IDEA: Behind the common carol is an uncommon theology.

“Hark! the herald angels sing”

PURPOSE: To help us sing the carols with meaning.

Have you been part of the worship wars? These usually center on music.

It’s interesting that one place in which Christians tend to agree about music is the Christmas carols. Why do you think that is?

Unfortunately, we often enjoy the carols because of the tunes, not because of the words. But some of those Christmas carols have great teaching. If we understand the teaching, we will appreciate the carol even more.

A number of the carols were written by Charles Wesley. The best-known of them is “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” It is over 250 years old, which means that it was written and people were singing it before the USA became a nation. Before we hear it, let’s look at the words of this familiar carol.

"Hark! The herald angels sing, 'Glory to the newborn King. Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.' ”

Hark! . . . what does that mean?

The herald angels sing . . . What are “herald angels”?

“Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled . . .” [Luke 2:23-24].

"Christ by highest heaven adored; Christ, the everlasting Lord! Late in time behold Him come, offspring of the Virgin’s womb."

What does it mean, “Late in time behold Him come”?

"Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see; hail the incarnate Deity, Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel."

What does it mean, “Veiled in flesh”? “Incarnate Deity”? “Immanuel”?

"Mild He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die [Phil 2:5-8], Born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth.

What is “mild”? “laying glory by”?

That’s the message of redemption in a nutshell! Set to a rousing tune by Felix Mendelssohn (who was a converted Jew), the words penetrate into the depths of our hearts.