Beyond The Christmas Carol: The Life-Altering Message of 'Oh Come All Ye Faithful'
Here’s a summary of this week’s sermon:
As we approach the heart of the festive season, surrounded by the familiar melodies of Christmas carols, one hymn stands out for its timeless appeal and profound message: 'Oh Come All Ye Faithful.' This beloved carol, often hummed as we decorate our homes and wrap presents, carries within its lines a deeper significance that transcends the simple act of singing.
At first glance, 'Oh Come All Ye Faithful' appears as a traditional Christmas hymn, inviting us to celebrate the birth of Christ. But delve a little deeper, and you'll find it's not just a melody to accompany our festive cheer; it's a narrative rich with history, mystery, and profound meaning.
Let's rewind time, as if hopping into a DeLorean and travelling back to the pivotal moment in the Christmas story. Picture a serene night under the vast, starlit sky near Bethlehem. Here, a group of shepherds, societal outcasts of their time, are about to experience an event that would alter the course of their lives and millions thereafter. It's to these shepherds that the first announcement of Christ's birth is made. This moment of divine visitation sends a clear message: in the eyes of God, no one is too insignificant.
Back to the future, and we might wonder how this ancient story relates to our modern lives. How can a carol, rooted in such a powerful narrative, begin its journey through the annals of history to find its way to us? The answer lies in the profound lyrics of the hymn: "True God of True God, Light from Light Eternal, Humbly he entered the Virgin's womb, Son of the Father, begotten, not created."
These words, echoing the profound theological truths of Christ's divinity and humanity, invite us to reflect on the mystery and majesty of the incarnation. Jesus is Emmanuel, which means 'God with us.' This truth changes our outlook on life, revealing that the divine is always amongst us, guiding and uplifting us.
But there's more to this Christmas carol than its theological richness. The hymn invites us to come to Bethlehem, to embark on a journey of discovering Jesus for ourselves. It doesn't matter our social status or background; the invitation is open to all. Like the shepherds, when we accept this invitation and seek out Jesus, we find Him, and our lives are transformed forever.
As we sing 'Oh Come All Ye Faithful' this Christmas, let's embrace the deeper invitation within its lyrics. Let it be a reminder that the extraordinary can find its way into our lives, just as it did for the shepherds on that starry night in Bethlehem.
So, as we gather with family and friends, let's unwrap not just the gifts under the tree, but also the Christmas mystery within this beloved carol. For in its verses lies a message that can change our lives, a call to adoration and a reminder of the true essence of Christmas.
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Matt Edmundson: [00:00:00] So, welcome to Crowd Online
Church. My name is Matt, and beside me is the talented, the debonair, the all round good egg, which is Sadaf Beynon, wearing an insanely cool Christmas jumper. Thank you. Yeah, yeah, Merry Christmas.
And we just wanted to jump on and say Merry Christmas to you, dear listener. Now, if you are listening
to this on the audio podcast, on the catch up version, You might notice it's a little bit different.
There's no music. It's just straight into the talking. And there is very well, there's a very simple reason for that. Tanya and Sadaf apparently they want a week off next week. And who knew, right? So what happens usually after we record the live stream, which we are going to do this Sunday, let's get the day right.
We are going to do the live stream this Sunday. And Sadaf and I will be doing it. But normally what happens is just to let you know, is Tanya and Sadaf work busily behind the scenes once the live stream has happened. You do, don't you? Oh yeah. Well, Tanya does.
And you get this, uh, you get the live stream put out as [00:01:00] a podcast, right? So the audio goes out, um, and all the blog posts and all that sort of stuff get put up. Alas, it will be Christmas week and Tanya and Sadaf want some time off. So we're not going to do that. We're not going to put the usual live stream out as a podcast, but what we are going to do is play the talk because we do have that recorded already.
Um, so you do get the wonderful opportunity, uh, to listen to the talk. I say it's wonderful because I recorded it. So, you know, no modesty there, uh, talking about the, the Carol Silent, uh, not Silent Night. O Come, All Ye Faithful yeah, yeah. I should know this. So we're going to talk about how to become more faithful.
