Heart of the Song: O Come All Ye Faithful
The Christmas story opens in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago. Joseph and a very pregnant Mary had traveled a long way to the hometown of their family to participate in a census decreed by Caesar Augustus. The local inns were over-crowded and so Mary and Joseph found themselves settled down for the night among livestock and cattle as Mary delivered the Savior of the world.
Meanwhile, not too far away, a group of shepherds were keeping watch over their flock, undoubtedly unsuspecting of the wonders they would behold a few hours later.
In that day, being a shepherd meant taking constant care of your flock. It wasn’t a lucrative business, and these men were often viewed more as nomads than actual community members. This is probably why the shepherds had not dispersed to be counted in their home-lands like the rest of the country. They simply weren’t considered significant enough to count.
And so it was that this particular group of shepherds were resting with their flock in the fields outside Bethlehem on the night of Jesus’ birth. We read their story in Luke chapter 2.
| And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
– Luke 2:9-12 |
O come, all ye faithful,
joyful and triumphant! O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem! Come and behold him, born the King of angels.
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
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It’s noteworthy God didn’t choose any of the political or religious leaders of that day or really anyone of “importance” to be the first to hear and spread this news.
The angels could have appeared anywhere and to anyone. Yet God chose this lowly group of unsuspecting men to be the first to hear about the birth of the Messiah — Jesus Christ, God in flesh, born in the middle of the night to young parents and in a stable.
| And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God
and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, – Luke 2:13-14 |
Sing, choirs of angels,
sing in exultation! Sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above! Glory to God, all glory in the highest
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord! |
The shepherds heard the most important news in the history of the world from the mouths of angels of heaven! The long-awaited Messiah had come.
Can you imagine what an utterly overwhelming experience that must have been?
| When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger…
– Luke 2:15-16
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Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
born this happy morning; Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n! Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
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Shell-shocked and probably filled with wonder, the shepherds dropped everything to seek out the newborn Jesus. They went to find the Messiah; not to ask anything of him; not even to bring him gifts as the Magi would later do. For what did they possibly have to offer?
They simply went to see if it could possibly be true, and to worship him if it was.
They went to adore him.
And after they’d seen him, they went and told as many people as they could what had happened, who had come, and what the angels said about him.
And this is exactly what we do when we gather together and celebrate this same incredible news over 2,000 years later.
When we think about the words of “O Come All Ye Faithful,” singing together with our families and our neighbors and church-family on Christmas Eve, we are reminded of the great lengths to which God went through in order to reconcile us to him. We celebrate Christ’s birth knowing something the shepherds didn’t — what he accomplished in his death and resurrection.
But, on this side of the Gospel, we can still respond in similar fashion to those few humble men: worship.
Our status, wealth, and pasts don’t disqualify us.
We can simply come and adore him, revelling in the splendor and majesty of God’s grace gifted to us through Christ the Lord.
- Heart of the Song: O Come All Ye Faithful - December 7, 2021
- Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus - December 22, 2020