“It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” is one of the most beloved Christmas hymns ever composed. It was written by pastor Edmund Sears in 1849 who found himself deeply saddened by the sin and the strife that the world was facing. He felt as though people couldn’t even see the joy of Christmas and the fulfilment of the scriptures because they were so blinded by all of the ugliness of humanity. Sadly, as much as things change, they oftentimes seem very much the same. We still find ourselves looking at the world around us asking ourselves, “Does anyone get it? Do I even get it? Do I fully understand what is happening or what we are celebrating this Advent season?”
This year we are using the theme “Midnight Clear” to guide us throughout our Advent preparation. There is a sense in which the world in silent stillness lays, waiting for the promised Messiah – and yet in the midst of that, the darkness seems to still cover the land. We are trapped somewhere between the darkness of humanity and the joy that comes in the morning. I hope you will join us as we venture through the long dark night into the joyous celebration of the birth of our Savior. As we journey throughout the Old Testament, the Prophets, and the Gospels we will hear the story of how Jesus saves us from the dark night of our soul. Midnight Clear is a perfect way to look at our Advent time together – that even in the midnight hour, when the light is all but faded, we can still see clearly the hope that we have in the birth of Jesus Christ. Join us each Sunday as we look at a different aspect of Midnight Clear. If you can’t please join us on our Facebook Live feed or catch up online. However you chose to be involved, we pray you have a blessed Christmas, filled with the hope and the joy of Christ.
Blessings,
Pastor Matt
12/1/2019 The Lord is Our Shepherd Psalm 23
12/8/2019 Light of the World Isaiah 2:2-7; John 8:12
12/22/2019 Live As Children of the Light Ephesians 5:1-2; 8-14