The Dawn of Redeeming Grace

I received this from a nephew, Pastor Jeff:

“Hoping you all have a thoughtful day knowing that you can’t have Christmas without the manger,

You can’t have the manger without the cross,

You can’t have the cross without the grave,

You can’t have the grave without the resurrection,

You can’t have the resurrection without the ascension.

Jesus reigns on high forever more.

That is a merry Christmas!

The most sung Christmas carol in the world is Silent Night by Joseph Franz Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber.  The third verse says:

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth.

“O Holy Night” written in 1843 by Placide Cappeau in Roquemaure, France to celebrate the renovation of a local church. French composer Adolphe Adam set the poem to music.

O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
‘Til He appears and the soul felt its worth;
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O Holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the Wise Men from Orient land
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend
He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend.

¹⁰ Sing to the Lord a new song,
    his praise from the ends of the earth,
you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,
    you islands, and all who live in them.
¹¹ Let the wilderness and its towns raise their voices;
    let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice.
Let the people of Sela sing for joy;
    let them shout from the mountaintops.
¹² Let them give glory to the Lord
    and proclaim his praise in the islands.  – Isaiah 42

⁶ For unto us a child is born,
    unto us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end. -Isaiah 9

May the greatest Gift of Christmas, Jesus, the Son of God, whose redeeming grace dawned upon the world from a lowly manger, whose life was lived that He might know us, and that through His death and resurrection we might know Him and live with Him forever, be yours.