Angels We Have Heard on High

Angels We Have Heard on High

Luke 2:13-15

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 

Angels we have on heard high / Sweetly singing ore the plains
And the mountains in reply / Echoing their joyous strains
Gloria in Excelsis Deo

   We don’t see much that fills us with awe.  Technology has brought so much of the world to our fingertips and into our living rooms that we can see anything we want and feel like we are at anyplace we want to go.  Our senses are so jaded we may be getting to the point where we cannot feel awe anymore.  This is also true of our experiences with God.  It’s hard to feel excited about God with all the distractions going on around us.  And reading the Bible seems boring next to a good action/adventure movie or a virtual reality video game.  Our relationship with Him often becomes ordinary.

   So what would give you a sense of awe?  What would cause you to become speechless when you see it?  The pyramids?  Standing on the summit of a majestic mountain?  Riding a diving bell to the bottom of the ocean?  Holding a new-born baby?  How about an angel choir standing on air singing praises to God? 

   The night Christ was born was the most monumental and awe-inspiring event that as ever occurred in human history.  God sent His one and only Son to earth so that we could receive eternal life.  There has not been an event in history before or since that has resulted in such a celebration!  The angels themselves made their physical presence known and their voices raised in song.  Can you imagine how the shepherds’ jaws must have dropped at the site and sounds of the angels singing?  That moment was so majestic that we probably cannot fully comprehend what it was like because, well, none of us have ever seen an angel choir singing. 

   But you can be filled with a sense of awe this season.  To many Christmas is shopping for the gifts.  Or it’s getting the gifts.  Or it’s the food or the decorations or the parties or visiting relatives.  But if you get caught in the trappings of Christmas you’ll miss the awe of Christmas.  Jesus came to earth in the form of a baby and brought God to humanity.  Immanuel – in Hebrew literally "El is with us," is where the awe of Christmas lies.  Mankind was separated from God but now God had come to mankind.  And not just any god but the God Who is over all.  We serve a God Who is more wonderful than our brains can grasp.  Who is more majestic than any monarch – indeed than ALL monarchs - who ever reigned.  Who is not just a God Who shows love towards us but is Love Personified.  I could go on and on.  My point is that if you press into God and let Him reveal some part of Himself to you, you will be awed by the experience.

Luke 2:25-33

25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 

27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 

28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation
31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”

33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him.

Stephen Cram                                                           December 15, 2013                    

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ.  Colossians 2:8

Visit my pastor’s blog at http://pastorjonrhinehart.blogspot.com/.

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture is from the New King James Version of the Bible.