Who wrote the first Christmas carol? I got to wondering about this a couple weeks ago, so I consulted that great historical and theological authority, Wikipedia. Let me read the first few paragraphs of the article. The first known Christmas hymns may be traced to 4th century Rome. Latin hymns such as Veni Redemptor Gentium, written by Ambrose, Archbishop of Milan, were austere statements of the theological doctrine of the Incarnation. Another hymn, Of the Father's Heart Begotten, by the Spanish poet Prudentius, who died in 413, is still sung in some churches today. But then we have this gap. In the 9th and 10th centuries, the Christmas sequence was introduced in Northern European monasteries, developing under Bernard of Clairvaux into a sequence of rhymed stanzas. So that sounds a little bit more like our Christmas carols. In the 12th century, the Parisian monk, Adam of St. Victor, began to derive music from popular songs, introducing something closer to the traditional Christmas carol. In the 13th century in France, Germany, and particularly Italy, under the influence of Francis of Assisi, a strong tradition of popular Christmas songs in regional native languages developed. Christmas carols in English first appear in a 1426 work of John Audley, a Shropshire chaplain who lifts 25 carols of Christmas, and the word carols is not spelled the way we do, and Christmas is not spelled the way we do. Probably sung by groups of wassellers who went from house to house. So the first Christmas carols were not sung in churches. These were, songs that were sung in homes and song that were sung in communities. It was only later that carols began to be sung in church and to be specifically associated with Christmas. Many carols which have gained popularity today were printed in the Pia Cantiones, a collection of late medieval Latin songs, which was first published in 1582. Early Latin forms of carols such as Christ was born on Christmas Day, good Christian men rejoice, and good King Wenceslas can be found in this book from 1582. Adeste fidele, so come all you faithful, appears in its current form in the mid-18th century, although the words may have originated in the 13th century. So that's interesting. But it will probably not surprise you to find out that Wikipedia is wrong. Luke documents the record of the first Christmas carol right here in Luke chapter 2. Let's read verses 8 through 14 here in Luke 2. verses 8 through 14. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings, good news of great joy, which will be to all people. where there was born to you this day in the city of David, a savior who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you. You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men. Now as I researched this passage over the past couple of weeks, I have found some wet blankets who point out that verse 13 does not actually say that the angels sang the words recorded in verse 14, but rather that they said them. But the word that's translated saying there in verse 13 is a very broad, general word that can also include the idea of singing. For instance, many of you are familiar with Ephesians 5, 18 and 19 where the Apostle Paul commands us to be filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Now let me ask you, how do you speak to one another? in Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Well, the last part of that verse tells you by singing and making melody in your heart. And so I think we have biblical warrant for taking that word saying there in verse 13 and understanding it to mean singing, that the angels sang these words. And I gotta tell you, if you use your imagination, it's really hard to picture this without picturing the angels singing, okay? When Christians praise, we sing. So I'm gonna cast off the wet blanket. and proceed with this passage giving it the meaning that we all assume and that's that the angels sang these words, glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill to men. And that here indeed we have the first Christmas carol and it was actually sung on the very first Christmas day. Now the text of this Christmas carol from the courts of heaven has three stanzas. And it suggests to us that the birth of Jesus would bring about three great results, three great Christmas consequences, if you will. The birth of Jesus would, number one, bring glory to God in the highest. Number two, it produce peace on earth. And number three, it would result in God's goodwill toward men. So the first stanza of this heavenly carol concerned the glory of God. And little wonder, consider the setting. Have you ever applied your imagination to verse nine here in Luke two? Verse eight says that this band of shepherds was out in the fields at night. Have you ever been in a country where there's no electricity at night? Looks like the stars are only about 50 feet in the air. And the darkness is the kind of thing that kind of closes in on you and shrouds everything. Now, probably these shepherds had a small campfire, but even that would not have done them much good but for a few feet outside of the circle of that fire. And suddenly there's an angel in white apparel. He just appeared out of nowhere. And okay, if I'm one of the shepherds, I'm already freaked out. But the angel is the least of it. Immediately after the angel appears, it says, the glory of the Lord shone round. Now, I gotta tell you that before this week, really studying this passage, I never really considered what that means. the glory of the Lord. It's talking about the Shekinah glory of God. Do you remember what led the Israelites through the wilderness at night? It was the pillar of fire. Okay, and we're not talking a pillar of fire, we're talking a pillar of fire! They couldn't even see the