Christmas is incomplete without music. Some of the most memorable music comes from the Advent season. Songs that inspire and encourage. Songs of Hope. Songs of Peace. Songs of Joy. Songs of Love. If you enjoy classical music, you have Handel’s Messiah. If you are a traditionalist, nothing beats a good Christmas carol. If you’re a parent you’ve heard more than your share of Alvin and the Chipmunks. I don’t know how to categorize those who enjoy, “Grandma got run over by a reindeer!”
This Advent I’m teaching the Songs of the Season from the gospel of Luke. Luke’s account of the Christmas story contains the lyrical content of four songs that were inspired by the first Christmas. This week I’m going to begin with Zechariah’s song from Luke 1:67-79. If you participated in choir during high school or college you may recognize the text as Benedictus. Benedictus is the Latin word for “blessed,” which is the first word of the song in the KJV.
The Christmas story represents God’s first word in 400 years. That thin sheet of paper that separates Malachi from Matthew spans four centuries of divine silence. This silence was broken by God’s best plan of action…a birth announcement! That doesn’t sound like much, but as you recall, some of God’s greatest acts in history began with babies.
• When Israel needed a deliverer, we are introduced to baby Moses.
• When Israel needed a great prophet, we are introduced to baby Samuel.
• When Israel needed a king to build a Temple, we are introduced to baby Solomon.
God had been silent for 400 years. Decades of dry religious conformity had left the people filled with despondency. There was little, if any, real hope in the world. No wonder Isaiah would speak of this time by saying, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2).
How does a baby inspire a song of hope? Check in this week and find out!
