Silent Night, Holy Night

Here is my servant … I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets.    —Isaiah 42:1-2

If you attended a Christmas Eve candlelight service you may have sung the beautiful carol, Silent Night, as you lit your candle. The words were originally written in German by Joseph Mohr, a young priest, and the melody was composed by Franz Gruber for guitar accompaniment. It was first sung at the 1818 Christmas Eve service at the St Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, Austria. The English lyrics begin, “Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright.”

The touching quietness of the carol makes me think about the awesome and terrible silence of God on that first Christmas night. Mary and Joseph were turned away from the inn to deliver God’s Son in a stable and lay Him in a manger. We find no mention of God’s anger with lightning strikes or peals of thunder. The Gospel of Luke alone records this short phrase, “She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (2:7).

We hear nothing of Mary’s pregnancy except her brief visit to Elizabeth. No details are given of Mary and Joseph’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The only break in this silence on the first Christmas is made by an angel chorus singing God’s praises to lonely shepherds in the wilderness far from the ears of the sleeping townspeople. Is it any wonder that they were afraid? When God speaks out of the silence, His voice can seem deafening.

Where were the birth announcements? There was no news media, but the announcement of Christ’s birth was sent across the universe. A star silently shone its light telling the entire creation of Jesus’ birth, but only those who were ready and able to see and hear understood. Probably two years later, Wiseman came from the east bringing gifts and homage.

The busyness and loudness of our Christmas celebrations seem out of place in light of our Savior’s quiet entrance. Even Jesus’ childhood and upbringing remains a mystery. God says through Isaiah, “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight.” Isaiah goes on to describe Jesus, “He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets” (42:1-2).

As your busyness halts and the noise ceases this Christmas season, rather than becoming sad and depressed, pause and reflect on the loveliness, peace, and silence of our Savior’s birth. Many Americans try to cover their loneliness with activities and their sadness with noise but with no success. Without Jesus Christ, there is no Christmas. Without Jesus, there is no joy, no contentment, and no peace on earth.

The birth announcements came, but only to those who had time and interest to listen. Let us be those folks this year. Let us pause and listen. Let us quiet ourselves to hear from God. Let us be the ones who hear a fresh word that transforms our communities and points others to Jesus. A flourish of activities and noise won’t bring God’s transforming Holy Spirit, but openness to God’s Kingdom, a listening soul, and a heart hungry for God’s ways will hear from heaven in our days. When was the last time you truly experienced a “Silent and holy night?”

Source of Joy

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”  —Luke 2:10-11

I feel very blessed to live in America and to be able to celebrate patriotic and religious holidays. Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Thanksgiving Day give every American an opportunity to reflect upon their spiritual heritage and give thanks and praise to Our God and Heavenly Father. But, patriotic holidays with a religious twist often confuse many nominal believers about what it truly means to be a Christian.

Watching the many Thanksgiving specials, I found each one focused on giving thanks. Even the national news anchors urged everyone to give thanks. What was missing was to whom one gives thanks. Do we thank our pillow for the good nights rest? Do we thank the bank teller that we have enough money in our account? Do we thank the pediatrician for having a family? As Christians, we know exactly whom to thank, our God and Father of the Lord Jesus.

I see the same kinds of thing happening at Christmas. At staff meeting the other day, trying to encourage our staff and give them some Christmas cheer, I happily showed off my Panera Bread coffee cup that read, “Brimming with Joy.” Matt, our Director of Worship, then showed me his McDonald’s cup. It read, “Unwrap a Little Joy.” These secular companies cannot give true joy because they do not promote the source of joy. Brimming with joy encourages me to get my Christmas joy in a cup of coffee or in a stylish soup or sandwich. We cannot unwrap Christmas joy by sipping a McDonald’s coffee or opening a bag containing a Big-Mac and fries.

The Christian’s source of joy is a Person, the Person of Jesus Christ. The Christian message of Christmas is that God has come to us in the flesh. The angels told the shepherds, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people” (Luke 1:10). The next verse gives the source of that joy, “A savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” The all of the “will be for all people” includes you, me, our friends, and enemies. Christmas joy is given by God through His Son, Jesus Christ, to all who will receive.

I still remember the first time I heard that heaven, eternal life, and acceptance by God were free. As a red-blooded, church-going American, I was quite certain that could not be true. I actually began reading the Bible to check for myself. Sure enough, Romans 6:23, “The gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.” Ephesians 2:8, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” How did I miss this truth for so many years? I was an American Christian who celebrated patriotic and Christian holidays like everyone else but never knew the Savior who is the source and reason for our celebration.

We can watch touching Christmas specials and listen to all the Jingle Bells Rocks without finding true joy. The Christmas specials usually offer the joy of families coming together, special romances working out, or Santa Clause successfully fulfilling his duties in opposition to those who have no Christmas cheer. True Christmas joy comes from Jesus. You can receive it as you receive Him. Jesus is the only true source of joy.