This year, my wife and I were ready for the carols. Usually, I am begging my wife to bring out the Christmas music, but this year was different in the Saenz home. Kaitlin was definitely more inclined to blast the carol music than I was. The day after Thanksgiving, she promptly updated the family iPod, and the house was instantly filled with the sounds of holiday cheer.
Suddenly, I was eager to get into the Christmas spirit. Little did I know, the Lord was about to teach me so much about Himself through the beloved carols that started this year’s holiday excitement. Over the last couple weeks, He has taken me through the deep wells of truth found in these oft-sung holiday hymns that have grown too familiar. I would eventually end up leading my youth group students through a series I called “Beyond the Carols: The Theology of Christmas Songs”.
Some Christmas songs are rich with Christ-exalting, gospel-centered messages, while others, unfortunately, just…well…stink! Of those that declare truth and are doctrinally sound, one has stood out to me as a challenge and encouragement to worship my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ more deeply this season.
Oh, come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant!
Oh, come ye, oh, come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him
Born the king of angels
This stanza is based on Luke’s account of angels appearing to shepherds near Bethlehem, proclaiming the coming of the promised Messiah of Israel. Following the announcement, the shepherds decide to see for themselves what the angels have told them:
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. (Luke 2:15-16)
It is from these verses that the famous refrain in the hymn was gleaned:
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord
What a call to worship! What an excellent reminder for Christmas time, especially when so much can be lost in the hustle and bustle of the season’s traditions! We ought to cry out as the shepherds did: “Yes, let’s see Jesus!”
Some are not as easily convinced. Why adore Jesus? Some may still question. My answer is simple, and it sets the theme for the rest of this series of blog posts: Everything about Jesus is glorious! Everything about Jesus’ past, present, and future is glorious and gives us reason to adore Him! Let’s remember this as we approach Christmas Day—the day we celebrate our Savior’s birth.
(To be continued…)
2 Comments on "Come Let Us Adore Him: Introduction"
Woohooo! Awesome, a Christmas series. O come let us adore the Son of God who came to save sinners!
Amen. Everything about Jesus is indeed glorious. And we don’t even know the half of it.