"A Christmas Hymn"

A homily preached on Christmas Day at Edgemont Chrsitian Church (Disciples of Christ), by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp. The sermon is based on Titus 2:11-14.

Perhaps some of you are familiar with the Contemporary Gospel Artist, Amy Grant. In 1983 she wrote a Christmas song simply titled; "A Christmas Hymn." The hymn is really an affirmation of faith, in which she proclaims;

"Praise to God whose love was shown,
Who sent his son to earth.
Jesus left his rightful throne,
Became a man by birth.
The virgin’s baby son,
All creation praised;
God incarnate come,
Come to Bethlehem.
Still a higher call had He,
Deliverance from our sins -
Come to set all people free
From Satan’s hold within.
For by the sin of man we fell;
By the Son of God
He crushed the power of hell -
Death we fear no more.
Now we stand with strength, with power,
The sons of God on earth,
Faithful to the final hour,
Christ’s righteousness our worth.
And now all praise is given,
For the babe, the Son,
The Savior King is risen,
Christ is Lord indeed."

This contemporary Christmas hymn is a powerful declaration of faith. Grant invites us to join with her in professing our faith. Contained within these verses is really the central doctrines and teachings of the Church. Each verse adds to the last until the foundations of faith have been set and laid. As I said last night at our Christmas Eve service, we must move beyond the manger in order to truly celebrate the Christmas story. The Christmas story isn’t just about a birth, as Paul reminds us in his letter to Titus and, as Amy Grant reminds us in her hymn. Rather, the Christmas story is about a life; it’s about a death; it’s about a resurrection - Christmas is the celebration of the entire Christ event and how that event plays out in our own lives, and what impact that event has on our lives as a people of faith.
The first two verses of this hymn answer the why of Jesus’ birth: Jesus was born because of God’s love. Because of God’s love - God sent God’s son to us to be Emmanuel. The next two verses of this hymn deal with the why of his mission: Jesus came to deliver us from sin and death. The relationship between humanity and God was broken by sin, and God sent Jesus to restore that broken relationship; to bring reconciliation and wholeness to world. John reminds us; "For God so loved the world that God sent his only begotten son, that whosoever shall believe in God shall not perish but have eternal life. God did not send God’s son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him."
The fifth verse of this hymn is a triumphant proclamation of our standing in Christ - for it is in Christ’s righteousness that we have become the children of God. It is in Christ that we have been adopted in the God’s family. And then the final verse is the necessary call for praise to be lifted up to the one who lived, and died and rose again. It is a call to live a life of holiness and sanctification - a life set apart by God - a life in which we communicate through word and deed, God’s love and grace, light and compassion to a world in need. Indeed, these words of Grant’s hymn communicate the Christmas message. They correspond with the words of our Scripture Lesson this morning from Paul to Titus.
And so, on this blessed Christmas morning, let us embrace the words of this proclamation of faith. For a proclamation of faith to truly be a proclamation of our faith it must not only be spoken, but also lived out. May this hymn be our hymn - spoken and lived out in us. Merry Christmas and God bless you!