Merry Christmas!

Dear Friends,

Christmas carols often choose creativity over content.  As I thought about Christmas, one song impressed me with its deep richness and gospel content.  I can think of no better Christmas gift than the truth this song so beautifully communicates.  Allow me to point out the significant characteristics of this hymn.  Let’s begin with the first verse.

All my heart this night rejoices

as I hear far and near sweetest angel voices.


“Christ is born,” their choirs are singing 

till the air ev’rywhere now with joy is ringing.

The first verse indicate the great rejoicing that the incarnation brings to those who understand its implications.  We join our voices with the angelic choir and the church universal as we shake the air with the sound of our praise for all that God has done for us in Christ.  In a sense, even we cannot reach the depths, heights, and lengths of the greatness of Christ and His benefits.

Forth today the Conqu’ror goeth, 

who the foe, sin and woe, death and hell, o’erthroweth.


God is man, man to deliver; 

His dear Son now is one with our blood forever.

The second verse begins relating the greatness of the birth of Christ.  We do not win against our enemies; Christ goes before us.  Our enemies are too great for us.  Sin, misery, death, and hell all conspire to do us ill.  All these Christ destroys.  “God is man, man to deliver.”  Here is the reason for the incarnation.  Read Hebrews 2:14-18.  Think about this.  The second person of the godhead is united with our human nature forever.

Shall we still dread God’s displeasure, 

who, to save, freely gave His most cherished treasure?


To redeem us, he hath given 

His own Son from the throne of his might in heaven.

The third verse turns from the person of Christ to His work.  Do we have any reason to fear God’s judgment?  Absolutely not.  Remember what Paul says in Romans 8:33-34 “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”  Again, that wonderful promise from the previous verse. “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? ”  And finally, Paul describes the condescension of God to be man.  “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” (II Cor. 8:9)

He becomes the Lamb that taketh 

sin away and for aye full atonement maketh.


For our life his own he tenders; 

and our race, by his grace, meet for glory renders.

The fourth verse continues the theme of Jesus’ work.  These words from John the baptist  introduce the verse.  “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)  The terms of the great exchange are here portrayed.  Vicarious or substitutionary atonement appear.  “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” (Ro.5:15)  Again, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Ro.5:1-2)

Hark! a voice from yonder manger,

soft and sweet, doth entreat: “Flee from woe and danger,


Brethren, from all ills that grieve you, 

you are freed; all you need I will surely give you.”

Perhaps the one deficit of this hymn is its emotive suggestion of a baby speaking.  Yet this is merely figurative language for the invitation of the risen Christ.  The fifth verse presents the call of the gospel.  The call to flee is the call to repent. (See. Matt/Lu 3:7)  Remember, “all ills that grieve you” are the same as those listed in the second verse: sin, woe, death, and hell.  These all Christ conquers for us.  We flee from our own attempts to satisfy God’s demands of our own interests.  Along with our salvation, Jesus freely gives us all things.

Come, then, banish all your sadness, 

one and all, great and small; come with songs of gladness.


Love him who with love is glowing; 

hail the star, near and far light and joy bestowing.

We return to the celebration of the incarnation.  The sixth verse records the praise that flows from understanding all that the birth of Christ means.  Christ banishes our sadness.  No matter what happens in life, we have no warrant to languish in misery.  To every race, gender, height, economic or social strata, the songs of gladness belong.  “We love him, because he first loved us.” (I John 4:19)  The star becomes the sign that Christ belongs to every nation as the wise men came from a far country to worship the newborn Christ.

Dearest Lord, thee will I cherish.  

Though my breath fail in death, yet I shall not perish,


But with thee abide for ever 

there on high, in that joy which can vanish never.

The final verse takes us to the terminus of our natural life.  Even though we face death, our worship and celebration of the incarnate Christ will not end.  We will continue to sing this song and every song of celebration when Christ raises us from the dead and makes our bodies like His glorious body.  Then our worship, joy, gladness, and praise will continue without interruption forever.

We wish you a happy and blessed Christmas, a Christmas celebrating all that Jesus brought you.  May you rejoice in His heavenly light with a joy that never fails. 

Pastor Warren Bennett and The Congregation of Covenant Presbyterian Church