Advent: December 20th
Hebrews 2:14-18 | "O Holy Night" | "It's The Most Wonderful Time"
“Adoration of the Christ Child” by Honthorst
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
These words belong to today’s Christmas hymn. They have always struck me as a bit odd. On one hand, I can kind of grasp what they might be getting at, but they are not the first way anyone would try to get the idea across. Of course, constraints of meter might have played a role.
But I zeroed in on them for this devotional, because, the more I think on them, the more I think they say something precious. There was an early Christian heresy called Apollinarianism which claimed that Jesus was the Son of God in a human body, but lacking a human soul (and consequently a human mind). This was rightly condemned as incorrect. As the Cappadocian Father Gregory of Nazianzus said, “That which is not assumed is not healed.” In other words, if there is any part of our nature that Christ does not take on, that part is not saved, and therefore we are not saved. For Christ to truly save us, he has to truly become one of us—a full human in every sense.
Therefore, when Christ came as a baby with a human soul and human body, he exalted humanity as it had never been exalted before. We can feel our worth as humans now in a way that we never could before Christ came. Whether this is the meaning that the songwriter had in mind, it is still true.
The world can rejoice now, all of Creation can rejoice, because God has entered into it and made himself a part of it.
Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, He had to be made like His brothers in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to help those who are tempted.
Hebrews 2:14-18
Christmas hymn: “O Holy Night” (I haven’t found a favorite version, but the one by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Crouch End Festival Chorus is good)
Christmas fun song: “It’s The Most Wonderful Time”
Prayer: Great God, though created by You for glory, we are lowly and wretched beings because of sin. Yet this did not keep You from stooping to take on our nature and likeness, who were first made in Your image, and thereby redeeming us all.
Let us honor and adore and pour out thanks to You all of our days, but especially these Advent days, for Your marvelous work. In the wonderful name of Jesus we pray. Amen.