Friday, December 7, 2007

God Chose To Reveal Himself

Courier-Times Article for December 8, 2007

God chose to reveal His nature in an event we call advent or Christmas time. He used his powerful angels, not to bring death and destruction but, to sing songs of joy and good tidings.

Hail the heav'n born Prince of Peace! / Hail the Sun of righteousness! / Light and life to all He brings, / Ris'n with healing in His wings. / Mild He lays His glory by, / Born that man no more may die; / Born to raise the sons of earth, / Born to give them second birth. / Hark! the herald angels sing, / "Glory to the newborn King!"

He chose to reveal Himself, not to royalty or power-brokers but, to shepherds tending their flocks at night.

While shepherds kept their watching, / O'er silent flocks by night; / Behold throughout the heavens, / There shone a holy light. / The shepherds feared and trembled, / When lo above the earth; / Rang out the angel chorus, / That hailed our Savior's birth.

He chose to reveal Himself, not in the capitol or royal city but, in a humble village suburb near Herod’s palace.

Come to Bethlehem and see, / Him whose birth the angels sing; / Come adore on bended knee, / Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

He chose to reveal Himself, not to experienced respectable parents but, to a bewildered teen couple, engaged to be married, and unexpectedly pregnant.

What Child is this, who laid to rest / On Mary's lap is sleeping? / Whom angels greet with anthems sweet / While shepherds watch are keeping? / This, this is Christ the King, / Whom shepherds guard and angels sing. / Haste, haste to bring Him laud, / The Babe the Son of Mary.

He chose to reveal Himself, not as a mighty warrior or eloquent politician but, as a defenseless, vulnerable baby.

Born Thy people to deliver, / Born a Child and yet a King; / Born to reign in us forever, / Now Thy gracious kingdom bring. / By Thine own eternal Spirit, / Rule in all our hearts alone; / By Thine all sufficient merit, / Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

He chose to reveal Himself, not as an invincible, unbreakable hero but, as a bruised and battered servant, who died and was buried in a borrowed grave.

Good Christian men, rejoice / With heart, and soul, and voice; / Now ye need not fear the grave, / Peace! Peace! / Jesus Christ was born to save! / Calls you one calls you all, / To gain His everlasting hall. / Christ was born to save! / Christ was born to save!

Then He chose to reveal himself as Messiah, Christ, and Savior of the world!

He rules the world with truth and grace / And makes the nations prove. / The glories of His righteousness / And wonders of His love, / And wonders of His love, / And wonders / And wonders of His love.

He chose to reveal Himself, not as a mean-spirited God of wrath, but as a God of peace and a God of second chances.

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep, / "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; / The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, / With peace on earth, good will to men."

He chose to reveal Himself as a loving God who is worthy of our worship.

Then let us all with one accord / Sing praises to our heavenly Lord, / That hath made heaven and earth of naught, / And with His blood mankind hath bought. / Noel, noel! Noel, noel! / Born is the King of Israel!

If you desire to worship the God of Peace, who revealed Himself during Advent, take some time in the next few days and invest it in a local church. Who knows? God might reveal Himself to you this Christmas.

On Sunday night, December 16th at 6:00 pm South Memorial Drive Church of God will celebrate Candles and Carols. We will be reading the Christmas story and singing traditional Christmas carols. At 5:40 pm the Woodwind Instrumental Choir from New Castle High School will be providing our pre-service music. Join us in worshiping Christ, the newborn King!

O come let us adore Him, / O come let us adore Him, / O come let us adore Him, / Christ the Lord.