stars anymore for the glory of God that was demonstrated. And I love the way the old King James Version puts their response to this. They were sore afraid. I gotta tell you, if I'm there, I'm sore afraid. I'm heading for the hills and if there aren't any hills, I'm heading for the valleys. And if there aren't any valleys, I'm digging a hole. I mean, it doesn't take much imagination to see the angel saying, no, no, don't run. Don't be afraid. This isn't bad news. I've got good news. And of course he shares the good news of the birth of a savior. The name Jesus means savior. And then the final act to this little drama. An entire heavenly choir showed up. A multitude of the heavenly host is the translation in our New King James Version. And that word that's translated multitude is normally used of an army. So a heavenly army shows up to sing. And that word multitude is also used in the book of Acts for the entire population of the city of Iconium. And so when I read that word, I have to wonder if the entire angelic population of heaven didn't come down to sing this first Christmas carol to these poor shepherds. What a sight, what a sound it must have been. Now consider the words, the significance of all of this. You know, the great Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon preached on this verse, on verse 14, as a young man, probably when he was under 25 years of age. And I love the opening line to this sermon. I think I have it in your outline. He began his message with these words, it is superstitious to worship angels, it is but proper to love them. And I must agree, when you consider that they are ministering spirits sent by God to minister to us, I agree. When you consider that they seem to attend all of the great events surrounding the birth of Jesus, I must agree. One of their band appeared to Mary, another appeared to Joseph, yet another appeared to Zacharias in the temple. Zacharias would have been Jesus' uncle. The angel appeared to him to announce the birth of John the Baptist. And then, of course, you have this entire multitude, this entire army of angels who appeared to announce Jesus' birth to these humble shepherds. It's no accident that we only sing about angels at Christmas. Because they're everywhere in the Christmas story. But Spurgeon mentions a reason to love the angels that I never considered. And that's their lack of envy and jealousy. I want you to think about this. When Satan led a rebellion among the angels, and it says that a third of the angels fell and left their their first estate, and they were plunged into eternal condemnation. You know, hell was designed not for us. Hell was designed for those angels. When that happened, Jesus didn't come to their rescue. Jesus didn't take the form of an angel in order to redeem any of those angels from that eternal condemnation. Have you ever thought about that? I haven't, not until I read this sermon and I was like, wow! And yet, they were the very first beings to give glory to God when God the Son took human flesh to rescue us from our eternal condemnation, which is justly ours because of our sin and rebellion against God. We don't worship angels. If one were to appear here and we were to bow before him, he would reject the worship. But they ought to have a warm place in our hearts, and particularly at Christmas. And then consider the words that these angels sang when they rejoiced in our salvation. Glory to God in the highest. Now those words, in the highest, they can have several meanings. These words may mean that even the highest ranks of angels joined in this multitude to sing this first Christmas carol. You know, when the Apostle Paul speaks in some passages about angels. He indicates that there are ranks among angels. In Ephesians 6 he says, we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness, against Spiritual wickedness in high places. One, two, three, four. He talks about four ranks or four levels of angels. I believe from the topmost to the bottom. A few weeks ago, I preached to you from Isaiah chapter six. And there, when Isaiah saw into the throne room of God, he saw seraphim, burning ones around the throne of God. shouting holy, holy, holy constantly. You go to the last book of the Bible and John the Apostle also sees into the throne room of God and he gives us a more detailed picture and he talks about these living creatures full of eyes without and within and they also praise God constantly crying out holy, holy, holy and I have to wonder. When the angels said, glory to God in the highest, if what they meant was that the very highest ranks of angels emptied the throne room of God. The seraphim joined that army. The living ones joined that choir. The principalities and the powers emptied heaven to come and sing this praise. in this first Christmas Carol. Or there's a second possibility. Glory to God, in the highest may mean that the subject matter of their praise was of the highest order. Gotta remember that the angels beheld the creation of the universe. They watched as God flung stars and vast galaxies into existence. And it was their natural response to praise God for His creation. In Job, God Himself describes this moment of creation when, quote, the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy. The angels were there singing the praises of God during the very acts of creation, but it didn't end then. Remember I told you John saw into the throne room of heaven and in Revelation chapter four, he tells us what they're praising God for even now. And here are the words, you are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power for you. created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. But I wonder if here, at the first Christmas, the angels quit their praise of God's creative