How rested are you these days? Most of us would probably agree that rest is hard to come by.  In order to get rest, you have to stop being active.  You have to say no to the urgent.  You have to decide to prioritize the right things.  It's possible that you may not feel rested even after a good night's sleep.  We understand rest to indicate a physical reality that doesn't happen nearly enough.

     However, you may be interested to learn that the idea of "rest" wasn't always only defined this way.  The soundtrack of Advent contains a number of songs written several hundred years ago, and the meaning of words can often change dramatically during that time frame.  In order to make sense of some Christmas carols today, it is valuable to understand how language was used at the time the songs were written.  We will find a prime example of this truth this Sunday as we continue in our series A Theology of Carols.

     We will focus on the song "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen."   This classic hymn dates back to 1760, and the lyrics contain a very straight-forward telling of the story of Jesus' arrival.  However, throughout each verse, there are powerful phrases that demonstrate the effect of the "rest" that the first line of the song calls for.  Our discussion will center on reconsidering the concept of rest, and we'll examine Scripture which clarifies the rest Jesus provides.  Join us for a fruitful discussion of why God's rest, which He delivered to us in Jesus Christ, brings true peace.