Christ the Lord to Us is Born
Christ the Lord to us is born
This hymn embodies Luther's emphasis on the accessibility of Christ's salvation to all people, declaring boldly that the Lord is born for us personally. It reflects the Lutheran understanding of Christ's incarnation as the ultimate expression of God's grace and love toward sinful humanity.
History & Background
Luther composed this carol around 1535 as a Christmas hymn celebrating the birth of Christ. It was first published in German hymnals and later translated into English, becoming a staple of Lutheran Christmas worship.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 257
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 57
- Lutheran Service Book — 381
- Lutheran Worship — 69
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 86
Translation
Bulletin Note
Composed by Martin Luther in 1535, this hymn captures the Reformation's central conviction: Christ's incarnation reveals God's grace made accessible to all people, not through human merit, but through faith alone.
Preaching Connection
This hymn embodies Luther's insistence that Christ's birth announces radical grace for sinners, moving the hearer from the comfort of Gospel promise to the grateful obedience that true faith demands.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Law to Gospel: human sinfulness and bondage under Satan → God's mercy in Christ → Christ's substitutionary atonement → faith's response and eschatological hope
Themes
Incarnation Nativity of Christ Salvation in Christ Joy in the Gospel Divine mercy