work, and they turned from creation to the incarnation, from the Word who created all things to the Word who was made flesh, Is this what they meant when they cried out, glory to God in the highest, that now their praise had a nobler and sweeter focus, the salvation of man? Now, either of those may be possible, but I believe the true meaning of this first stanza of the angel's carol reflects a truth that we easily overlook. And that is that the coming of God the Son to take human flesh and to work our salvation, that is first and foremost for the glory of God. The highest purpose in the incarnation and in our salvation is God's glory. Now, that is really easy for us to overlook as sinful human beings. I mean, you know, when I think of my salvation, the first thing that I really think about, the first thing that really grabs my heart is I'm not going to hell. And from our selfish human perspective, it's real easy to fall into a very human centered view of salvation. That the primary reason, the highest reason that Jesus was born and that Jesus wrought salvation was for me. And so that I wouldn't have to go to hell. Now, all of that's true. Jesus did come for me. Jesus did die for me. Jesus did bear my eternal punishment so I would not have to go to hell, but that was not the highest reason for what he did. The highest reason for what Jesus did was so that God would get the glory. And if you and I have any view of salvation that doesn't permit God to get all the glory, then we've got a problem. It's this one consideration in my life as I have studied God's Word that has pushed me to the point to where I believe God elected me, God chose me before the foundation of the world, God regenerated me and gave me faith and repentance so that I could believe or else I would be on my way to hell. It is all of God. And I believe that because God's got to get all the glory. If He hadn't worked in my salvation, if He hadn't worked first in my salvation, there is no way that I could be saved. All glory belongs to Him. And I believe that's why we find this in the first stanza of the first Christmas carol, is its emphasis upon The highest purpose of our salvation being God's glory. There's a second stanza to this Christmas carol. Peace on earth. The birth of Jesus produced peace on earth in three senses. In the first place, the Savior was born to bring peace between man and God. You know, the New Testament ransacks the human language for metaphors to convey the fact that men are born in a non-peaceful relationship with God. Have you ever thought about all of the different ways that the New Testament puts this? our natural state of hostility to God. In John 8, Jesus said of those who rejected Him, you are of your father the devil and the desires of your father you want to do. In Ephesians 2, Paul says that we were by nature children of wrath. In that same passage, he says that we are dead in trespasses and sins and that we walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air. Several New Testament texts use the word enmity to describe the relationship between men and God. I looked up the dictionary definition of enmity, a feeling or condition of hostility, hatred, ill will, animosity, antagonism. Wow. It comes from the root word enemy. From the point of view of God who created us and who has every right to rule over us, mankind in their sin are enemies, rebels, criminals. guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors, guilty of treason against the true and living God. There is open warfare, as it were, between men and God, and none of it's God's fault. None of it's God's doing. Think about this. Since man initiated this rebellion, God has continued to pour out his blessing on man. Springtime and rain and harvest, every good gift and every perfect gift coming down from above. But human beings continue intransigent in their sin and rebellion, and in many cases, refusing even to acknowledge that the true and living God exists. but the birth of the Savior was and is God's strategy to change all of that. See, sometimes I think that we think that the birth of Jesus and the death of Jesus, that all of that really is, it's all about negative reason. It's just so that Jesus could deal with our sins. But see, Jesus didn't just die. He also rose again. And He rose again to give men new hearts. So one of the things that happens because Jesus was born and Jesus died and Jesus rose again is He converts sinners into saints. And He converts criminals into Christians and He converts rebels into reconcilers. He's our peace. He's our reconciliation. So first of all, Jesus was born to bring about peace between God and man. But that's not all. Jesus was also born to bring peace on earth in a second sense. The Savior was born to bring peace between man and his circumstances. See, the New Testament not only says that when we belong to Jesus that we have peace with God, it also says that we have the peace of God. We have a peace within ourselves and specifically that idea of the peace of God. This is where I think sometimes the commentaries and the theologians get it wrong. They talk about man being at peace with his conscience. No, that's man being at peace with God. The peace of God is when we're at peace within our circumstances. See, we live in a sinful, fallen world. And that sinful, fallen world is constantly trying to steal our peace from us. But if we have true faith in Jesus Christ, if we have true faith in God, that same faith in God for our eternal destiny, that same faith ought to to carry us through our present circumstances. I mean, doesn't that make sense to you? I at times wrestle with people who have no problem with trusting God with their eternity. And yet they seem to have a big problem with trusting