A Thrill of Hope

"We Three Kings” has long been a well-known and beloved Christmas carol, but if you compare its lyrics to the biblical story of the wise men in the Gospel of Matthew, you can’t help but notice a discrepancy or two. So what does this timeless carol teach us about the baby Jesus the magi came to worship?

There are certain traditions that it just wouldn’t be Christmas Eve without and perhaps at the top of all of our lists would be singing “Silent Night” by candlelight. But did you know that if it weren’t a broken church organ on Christmas Eve in 1816, that song wouldn’t even exist. This story is a reminder that God often does God’s best work when we’re least expecting it—including the arrival of the Savior of the world.

What’s not to love about the classic Christmas carol, “Joy to the World?” It’s got everything. Soaring, triumphant music. Lyrics that you can sing by heart. And a timeless message of the greatest story every told. It’s no mistake that Joy to the World is the most widely published Christian hymn of all time. But there’s something else about this sing connects with us deep in our souls. Today, we’ll look at the key to finding joy during the Advent season.

Few things get us in the holiday spirit quite like some joyful, upbeat Christmas music. Of course, “upbeat” and “joyful” aren’t exactly words that most people would use to describe, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” But in spite it’s slow and even somber melody, this is a Christmas hymn that strikes at the heart of the Advent message. Today, we’ll look at how the path to finding peace this Christmas can begin with the word, “Repent!”

If you’ve been in the church long enough, you know that before we arrive at the miracle of Christmas, we celebrate a season called Advent. Advent comes from the Latin word, ‘adventus,’ which means “coming” or “to come.” And that’s ultimately what Advent is all about—it’s a season of waiting for Jesus’ arrival into our world. Today, we’ll look at the one of the most well-known Advent carols, “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus,” and together we’ll discover what it teaches us about hope.