Born
to give them second birth.
Christmas Eve marks the
final day of Advent, and where could these reflections end but on that most
iconic of carols, ‘Hark! the herald angels sing’? So revered is it within our
canon that we are in danger of familiarity dulling us to the sensational text,
penned by Charles Wesley. It is in richness of hope, theology and poetry
unsurpassed by any other popular carol in the English tongue. And having a tune
crafted by the great Felix Mendelssohn has undoubtedly consolidated its
endurance and estimation!
‘Born to raise the sons of
Earth!’ Jesus Christ was born, lived, died and rose again. He bids all people
to die to themselves and follow Him, that he might raise them up in the same
resurrection power with which He himself was raised. He came into the world to
die that we would no longer be slaves to death, but be raised to new life.
‘Born to give them second birth’; not only did Jesus come to raise us from
death, He came to make us new, to be born again, in a miracle of birth
reflecting his own Christmas incarnation.
As the seasonal campaign
proclaims, Christmas does indeed begin with Christ. But Christ does not end
with Christmas; rather, His wonderful promises of new life and new birth to those
who will receive Him reach down to us all even this day. So let us indeed give
alert attention the heralding angels and worship Jesus Christ, our glorious
King!
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing - words by Charles Wesley.
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