“The Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:35b
One of the best loved of the carols of Christmas is the song O Holy Night. It’s current version was written by John Dwight based on a poem by a Frenchman, Placide Cappeau. O Holy Night was premiered on Christmas Eve 1847. Initially, it was well received, but later was attacked partly because of the reputation of Cappeau who was a progressive in his time. He opposed slavery, injustice and oppression of any kind.
Thus the ethics of Jesus that upheld the value and worth of all people were rejected by the very ones who were supposed to be following Him. Nevertheless, the power of the song and its message prevailed. By 1855 the carol had been published in London and has been translated into many languages since.
O Holy Night also has the distinction of being the first Christmas carol ever played live on a Christmas broadcast. On Christmas Eve 1906, Reginald Fessenden broadcasted the song from Brant Rock, Massachusetts to ships at sea. The broadcast was picked up as far south as Norfolk, VA. When it was re-broadcasted on New Year’s Eve, it was heard as far away as the West Indies.
So what is it about this song that could create such a stir when it was first written, and why does it have such a universal appeal today? Certainly, part of the attraction is the music itself that seems to lift the spirit by its power and majesty. But it’s more than the music. It’s the words – the message of the song that reminds us so clearly why it was indeed a holy night when Christ was born.
For instance, consider this honest line from the song: “Long lay the world in sin and error pining.” That line summarizes the history of the human race from the fall in the garden of Eden to the very moment Jesus was born. The ones who were created in the image of God had been given over to sin and error. The resulting consequence of their movement away from God caused a deep sighing in their spirit – a pining away for something more – a deliverance from their spiritual oppression.
That’s why that night was a holy night. The God who created the world, formed the man and the woman in the garden, and breathed into them the breath of life was now invading the world as a baby in a manger to bring an answer to the cry of human need.
Today we live in a world that continues to experience the tragic results of going its own away apart from God. War, strife, injustice, moral compromise, and more dominate the human scene. And just like it was 2,000 years ago, we hear the same pining away as the consequences of our actions bear down on our lives. But the good news is that God hasn’t abandoned us. He knows our need and is available to lift us out of our bondage and restore to us what sin and error have taken away.
So “long lay the world in sin and error pining, ‘till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.” Think about that. At long last the human soul could once again feel the worth that its creator had given it. What sin had destroyed, God was in the process of restoring.
But it was more than that. The coming of Jesus was an affirmation that all people had dignity and value. The message of Christ’s birth was not limited to those of power and position. It was for people like lowly shepherds, simply peasants, or foreign outsiders. Thus it was a message for everyone.
How we need to hear that again in our day. In a world where the rich and famous are treated with deference, it’s a blessing to know that the God of the universe sees worth in every human soul. The soul that is burdened with shame over past failures, the soul that is crushed with the pain of severed relationships and broken dreams, the soul that is longing for affirmation and encouragement, this is the soul that feels its worth because Christ appeared.
Once that feeling of renewed worth comes flooding over your soul, you will begin to experience what Dwight conveyed in his carol. “A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.” A new and glorious morn indeed. For centuries mornings had come and mornings had passed away. However, when this morning broke over the horizon of God’s creation, it would never end. It was the dawn of a new beginning – the possibility of experiencing abundant life here and now with the hope that not even death itself could take it away. No wonder the soul rejoiced.
God had done what no government, no philosophy, no religion could accomplish. He had given hope to the despairing soul that would never be the same again. Can you feel the wonder of it flooding over your soul? Are the stars of divine grace brightly shining in your being? Has that new and glorious morn dawned in your heart? If so, join with the shepherds and all who have been captivated by Christ’s coming. “Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices…. Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever! His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!”