Pastor Jim’s sermon on the Sunday after Christmas (December 28, 2014) took a look at some of the carols that inspire us during the Christmas season. God calls us to sing and even dance. We’re supposed to be happy! And so these carols aren’t simply traditional songs that bring back memories. They are expressions of our faith.
Click the below “play” button to listen to the recording, then scroll down and follow along…
The scripture for this morning was from Luke 2:8-14…
Luke 2:8-14
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
NKJV
Carols…
Imagine Christmas without carols? Even secular music helps carry us through and gets us into the spirit. Music is a gift from God, and He gave it to us to help us connect us with Him.
Here’s a synopsis of the Christmas Story using carols. Can you count the number of carols? Give a listen, then click on the “answer” when you’ve given it an honest guess…
On a silent night, long ago, there was a song in the air that the Savior of the nations had come. The song rang forth that the long expected Jesus had been born to a maid engaged to Joseph.
God had chosen angels from the realms of glory to announce the birth of the Messiah, that boy-child of Mary. The angels came to a hillside while shepherds watched their flocks. T’was in the moon of wintertime, and explained to the shepherds that God’s Son was coming into the world in that little town of Bethlehem.
The shepherds could have been startled by such heavenly vision that they exclaimed “Hark, the herald angels sing!”
Could it be that the prophets are correct that love came down at Christmas? Is it true that He is born? As the message came upon the midnight clear to the shepherds, they were filled with joy to the world. It could be said that the shepherds said that “angels we have heard on high, here in the bleak mid-winter, so good Christian men rejoice!”
As the shepherds came and found the infant holy infant lowly wrapped in swaddling clothes laying away in a manger, perhaps they thought to themselves “lo, how a rose e’re blooming.” It is true that as the shepherds saw God’s Son that they said to the Messiah, “O, morning star how fair and bright, is it that on this day, earth shall ring?”
As they departed from the manger, clearly the shepherds were saying that we must go- tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ Christ is born.
After the shepherds departed, another group of strangers came announcing, “We three kings of orient are, arriving to see what child is this.” The magi gave their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the child so lovely as the friendly beasts looked on.
As they departed a different way to return home, they may have been heard saying, “Blessed be the God of Israel, and hail to the Lord’s anointed.” Because of this event, the first noel, we now want to walk as children of the light.
How many carols did you recognize??? Click below for the list…
Answers
A total of 30 carols were mentioned in this synopsis. The carols (in “order of appearance”) are listed below. If the carol is included in our United Methodist Hymnal, the page number is shown.
- Silent Night, Holy Night (#239)
- There’s a Song in the Air (#249)
- Savior of the Nations Come (#214)
- To a Maid Engaged to Joseph (#215)
- Angels from the Realms of Glory (#220)
- That Boy-Child of Mary
- While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks (#236)
- Twas in the Moon of Wintertime
- O Little Town of Bethlehem (#230)
- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing! (#240)
- Love Came Down at Christmas (#242)
- He is Born (#228)
- It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (#218)
- Joy to the World (#246)
- Angels We Have Heard on High (#238)
- In the Bleak Mid-Winter (#221)
- Good Christian Men Rejoice! (#224)
- Infant Holy, Infant Lowly (#229)
- Away in a Manger (#217)
- Lo, How a Rose E’re Blooming (#216)
- O Morning Star How Fair and Bright (#247)
- On this Day Earth Shall Ring (#248)
- Go Tell it on the Mountain (#251)
- We Three Kings (#254)
- What Child is This? (#219)
- The Friendly Beasts (#227)
- Blessed Be the God of Israel (#209)
- Hail to the Lord’s Anointed (#203)
- The First Noel (#245)
- I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light (#206)
When we connect the carols they really do tell the whole story and point to the manger of Jesus.
Carol means, “to Dance,” or a “song of praise and joy.” They were written to be sung in all four season of the year; not just Christmas.
- 129 AD a Roman Bishop said that a song called “Angel’s Hymn” Must be sung at any worship that celebrated the Birth.
- 760 AD: The first carol was written.
- Middle Ages: People stopped celebrating Christmas.
- 1223: St. Francis started having live nativities to tell the story of the Birth. Surrounding this, carols were written- in Latin.
- 1410: The earliest fragment of a carol that we still have was written.
Sing We Now of Christmas (France)
The words to this carol are shown below. Click Here for more info.
Words
Chorus: Sing We Noel, the King is Born, Noel! Sing we now of Christmas, sing we now Noel!
