On this Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day, I wanted to introduce our 2024 Advent sermons and our text for this coming Lord’s Day Worship.

This year I will be preaching a series of messages that I have entitled, ‘The Hymns of Christmas.’   The title comes from some of the wonderful Advent hymns that are found in our Trinity Hymnal. However, I have chosen from among those hymns that are least familiar to us.

As you know, the great hymns of the Church have typically been based upon a specific text of Holy Scripture.  The editors of our Trinity Hymnal have also been very careful to pair each of the 742 hymns with a Scripture reference (you will find the Biblical text listed just after the title of each hymn).

Our Advent sermons for each of the next four Sundays, including our Christmas Eve service, will come from the Biblical text associated with five unfamiliar Christmas hymns.  The plan is as follows:

Hymn: #221, ‘Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming’

Text: Isaiah 11:1-5

 Hymn #197, ‘Comfort, Comfort Ye My People’

Text: Isaiah 40:1-2

 Hymn: #230, ‘Thou Who Wast Rich Beyond All Splendor’

Text: 2 Corinthians 8:9

Hymn: #212, ‘Within a Crib My Savior Lay’

Text: 1 John 4:10

 Hymn: #227, ‘On Christmas Night All Christians Sing’

Text: Luke 2:10

In order to gain the most from our messages, let me suggest a couple of things you might want to do beginning this week.

First, use the link below to access the free online version of the Trinity Hymnal.  Then before each Sunday of Advent, use the hymn and its Biblical text as your devotional guide for the week.  Read the Biblical passage very carefully, then prayerfully reflect upon the meaning of each stanza of the hymn.

Secondly, each Sunday during our time of Preparation for Worship, Dr. Carol Bart will be playing the Advent Hymn we have assigned for each message. As she plays, open the hymnal to that song and follow along with the music silently in your heart as we ready ourselves for worship.