16.740 --> 00:25:19.259 Now that we've discovered 00:25:19.259 --> 00:25:21.960 who this person is, 00:25:23.140 --> 00:25:25.900 we can look at what He came to do. 00:25:26.019 --> 00:25:27.279 And so the final stanza says, 00:25:27.400 --> 00:25:29.759 Hail the heaven-born prince of peace. 00:25:30.779 --> 00:25:32.759 We discovered that was one of the names 00:25:32.759 --> 00:25:34.039 of the Messiah last week 00:25:34.039 --> 00:25:35.160 in Isaiah chapter 9. 00:25:35.900 --> 00:25:37.579 He's the mighty God 00:25:37.579 --> 00:25:38.559 and the wonderful counselor. 00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:40.460 He's the prince of peace. 00:25:40.640 --> 00:25:43.420 And He's coming to set the world right. 00:25:43.420 --> 00:25:46.080 He's coming to bring God's shalom, 00:25:46.840 --> 00:25:48.539 the wholeness and well-being 00:25:48.539 --> 00:25:49.539 that the Creator God 00:25:49.539 --> 00:25:51.259 intended for His creation. 00:25:51.400 --> 00:25:52.759 He's coming to bring that back. 00:25:54.220 --> 00:25:55.620 Hail the heaven-born prince of peace. 00:25:55.740 --> 00:25:57.000 Hail the son of righteousness. 00:25:57.759 --> 00:25:59.420 Light and life to all He brings. 00:25:59.560 --> 00:26:01.980 Risen with healing in His wings. 00:26:03.019 --> 00:26:04.740 This again is from one of the other prophets, 00:26:04.880 --> 00:26:07.820 the prophet Malachi chapter 4 verse 2 00:26:07.820 --> 00:26:09.980 where it says the Messiah is going to come 00:26:09.980 --> 00:26:11.500 like the sun of righteousness, 00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:13.579 which is very much like we talked about last week, 00:26:13.640 --> 00:26:15.180 the days spring from on high. 00:26:15.920 --> 00:26:19.000 He's going to come like the sunrise in the morning, 00:26:19.079 --> 00:26:21.019 that first light at dawn. 00:26:21.140 --> 00:26:22.920 And when He rises up, 00:26:23.940 --> 00:26:27.019 whatever His presence and His power touches, 00:26:27.319 --> 00:26:30.480 He's going to bring light where there's darkness. 00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:33.200 He's going to bring life where there's death. 00:26:33.200 --> 00:26:36.140 He's going to bring healing where there's pain. 00:26:36.140 --> 00:26:40.060 And notice that the final lines 00:26:40.060 --> 00:26:43.040 give us three very particular reasons 00:26:43.040 --> 00:26:45.020 why He's born. 00:26:46.300 --> 00:26:48.740 Jesus was not born because He was bored 00:26:48.740 --> 00:26:50.500 and He had nothing else to do. 00:26:51.860 --> 00:26:54.780 Jesus was not born because He put planet Earth 00:26:54.780 --> 00:26:57.320 on His bucket list of places to visit 00:26:57.320 --> 00:26:59.000 and come see the sights. 00:27:00.080 --> 00:27:00.620 It says, 00:27:00.619 --> 00:27:13.239 Jesus was born to die 00:27:13.239 --> 00:27:16.919 in our place and as our substitute 00:27:16.919 --> 00:27:20.919 so that death would not be the end of your story, 00:27:21.000 --> 00:27:23.239 so that death would not be the final word 00:27:23.239 --> 00:27:25.579 of any of our stories. 00:27:25.579 --> 00:27:30.079 You see, the only way that the curse of humanity 00:27:30.079 --> 00:27:32.439 could be solved by God 00:27:32.439 --> 00:27:34.299 in any sort of just way 00:27:34.299 --> 00:27:37.419 would be for, on the one hand, 00:27:37.539 --> 00:27:40.259 us to suffer it eternally ourselves 00:27:40.259 --> 00:27:42.179 and to be separated from God 00:27:42.179 --> 00:27:43.599 in an everlasting death. 00:27:44.759 --> 00:27:47.799 Or, God in His grace 00:27:47.799 --> 00:27:50.399 could be born as the Prince of Peace 00:27:50.399 --> 00:27:53.220 to live the life that we were meant to live 00:27:53.220 --> 00:27:56.160 and to die the death that we were condemned to die 00:27:56.160 --> 00:27:58.920 and so absorb that curse in Himself, 00:27:59.079 --> 00:27:59.880 in our place, 00:27:59.980 --> 00:28:01.960 so that we could escape it. 00:28:03.240 --> 00:28:04.779 Now, you're not going to find that 00:28:04.779 --> 00:28:07.680 in the sentimentalized versions of Christmas 00:28:07.680 --> 00:28:10.279 with gentle snowfall 00:28:10.279 --> 00:28:12.420 and cozy sweaters, 00:28:13.500 --> 00:28:15.360 hot cocoa and twinkly lights 00:28:15.360 --> 00:28:17.559 and chestnuts roasting on an open fire 00:28:17.559 --> 00:28:19.279 and on and on we could go. 00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:19.360 