God with their present circumstances. Doesn't make sense to me. If we trust in the providence of God, the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. That's what Philippians 4.7 says. The peace of God will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. So Jesus was born in the second sense to bring peace on earth, in the sense to give those who trust Him, those who follow Him, the peace of God, whatever our circumstances might be. But most of us, when we hear this Christmas carol, Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, we think of a third type of peace. We think of peace between man and man. Now, Jesus did indeed come to bring peace between man and man, and there is already a place where that peace is to be found. I want you to turn with me to Ephesians chapter two. Peace between man and man exists even today in the church. Look with me here in Ephesians 2, beginning in verse 14. For He, Jesus Himself, is our peace, who has made both one, and it's not talking there, that both is not God and man, that both there is talking about two different ethnic groups in the church. What were they? Jews and Gentiles, who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity." And again, that's not the enmity between God and man, that's the enmity between these two ethnic groups. That is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace. And that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off, that's the Gentiles, and to those who were near, that's the Jews. And through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. So this passage specifically concerns peace between two ethnic groups who at the beginning of the church I don't know if you could say they were normally enemies, but there was at least a natural suspicion. And normally there was conflict and controversy between these two groups. And Paul says they are reconciled by the cross of Jesus Christ. They are made one new man. And my friends, that applies to any ethnic groups in the church, even today, black and white, North Korean, South Korean, Turk and Greek, you name it. The church is the place where this peace between man and man is to be experienced today. But I believe that also this stanza of the angel song is prophetic. Peace between man and man is something that is yet future in terms of all mankind. One of the Old Testament prophecies that we connect with Christmas is found in Isaiah 9, verses 6 and 7. Turn back there with me now, please. Isaiah 9, 6 and 7. Familiar verses to us. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. And of the increase of his government and Now let me ask you, when will this prophecy be fulfilled? When will the government be upon Jesus' shoulder? When will Jesus be the Prince of Peace? When will the increase of His government and peace know no end? When will Jesus sit upon the throne of David and order and establish His kingdom and justice? When will all of that take place? At the second coming of Jesus. We've talked about this as we've gone through the Gospel of Luke a couple of times. At the end of this age is a seven-year period called the Tribulation, a time of great trouble, a time when the Antichrist will be loosed and all kinds of bad things will happen. But that seven year period will end with the second coming of Jesus in power. And he will establish his government over the entire earth for 1000 years. We use the word millennium. Millennium simply is a Latin word that means the thousand. And so for that thousand years, Jesus is finally going to give mankind what they have always wanted. Peace on Earth. Peace between nation and nation. Can you imagine what it would be like to live under a perfect, incorruptible government? Even so, come Lord Jesus. What started on that first Christmas when Jesus was born will finally come to full fruition in that day yet future when Jesus returns. Even so, come King Jesus. There's a final stanza to the angel's carol. Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace. Goodwill toward men. The birth of Jesus resulted in God's goodwill toward men. Now, this final phrase I believe is easy to misunderstand. I confess that until I really studied it this week, I feel like I misunderstood it. It can be misunderstood easily in two different ways. First of all, we can take men to be the subject of this final phrase. We can take it to mean that Jesus' birth caused men to have goodwill toward men. And so the final phrase basically then becomes a synonym for what we just talked about, peace between man and man. And I don't believe that that's what the angels were singing about. I don't believe that this is a repetition. of what they just said. So, if we understand then that the subject of this final phrase is God, that in the birth of Jesus, God displayed His goodwill toward men, then I think we can make a second mistake. And I think that this is a mistake that I have made most of my adult life. I have assumed that the phrase, goodwill toward men, God's goodwill toward men, basically was speaking of God's love for man. God's benevolence, to use the word that theologians use. You know, we're talking John 3, 16 here, for God so loved the world. And I always took that to be the meaning here. But the word that's translated goodwill here in verse 14 is a very specific word. And when it's used in connection with salvation in the New Testament, it's used in a very particular way. So I want you to turn over with me now to Ephesians chapter one. Ephesians chapter 1, and this is one of the great passages of Scripture beginning in verse 3 in the New Testament. