42 min
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear | Jazz Christmas Renovation Church Sermon Podcast
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- Christianity
This week we begin a three week series Jazz Christmas, our take on Advent this year as we explore the rich depth and truth of some of the most well known Christmas songs.
The year was 1849, and those attuned to the times knew that the U.S. was on the brink of catastrophic consequences. For over two hundred years African people had been in bondage in the U.S., and the prevailing winds of incremental change were blowing. War was on the horizon, and the sin of slavery would cost more life than anyone could have ever imagined.
Dr Edmund Sears, a Unitarian pastor from Wayland, Massachusetts, was attuned to the moment. As he sat trying to construct an uplifting Christmas message for his community, he felt lost. How could he inspire them when his own soul was heavy, wearied and restless in light of all the brokenness that surrounded him?
He thumbed through his bible as he struggled, and landed in Luke’s record of Jesus’ life and ministry. He was moved by the words in the eighth and ninth verse of chapter two.
“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified…”
After considering the miracle of that long-ago moment, Sears picked up his pen and scribbled out a five-verse poem he called It came upon a midnight clear.
This week we begin a three week series Jazz Christmas, our take on Advent this year as we explore the rich depth and truth of some of the most well known Christmas songs.
The year was 1849, and those attuned to the times knew that the U.S. was on the brink of catastrophic consequences. For over two hundred years African people had been in bondage in the U.S., and the prevailing winds of incremental change were blowing. War was on the horizon, and the sin of slavery would cost more life than anyone could have ever imagined.
Dr Edmund Sears, a Unitarian pastor from Wayland, Massachusetts, was attuned to the moment. As he sat trying to construct an uplifting Christmas message for his community, he felt lost. How could he inspire them when his own soul was heavy, wearied and restless in light of all the brokenness that surrounded him?
He thumbed through his bible as he struggled, and landed in Luke’s record of Jesus’ life and ministry. He was moved by the words in the eighth and ninth verse of chapter two.
“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified…”
After considering the miracle of that long-ago moment, Sears picked up his pen and scribbled out a five-verse poem he called It came upon a midnight clear.
42 min