Theme for this month: Jesus in the Four Gospels
Theme for this week: “Jesus in the Gospel of Luke”
December 24, 2021 (Friday)
The first two chapters of the Gospel of Luke tell us about the Savior’s birth. The rest of the gospel describes the ministry of Jesus up to and including his death, burial, resurrection and commission to us all to become his faithful witnesses. The Gospel of Luke closes at the end of Chapter 24, when Jesus ascends to Heaven. He intercedes for us now at the right hand of the Father. He is with us now in the person of the Holy Spirit. He is coming again, at a time known only to the Father. Let us rejoice. He came. He is with us. He is coming again.
Luke continues the story in the Book of Acts, describing the spread of the Good News of Jesus to the nations of the world, Good News that continues to be shared to this day. In the meantime, we celebrate the virgin birth of the Son of God every year at Christmas time, rejoicing that the Lord has come!
The hymn for today is, “Silent Night, Holy Night.” No song says, “Christmas” to me as much as this one. And who better to sing it than the great Bing Crosby, a true legend.
Originally written in German, this song touches the hearts of all people everywhere. It is a picture of perfect peace. Our Savior can bring peace to this troubled world. Imagine a world in which all people bow before Jesus as Lord, loving one another.
SILENT NIGHT, HOLY NIGHT
Joseph Mohr
1816
Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin Mother and Child, holy
Infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night, shepherds quake at the sight,
Glories stream from heaven afar, heavenly hosts sing Alleluia.
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born.
Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light,
Radiant beams from Thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
Silent night, holy night, wondrous star, lend thy light;
With the angels let us sing, Alleluia to our King.
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born.
In 1914, during World War 1, on Christmas Eve, the soldiers from each side sang this hymn from their trenches. As they sang, some began to emerge from the cold, wet, miserable holes in the ground. Soon both sides were represented by a good number of soldiers, singing, sharing photos of families, and crudely celebrating Christmas with each other. The high-ranking officers from both sides disapproved when they heard of it, and it was never repeated. But for a brief moment, the true spirit that Christ brought to the world could be seen on the battlefield.