The First Hope, the Hope of Freedom

The Christmas celebration occurs in the United States when daylight is scarce and cold temperatures are common. It is at the darkest time of the year that we celebrate the light of the world. Jesus steps out of the shadows of the Old Testament into the darkness of our world to be the light that cannot be overcome (John 1:5). As we prepare our hearts and minds for this celebration, we look to an ancient Christian advent tradition of declaring hope as we approach Christmas. The ancient declaration of hope draws near in the familiar Christmas hymn, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. Each of the song's seven stanzas tackles one area of life in which many despair. Each stanza shines light into our darkness, declaring the coming of Jesus our hope.

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

and ransom captive Israel

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the Son of God appears.

In the first stanza of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel explores the reality and despair of slavery. John records a conversation between Jesus and some of his followers in John chapter 8. Throughout the chapter, Jesus presents to a Jewish audience that he, Jesus, is the true light of the world. Jesus teaches that all who follow Jesus will not walk in darkness (v. 12), will know the truth, and will be set free (v. 32). At this point in the story, the crowd begins to turn on Jesus because he asserts that they need to be set free.

Israel has a history of oppression, captivity, or enslavement. The Old Testament records that the Egyptians and the Babylonians enslaved the nation of Israel. Even at the time of Jesus' earthly ministry, Israel was a vassal state of the Roman Empire that controlled and oppressed the Jewish people. Yet, throughout the Old Testament stories, history, and poems, the nation of Israel held out hope. One day, the Messiah would come, and he would rescue Israel from their slavery, and all the world would know the salvation of their God.

Jesus addressed a crowd of Jewish people in active denial despite their obvious ongoing history of oppression. Jesus teaches that real oppression is being enslaved to sin and that Jesus himself is the true hope of freedom, freedom from sin! Our enslavement to sin separates us from God, from ourselves, from one another, and the world around us. The hope of freedom this Christmas is found and experienced in surrendering our lives to Jesus. Is there an area in your life in which you are experiencing oppression, captivity, or enslavement? Jesus, our savior-king, has come into the world to bring freedom by defeating sin. Jesus is our hope of freedom. "So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free" (John 8:36, CSB).

Refrain:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

shall come to you, O Israel.