Silent Night: The Gift of Redeeming Grace

Devotional

Day 1: Righteousness of God revealed apart from the law.

God's perfect righteousness has been made known not by human effort but by the person and work of Christ; it is a gift freely given to those who trust. This righteousness stands in contrast to the condemning power of the law and is received by faith so that sinners are declared right before a holy judge. The gift of redemption in Christ erases the record and clothes believers in the Son's righteousness, not because of what they do but because of what has been done on their behalf. [40:16]

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

Reflection: What rule-keeping or "good-deed" habit are you clinging to as evidence of righteousness, and what would trusting Christ's righteousness instead require you to stop doing this week?

Day 2: All humanity stands under sin's righteous condemnation.

Before the gift of Christ is unveiled, the Bible insists on how broken and condemned humanity is; every person has fallen short and stands in need of rescue. The law serves to show the depth of the problem, revealing that no one is truly righteous by their own deeds and that self‑effort cannot bridge the ruin sin causes. Understanding this honest indictment prepares the heart to receive the free, redeeming grace that God has provided in Jesus. [36:47]

What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." 13 "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips." 14 "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." 15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known." 18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."

Reflection: Which line from Paul's indictment in Romans 3:9–18 — pride, deceit, bitter speech, or a life lacking the fear of God — most honestly describes you today, and how will that admission shape one concrete prayer this week?

Day 3: The Son lifted up as God's public display.

Christ's death was not hidden; it was displayed openly so that everyone might see the satisfaction of God's justice and receive life by believing. The lifting up of the Son is the very means by which sinners are offered eternal life, and it shows that God gave his only Son out of love to save, not to condemn. The cross is the public proof that the Father's wrath was borne and that redemption is available to all who will look and believe. [55:48]

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Reflection: When you picture the cross as God's public display of love and satisfaction, who is one person in your life you can point toward that display this week, and what specific step will you take to do so?

Day 4: Righteousness has always been by faith.

Long before the law, God declared the faithful righteous; Abraham's faith was counted to him as righteousness, showing that justification by faith is woven through God's story. The law exposes inability; faith points to the promise and receives the righteousness God offers. Remembering this roots the Christmas gift — the Son given for sinners — in the same truth that made Abraham right with God. [47:46]

And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Reflection: What promise of God are you being invited to believe today, and what is one small, tangible act of trust you can do this week to live as if that promise were already true?

Day 5: Redemption purchased by Christ's precious blood.

The salvation given to sinners was bought not with silver or gold but with the precious, spotless blood of Christ; the ransom is costly and complete. That fact humbles any attempt to earn God’s favor and magnifies the worth of the gift given on the cross and announced in the manger. Remembering the price paid calls believers to rest in grace and to live in gratitude for a redemption that can never be repaid. [58:48]

knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

Reflection: What are you still trying to buy or earn with perishable things, and how would remembering that your ransom was paid by Christ's blood change one choice you make this week?

Sermon Summary

As we turn toward Christmas and the Lord’s Table, I invited us to slow down and receive the gift of Christ with fresh gratitude. I told the story behind Silent Night—how a broken organ, a simple poem by a young priest, and a friend with a guitar became a midnight song that circled the globe and even hushed the guns of war for a few days. I was drawn to that fourth stanza: “Radiant beams from Thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace.” Christmas marks the dawn—God’s decisive move to save. The manger sets the cross in motion. The birth of Jesus is God’s permanent answer for peace with Him.

We turned to Romans for the larger story. Paul’s theme is clear: the gospel is God’s power to save, not our power to impress. For two and a half chapters he levels the field—there is none righteous, not even one. That darkness prepares us for two glorious words in Romans 3:21: “But now.” God has manifested a righteousness apart from the law, long witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. This righteousness isn’t earned; it’s received by faith in Jesus. Faith isn’t the contribution; Christ is the object. Faith simply receives what God gives.

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” and all who believe are “justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” At the cross, God publicly displayed His Son as the propitiation—wrath fully satisfied without God ceasing to be just. The Judge remains righteous, and because of Jesus’ blood, He declares the guilty righteous. That’s why self-justification must die. On Judgment Day the question will not be, “How did you do?” but, “What did you do with My Son?”

So, we come to the Table remembering that Jesus always gives the better gift—His body and blood for sinners, His resurrection as the Father’s “Amen.” If you are in Christ, the Father sees you clothed in His righteousness. Saints, not strivers. Beloved, not barely tolerated. That is redeeming grace—dawning in a manger, blazing at the cross, and still warming our hearts today.

