'Twas the Night Before Christmas

A Christmas meditation first preached by the Rev. Theodore Hertenstein at his Butler-Corruna Lutheran Parish in 1959. It was reused again multiple times at various other parishes, especially after Pastor Ted returned to Faith Lutheran of Logansport in 1970, once or twice even being used as the basis for the Children’s program by his daughter, Teresa Cooksey. (With apologies to the Rev. Clement Moore, who in 1837 officially claimed authorship to the well-known “A Visit from St. Nicholas”, better known by its first line of “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”)

Twas the night BEFORE Christmas, when all through Galilee,

All creatures were stirring in response to a decree

 From Caesar Augustus, that there should be

 An enrollment of all the people that be.

No stockings were hung by the chimney with care

In hopes that a St. Nicholas soon would be there.

For the world in those days did not give a care,

They were filled with more sorrows than they could bear.

No children were nestled all snug in their beds

With visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads.

For children in those days, did not have nice beds

And their parents did not give them such thoughts in their heads.

ON THE NIGHT BEFORE Christmas, the world had no joy

For man’s sins and his deaths, his hopes did destroy.

He had no where to turn to, no one to employ

For a hope of salvation and a life to enjoy.

The Shepherds of Bethlehem were watching the flock.

The Angels of Heaven had their eyes on the clock.

Joseph and Mary were with those seeking the block

Of the hotels within Bethlehem, where they would soon flock.

For the world without knowing, was being prepared

For the Message of Hope that soon was to be shared.

That in all the bright heavens, there was someone who cared

About the soul of mankind being repaired.

ON THE NIGHT BEFORE Christmas, the air was all stilled,

And the homes and hotels of all Bethlehem were filled.

For this is the way that God had it willed,

So that all of his prophecies might be fulfilled.

Joseph and Mary came as had been foretold

To Bethlehem’s town, by Micah of old,

And sought an inn as refuge from cold

But there was no room, they were soon told.

So Joseph and Mary to the stable were led,

In the midst of the hay, they made a bed.

And Mary with a great sigh, lay down her head

To await the new joys of the morning ahead.

ON THE NIGHT BEFORE Christmas, the shepherds were keeping

Their watch o’er their sheep and not one was sleeping.

The Wisemen of the East were skyward peeping

Watching the new star that was westward leaping.

As the world settled down for it’s nights little snooze,

All things were now ready to bring the good news

Of God’s kind love, for all of the Jews,

And all of us Gentiles as He did choose.

The angels were perched in readiness to tell

The Shepherds the news that would make them swell

With pride and great joy, until they fell

Over each other in their haste to tell.

And it came to pass as the Scriptures say,

That the time for Mary had come that day

And she brought forth her son upon the hay,

Wrapped Him in swaddling bands and in a manger lay.

The Angel of the Lord to the shepherds did appear.

His glory did shine and they were filled with fear.

So the Angel did speak that all could hear,

“Be not afraid, For I bring you good cheer!”

“Unto you is born this day, in David’s town,

A Savior, who shall be of great renown.

Christ the Lord, shall be his crown.

As from God’s heaven, He has come down.” 

And thus continued the message new,

“And this shall be a sign for you:

The heavenly babe you’ll find on view

All meanly wrapped, in a manger, too.”

And suddenly the sky was the lightest,

As a host of the heaven’s brightest

Sang out…”Glory to God in the Highest

And on earth peace and good will as the nighest.”

As the angels left, the shepherds to themselves did say,

“Let us go to Bethlehem and not tarry on the way,

To see this thing which the angel did say

Has come to pass on this very day.”

And they went with haste and there they found

The heaven sent Babe, all meanly bound

In swaddling cloths all wrapped around

And great hymns of praise they did sound.

Wisemen in the East, does Matthew decry,

Were watching the newborn star in the sky,

They followed it westward, as it climbed high

And towards the Town of David drew nigh.

“Where is the new born King of the Jews?

We have followed the star and know the good news

That the Son of God was born as He did choose,

In the very midst of the land of the Jews.”

These questions they asked of Herod the King

And at once in his heart did jealous spring.

So he sent them to Bethlehem with orders to bring

All of the news they could find of this new born king.

When they heard the king, they went on their way,

As the Gospel of Matthew does relay,

And the star of the East did light their way

To the house where the Christ child now lay.

As they entered the home, they were filled with great joy,

For they found there, the mother and her fine little boy.

They opened their treasures, but gave not a toy

But fine gifts to tell of the work of this boy.

Gold they offered as a king to proclaim,

Frankincense to honor his deity name,

Myrrh to forecast his sacrifice fame,

King and God and Sacrifice of Him they claim. 

So it is at this Christmas time,

All the world gathers round to sing in rhyme,

Of this Son of God, who was born within time,

To save mankind from the end of his time.

Now the world WITH the Savior is full of great joy.

Man’s sins and his deaths no longer destroy.

His hope of salvation and a life to enjoy,

For they now turn to Jesus, whom they can employ.

So the message of this Christmas is to be of good cheer.

For God loves us all and holds very dear,

All children and adults who will draw near

To Jesus the Christ Child, whom we speak about here.  Amen.