Thought for December 20

 History:

• 1552: Suleiman the Magnificent accepts the surrender of the Knights of Rhodes [Crusaders who later become the Knights of Malta]
• 1803: Formal transfer of Louisiana Purchase to US
• 1812: "Grimm's Fairy Tales" published
• 1820: Missouri imposes $1 tax on unmarried men between 21-50
• 1917: Lenin forms the Checka, later called the KGB
• 1946: "It's a Wonderful Life" premiers
• 1957: Elvis receives his draft notice
• 1960: Viet Cong officially formed in South Viet Nam
• Born: Harvey Firestone, Jonah Hill, Dick Wolf [Created Law & Order television franchise]
• Died: Sacagawea, John Steinbeck

Thought:

Considering Christmas songs that tell of angels and shepherds this morning. In the times when Christ was born, Angels and shepherds seemed like two very different kinds to celebrate the birth of the Savior. Shepherds were lowly, humble and they worked far from the center of things. Their jobs were lonely, hard, and smelly. Their sheep were dumb, nearly blind, defenseless. Angels were heavenly, beautiful, marvelous creatures, dwelling close to God in the heavenly realms. And yet, here at Christmas we find the shepherds getting the first announcement of Christ's birth and the angels coming down to proclaim the message to man.  A great picture of heaven coming down to man. Think about these hymns:

• "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks"-- A controversial hymn written in 1700 by Nahum Tate to music composed by Handel. Why was it controversial. Well, Tate and Nicholas Brady had published what they called a "New Version" of the ancient "Sternhold-Hopkins Psalter." The old version stayed very close to the original psalms and was considered God's words, suitable to be sung in church. The New Version was more poetic and easier to sing, but was rejected by many as being "man's songs" unsuitable for the church. Reading the words to this hymn I wonder what all the fuss was about--Shepherds watched as angels came down in glory to tell us to "fear not" and rejoice for in David's town a Christ child would be found in a manger wrapped in "swathing bands." For me this old hymn pictures the truth that Christ did not come to the powerful or rich, but to the humble and outcast. And it reminds me that His message has not changed--glory to God, peace on earth, do not fear, Christ has come. 
• Who were these singers from heaven? "Angels from the Realms of Glory." Written on Christmas Eve 1816 by James Montgomery and first sung on Christmas Day 1821. Notice who this hymn addresses--Angels, Shepherds, Sages, Saints, all nations:
• Angels who sang at creation now sing the Messiah's birth. A plan from everlasting to everlasting. God's eternal plan for reconciliation with His creation. Think about how much God must love us to make a plan for our salvation in creation. 
• Shepherds who are watching their flocks. The Great Shepherd coming to save the shepherds of the fields.
• Sages, or wise men. Notice the hymn says stop contemplating and seek the desire of nations. What a message for me. Stop studying and thinking and start seeking--you have seen the star; you can have a relationship not with the vision or the prophesy but with the living Christ. We cannot know Christ by getting smarter or exercising human intelligence--we get to know Christ by opening our hearts and minds to Him so that He can reveal Himself to us. 
• Saints. Angels proclaimed, shepherds heard, sages saw prophesy fulfilled, now saints worship. In this verse we see those faithful saints of the Bible, Simeon, Anna, Zacharias. You have been waiting faithfully, now the Lord Himself is coming to your Temple. That time He came as a babe and then a man; next time He will come as the Lion of Judah so saints keep watching and waiting.
• All nations--one day in His kingdom all nations will gather to sing Holy, Holy, Holy---Worthy is the Lamb. 
• And what were these angels singing. Charles Wesley tells us they sang "Glory to the newborn king." Read or sing through the words Wesley wrote [slightly modified by George Whitfield] in "Hark The Heavenly Angels Sing.".
• God and sinners reconciled! That's good news for me and you.
• Christ the everlasting Lord is born in Bethlehem. Veiled in flesh, the incarnate Deity. What a picture, Jesus's glory veiled in flesh. God with us, our Immanuel. God who left His throne to become like us so that we could become like Him.
• Prince of Peace and the source of life and light. The healer who even conquers death so that no more do we have to die, but given a second birth. 
• And we are invited to join the angels song. We do not know the author but we all sing "Gloria, in Excelsis Deo." Glory to God in the Highest--Luke 2:14.

Blessings

Larry