So do enjoy the talk, the Conversation Street, which we are going to have because we've not recorded it yet on Sunday. If you want to join in Conversation Street, check out the YouTube video because it will be live on YouTube. Obviously, we stream it live on YouTube. Keep it. What we're not going to do is just take that audio and put it into a podcast.
We're doing this sort of special. Christmas Message. Hopefully that all makes sense. [00:02:00] Um, if you're new to Crowd Church, then you'd be kind of like, I don't know what you're talking about, Matt. No, but that's totally fair enough. I don't either. Sadaf is most of her life here. Uh, but that's okay.
That's cool. So yeah, so that's it from me and Sadaf.
I just wanted to jump on before the talk. Do stay
tuned because the talk is coming. Um, but yeah, Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.
How did O Come, All Ye Faithful a hymn with enigmatic origins, become a beloved and timeless Christmas carol? Well today we're going to look at its journey from an 18th century manuscript to a melody that resonates across We're going to see that Oh Come All Ye Faithful isn't merely just a melody we hum along to as we deck the halls, no, no, no, it's a narrative rich with history, mystery and actually some profound meaning.
So we're going to unwrap. The [00:03:00] life altering message hidden within this carol and see that it's not just about the birth of Christ, but it's a call, an invitation that is echoed through the ages, resonating with millions all over the world. What is this message and why does it continue to stir the souls of those who hear it?
Well, we're going to get into that and then we're going to investigate its origins. Like I say, it's quite enigmatic origins as they are as intriguing as their hymns. Self who typed it, pinned it, or even quilled this iconic carol. And how has it journeyed through time to reaches in the form we know and love today?
All great questions, aren't they? But before we get started in the comments, write down the name of your favorite Christmas Carol. I would love to hear it. Is it this one? Oh, come. Or you faithful? Uh, this is Come or You Faithful is definitely one of mine. Otherwise, I would not be doing this. Talk about it.
But [00:04:00] another favourite of mine is Oh Holy Night, but what's yours? Write it in the comments, because we all have favourites, don't we? And there's no doubt about it that this particular hymn, O Come, All Ye Faithful has definitely transcended its humble beginnings and has become a bit of a timeless Christmas classic, hasn't it?
But what makes it not just enduring, but endearing? Why does it stand out in a sea of carols to become a staple of Christmas tradition? A bit like Christmas jumpers, uh, and what's made it become our most viewed video? We're going to get into that. That's right. It's our most
It's actually a version that John Farrington recorded for us a few years ago, but what is it about it? Because it's had almost 200, 000 views, resonating so profoundly with folks all over the world and folks just like you. [00:05:00] Is it the melody that tugs at the heart strings? Because it does, doesn't it? It's quite an emotional song.
All the words that kind of speak directly into us. Soul. Or perhaps it's the way the carol encapsulates the essence of Christmas in a few simple verses. What if I told you that within, O come, all ye faithful, lies a secret to understanding life's greater purpose. And to understand it, I want to rewind time.
I want to get in a DeLorean, travel 88 miles an hour. And go to the pivotal moment in the Christmas story, as I think it's the same moment that inspired the author to write this carol. It is a serene night under the vast starlit sky near Bethlehem. The sky is clear and the stars are numerous and brightly shining.
The night air is cool and still, broken only by the occasional bleep of sheep grazing on the rolling fields that [00:06:00] stretch out into the horizon. There's a group of shepherds, their figures are silhouetted against the soft glow of the moon. Guardians! who are keeping watch over their flocks by night. The shepherds, I feel, are happy in the fields, content even, just going about their work because, well, as well as the open space and the beauty of the night sky to look at, they are away from people.
