Sunday's Hymn: On Christmas Night All Christians Sing

On Christmas night all Christians sing,
To hear the news the angels bring;
On Christmas night all Christians sing,
To hear the news the angels bring:
News of great joy, news of great mirth,
News of our merciful king’s birth.

Then why should men on earth be sad,
Since our Redeemer made us glad:
Then why should we on earth be sad,
Since our Redeemer made us glad:
When from our sin He set us free,
All for to gain our liberty.

When sin departs before Your grace,
Then life and health come in its place;
When sin departs before Your grace,
Then life and health come in its place;
Angels and men with joy may sing,
All for to see the newborn king.

All out of darkness we have light
Which made the angels sing this night;
All out of darkness we have light
Which made the angels sing this night:
Glory to God and peace to men,
Now and forevermore. Amen.

Other hymns, worship songs, sermons etc. posted today:

• Hark! The Herald Angels Sing at Graces Daily
• God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen at Gospel Grace
• Rose of Bethlehem at By Grace Alone
• O Holy Night at The Happy Wonderer
• Hark! The Herald Angels Sing at The Upward Call
• Joy Born at Bethlehem at Theology for Girls
• Why Christ Came -To Bind Up Broken Hearts at Tried With Fire
• Lord’s Day 51, 2013 at The Thirsty Theologian
• Your Weekly Dose of Spurgeon at Pyromaniacs: The stooping down of Godhead

Have you posted a hymn (or sermon, sermon notes, prayer, etc.) today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by contacting me using the contact form linked above, and I’ll add your post to the list.

Thankful Thursday

I’m thankful for a full tank of oil and a furnace that works. I’m thinking of this today because my daughter and her family continue to have difficulty with their propane furnace. It quits working every month or so and no one seems to be able pinpoint the problem. The company who installed the furnace says it’s a propane supply problem and the propane supplier says there’s a problem with the furnace. I’m sorry that they have to go through this ordeal, but I’m thankful that my trusty furnace gives them a warm place to go when their own house is cold.

I’m thankful that my schedule has slowed down now. The parties, concerts, etc., are over (I’m thankful for them, too, but happy for a break.) and all that’s left is our family Christmas celebration. I’m thankful that my gift shopping is done, too, so I can stay out of the stores, except for the grocery store. 

I’m thankful for lights: candles, lights on the tree, outdoor lights, just my ordinary household lighting. I can’t imagine living where I do without lights to curse the midwinter darkness. I’m also thankful for the Light who shines in the darkness.

Theological Term of the Week

semper reformanda
Latin for “always being reformed,” short for ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda (“the church reformed and always being reformed”), a slogan associated with the Protestant Reformation.

• From scripture:

… Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:25-27 ESV)

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