Christmas is only a few days away. The radio plays one of the old standards in the background.  I grew up singing along with voices which are etched in my memory. Their   renditions are as unique as fingerprints. Surely even this music saturated generation is  touched by those  songsters of old named Bing and Elvis and Burl whose voices fill the air at Christmas.

Since the season started even before Halloween, I’ve heard countless  variations  of Christmas music.  Some songs lift my spirit; others are downright awful (if I could ask for a poll of the most annoying songs , it would be a toss up!)  I like “ Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow”, but after hearing  it mind numbing times, I’m ready to take my snow shovel to it.

There is one carol  that’s  on a lot and has gotten my attention, “O Holy Night.” I know it well from childhood but it was never a  favorite and so I  paid scant  attention to the text.   It’s almost impossible to sing except for the likes of Celine and Mariah who can reach the rafter high notes. In church I usually give up the attempt for which those sitting around me are most grateful. The song was composed in the 1840’s  and is French in origin. An English version was  brought to America where it became popular with abolitionists because of the line, “The slave is like our brother.” The song  describes the night Jesus was born as told primarily in Luke’s  Nativity story. It is musical Scripture.

Jesus’ birth  was not on an ordinary night; it was not even “merely  extraordinary”. The night was unexpected, divine and holy. There has never been and never will be another like it. Stars and angels filled the sky in glory,  angelic voices resounded from the heavens, the prophetic message was given to humble  men tending sheep for God Incarnate  traversed  eternity to be born as a humble child. The events were incomprehensible, the atmosphere  was majestic  and the earth has been shaking ever since.   

In the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations it’s easy to lose focus:  Christmas is about salvation. “O Holy Night “ is a salvation  song. The weary world  “long lay in sin and error pining” until Jesus appeared, and “the soul felt its worth”. Messiah had come.   As the Christmas skies displayed the glory of heaven around Him, the infant Jesus was bringing Light and Life to men. The angels declared  “a thrill” of joy, hope and peace.  After the night, “a new and glorious morning” would come.  Jesus the Dayspring is born.

Luke  was  a companion of Paul and the writer of Acts. He  was a Gentile, a physician, a man of science and presumably well educated  and yet it is his Gospel which details the strange wonders surrounding Jesus’ birth. I would  have expected  such details  more from mystical John, the writer of Revelation. Instead , Holy Spirit chose Luke to record what he had learned from those who were witnesses. Perhaps he had encountered  a shepherd or Bethlehemite. Perhaps Mary  had told one of the disciples about that holy night so  the story was passed on to Luke.  That it was  Luke’s narrative  gives the events greater credence to skeptics and pagans who otherwise believe the most far fetched fables. The  night was holy, divine,  a night of wonder and glory as only God could ordain it. It  happened exactly as Luke described.

Today Christmas is marketed as a  soulless, generic winter holiday  and is embraced as  the so called “spirit of Christmas.” (which is  the spirit of the Age. )  Watch more than one episode of Hallmark Christmas movies and the film makers’ intentions become obvious:  to  erase Jesus Christ from his own birthday.  It’s cheap tinsel and  as substantial as melting snowflakes. Therefore, we  the church ought to give Jesus, Our Emmanuel,  greater  honor, praise and recognition.  There is no other reason for the season.  There is only one  true Spirit of Christmas -Christ’s,  who was born  on a  night unlike any other.

Fall on your knees in fearful wonder as the shepherds did.  Jesus ‘ Incarnation was and is our  hope  every single starless night and  cloudy  day. Jesus Christ  abides with us 2000 years later by the Holy Spirit and He is preparing  to come again in incomparable, unrivaled   majesty.  Hear the angels proclaiming the good news to men and then go and do likewise.