The Angels Anthem at the Incarnation

Order of Service

• Welcome
• Children's Choir — Go Tell It on the Mountain
• Call to Worship — Isaiah 9:6-7
• Hymn — God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen
• Prayer of Invocation
• Scripture Reading — Luke 2
• Children's Choir — Child of Hope
• Children's Choir — Away in a Manger
• Pastoral Prayer
• Sermon
• Hymn — Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
• The Lord's Supper
• Communion Prayer
• Hymn — Silent Night
• Benediction

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Sermon Title: The Angels' Anthem at the Incarnation

Scripture: Luke 2:13-14

I. The Glory of God's Creation

A. The angelic host burst into praise at the announcement of Christ's birth — a unique occasion in Scripture

1. In Job 38:1-7, the angels (sons of God) sang together at the original creation
2. Just as they sang over original creation, the angels now sing over God's new creation in the Son — the second and last Adam

B. The parallel between original creation and the incarnation

1. The Spirit who hovered over the waters at creation now overshadows Mary's womb, bringing forth a supernatural, ex nihilo creation
2. The God of creation has now become the God of salvation — God in the flesh, born of the Spirit in the womb of Mary

II. The Glory of God's Humility

A. God makes himself lower than the angels in the incarnation

1. Psalm 8 declares that man was made a little lower than the heavenly beings
2. The writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 2:7 applies these words to Jesus, adding the phrase "for a little while" — God temporarily made himself lower than the angels by taking on human nature

B. The angels praise the power seen in God's humility

1. The angels who serve before the thrice-holy God — whose face the seraphim in Isaiah 6 must hide from — now behold him as an infant in a manger
2. The incarnation inverts our understanding of power: true power is the highest being of the universe making himself nothing in the insignificant town of Bethlehem
3. The angels do not wait for the resurrection or ascension to praise — they burst forth in praise at his humiliation, his humble estate willingly embraced

C. The mystery of the incarnation (Ezekiel Hopkins quoted)

1. The manger and the cross were not places of glorious outward appearance — carnal reason cannot grasp this
2. Paul calls it the mystery of godliness — an event neither man nor angels could have predicted, and therefore of divine origin
3. The holy God who caused saints throughout Scripture to fall prostrate in fear now draws near in human form and speaks peace to sinners

D. Application

1. Christ was made lower than the angels for a little while so that he might lift his people up with him in heavenly places
2. Those united to Christ by faith are now seated in heavenly places — above the angels in spirit; at his return, above the angels in body
3. Call to join the anthem of the angels in praise and wonder at the God-man Jesus Christ