During that first Christmas, a voice kept calling. It called Mary to bear a son. It called Joseph to be the dad. It called to the shepherds who were keeping watch over the flocks by night. That voice even called out to Anna and Simeon in the Temple and the Wise Men coming from afar. That voice was God calling and orchestrating and participating in the most important in-breaking in all of the Bible: the Incarnation of Jesus. And that voice still calls to us today. We sing about it in this ancient Christmas carol: 

“Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King! Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.” 

God, through the voice of angels, declares, first and foremost, glory to Jesus as king. Then God announces, through Jesus, peace, and mercy will be the future of the world. The incarnation signals for us that all things are now becoming reconciled back to God. 

These lyrics pack a theological punch, and they still ring true today. We do not always hear an audible voice from God, but it calls to us still. We feel God’s presence in our souls. And through active, participatory worship, prayer, contemplation, meditation, and stillness, we can even slow our lives down enough to hear God’s voice again this Christmas. 

And, this Christmas, we need to understand this truth: God’s voice calls us still. God is not done reconciling us back. There is still more peace and more mercy to come, and it is for us sinners. Join us this Christmas, as we listen for the voice that says (and as we join our voices and sing) with great hope: 

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings, Ris'n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth.
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

Hark! A voice is calling! 

November 28 | Matthew 1:1-16 | Hark! A Voice is Calling through the Generations 

Matthew’s gospel opens with a very intentional genealogy. On the surface, it is quite boring, but as you dig into it, you discover it is anything but. Matthew knows what he’s doing. He’s opening his gospel by setting the stage that this baby matters. He comes with a grand tradition. And he’s its fulfillment and its hope for the future of God’s chosen people. 

December 5 | Matthew 1:18-25 | Hark! A Voice is Calling to Joseph 

As Matthew tells it, Joseph wanted nothing to do with Mary’s pregnancy until an angel of the Lord stepped in and spoke. This voice was game-changing for Joseph, and what unfolds for him still has ramifications for us today. 

December 12 | Luke 1:26-38 | Hark! A Voice is Calling Mary 

Mary is knocked off her feet when the angel of the Lord spoke to her. She is to carry the son of God to term?!?! This moment changes Mary’s life forever, and her response to the angel has so much to say to us today. 

December 19 | Choir Cantata: Hark! A Voice is Calling | Lesson and Carols

Join us for a special Choir-led, joint, Christmas Worship service in the sanctuary.

December 24 | Luke 2:1-20 | Hark! A Voice is Calling to the Shepherds

The shepherds are nobodies from nowhere. They are the least important people contributing to society, and that says something about why they are given such real estate in the gospel story. Luke’s narrative is showing us that the presence of Christ is for the nobodies from nowhere. In Christ, they become somebodies who are afforded incredible opportunities for mystery and hope. Hearing what the shepherds hear will help us understand where God’s voice is still calling today.

December 26 | Luke 2:22-38 | Hark! A Voice is Calling to Simeon and Anna

After Jesus is born, he gets presented in the temple for circumcision and a blessing. While there, he meets Simeon and Anna. They are prophets and soothsayers who bless Jesus and worship him. Their voices are incredibly important for understanding the power and nature of Christ as well as furthering the narrative of the gospel. 

January 2 | John 1:1-4 | Hark! A Voice is Calling This Year

Some of the most timeless words in all the gospels are found in the Prologue to John. At any point in the year, these words ring true. But to hear them at the beginning of a new calendar year offers us the chance to hope against hope that the presence and voice of God are still calling us out and forward as a church and as a people. 

January 9 | Matthew 2:1-11 | Hark! A Voice is Calling to the Wise Men

Some of the most prolific characters in the Bible are the Wise Men. The magi’s narrative of following a star, avoiding capture and tricking Herod, paying homage and bringing gifts to the newborn king, and escaping home thanks to the voice of God make it one of the best stories you can tell. It even has ramifications for how we can begin our new year and listen for God’s voice and follow God’s star.