My Top 4 Christmas Messages Based On Some of My Favorite Christmas Carol Lyrics
I love many of the modern-day Christmas songs, from the 50s and 60s with Perry Como, The Beach Boys, Alvin and The Chipmunks and Brenda Lee rockin’ around the Christmas tree, to many of the more recent favorites by Mariah Carey, John Legend, Pentatonix and more. But, for me, the real meaning of Christmas is found in the older standard Christmas carols. I put together a list of some of my favorite Christmas carol lyrics and phrases, and, as I looked at them, I noticed they sorted into four distinct Christmas messages about Jesus. So, here is a countdown of my Top Four Christmas Messages based on some of my favorite Christmas carol lyrics.
#4 Message - Jesus is King and Lord
Lyrics
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel. (The First Noel)
Joy to The world! the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King. (Joy to the World)
Come and behold Him, Born the King of Angels! (O Come All Ye Faithful)
Jesus is the divine and everlasting King! Above all earthly kings and lords, Jesus reigns! Lord of lords, and King of kings. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)
#3 - Jesus is Savior
Lyrics
Joy to the world! the Savior reigns (Joy to the World)
Christ the Savior is born! (Silent Night)
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth! (O Holy Night)
It’s not typically a message we like to hear during this festive time celebrating Jesus’s birth, but it’s only in understanding our desperate condition that the value of Jesus’s life can be most deeply appreciated. The dreaded truth is that we're dead in our sins, headed for eternal separation from God in a real place called Hell, in need of a Savior. But, because of his great love for us, and by his grace and mercy, God provided a Savior.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14).
#2 - Reconciliation with God
Lyrics
God and Sinners Reconciled (Hark! The Herald Angels Sing)
Long lay the world in sin and error pining (O Holy Night)
With the dawn of redeeming grace (Silent Night)
Ever since the Fall, when Satan deceived Adam and Eve into disobeying God’s one rule and God put them out of the Garden, men and women across time have pined to find their way back into relationship with God. And, because of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God gave us the way and the assurance of reconciliation with him – the greatest gift of all!
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself… 2 Corinthians 5:18
#1 - Meaning and Worth
Lyric - Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth (O Holy Night)
I’m afraid some of you might be let down by this, given all the great lyrics and songs and Christmas messages of joy and love and peace on Earth. But, for some reason, this line has always impressed upon me a depth of meaning like few other lyrics have - …the soul felt its worth. Everyone wants to find meaning in life. Why am I here? What’s it all about? And so many of us look for it in terms of the world – in relationships, career, money, power, celebrity. But the sad truth is, history is rife with people who have achieved profound levels of worldly success only to find a persistent emptiness. Only when we connect with our Creator can we truly know our purpose and our soul its worth. Jesus made that possible.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
