The following is a devotional I recorded for KCNI AM1280 as part of a ministry of the ministerial association for the week of 12/3. I tried to carry over some formatting throughout the week.
(UMH, 240; lyrics by Charles Wesley, 1739; altered by George Whitefield, 1753; Music: Felix Mendelssohn, 1840; arranged by William H Cummings, 1856.
Necessity, creativity, and curiosity combined on this one to come out verbally rather than on the screen/page. So, here’s a recording of the recording.
*DISCLAIMER.
If you’re a nit-picky about your trinitarian theology, please listen with grace. At a certain point, because, I fell in to some sloppy, near-heretical language about the Holy Trinity. I know it was wrong. I know better and didn’t mean what I said. But, I couldn’t quite risk deleting this recording to try it again, since I was rather pleased with how other parts turned out. Basically, I flubbed up the language about the Son, Second Person of the Trinity, becoming incarnate in Jesus, and thereby emptying himself (see Phil 2:7). However, I never meant that, somehow the incarnation limited or compromised the unity of the Trinity.
Here’s a playlist for this week’s carols: Advent-Christmas Pondering Playlist.
Check out this great history of the hymn.
Seriously, the preceding link is worth your read.
Here’s the recording.
(Of the devotion on the radio, not the song itself. That’s below).
Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the new-born King! Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!” Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies; With the angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
REFRAIN: Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the new-born King!
Christ, by highest heaven adored; Christ, the everlasting Lord; Late in time behold him come, Offspring of a Virgin’s womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail the incarnate Deity, pleased with us in flesh to dwell; Jesus, our Emmanuel! Refrain
Hail, the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail, the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wing. Mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die, born to raise us from earth, born to give us second birth. Refrain
Here are some notes I was working with when I recorded:
See my blog for a link to a fascinating and brief article about the history, changes, and meaning of this song. It’s especially interesting because Charles Wesley’s original lyrics were significantly amended multiple times, and it’s fun and insightful to compare his original with the version we know today.
But, today, I’m most captivated by how the song functions. As we know it, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is a praise song.
Its verses list things for which to praise God because of what God does for humanity in Jesus:
What God does for humanity/Creation in Jesus:
- “God and sinners reconciled”
- Jesus is the seat of God’s rule or presence (“Godhead see,” “incarnate Deity” “Emmanuel”)
- Brings “light and life to all.”
- Gives humanity eternal life (“no more may die”), beyond earth (“raise us from the earth”), which we call “second birth” (referencing, obviously, John 3:1-18, and John Wesley’s sermon, “The New Birth”).
And this is our jumping off point, because talking about being given “second birth” or “born anew” or anything like that is what I’d call, “Super Churchy.”
Sometimes, we might wonder in our heart of hearts, what in the world second or new birth is, or why we need it. In fact, perhaps at one point in our lives, or today, we might have thought, “New birth? What do I need that for? I’m a pretty good person and I value kindness, respect, and hard work.”
To this sentiment, I respond simply, Yes. I believe you. But here’s a story that helps me think about second birth.
Sneezy the Snowman is by Maureen Wright.
Sneezy the snowman, like Frosty before him, is alive as he can be. But, he has this trouble – a trouble most alive things have from time to time: Sneezy makes poor choices that actually harm him.
He stands beside the fire. He sits in a hot tub. He drinks hot chocolate. And every time, what happens to him? Right, he melts he’s a snowman standing, siting in, or drinking something too hot.
And every time, a voice from the puddle cries, “Make me brand new.” And the children accompanying Sneezy do.
Now, I’m no snowman, but I have a knack for making decisions – large and small – that have hurt others, the world, or myself. And sometimes, others have made decisions that have hurt me. And sometimes, through no fault of anyone I can point a finger at, hurt happens. And for these reasons, I cry out, with Sneezy, “Make me brand new.”
The idea of “new birth” or “second birth” doesn’t have to be a gushy, super-spiritualized, mysterious thing. If that stuff works for you, good. But if not, can we think about Jesus as God’s answer to our “Make me brand new” calls after we’ve made or been effected by harmful choices again?
And, in being made new by Jesus, may we join the angel chorus of Hark the Herald, adding our voices and our lives to the praise: “Glory to the new-born king.”
May we be made brand new. May we join in the song of praise. May the songs we sing shape our lives. May it be so.
Trying to Hear 