Christmas: Good Christian Men, Rejoice

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Simeon’s Moment by Ron DiCianni

“And behold there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel and the Holy Spirit was upon him . . . And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus . . . he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, ‘Now Lord, Thou does let Thy bondservant depart in peace according to Thy word. For my eyes have seen Thy salvation.'” (Luke 2:25, 27-30)

Behind every song, there is a story. As I thought about this particular Christmas song, I couldn’t help but think about Simeon who is spoken of in Luke 2. Can you imagine the joy he felt when he was able to take into his arms the One whom he had looked for, the promised One, the Messiah of Israel? How his heart must have leaped as he said, “For my eyes have seen Thy salvation.”

And so I thought of the words of this ancient hymn . . . Good Christian Men, Rejoice!

Good Christian Men, Rejoice

This hymn goes back many centuries. The words were written by a Dominican monk by the name of Heinrich Suso. Suso lived in a time when darkness and poverty and hopelessness were the facts of everyday life. He was born into a family that would have made him part of the ruling class, but with a great concern for the common man and his sufferings, Suso chose the priesthood. He attempted in his ministry to lift the spirits of the people — people who he knew had very little to cause them to rejoice.

This was not the normal ministry of the church at that time, so Suso suffered persecution for his service of worship. However, this did not derail this determined man. He continued until his death to reach the common man with his song and its message.

Simeon Rejoiced

As Simeon rejoiced so did Heinrich Suso. And so have many listeners and singers of this traditional hymn down through the ages. What a wonderful message to ponder in the midst of a fallen world . . . this message of Christmas: Now ye need not fear the grave; Jesus Christ was born to save!

The Season of Advent (the 4 weeks before Christmas)

What is Advent?
HOPE Advent Candle 1 – Prophecy Gives Hope (video)
LOVE Advent Candle 2 – Promise Reveals Love (video)
JOY Advent Candle 3 – Jesus Is Our Joy (video)
PEACE Advent Candle 4 – Pause to Find Peace (video)
Christmas Day: When Love Was Born — Light the CHRIST Candle
What is the Prophetic Symbolism of Advent Candles?
How Do We “Take” Advent and Find Rest?
Download a Daily Devotional for Advent

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