Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Matthew 1:18-21

The first Noel the angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds
In fields as they lay,
In fields where they lay
Keeping their sheep
On a cold winter’s night
That was so deep.
Noel Noel Noel Noel!
Born is the King of Israel!

What does “Noel” mean? Noel is the French word for Christmas and when the well-known Christmas Carol was translated into English, Noel was not translated and the word Noel originated in Latin meaning “birth”, so the song tells us the story of the first birth, but what is most important is the reason for the arrival of the Messiah.

When the angel of the LORD revealed the meaning of Mary’s pregnancy to Joseph, he explains that the purpose of Jesus’ life was to “save his people from their sins.”

And so as we sing this and other songs this year, we are reminded that Christmas is more than a celebration of Jesus’ birth, it is an opportunity to experience the new-birth of our lives. Whatever sin(s) we have committed, no matter how you have failed, Christ can and will save you from your sins.