Christ of the Carols (2017)
Christmas music is an integral part of the Advent season—you might hear it while doing your gift shopping, waiting at the train station, or listening to the radio. Some think November is a fine time to listen to these festive songs, while others religiously wait until after Thanksgiving. Either way, by mid-December, we all tap our feet and hum the tunes, but we don’t always stop to consider the significance of the lyrics these carols feature. Join us as we take up four of our favorite Christmas carols and get to know Jesus a little bit better by learning about his miraculous incarnation and the songs that have celebrated it for centuries.
As we celebrate Christmas Eve together, we ask “Why is the night holy?” What’s so special about it? The answer: The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
Resources:
The Gospel of John (The Pillar New Testament Commentary), D.A. Carson
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In a world that is fractured and where it’s hard at times to feel the joy of Advent, Isaiah encourages us to be a people who anticipate, proclaim, and display good news.
Resources:
Isaiah 52:7-12
The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction & Commentary
Isaiah: God Saves Sinners (Preaching the Word)
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In the Advent season, we not only wait, we sing, as Charles Wesley invites us to do in “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” Why? Because Jesus is King, Savior, and Prince of Peace.
Resources:
Luke: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture, Robert Stein
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As we kick off Advent, we focus on the heart of Advent: waiting for Jesus. We see this in the hymn Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus, and talk about why we wait, how we wait, and what we wait for from Psalm 130.
Resources:
What is Advent? Article by Justin Holcomb
Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary, Tremper Longman
The Treasury of David: Charles Spurgeon Commentary on Psalms, Charles Spurgeon
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