Key Takeaways

1. Righteousness apart from law, received by faith Faith doesn’t add to Christ’s work; it rests in it. The Law reveals our ruin, not our remedy, and the Prophets foretold a righteousness God would give, not one we would achieve. Christ is the object of faith; faith simply receives what He accomplished. This is why no one is beyond hope, and no one can boast. [49:49]
2. The “But now” that changes everything Into our universal guilt God speaks a decisive interruption: “But now.” The Judge does not lower His standard; He introduces new evidence—the cross—where His justice and mercy meet. Because Jesus stands for us, the verdict is eternally changed: acquitted, adopted, and made new. [44:04]
3. Christ’s blood satisfied holy justice publicly The cross was not hidden; the Son was lifted up for all to see. Propitiation means God’s just wrath was fully satisfied in Jesus’ sacrifice—God remains just and becomes the justifier of the ungodly. Your assurance rests not in your promises to God, but in God’s public promise at Golgotha. [57:06]
4. All have sinned; stop self-justifying comparisons Falling short isn’t an occasional slip; it’s our ongoing condition apart from grace. Comparing ourselves to others only shows we don’t understand the standard—God’s glory. Confession clears the ground so grace can descend, and it frees us to boast only in Christ. [51:07]
5. Christmas as the dawn of grace The manger is not sentiment—it’s strategy. God enters our world to do what we could never do: reconcile sinners to Himself. If you have Christ, you already have the better gift—peace with God, now and forever. [30:57]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[23:43] - Trivia Night and a Carol’s Origin
[25:46] - Silent Night First Sung in Austria
[28:33] - How Silent Night Spanned the World
[30:57] - Radiant Beams: The Dawn of Grace
[31:53] - Christmas Brings a Choice
[32:56] - Romans: The Gospel’s Power and Purpose
[36:47] - No One Righteous: Our Real Condition
[42:02] - “But Now”: God’s Intervention
[45:31] - Righteousness Apart from Law Revealed
[49:49] - Faith Receives, It Doesn’t Contribute
[55:48] - Propitiation: Justice Satisfied by Christ
[61:17] - Stop Performing; Trust the Son
[63:39] - The Table: Jesus Gives the Better Gift

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Romans 3:21–26 — 21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Observation Questions

In Romans 3:21–22, what is the contrast introduced by the word “But now”? How does that change the legal case Paul has been making in the previous chapters?
Romans 3:23–24 pairs two realities: humanity’s condition and God’s action. What are those two realities, and how are they connected in these verses?
Verse 25 uses the word propitiation and says Christ was “put forward…by his blood, to be received by faith.” What concrete images or actions does Paul use here to describe how God deals with sin?
The choir and story of Silent Night were used to point to Christmas as “the dawn of redeeming grace.” Which detail of that story — the broken organ, the simple poem, or the song spreading — most clearly highlights God’s way of giving grace, and why? [30:57]

Interpretation Questions

How should one understand “righteousness of God…apart from the law” (v.21) so that the law’s role is not discarded but rather seen in its proper relation to the gospel?
How should one interpret the phrase “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ” (v.22) with respect to the object of faith and the idea that faith does not add to Christ’s work? [49:49]
In what way does the description of Christ as a propitiation (v.25) clarify both God’s justice and God’s mercy, and why is this balance theologically important for assurance?
How should one understand the courtroom image that shifts the verdict from guilty to acquitted (v.26) so that it removes grounds for self-justifying comparisons and instead grounds assurance in Christ? [01:01:46]

Application Questions

Righteousness is received, not achieved. What one concrete habit (daily Scripture passage, short prayer, memory line, or confession) will you begin this week to remind yourself to rest in Christ rather than in your performance? [49:49]
The “But now” interrupts a guilty verdict. When condemnation or shame arises, what specific truth from the cross will you choose to speak to your heart, and when during the week will you practice saying it aloud? [44:04]
Confession clears the ground for grace. Identify one specific sin or area where you tend to compare yourself favorably with others. How will you confess it to God this week and remove that habit of self-justification? (Be concrete: when, where, and to whom you might report back.) [51:07]
The cross is described as satisfying God’s wrath in Christ’s blood. When you feel distant from God or fearful of judgment, what prayer or Scripture will you use to remind yourself that Christ’s sacrifice was publicly displayed as propitiation? Will you write it and keep it where you will see it? [57:06]
Christmas is the dawn of redeeming grace. Name one simple, tangible way you will point a family member, neighbor, or friend this season to the “better gift” (not a discussion, but an action or invitation) and set a specific day to do it. [30:57]
The Lord’s Table is a reminder that Jesus gives the better gift. How will you prepare your heart before the next communion (a short confession, a Scripture to memorize, an act of repentance toward someone) so that you receive the Table as a gift rather than a duty? [01:03:39]