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ, just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. The word that's translated good will back there in Luke 2 is translated good pleasure here in verse 5. It's the same word. Now what's wrapped up in that word good pleasure? I believe that God's motivation for choosing you or choosing me for salvation is summarized, is wrapped up in this word, good pleasure. Look at verse four. It says that we were chosen before the foundation of the world for salvation. Look at verse five. God predestined you and me for adoption as children. Let me ask you, of all the billions of people on earth, why should God choose you? Of all the billions of human beings that have ever existed, why should God predestine me? Whatever that reason is, it's wrapped up in this word, good pleasure. Why should God pour out his favor on me as opposed to other human beings? Why should God pour out his favor on you as opposed to other human beings? Why? The only answer that the New Testament gives us is this word. It's the good pleasure of God. Something in God's heart took pleasure in choosing you before the foundation of the world, in predestining me before the foundation of the world. And all of that, if you look carefully at this passage, is in Christ. You see that? You see how often this passage uses that phrase, in Christ? Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places, in Christ, just as he chose us in him, in Christ, before the foundation of the world, having predestined us to the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ. If you keep reading on through verse nine, I think it repeats that phrase, in Christ, another four or five times. This whole chain of salvation that begins with God choosing us is all wrapped up in Christ. And so it takes us right back to this carol, this first carol of Christmas. That chain of salvation begins with the birth of Jesus Christ and it ends with God choosing you and God choosing me out of His good pleasure. Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and His good will. toward you and toward me, His good pleasure in saving us. So let me close by asking you a question. Have you really caught the reason for the season? come to the realization this year for the first time that I really like to listen to crooners at Christmas. I like to listen to Nat King Cole and I like to listen to all the old crooners from years ago. I like the way they sing, Andy Williams Except for Frank Sinatra. I cannot stand Frank Sinatra at Christmas. I'm sorry. Frank Sinatra should not ever sing about Christmas. But you know, a lot of us, when we think of Christmas and we're getting in the Christmas mood, that's kind of where we are, isn't it? Listening to Nat King Cole, you know, sing about Christmas. It's not the reason for the season, is it? the angels at that first Christmas knew the reason for the season. The first reason for the season is that we give glory to God. I want you to think about this. If the angels who will never ever experience redemption, okay? They will never experience salvation. There's a real interesting verse, I think it's in 2 Peter, that talks about the angels wanting to look into what we've got. And that word look into has the idea of standing up on tiptoes and looking through a window. They want to understand, they want to know what we've got, but they can't. And yet they were the first to sing the praise of God for our salvation. If they can sing and give glory to God, then don't you think we ought to? You've heard me say, I love to sing, but you know what? There is no place I would rather sing than with you sitting in this auditorium. Sing praises to God. That's why Jesus came, to win our hearts so that we might give God glory. You catch the reason for the season when you give God glory. You know, there's another way you give God glory, particularly at this time of year, and that's just to proclaim the true meaning of Christmas, to proclaim why Jesus came. You know, there is no easier time to talk about Jesus than this season of the year. Almost anybody is willing to let you talk to them about Jesus at this time of year. That coworker, that relative that won't let you talk to them about Jesus at any other time, this is the time of year. The reason for the season also I believe has to do with us being peacemakers. You know, many of us spend more time with family members at this time of year than we do at any other time, and sometimes it's a real pain. We spend time with people that, unfortunately, we have conflict with. And wonderful family Christmas dinners turn into battlefields. And if we've caught the reason for the season, we will bring peace on earth as much as we can. We will be peacemakers. Now, I know families, and sometimes one peacemaker does not peacemake. but you and I at family get-togethers and family meals can do what we can to make peace. We can lower the decibel level. We can refuse to engage, and you know what I mean, okay? There are times when we just decide to get in the game. Okay, if you wanna argue, here it comes. We can refuse to engage. We can lower the decibel level. We can focus on the problem rather than the person. Now, as I said, none of that may work. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't be peacemakers as much as lies within us. And that I don't know, it might be possible that there's someone here today you don't share in the good pleasure of God. And you ought to. You say, well, how can I be certain that God's chosen me, that God's elected me, that God's predestined me? The answer is simple, repent and believe in Jesus. Those who repent and believe are chosen. Those who repent and believe are predestined. You want to be a favored one? You want to know the good will and the good pleasure of God? That's why Jesus came. That's why Jesus died. Put your soul in Jesus' hands today and ask Him to forgive you and cleanse you and make you new.