1. During this Advent Sermon Series; we will be looking at some classic
Christmas carols,
the history behind them, and Scriptures that the lyrics connect to…all with the goal of bringing glory to Jesus.

2. and poet, his name was Placide Cappeau.
The song, O Holy Night, was written in the mid- 1800's. A Parish priest asked a man in town who was actually a French merchant
and poet, his name was Placide Cappeau.
The priest asked Placide, 'Would you write a poem of Luke Chapter Two?’ Placide was not only not a Christian, but he was also known as kind of a hell-raiser. He was very far from God, didn't go to church at all, but he was a good poet. So, Placide wrote this poem, and he loved it so much he asked his friend who was also not a Christian, to put the poem to music.

3. This song became popular throughout Catholic churches (as well as others), but when everyone realized just who wrote the song and who did the music; they said, 'You've got to shut this song down!' But, by then it was way too popular.

4. he made a make-shift generator, plugged
About five decades later, Reginald Fessenden (a 33-year old Canadian professor) did what many people thought was impossible. Out of his own garage,
he made a make-shift generator, plugged
a microphone into it and broadcast
the very first AM broadcast in the history of the world on Christmas Eve in 1906.

5. Fessenden spoke into the microphone
and broadcast a reading of The Christmas Story from Luke 2. Then he took his violin, played into the microphone and
the first song broadcast across airwaves
in the history of the world became
O Holy Night.

6. In our “weary world”, we all crave true hope that will help us through our days.
Rather than looking for cheap substitutes during this Christmas Season, we should look back to the manger & to Jesus.

7. Lamentations 3: 21-24
21  “This I call to mind     and therefore I have hope:
22 Because of the Lord’s great love 
we are not consumed,     for His compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning;     great is Your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion;     therefore I will wait for Him.’”

8. Romans 13: 11-12
“The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber,
 because our salvation is nearer now
than when we first believed. The night
is nearly over; the day is almost here.”

9. ----------------------------
Isaiah 9:2
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living
in the land of
the shadow of death
a light has dawned.”
Titus 3: 3-5

10. Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have
a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are,
yet without sin.”

11. “O Holy Night” Truly He taught us
to love one another,  His law is love and
His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break,
for the slave
is our brother.  And in His Name
all oppression
shall cease.

12. without knowing the Savior.
A non-Christian wrote “O Holy Night.”
What does that tell us? That tells us you can know the story of Christmas without knowing the Savior of the world. You can know the story,
without knowing the Savior.
That doesn’t need to be you!
The thrill of hope and salvation
in Jesus’ Name can be yours today!