And this is important, because in ancient times, shepherds were seen as the lowest in society. Often considered untrustworthy and unclean due to their work, so they lived on the fringes both literally and figuratively, always. Quite an interesting fact that, uh, yet the most amazing thing is about to happen as it was these outcasts, these untrustworthy and unclean shepherds that the [00:07:00] first announcement of Christ's birth was made.
So into this ordinary night bursts The extraordinary and an angel appears and the glory of the Lord shines around. That sounds amazing, doesn't it? So what is going on here? Well, let's look at what the Bible tells us happened from the Gospel of Luke, and in the same region there were shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock.
by night. 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 clothes and [00:08:00] lying in a manger. A well known part of the Christmas story. But imagine being one of the shepherds in the field. You're kind of out there minding your own business and then boom! All of a sudden the supernatural invades the sky.
I don't know, you'd kind of feel a mixture of awe and fear, wouldn't you? What wouldn't you? I don't know. Write it in the comments. How do you think you'd respond if you were one of the shepherds? Would you get excited, or would you maybe poop yourself a little bit? Write it in the comments. Me, I think I'd probably do both.
And I'd probably try and take out my iPhone once I'd got up off the floor and try and take a selfie with the angels or something like that. Which is probably why God didn't put me there in the place of those shepherds, I just thought. Now the beauty of this divine visitation is that it is a clear message in the eyes of God that no one is too insignificant.
You [00:09:00] see, today we might not have angels lighting up our skies, but if you are earnestly seeking Jesus, don't be surprised if this Christmas time, the extraordinary finds its way into your life. I don't know, have you ever felt a moment like that in your life where the ordinary turned into the extraordinary?
Write it in the comments if you did. It might not be angels turning up for you, it might be a whole lot simpler. But share with us in the comments about a moment in your life that seemed ordinary. But turned out to be extraordinary, thanks to the work of our good Lord. Now for me, one key moment was actually a Christmas time about 30 years ago, when I was 18.
I know, I don't look it, I just know. Now my life at the time was good, I was having fun, like I should, like an 18 year old guy should. Most of it though, was awful. Utterly ordinary. Faithwise, I believed in [00:10:00] God, but it was more of a kind of a distant acknowledgement than a close relationship. And that Christmas, something shifted.
Like the shepherds, I heard an invitation. It was an extraordinary and holy moment for me. A kind of a call to come just as I was. No pretense, no need to be anything other than myself. It was simple yet profound. And in accepting that invitation, I find a, I sort of found a path, not just to belief, but also to belonging.
And I think the author was thinking of this moment for the shepherds, shepherds, shepherds, uh, when an ordinary sky became extraordinary, when the angels invaded the sky to announce the most incredible news to outcasts. It was this. Awesome scene that was in his mind, I think, as he wrote, O Come, All Ye Faithful joyful and triumphant, O come [00:11:00] ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold him, born the King of Angels. You can see it in there, can't you? The shepherds, the first to hear the news of Christ's birth, are called to witness the miracle. They are called To come. And just like the shepherds, the carol invites us to come to our Bethlehem, to start our own journey and come and discover Jesus for ourself.
It doesn't matter what our social status is, it doesn't matter who you are or who you aren't. This is about the journey of life, a pilgrimage of seeking Christ in our every day. And when you seek him, he will guide you. He'll tell you where to go, to where Bethlehem is, because that's where he is. Now in the story of the shepherds, we see acceptance.
God announces the birth of Jesus in the most glorious way [00:12:00] to those deemed as outcasts. This isn't just a story of the miraculous, which it is, and it's pretty awesome if I'm honest with you, but it's also a story of inclusivity and acceptance. You see, the gospel, the essence of Christmas, is good news for all of us because it embraces everyone just as they are.
Shepherds in a field, me in a house. That's why it's life altering. It is life altering for all of us. But as you would expect, there is much more in this Christmas Carol. And to discover it, I wanna dive into its origins. How did a Carol rooted in such a powerful and inclusive narrative? Oh, come ye begin its journey through the annals of history.
