Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

 Luke 2:13-14 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, good will toward men.

The power of God’s glory was the introduction the multitude of angels gave the shepherds before making known the birth of the Christ Child. 

Watching their sheep in a usual silent night, it is no wonder they were afraid.  

It still amazes me that such an awesome message was given to these unknown guys out in the middle of nowhere.. 

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

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 Hark! The herald angels sing,   —  “Glory to the newborn King;   —  Peace on earth, and mercy mild,   —  God and sinners reconciled!”   —  Joyful, all ye nations rise,   —  Join the triumph of the skies;   —  With th’angelic host proclaim,   —  “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

CHORUS:

Hark! the herald angels sing,   —  

“Glory to the newborn King!”

Christ, by highest Heav’n adored;   —  Christ the everlasting Lord;   —  Late in time, behold Him come,   —  Offspring of a virgin’s womb.   —  Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;   —  Hail th’incarnate Deity,   —  Pleased as man with men He dwell,   —  Jesus our Emmanuel.

Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace!   —  Hail the Sun of Righteousness!   —  Light and life to all He brings,   —  Ris’n with healing in His wings.   —  Mild He lays His glory by,   —  Born that man no more may die; —Born to raise the sons of earth, — Born to give them second birth.

Charles Wesley 1739

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit. 

More Than Wonderful

Isaiah 9:6.    For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Mary nursed her Maker!  The Creator became dependent upon the creature.

A "Son is given" speaks of His deity and His death. Jesus, was the son of man and also the Son of God.

“Government" reminds us that He rose from the dead, ascended back to Heaven and is coming again for His people and then in glory to reign upon the earth.

As “Counselor”, Jesus is a leader and guiding force in the lives of men. 

As “Mighty God” He is our strong, invincible Hero; conquering all our enemies —  Death. [1 Cor. 15:55], Sin [Rom. 6:14], and the Grave [Matt. 28:1-6].

As “Everlasting Father”, He is forever loving, supporting, sustaining, and comforting us. 

As our “Prince of Piece” He gives peace with God, self, and others, Ultimately, He will bring peace to the world for eternity!

More Than Wonderful

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He promised us that He would be a counselor,    —    A Mighty God and the Prince of Peace.    —    He promised us that He would be a Father,    —    And that He would love us with a love that would not cease.

Well, I tried Him, and I found His promises are true.    —    He's everything He said that He would be.    —    The finest words I know could not begin to tell    —    Just what Jesus really means to me.

Chorus:

For He's more wonderful than my mind can conceive,    —    He's more wonderful than my heart can believe.    —    He goes beyond my highest hopes and fondest dreams.    —    He's everything that my soul ever longed for,    —    Everything He's promised and so much more.    —    More than amazing, more than marvelous, — More than miraculous could ever be. — He's more than wonderful, that's what Jesus is to me.

I stand amazed when I think that the King of glory    —    Should come to dwell within the heart of man.    —    I marvel just to know He really loves me,  —  When I think of who He is, and who I am.

Lanny Wolfe, 

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit. 

What Child Is This?

 Luke 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

The King of Kings was born in a manger for two reasons: 

1.)  That some old shepherds might find Him. 

2.) That some old sinners might be able to identify with Him and approach Him for salvation. 

No room in the Inn relates to the rest of His life – John 1:11. 

Many still have no room for Him in their lives today, John 1:12.

What Child Is This?

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What Child is this who, laid to rest,   —   On Mary’s lap is sleeping? — Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, — While shepherds watch are keeping?

CHORUS:

This, this is Christ the King,   —   Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;   —   Haste, haste to bring Him laud,   —   The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate,   —   Where ox and ass are feeding?   —   Good Christians, fear, for sinners here   —   The silent Word is pleading.

So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,   —   Come peasant, king to own Him; — The King of kings salvation brings, — Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

William C. Dix 1865

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit. 