So, 00:28:19.359 --> 00:28:23.639 but friends, 00:28:23.779 --> 00:28:25.979 Jesus was born 00:28:25.979 --> 00:28:29.519 in order that He might die. 00:28:30.559 --> 00:28:34.139 His cradle was under the shadow of His cross 00:28:34.139 --> 00:28:37.899 and the reason He took on a human body 00:28:37.899 --> 00:28:41.099 is so that He could remove the curse 00:28:41.099 --> 00:28:43.759 of sin and death from your body. 00:28:44.299 --> 00:28:46.859 He was born to raise you up 00:28:46.859 --> 00:28:48.479 from death to life 00:28:48.479 --> 00:28:49.459 and He was born 00:28:49.459 --> 00:28:51.439 so that you could be reborn 00:28:51.439 --> 00:28:53.699 with the new life of God Himself. 00:28:55.279 --> 00:28:57.240 This is what Jesus is talking about 00:28:57.240 --> 00:28:58.939 in the Gospel of John chapter 3. 00:28:59.319 --> 00:29:01.439 He talks to a guy like me, 00:29:01.539 --> 00:29:02.459 a guy named Nicodemus, 00:29:02.539 --> 00:29:04.379 professional religious guy, 00:29:05.279 --> 00:29:06.099 and He says, 00:29:06.899 --> 00:29:07.379 Nicodemus, 00:29:07.479 --> 00:29:09.579 no one can see the kingdom of God 00:29:09.579 --> 00:29:11.899 unless they are born again, 00:29:12.719 --> 00:29:14.059 unless they're born from above, 00:29:14.059 --> 00:29:15.759 unless they're born of God, 00:29:15.859 --> 00:29:17.079 born a second time. 00:29:18.899 --> 00:29:19.099 So, 00:29:19.139 --> 00:29:20.379 Jesus says to Nicodemus 00:29:20.379 --> 00:29:21.720 and He says to each one of us, 00:29:21.740 --> 00:29:22.079 He says, 00:29:23.059 --> 00:29:25.480 you need a whole new nature. 00:29:25.879 --> 00:29:28.359 You need a whole new life. 00:29:28.460 --> 00:29:29.639 You need to be regenerated. 00:29:29.759 --> 00:29:32.119 You need a second birth. 00:29:33.879 --> 00:29:34.259 And so, 00:29:34.319 --> 00:29:35.859 I say to you all this morning, 00:29:36.299 --> 00:29:36.599 hark. 00:29:38.419 --> 00:29:39.139 Listen up. 00:29:39.720 --> 00:29:40.879 Listen very carefully. 00:29:40.880 --> 00:29:43.060 pay very close attention. 00:29:44.700 --> 00:29:48.000 Have you surrendered your life 00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:49.920 to this prince 00:29:49.920 --> 00:29:53.140 that's come to give you peace with God, 00:29:53.520 --> 00:29:55.280 peace that passes all understanding? 00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:57.840 And have you allowed 00:29:57.840 --> 00:29:59.340 this son of righteousness 00:29:59.340 --> 00:30:02.100 to come and to shine His life 00:30:02.100 --> 00:30:03.380 and His light 00:30:03.380 --> 00:30:06.440 and His healing into your soul? 00:30:07.660 --> 00:30:09.480 Because that's why Jesus came. 00:30:09.480 --> 00:30:14.140 Jesus wants to raise you up with Him 00:30:14.140 --> 00:30:15.960 to a life abundant, 00:30:16.160 --> 00:30:17.380 a life eternal 00:30:17.380 --> 00:30:20.099 that He and only He 00:30:20.099 --> 00:30:21.500 can give you. 00:30:23.059 --> 00:30:23.500 And so, 00:30:23.660 --> 00:30:24.519 now that we know 00:30:24.519 --> 00:30:25.660 what this song means, 00:30:26.700 --> 00:30:28.200 are you ready to sing it together? 00:30:29.380 --> 00:30:31.180 We're going to just take a quiet moment 00:30:31.180 --> 00:30:32.940 and invite our musicians to come 00:30:32.940 --> 00:30:35.019 and they're going to invite us 00:30:35.019 --> 00:30:36.099 to stand in just a moment 00:30:36.099 --> 00:30:38.299 and again, 00:30:38.399 --> 00:30:39.399 we want you to sing it, 00:30:39.839 --> 00:30:41.699 sing it boldly. 00:30:43.019 --> 00:30:44.240 And we offer this up to Him 00:30:44.240 --> 00:30:44.959 in the name of the Father, 00:30:45.099 --> 00:30:45.899 Son, and Holy Spirit. 00:30:46.199 --> 00:30:46.439 Amen. 00:30:46.439 --> 00:30:46.579 Amen. 00:30:46.579 --> 00:30:46.619 Amen. 00:30:46.619 --> 00:30:46.639 Amen. 00:30:46.639 --> 00:30:46.719 Amen. 00:30:46.719 --> 00:30:46.779 Amen. 00:30:46.779 --> 00:30:47.199 Amen. 00:30:47.199 --> 00:30:47.219 Amen. 00:30:47.219 --> 00:30:47.779 Amen. 00:30:47.779 --> 00:30:48.719 Amen. 00:30:48.719 --> 00:30:49.079 Amen. 00:30:49.079 --> 00:30:49.359 Amen. 00:30:49.359 --> 00:30:49.679 Amen. 00:30:49.679 --> 00:30:49.799 Amen. 00:30:49.799 --> 00:30:49.819 Amen. 00:30:49.819 --> 00:30:49.859 Amen. 00:30:49.859 --> 00:30:49.919 Amen. 00:30:49.919 --> 00:30:49.939 Amen. 00:30:49.939 --> 00:30:50.500 Amen. 00:30:50.500 --> 00:30:50.839 Amen. 00:30:50.839 --> 00:30:51.259 Amen.