Sermon: Hark The Herald Angels Sing

Hark The Herald Angels Sing (Luke 2:1-52)

Pastor Tony Felich

December 11, 2005

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I. The Hymn Story
- Charles Wesley (words/1739), Felix Mendelson (music/1840) William Cummings (arranged 1857)
- George Whitefield "calvinized", dropping last 2 verses

Two versus dropped by Whitefield and most Reformed Churches
Come, Desire of nations, come, fix in us Thy humble home; Rise, the woman's conqu'ring Seed, Bruise in us the serpent's head. Now display Thy saving power, ruined nature now restore; Now in mystic union join Thine to ours, and ours to Thine.

Adam's likeness, Lord efface, stamp Thine image in its place; Second Adam from above, reinstate us in Thy love. Let us Thee, though lost, regain, Thee the life, the inner man: O, to all Thyself impart, formed in each believing heart.

- Hymnologist say this is the 4th most popular hymn
_ The version we sing reads like a 3-pt sermon

II. Lyrical Content and Biblical Depth
Verse 1 - Announces the birth of Christ (Luke 2, Matthew 1, 2 Corinthians 5:19, Colossians 1)

Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King; peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!" Joyful all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies; with th'angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!"