2. Angels called to shepherds, “Leave your flocks at rest; Journey forth to Bethl’hem Find the Lamb-kin blest.”
3. In the stall they found Him; Joseph and Mary mild Seated ‘round the manger, Watching the holy Child.
4. From the eastern country Came the kings afar, Bearing gifts to Bethl’hem, Guided by a star. Chorus
5. Gold and myrrh they took there, Gifts of greatest price; There was ne’er a stable So like paradise. Chorus
“Infant Holy, Infant Lowly” (Poland)
This carol is based on Revelation 17:14,
“These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
It was written in 1908, and is focused on the line “Christ is Lord of All”. Even as a little baby, it is clear that this little Baby is indeed the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
For more info, Click Here.
Words
Infant holy, infant lowly, for his bed a cattle stall; Oxen lowing, little knowing Christ, the babe, is Lord of all. Swift are winging angels singing, noels ringing, tiding bringing: Christ the babe is Lord of all. Christ the babe is Lord of all.
Flocks were sleeping: shepherds keeping vigil til the morning new Saw the glory, heard the story, tidings of a gospel true. Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow, praises voicing, greet the morrow; Christ the babe was born for you. Christ the babe was born for you.
“O Little Town of Bethlehem” (USA / England)
Manger Square, Bethlehem
In 1865, Phillip Brooks traveled to the Holy Lands, and he was in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve. While attending a five hour service at the church of the Nativity, he saw shepherds out on the hillside. He was reminded of the first shepherds and was inspired to write this song for the children’s choir of his church.
For more info. Click Here.
Words
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 to-night.
O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth! And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth. For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above, While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.
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.
Where children pure and happy pray to the blessed Child, Where misery cries out to thee, Son of the mother mild; Where charity stands watching and faith holds wide the door, The dark night wakes, the glory breaks, and Christmas comes once more.
O holy Child of Bethlehem! Descend to us, we pray; Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us to-day. We hear the Christmas angels, the great glad tidings tell; O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!
“Rock-a-Bye My Dear Little Boy” (Czechoslovakia)
This is a special carol that’s written from Mary’s perspective.
It is important for us (even as Protestants) to recognize the importance of Mary. She was holding God’s Child. She gave birth to the one who gave her life!
For more information, Click Here.
Rock-a-bye
Rock-a-bye, my dear little boy, dear little boy, wonder of wonders, my blessing and joy;
slumber as I gently hold you, let my tender love enfold you;
gift of God to me and the world, here in my arms lies so peacefully curled.
Little Jesus, Infant Divine, Infant Divine, one with the Father, yet born to be mine;
as I rock you calmly sleeping, angel guards their watch are keeping;
precious child, one day we shall see what love has destined for you and for me.
“He is Born” (France and/or England)
This has both English and French origins to it. Francis of Assisi had ties to its origin, and it was perhaps written while he was in France. For more info, Click Here.
He Is Born
He is born, the divine Christ child.
Location of the manger
Play on the oboe and bagpipes merrily. He is born, the divine Christ child. Sing we all of the Saviour’s birth
1. Through long ages of the past, Prophets have foretold his coming; Through long ages of the past, Now the time has come at last. Chorus
2. Oh, how lovely, oh, how pure. Is this perfect child of heaven. Oh, how lovely, oh, how pure, Gracious gift of God, to man. Chorus
3. Jesus, Lord of all the world, Coming as a child among us, Jesus, Lord of all the world, Grant to us Thy heav’nly peace.
“The Friendly Beasts” (France)
We have carols written from the perspectives of Joseph, Mary, the Wise Men, and from the Shepherds. But this carol, imagines what the animals surrounding the manger may have thought (even though there’s no mention of them in the Bible). Jesus is the lord of all creation.. even of the animals. All of creation bows to Him, and is it so far fetched to imagine that all of creation rejoiced when the Messiah was born?
For more information, Click Here.
Friendly Beasts
Jesus our brother kind and good Was humbly born in a stable rude. And the friendly beasts around him stood Jesus our brother, kind and good.
“I,” said the donkey, all shaggy and brown, “I carried his mother up hill and down I carried his mother to Bethlehem town. ” “I,” said the donkey, all shaggy and brown.
“I,” said the cow, all white and red “I gave him my manger for his bed I gave him my hay to pillow his head. ” “I,” said the cow, all white and red
“I,” said the sheep, with curly horn, “I gave him my wool for a blanket warm He wore my coat on Christmas morn. ” “I,” said the sheep, with curly horn.
“I,” said the dove, from the rafters high “I cooed him to sleep so he would not cry We cooed him to sleep, my love and I “I,” said the dove, from the rafters high.
Thus every beast, by some good spell In the stable rude was glad to tell Of the gift he gave Emmanuel The gift he gave Emmanuel.
Joy to the World!!!