Well, its origins are in fact enshrouded in kind of a veil of mystery, making its past, [00:13:00] well, intriguing to say the least. So who could have typed, penned, or quilled such a timeless piece? And what other deeper meanings can we learn? So let's get back into our DeLorean hits, 88 at miles an hour, and I appreciate you have to be a certain age maybe to understand that.
Pop culture reference, but we're going to hit 88 miles an hour and journey back through the corridors of time. The hymn as we know it can trace its roots back to the 18th century, possibly even as early as the 16th century, making it older than me. Oh yes. Now among the names linked to its creation are King John IV of Portugal and John Francis Wade, an English musician.
Others have speculated that the melody might have I've even been the work of renowned composers like Handel or Gluck. The most probable author, however, is John Francis Wade, who's from the mid 18th century. His connection to the hymn is kind of [00:14:00] strengthened by the discovery of the Latin text, Adest Fidelis, which is, forgive my poor pronunciation, is Latin for O Come, All Ye Faithful
and in the 18th century manuscript at the College of Douai in Northern France, which is where it was discovered, then in 1841, an English Catholic priest called Frederick Oakley translated the hymn into the English version that we know today. It all happened a fair few years ago. So let's assume that it was in fact John Francis Wade that wrote it and imagine his world.
In the 18th century, what was that like? What would've that, what would that have been like? Obviously it's gonna be different to ours. I don't think, like me, he wore a Star Wars Christmas jumper. I just don't, uh, I think he had a much simpler life, perhaps a rhythm of life that was set to. The cadence of nature and his [00:15:00] quill.
In these times creating a carol, I don't think it wasn't just something that you just did, it wasn't just an artistic endeavour, but it was a profound act of faith for him, an expression. If you think about it, it wasn't actually that easy just to grab a piece of paper and a pen. Every word written had to count.
The composers of the era were not just musicians, they were storytellers and theologians and philosophers, kind of weaving.
But as I mentioned, when Wade wrote the first verse, I think he was thinking about the shepherds and the invitation of the angel. But in the second verse, the carol draws upon something called the Nicene Creed, which is a cornerstone of Christian faith formulated in the 4th century, which is, well, let's face it, it's another ancient document that has stood the test of time, because this [00:16:00] creed was more than just a statement of belief, it was a declaration of the divinity of Jesus affirming his nature as true God and true Messiah.
Matt, something we've all been trying to get our heads around for centuries. And so he writes in the hymn, True God of True God, Light from Light Eternal, Humbly he entered the Virgin's womb, Son of the Father, begotten not. Amazing lyrics, the hymn sort of sings these profound theological truths that he is in fact true God of true God, that he is light from light eternal.
Just love, love, love the language, uh, that's written here and kind of the invitation for us to reflect on the mystery and the majesty of the incarnation. God of Gods. It's another life altering truth, because if he [00:17:00] is still with us, and if, as the Bible says, he doesn't leave us nor forsake us, that means we get to live with this truth.
We get to understand and know that Jesus is here. Emmanuel, which means literally God with us. He is with us still. And this truth totally, utterly alters your outlook on life, especially it seems for Wade when he wrote this verse. And he goes on to write then in verse three, following this, seeing choirs of angels.
Sing in exaltation, sing, all ye citizens of heaven above, glory to God, glory in the highest. It's amazing, isn't it? It's a verse of joy, it's a verse of triumph, and it celebrates the revelation that in the manger lay not just a child, but God himself. And it kind of captures the truth that the [00:18:00] birth of Jesus is a moment of divine intersection with humanity.
And that those who come to Bethlehem and discover Emmanuel, Jesus. Our citizens of heaven, we get to call ourselves citizens of heaven, so no wonder everyone, including the angels at the time, in the sky sing glory to God, glory in the highest, because honestly, it is entirely the right response to that news.
So, imagine John Francis Waite, right, trying to write this on a scarce piece of paper by candlelight in a dimly lit chamber, trying to convey somehow in the lyrics the awe and wonder of that first Christmas. So let's get back into the DeLorean, let's hit 88 miles an hour again, and come back To the future.