Angels, From The Realms of Glory

 Luke 2:13-14 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, good will toward men.

The night God became flesh and walked among men ranks as one of the greatest moments in human history. 

It was a night of tremendous miracles and great blessings. 

It was the night when God moved into the world to live and eventually to die. 

Though this story is over 2,000 years old, it’s still fresh enough to inspire worship for the Glory of Jesus in the manger or on the cross or risen indeed. 

Angels, From The Realms of Glory

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Angels from the realms of glory,    —   Wing your flight o’er all the earth;    —   Ye who sang creation’s story    —   Now proclaim Messiah’s birth.

CHORUS::

Come and worship, come and worship,    —   Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Shepherds, in the field abiding,    —   Watching o’er your flocks by night,    —   God with us is now residing;    —   Yonder shines the infant light:

Saints, before the altar bending,    —   Watching long in hope and fear;    —   Suddenly the Lord, descending,    —   In His temple shall appear.

Though an Infant now we view Him,    —   He shall fill His Father’s throne,    —   Gather all the nations to Him;    —   Every knee shall then bow down:

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit. 

Joy to The World

 Luke 2:10-11 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 

[11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

When the angels brought the good news of great joy to the shepherds; first, Jesus removed their fear. 

He also removes our fears. We don’t have to be afraid of Death, Hell, Satan, Life, etc., because the new-born babe is the Savior who will die on a cruel cross, a sacrifice for our sin.

Pictures Him as Christ - the Anointed One - the Son of God - the the fulfillment of all the promises and prophecies beginning at Eden, Gen. 3:15.

Joy to The World

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Joy to the world! the Lord is come;    —    Let earth receive her King;    —    Let every heart prepare him room,    —    And heaven and nature sing.    —    And heaven and nature sing,    —    And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns; — Let men their songs employ; — While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains — Repeat the sounding joy, — Repeat the sounding joy, — Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace,    —    And makes the nations prove    —    The glories of His righteousness,    —    And wonders of His love,    —    And wonders of His love,    —    And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Isaac Watts  1719

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit. 

O Little Town of Bethlehem

 Micah 5:2  But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Bethlehem was small, but the One to be born there wouldn’t have His beginning there because He is eternal. 

The story of Bethlehem is that God became human, yet He didn’t stop being God.

The Holy Spirit placed Jesus within Mary’s womb. He was born some nine months later. John 1:1, 14; Phil 2:5-8. 

He was born to die for our sins. I’m glad.

O Little Town of Bethlehem

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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 tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary  —  And, gathered all above  —  While mortals sleep, the angels keep    —    Their watch of wond'ring love.    —    O morning stars, together    —    Proclaim the holy birth,    —    And praises sing to God the King,    —    And peace to all on earth!

How silently, how silently —The wondrous gift is giv'n! —  So God imparts to human hearts — The blessings of his heav'n. — No ear may hear his coming,— But in this world of sin, — Where meek souls will receive him, still — The dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem, — Descend to us, we pray; — Cast out our sin and enter in, —  Be born in us today. —  We hear the Christmas angels  —  The great glad tidings tell;  —  O come to us, abide with us,   —    Our Lord Immanuel!

Phillips Brooks  1868

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit. 

Isaiah 64:8 But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Believers are saved because Jesus took the shapeless, dead clay of our lives in His loving, powerful hands and molded us into something new for His glory. 

With loving care and infinite skill, God shaped us by His grace and wrote His love into our lives. 2 Cor. 5:5.

Have Thine Own Way,Lord

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Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!    —    Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.    —    Mold me and make me after Thy will,    —    While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!    —    Search me and try me, Master, today!    —    Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,    —    As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!  —  Wounded and weary, help me, I pray!    —    Power, all power, surely is Thine!    —    Touch me and heal me, Savior divine.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!    —    Hold o’er my being absolute sway! — Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see — Christ only, always, living in me.

Adelaide A. Pollard  1907

Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit.