Beethoven’s 5th? Garbage.  Ray Charles singing America the Beautiful?  Rubbish.  The Mormon Tabernacle choir belting out Christmas tunes? Gross. The list could go on and on. Why say such things? How many people have been inspired by Beethoven, moved to tears by Ray Charles and entertained during Christmas by that choir?  True, all are great, but when we compare them to the song we just heard, they are indeed garbage, rubbish and gross.

For the song we focus on today is the greatest song ever heard by human ears.  Meek, quiet, simple shepherds were minding their own business, tending flocks. And truly out of nowhere, an angel appears with a message: “Christ is born!  Go to Bethlehem and see him!”  And to perfectly punctuate the event, that angel is joined by others. Lots of others. A multitude of others. Angel upon angel, a sea of them, sing. But that’s not why their song is so beautiful. The beauty rests not in the singers, hearers or drama of the event. The beauty resides in the message of that song. So it was then. So it is today.

What was so awesome about the message? The 1 angel told them what had happened and what to do. He gave straight forward facts. Christ is born. In Bethlehem . Look for this so you can identify him. Go! Don’t waste time. That news by itself is beautiful, but this song of the angels amps things up a little. How? How can you get better than the Savior being born? Talk about what it means to people. Lots of people know a guy named Jesus was born and given the title Savior. Unbelievers the world over know that too. But that message means zip to them. They have no faith, so this is at best a quaint story, at worst an outright lie. They see no connection between themselves and Jesus, this supposed Savior, Bethlehem’s child.  How sad.

But the angels, with their song, make it clear, at least to believers, why the angels’ song was such a huge deal. At their core, most are meat/potatoes, bare bones, what does this have to do with me people.  And the angels oblige.  Yes, Jesus was born.  What does it mean?  They tell us: peace.  Peace to God’s people on earth is the result of this Savior being born.

It also means favor. God’s favor is upon believers. You know what it means to favor your left leg because of an injury or favor a coworker who always smiles. You do things a certain way because it works better. You hang out with people who make you feel good. Well, the angels tell us that’s how God feels about us. He shows us favor. He wants only what’s best for us. He wants to hold/love/protect us and much more. We’re the apple of his eye. We’ve caught his attention.

Still think Beethoven could beat the angels’ song? Want a sentimental, sappy song over that? Could the 100 best voices ever in a mass choir match that? No, at least unless they’re singing the same song, the song of love/mercy, of God sending his son, of the peace we have w/God and the favor God showers on them.  This song is tops, and it can never be beat.

But ask the question again – why is it so beautiful to us?  Why will we want that song to echo through our heads not just on Christmas but all year? Think of it this way. Recall what the angels say and try to find those things elsewhere, apart from God. Imagine it’s your life goal to find peace/favor and you will travel the world over to get these.  How would that turn out?

We already know that answer without even standing up.  It would be a disaster.  Think of the times you hear of peace in the news, now and in the past.  A prime minister meets with evil incarnate, a genocidal maniac, signs a few sheets of paper and declares what?  “We have peace in our time,” all while bombers are being developed to crush his nation.  “Peace in the Middle East ” declares president after president, not wanting us to see that behind one wall is a guy with a loaded gun just waiting for an excuse to open fire on the guy on the other side of the wall with equally lethal firepower.  Is that peace?

Or think on a personal level.  We can’t even find peace in making some simple decisions.  How many different paint colors have been splashed on the walls and pieces of furniture moved so a home owner can be at peace with his/her decision?  Now move to big personal things.  Are you filled with peace as you scan the company newsletter and see the layoffs?  Are you filled with peace as your child continues to grow and mature in a world that can’t wait to get its hooks into him and lead him down every wrong road?  Are you filled with peace when you look at long term family plans, retirement funds, upcoming school bills and doctor visits? No financial wizard, no prophet of peace, no amount of begging and pleading can bring true, lasting peace.  To try and find that in ourselves or in this sinful world is a foolish, wasteful endeavor.

And seeking favor from the same sources brings the same result.  You have the bosses favor now because your project came in under budget.  But what about when you have to miss work to be with a sick spouse?  Your child shows you favor as you make every wish a reality and load that tree up with presents.  But what if next year things are tight?  If you based finding favor on what you give her, will she still show that favor when you can’t deliver as before?

It is hard enough to find favor with people of this world.  How much harder is it, then, to find favor with the Almighty?  The Bible gives no number of good works necessary to have him act on our behalf.  In fact, the Bible says that even our seemingly righteous acts are like filthy rags.  Nothing we do is untainted by sin.  So can anyone say that offering this sorry, half eaten, moth worn list of supposed good deeds will cause God to open the gates and shower us with his favor?

We can’t find either, peace or favor, in this world no matter how hard we try.  And we can’t get the same with God based on anything we have done.  All we can do is be honest.  Honest about how far we have fallen into sin.  Honest about how dishonest we have at times been about its severity.  Honest about what we deserve for our misguided, selfish, foolish hearts.  And honest that there is nothing we can do about any of this.  Let’s take a moment in silent prayer and do just that.

Are you ready?  Am I? Are we ready to hear again the beautiful song of the angels?  Good.  Me too. (Read verse.)  Again, see why it is so beautiful?  It is because what we seek, peace and favor, it is ours, and there is nothing we can do or have to do to get it.  It is a gift, free of charge, intended and given to each and every one of us. Why?

Connect the song to the message of the angel.  The results of peace and favor are ours because a Savior was born.  A Savior who saw our sinful condition and with sympathy, was moved to act.  He left perfect, holy heaven to be barn in a stinking barn.  He shunned the honor and glory of eternity to live as a human being, with the aches and pains and difficulties that come with that.  When the time was right, he revealed himself to the world, but not as almighty Lord.  He revealed himself as the suffering servant, the one who would bear all sin and bring the peace of God to man as he pays for all their sins, all my sins, all your sins.  And because of that, because believers are covered in his holiness, they indeed receive God’s favor, the loving attention of a loving God who showers them with that love time and time again, day after day.
That’s the beauty of this song and why it puts all others to shame. What we seek desperately is ours. For that, we take the angels’ advice in the line from the song we skipped. Glory to God in the highest. Our loftiest praise, our most resounding thank yous, our most glorious amens are directed to him. All glory we give due to what he’s done for us in Christ.

How?  Don’t think in terms of human gift giving.  Oh, he gave me a fancy watch.  I better skip that Applebee’s gift card idea.  I’ll look cheap. For, truly, how can we put a price tag on peace and favor? We can’t.  And God doesn’t want us to try.  So what will we do? Jesus told us. The work of God is to believe the one he sent.  In other words, what God simply wants is for all our attention to go to Christ, to hold him dearly, to rely on him completely and to love him perpetually.  For in doing that, all glory is going to God, the God who created, loved, and redeemed us.  For that we will sing.

And our song such as this indeed rivals the song of the angels.  Again, it’s not about the deliverers but the message.  And one day, due to Jesus, we’ll join that choir. But God wants us to sing now, for that future is set in stone.  We are 2 weeks from Christmas. We will certainly sing out that night.  But don’t wait until them to sing and don’t stop singing after the tree is down.  Give God the highest glory, now and always. For this hymn of Advent is always in style and it never stops sounding glorious.  Sing out, believer, loudly and proudly.  Why?  You have God’s peace and favor, now and always.  How?  Through the Babe of Bethlehem , the Christ, the Messiah.  May that tune be in our hearts and on our lips always. Amen.

Beethoven’s 5th? Garbage.  Ray Charles singing America the Beautiful?  Rubbish.  The Mormon Tabernacle choir belting out Christmas tunes? Gross. The list could go on and on. Why say such things? How many people have been inspired by Beethoven, moved to tears by Ray Charles and entertained during Christmas by that choir?  True, all are great, but when we compare them to the song we just heard, they are indeed garbage, rubbish and gross.

For the song we focus on today is the greatest song ever heard by human ears.  Meek, quiet, simple shepherds were minding their own business, tending flocks. And truly out of nowhere, an angel appears with a message: “Christ is born!  Go to Bethlehem and see him!”  And to perfectly punctuate the event, that angel is joined by others. Lots of others. A multitude of others. Angel upon angel, a sea of them, sing. But that’s not why their song is so beautiful. The beauty rests not in the singers, hearers or drama of the event. The beauty resides in the message of that song. So it was then. So it is today.

What was so awesome about the message? The 1 angel told them what had happened and what to do. He gave straight forward facts. Christ is born. In Bethlehem . Look for this so you can identify him. Go! Don’t waste time. That news by itself is beautiful, but this song of the angels amps things up a little. How? How can you get better than the Savior being born? Talk about what it means to people. Lots of people know a guy named Jesus was born and given the title Savior. Unbelievers the world over know that too. But that message means zip to them. They have no faith, so this is at best a quaint story, at worst an outright lie. They see no connection between themselves and Jesus, this supposed Savior, Bethlehem’s child.  How sad.

But the angels, with their song, make it clear, at least to believers, why the angels’ song was such a huge deal. At their core, most are meat/potatoes, bare bones, what does this have to do with me people.  And the angels oblige.  Yes, Jesus was born.  What does it mean?  They tell us: peace.  Peace to God’s people on earth is the result of this Savior being born.

It also means favor. God’s favor is upon believers. You know what it means to favor your left leg because of an injury or favor a coworker who always smiles. You do things a certain way because it works better. You hang out with people who make you feel good. Well, the angels tell us that’s how God feels about us. He shows us favor. He wants only what’s best for us. He wants to hold/love/protect us and much more. We’re the apple of his eye. We’ve caught his attention.

Still think Beethoven could beat the angels’ song? Want a sentimental, sappy song over that? Could the 100 best voices ever in a mass choir match that? No, at least unless they’re singing the same song, the song of love/mercy, of God sending his son, of the peace we have w/God and the favor God showers on them.  This song is tops, and it can never be beat.

But ask the question again – why is it so beautiful to us?  Why will we want that song to echo through our heads not just on Christmas but all year? Think of it this way. Recall what the angels say and try to find those things elsewhere, apart from God. Imagine it’s your life goal to find peace/favor and you will travel the world over to get these.  How would that turn out?

We already know that answer without even standing up.  It would be a disaster.  Think of the times you hear of peace in the news, now and in the past.  A prime minister meets with evil incarnate, a genocidal maniac, signs a few sheets of paper and declares what?  “We have peace in our time,” all while bombers are being developed to crush his nation.  “Peace in the Middle East ” declares president after president, not wanting us to see that behind one wall is a guy with a loaded gun just waiting for an excuse to open fire on the guy on the other side of the wall with equally lethal firepower.  Is that peace?

Or think on a personal level.  We can’t even find peace in making some simple decisions.  How many different paint colors have been splashed on the walls and pieces of furniture moved so a home owner can be at peace with his/her decision?  Now move to big personal things.  Are you filled with peace as you scan the company newsletter and see the layoffs?  Are you filled with peace as your child continues to grow and mature in a world that can’t wait to get its hooks into him and lead him down every wrong road?  Are you filled with peace when you look at long term family plans, retirement funds, upcoming school bills and doctor visits? No financial wizard, no prophet of peace, no amount of begging and pleading can bring true, lasting peace.  To try and find that in ourselves or in this sinful world is a foolish, wasteful endeavor.

And seeking favor from the same sources brings the same result.  You have the bosses favor now because your project came in under budget.  But what about when you have to miss work to be with a sick spouse?  Your child shows you favor as you make every wish a reality and load that tree up with presents.  But what if next year things are tight?  If you based finding favor on what you give her, will she still show that favor when you can’t deliver as before?

It is hard enough to find favor with people of this world.  How much harder is it, then, to find favor with the Almighty?  The Bible gives no number of good works necessary to have him act on our behalf.  In fact, the Bible says that even our seemingly righteous acts are like filthy rags.  Nothing we do is untainted by sin.  So can anyone say that offering this sorry, half eaten, moth worn list of supposed good deeds will cause God to open the gates and shower us with his favor?

We can’t find either, peace or favor, in this world no matter how hard we try.  And we can’t get the same with God based on anything we have done.  All we can do is be honest.  Honest about how far we have fallen into sin.  Honest about how dishonest we have at times been about its severity.  Honest about what we deserve for our misguided, selfish, foolish hearts.  And honest that there is nothing we can do about any of this.  Let’s take a moment in silent prayer and do just that.

Are you ready?  Am I? Are we ready to hear again the beautiful song of the angels?  Good.  Me too. (Read verse.)  Again, see why it is so beautiful?  It is because what we seek, peace and favor, it is ours, and there is nothing we can do or have to do to get it.  It is a gift, free of charge, intended and given to each and every one of us. Why?

Connect the song to the message of the angel.  The results of peace and favor are ours because a Savior was born.  A Savior who saw our sinful condition and with sympathy, was moved to act.  He left perfect, holy heaven to be barn in a stinking barn.  He shunned the honor and glory of eternity to live as a human being, with the aches and pains and difficulties that come with that.  When the time was right, he revealed himself to the world, but not as almighty Lord.  He revealed himself as the suffering servant, the one who would bear all sin and bring the peace of God to man as he pays for all their sins, all my sins, all your sins.  And because of that, because believers are covered in his holiness, they indeed receive God’s favor, the loving attention of a loving God who showers them with that love time and time again, day after day.
That’s the beauty of this song and why it puts all others to shame. What we seek desperately is ours. For that, we take the angels’ advice in the line from the song we skipped. Glory to God in the highest. Our loftiest praise, our most resounding thank yous, our most glorious amens are directed to him. All glory we give due to what he’s done for us in Christ.

How?  Don’t think in terms of human gift giving.  Oh, he gave me a fancy watch.  I better skip that Applebee’s gift card idea.  I’ll look cheap. For, truly, how can we put a price tag on peace and favor? We can’t.  And God doesn’t want us to try.  So what will we do? Jesus told us. The work of God is to believe the one he sent.  In other words, what God simply wants is for all our attention to go to Christ, to hold him dearly, to rely on him completely and to love him perpetually.  For in doing that, all glory is going to God, the God who created, loved, and redeemed us.  For that we will sing.

And our song such as this indeed rivals the song of the angels.  Again, it’s not about the deliverers but the message.  And one day, due to Jesus, we’ll join that choir. But God wants us to sing now, for that future is set in stone.  We are 2 weeks from Christmas. We will certainly sing out that night.  But don’t wait until them to sing and don’t stop singing after the tree is down.  Give God the highest glory, now and always. For this hymn of Advent is always in style and it never stops sounding glorious.  Sing out, believer, loudly and proudly.  Why?  You have God’s peace and favor, now and always.  How?  Through the Babe of Bethlehem , the Christ, the Messiah.  May that tune be in our hearts and on our lips always. Amen.