And we see when we do, it still continues to resonate today, doesn't it? We're [00:19:00] still talking about it, we're still singing it. It's melodies fill everything from grand concert halls like Carnegie Hall, to the humblest of church choirs, and even, dare I say it, our very own YouTube feed. Amazing really. So how did this hymn, right, Emerging from the quills of the past, love that phrase, evolve into a cherished Christmas classic?
Well for me, as we've talked about, it captures the essence of the Christmas story. The carol presents us with a choice. Which is mirrored in the Christmas nativity. We can respond to that choice like the shepherds and the wise men and head to our Bethlehem and search for and embrace Jesus with open hearts.
Or we can close ourselves off a bit like Herod who's the villain. of the Christmas story. He feared, changed and perceived Christ as a [00:20:00] threat. But the good news, as O Come All Ye Faithful tells us, is that we are invited to join the former group, to greet Jesus with joy and openness. And he goes on. Yay, Lord, we greet thee.
Born this happy morning, Jesus to thee be all glory given. Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing. Love the language. I just love it. These words are a declaration of our response to the Christmas invitation and it's a call to recognise. The Incarnation, that moment when God Divinity himself embraced humanity in the form of Jesus.
And this is the story which is vividly told in the pages of the Gospel of Luke and he carries on. Luke carries on and he says, And suddenly, suddenly, BAM! Out of nowhere. There was with the angel a multitude of heavenly [00:21:00] hosts praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is well pleased.
That's amazing, isn't it? I mean, just trying to picture that scene in my head. I mean, the angels couldn't contain their joy, their adoration. They burst forth into the sky. Just picture it and try and see it in your mind, a sky full of angels praising God and proclaiming peace. It's exciting, it's powerful, it is utterly, utterly awesome and no wonder Wade ends each verse With the refrain, oh, come let us adore him.
Which are the words that echoes the angel's joy, isn't it? And as I sing those words, as I sing the hymn, I feel like I'm kind of transported. To that field, feeling what the shepherds felt, witnessing the [00:22:00] sky blazing with angelic beings and joining in with them, singing a heavenly chorus. Luke in his gospel goes on to write this when the angels.
Went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, let's go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. And they went with haste, no kidding, and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told to them concerning this child.
And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart, and the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen as it had been told them. Amazing, right? The shepherd story [00:23:00] is that their ordinary lives were interrupted by an extraordinary God.
They accepted the invitation to come, and in so doing, discovered. God with us, the Christ, this Jesus, their story like ours is one of discovery, revelation, and ultimately, as the song sings, adoration. So as you sing this Christmas, O Come, All Ye Faithful we join with millennia old tradition of seeking, finding, and adoring Jesus.
This Christmas, let the carol guide you to rediscover the wonder of the incarnation, the joy of the angels.
Now, if this talk has stirred something in you, if you've felt that call to adoration and wonder, then I invite you to take a step further. Join our Crowd Church family, where you're not just another viewer, but a valued member of a growing [00:24:00] community. Together we explore, question and celebrate our faith.
You can find out more information on our website at www. crowd. church. Come join us. Be part of something bigger. We would love to see you in it. Now. If you're eager to know more about the Christmas story and dig into its details a little bit further and unwrap, unwrap more of its rich and transformative message, transformative, transformative, transformative, I don't know, uh, transformative message, then check out our video, What Does the Bible Say About Christmas?
And also some of our other past Christmas live streams, check them out. Uh, they're quite good fun actually. And so, as you would expect, after a talk like this, we are now going to sing, O Come All Ye Faithful. So sing it loud, wherever you are, just like the millions of others that have sung it through the centuries.
Let your space be filled with adoration and joy and [00:25:00] celebration. And finally, from me, To you, Merry Christmas. Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth. My prayer for you is that you come into a deeper understanding of Emmanuel, God with us through Jesus and find more joy and peace that only comes from adoration and the recognition of the true essence of Christmas.