The Pilgrim Path---Luke 2: 10, 11

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

GOOD NEWS…

A precious friend of our family, Linnea Corcoran (she is in Glory now), told the story of a neighbor that started attending the Lutheran Church (she had never been to any church). The neighbor was surprised that “Jesus” seemed to be the topic of so much conversation. Well, that is the surprise for many---when it comes to Christmas. At Advent---Yuletide---Christmas, The LORD Jesus Christ just keeps getting all the attention. He should. Always. He is the King of Kings and LORD of LORDS. Yet, we do live in a culture, where more and more people will be increasingly “out of touch” with the basics of the Christian Faith. So do not take offense or be bothered. This is our opportunity to shine with the truth of the Gospel. We get to tell people that the Savior is the, “all the time LORD.” He is the only One who can deal with our iniquity and reconcile Us to God. He makes people new---from the inside out. Good Scripture to begin to work through with individuals: Romans 5: 1—11; John 3: 1—18; Second Corinthians 5: 20—6: 2; Romans 6: 23; John 14: 1—6.

The melody of a particular hymn has been on my mind for at least two weeks or more. Here is the title, God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen. I will reprint “all” the words from the Petersen Devotional (Great Songs of the Faith—Tyndale)---

God rest ye merry, gentlemen,

Let nothing you dismay,

For Jesus Christ, our Savior

Was born upon this day,

To save us all from Satan’s power

When we were gone astray.

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O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;

O tidings of comfort and joy!

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In Bethlehem in Jewry

This blessed babe was born,

And laid within a manger

Upon this blessed morn:

The which His mother Mary

Did nothing take in scorn.

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From God our heavenly Father

A Blessed angel came,

And unto certain shepherds

Brought tidings of the same,

How that in Bethlehem was born

The Son of God by name.

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The shepherds at those tidings

Rejoiced much in mind,

And left their flocks afeeding

In tempest, storm, and wind

And went to Bethlehem straightway,

The blessed babe to find.

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Now to the LORD sing praises,

All you within this place,

And with true love and brotherhood

Each other now embrace;

This holy tide of Christmas

All other doth deface.

TRADITIONAL ENGLISH CAROL (EIGHTEENTH CENTURY)

From Petersen’s Great Songs of the Faith, One Year Devotional---TYNDALE, on the hymn, “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen”

In A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Ebenezer Scrooge hears this song sung joyously in the street and tells the singer he’ll hit him with a ruler unless he stops singing. Of course, that was not the intended response to this carol. The point is that joy reigns on Christmas day because of God’s great gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. We can “rest merry” in the knowledge that Christ paid our penalty for going astray and has set us free from the power of evil…

PRAYER

Light of light, and God of God,

Who did bow your holy heavens

And come down to earth for the salvation of the world,

Out of your love of humanity;

Extend your almighty right hand, and send out your

Blessing on us all…

Guide our steps in the paths of righteousness,

That we may behave ourselves according to your will

And observe your commandments

And do them all the days of our life

And come to a blessed end and sing a ceaseless hymn with your saints

To you, and your Father, and your Holy Spirit.

Dioscorus of Alexandria (died 454)

Grace and Peace in Jesus, the Only Redeemer of broken and wretched souls, Pastor Jason