Sermon Clips

And The Son Stands Up And Pleads His Case For Us He Points The Attention Of The Righteous Judge To Consider The Evidence Of The Cross He Points To His Nail Scarred Hands He Points To The Scar Left In His Side There's No Deliberation There's No Time Wasted The Judge Doesn't Call Recess And Say Because Of This New Evidence I Need To Figure Things Out I Need To Look At What's Happening HereNo Immediately The Righteous JudgeStays Eternally Righteous And JustAnd He Declares Us Innocent And Free Our Record Is Erased As A Result Of broad evidence The Defendant Is Given A New Name And The Judge Will Never Look At Us The Same Way Again [00:44:04] (57 seconds) #EvidenceOfTheCross

It's Not Going To Set You Apart Because If Anything The 613 Commands Of The Old Testament The Righteousness That Is Derived By The Law Was Given For The Point Of Revealing You Can't Keep The LawIf You Broke One Of Those Laws You Broke Them All AndIf You Broke One Of Those Laws You Were Condemned As A Sinner TheLaw And ProphetsArgued For The Coming Of God's Perfect Righteousness What I Love About That Is Long Before The Laws Were Ever Given To Moses When He Was On The Mountain We Read In Genesis 15 Verse 6 That Abraham Was Made Right Because He Believed God That Righteousness Has Always Come By Faith [00:47:20] (52 seconds) #LawRevealsOurNeed

It's In Contrast To The Law Because It's A Righteousness We Can Never Attain For Ourself It Can't Be Found In Keeping Rules Can'tBe Found In Being Good Or By Obeying The Law And Prophets Pointed Towards A Future Hope Towards A Promise Towards One Who Would Come That Would Make Everything Right A Messiah And This Messiah Will Give Us Righteousness It's This Messiah Who Is Born Into The World It's The Messiah Christ The LordThat Was Written Down In A Poem And Made Into A Song Sung On A Christmas Eve Night That Reminds Us Of God God's Redeeming Grace [00:48:12] (44 seconds) #MessiahGivesRighteousness

We Are Being Justified This Is A Continuous Action We Have Been Declared Righteous And Are Continually Declared Righteous By The Righteous Judge Through The Gift That Was GivenThrough The Gift You Might Want To Underline That And Write Christmas I Don't Know Whatever You Want To Do To Remind Yourself Of ThisThrough The Gift What Is A Gift Something That Is FreeUndeserved Given With An Expectation Of Nothing ReturnYou Know We're In The Season Of Giving Gifts How Many Of You Give A Gift To Someone And Say Okay Here's Your GiftNow Where's Mine That'sThat's Not A Gift [00:53:27] (49 seconds) #GiftNotEarnings

TheGift Of Redemption Which Is In Jesus Christ And Let Let's Say The Way That Paul Wrote It To Enforce His Point Christ JesusSee That Order Of His Name Is ImportantChrist Refers To His Title As Messiah SaviorThat We Receive Redemption As A Gift Which Is In Christ JesusRedemption Is The Buying Back EspeciallyIn The First Century World The Buying Back Of A Slave YourRedemption Is Only Found In Christ Jesus Nothing Else [00:54:18] (40 seconds) #RedemptionInChristJesus

Jesus Was In Public View The Father Gave The Son For All Jesus Isn't Hidden But Freely Given To All Sinners The Cross And His Sacrifice That Was Displayed Was Not Done In Secret It Wasn't In A Secret Place In The Temple In The Holy Of Holies That Only The High Priest Could Go Into When Jesus Died For Our Sins He Was PublicDisplayed For All Before All People He Was Out In The Open [00:56:29] (36 seconds) #JesusPubliclyGiven

So How Can You And I As Sinners Be Right With A God Who Is Absolutely Holy ByWhy Did The Son CameTo Take Our Place Why Was A Baby Born In A Manger 2000 Years Ago With No Fanfare Or AttentionBecause He Came To Take Our Place And Die Our Death To Pay The Penalty For Our SinsSo That We Could Be Right With God [01:00:17] (35 seconds) #SubstitutionaryAtonement

On Judgment DayGod's Not Going To Ask You How Did You Do Down HereGod's Going To Say What Did You Do With My Son You'reEither Going To Be Lost Trying To Get Yourself To Heaven By All The Good Deeds That You Think Are Good Enough Or You're Going To Be Justified Made Right By Trusting In The Sacrifice [01:01:43] (25 seconds) #WhatDidYouDoWithMySon

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