2025 Christmas Eve
Our church has a rich tradition of beautiful hymns, full of powerful words that proclaim the Gospel and teach Scriptural truths, set to beautiful and timeless melodies, great works of art! Every season has some particularly excellent hymns, but Christmas hymns hold a special place in many hearts.
The nostalgia that we feel when we hear the familiar tunes of those the great Christmas hymns is only heightened by the depth of meaning in the lyrics that proclaim the Word of God, reminding us of the glory revealed when the Word became flesh. “He came down to earth from heaven, Who is God and Lord of all.” “Hail, hail the Word made flesh, the babe, the son of Mary.”
The beautiful and powerful words of our great Christmas hymns stand in stark contrast with much of the secular music that fill the airwaves this time of year. Those songs have their own charm, they are bouncy and upbeat, reminding us of Christmases past, but ultimately, I can’t help but find them empty and unable to satisfy the expectations of this holy season. They are full of secular Christmas clichés, repeated so often that they become meaningless. I wonder, could the secular world convincingly articulate why this is “the most wonderful time of the year”?
In some ways, it certainly seems like the longest time of the year. It hardly seems as though we can get through October anymore without Christmas displays showing up in stores and secular Christmas ads popping up everywhere, exploiting the hopefulness of this season to encourage you to find joy and peace in gifts and possessions, rather than in Jesus. Often those secular messages do not even mention Christmas, filled instead with trite and empty phrases like “season’s greetings!” that dilute and obscure the true message of Christmas.
Far from making the season more special and heightening our anticipation, they turn Christmas into something mundane and boring, faded and worn. By the time Christmas Day arrives, the secular clichés taste stale in the mouth, though the Christmas season is only just beginning.
Don’t confuse those trite and empty clichés with the true meaning of Christmas, the powerful message that can also sound like a cliché at times but is true nonetheless: Jesus loves you. He loves you so much that He became man, lived among us, and died on the cross to pay for your sins. He loves you so much that He gave Himself so that you might have eternal life in Him. The Word of God, the mighty King of the Universe, the omnipotent Creator of all things seen and unseen, became a helpless human baby because of His love for you.
Sometimes, especially surrounded by the darkness in secular culture, that love of God may be difficult to discern. Sometimes it might feel as though God has hidden Himself from the world and left it in darkness and turmoil. That would only be what we deserve.
Truly, it would have been fair for the Most Holy God to abandon this world to its sin and shame, for that is what we all bring upon ourselves. No matter our intentions, all have fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). At times, life can seem like nothing but a constant struggle, a never-ending battle with the darkness all around us.
I think that is why people love Christmas so much, even those outside the faith. The lights and joy of this season offer a break from the turmoil, the constant battle with the darkness in our lives. For the secular world, that darkness is briefly held at bay by gaudy lights and false or fleeting joy, clichéd songs and nostalgia for “the good old days,” that were really only good when viewed through the rose-colored glass of our memories.
But for the Christian, that darkness no longer holds any real power. It was broken once and for all. “The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined” (Is. 9:2).
The light and glory of God that is usually veiled on earth was revealed on that most holy night, when the darkness was broken and simple shepherds were given a glimpse of the undimmed glory of heaven, and the angels sang the very first and most pure Christmas hymn. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Lk. 2:14).
The words of that song are not trite and empty phrases, neither were they created in the mind of man, but came from the very realm of eternal Light, sung by the angelic host that continually witnesses the undiminished glory of the Divine.
That first Christmas hymn was not simply a song of praise for God. It was also a message of hope for mankind. The good will of God toward man was proclaimed from the heavens and revealed, not just in word, but in deed. That proclamation of peace was attached with a sign, a physical manifestation of God’s good will toward man. For unto you was born that day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
The angels’ song burst forth into creation on that night when the final chapter of the Divine salvation story began at the birth of a little baby, laid in a manger. On that night, the Divine Light shone in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it (Jn 1:5).
I can’t imagine the emotions those shepherds must have experienced that night. The darkness bursting asunder and a glorious light filling the hills, reverberating with the unworldly voices of God’s heavenly host, His mighty army against the forces of darkness. It’s no wonder the angel had to tell them not to be afraid.
Then again, the entreaty not to fear had less to do with the angels themselves and much more to do with the good news they bore. Humankind no longer needs to fear the wrath of a just and vengeful God. The enmity aroused in Him by human sin and waywardness was neutralized, not because of our merit, but because God’s saving light had dawned. Jesus Christ, the prince of peace, had taken up humanity into the Divine.
When the world encourages you not to worry, it feels empty and hopeless, like covering over the problem or ignoring it without actually resolving anything. But that is not the way God works. When the heavens declare “do not fear” it is because your reason to fear has been stripped away. Your sins are forgiven; you have peace with God, not because of anything you have done, but because of His incomparable love for you that He demonstrated by sending you a Savior.
This is not an abstract idea. The Gospel of Luke pointedly includes historical markers and circumstances. The incarnation of God is no sentimental fairy tale or moralistic story. This message of peace is not ephemeral and transient, but permanent and eternal.
The incarnation and birth of Jesus Christ and the purpose of His coming are your sure defense and fortress against adversity and darkness, your comfort and hope in the face of sickness and bereavement, and the wellspring of life that enables you to serve our Lord in His church and in your Savior’s world.
Likewise, the angels’ praise was not abstract, but specific. They did not sing praise to God with empty and clichéd phrases, heaping up empty words. Rather they sang praise for the awesome wonder that God had accomplished, demonstrating His good will toward men, being born as a child of man so that you might become a child of God.
That Gospel truth guides your life, not just today, but every day. The angels pointed the shepherds toward the manger where they would find the baby, and they gladly rushed to witness the great thing that God had done. In the same way, you should rush to where you will find your Savior, Jesus Christ, where He has promised to bless you, in His church, in His Word, and in His Sacraments.
Our worship services are called Divine, not because they are enjoyable (though they are that), but because in them heaven and earth are joined together to singing praise to God, and because Jesus comes to you with forgiveness and peace.
You may have noticed that the Gloria in Excelsis was missing from our Divine Services during the season of Advent, a time of waiting and anticipation for the glorious coming of our Lord. But on this blessed day, we join once more with all the angels and archangels and with all the company of the faithful, in heaven and on earth, to sing that timeless and powerful hymn of praise and glory. The song of the angels reverberates not just today, but every Sunday across the world. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
The joy of Christmas is the joy of salvation dawning, to be treasured all year long. That sounds like another cliché, but it is one whose truth is undiminished for those who receive it in faith.
The message of the angels’ song is not trite nor contrived. It cannot be sung and then forgotten as soon as the presents are unwrapped, the meals consumed, and the football games enjoyed. This song that bears the true message of Christmas is meant to be kept and treasured in our hearts, just as Mary treasured it in hers. This message of peace is meant to be proclaimed to the whole world.
And unlike the emptiness of the secular songs and decorations, this message does not diminish nor fade as it is pondered and shared. Rather it becomes more meaningful and more precious as time passes, so long as it is remembered in faith.
As you go out from here, from this oasis of Light, treasure the good news of great joy. Jesus Christ was born for you, to be your Savior. His light is undimmed and undiminished. Let that be true in your own life as well. Treasure it in your hearts, share it at every opportunity. Remember that Jesus was born to save you from darkness and sin. He was born to bring you light and life. He was born to bring you peace.
And that “peace of God, that surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). Amen.