12/19/10 Sermon, O Holy Night, What Christ has Wrought for Us, Christmas Carol, Jesus, God

O Holy Night – What Christ has Wrought for Us

Opening Passage – Psalm 138.

O Holy Night was written in 1847 by Placide Cappeau as a Christmas Poem at the request of his parish priest in Paris France. The poem was later put to music by Adolphe Adam. The year the Christmas Carol was written is significant as we shall see when we look at verse three.

1. O holy night, the stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth;
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn;

Chorus
Fall on your knees, Oh hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine.

Romans 3:10-18

Romans 5:6-8 – “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Isaiah 9:2-3 – “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. You have multiplied the nation and increased its joy; they rejoice before You according to the joy of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.”

Ephesians 2:8-10 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

2. Led by the light of faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the wise men from Orient land
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend.

Chorus
He knows our need, He guardeth us from danger
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!

Isaiah 49:7 -- "...Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel; snd He has chosen You."

Psalm 138:4 – “All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O LORD…”

1 Timothy 6:15 – “…He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords…”

Hebrews 2:17-18 – “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”

Psalm 95:6 – “Oh come, let us worship and bow down;Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.”

3. Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.

Chorus
Christ is the Lord, O praise His name forever!
His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim!

When the Christmas Carol was written slavery was universally practiced. The carol was banned in French Churches but was adopted by the abolitionists in the United States. Today we look back on slavery with disdain. One day we will look back on abortion as we now look back on slavery. No one today would say I wouldn’t personally own a slave but I wouldn’t stop someone else from owning one, yet pro abortion and pro-choice advocates and politicians make this very argument when they say I wouldn’t personally have an abortion but I wouldn’t stop anyone else from having one. When we talk about abortion, we’re talking about killing preborn baby girls and boys and wounding their mothers. We must pray and work until all human life is protected and oppression ceases!

Matthew 22:37-40 – “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Romans 10:15 – “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”

Exodus 21 – In Biblical slavery, the slave voluntarily chose to be a slave, personally benefited monetarily from the slavery, and would serve no more than six years, unless he loved his master and voluntarily chose to serve his master for life.

Psalm 98:4 – “Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.”

Luke 2:11 – “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

Jude 24-25 – “To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy -- to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”

Pastor Bryan Longworth serves as the associate pastor at Covenant Tabernacle in Port St. Lucie, FL and the director of Personhood FL, a prolife organization working to pass the Florida Personhood Amendment that will end abortion in FL. Longworth continues to be involved in the pro-life movement and in calling the church and our nation to repentance. The church and America needs revival and reformation like never before. The blood of over 55 million children cries from the ground for vengeance, and God will avenge! God send us a true move of God lest we perish in our iniquity!