Jesus didn’t just come to teach us or inspire us; He came to reconcile us to God. In this Advent episode, Nicole explores Hark! The Herald Angels Sing—one of the most beloved Christmas hymns—and reveals how richly it is woven with Scripture. With more than 34 direct biblical references, Charles Wesley’s hymn is far more than a seasonal melody; it is a sweeping declaration of the Gospel. Nicole walks listeners through the incarnation, reconciliation, new birth, and the cosmic hope that Jesus brings. From Luke 2’s angelic announcement to Romans 5’s explanation of reconciliation, this episode unpacks why this hymn is actually a lyrical theology lesson celebrating Christ’s mission to redeem humanity.

Main Takeaways:


Why this Christmas hymn is actually a full retelling of the Gospel message


How Luke 2 connects to the angels’ proclamation of peace and joy


What “God and sinners reconciled” truly means according to Romans 5


The significance of Christ “laying His glory by” and becoming fully God and fully man


Why being “born again” is the heart of the Christmas message


How Jesus brings spiritual life that cannot die—even when our physical bodies do

📖 Bible Verses Mentioned (Linked to BibleStudyTools.com)
Luke 2:8–14 — Angelic announcement of Christ’s birth
Romans 5:1–11 — God and sinners reconciled
Isaiah 7:14 — Prophecy of the virgin birth
Isaiah 9:6 — Christ as Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
John 1:1–14 — The Word becomes flesh
Philippians 2:5–11 — Christ “lays His glory by”
Malachi 4:2 — “Sun of Righteousness” with healing in His wings
John 11:25–26 — “Whoever believes in me will never die”
John 3:1–8 — Born again
Matthew 9:1–8 — Jesus heals the paralytic (spiritual healing first)

Want More?
Subscribe to How to Study the Bible with Nicole Unice
Leave a rating or review to help other listeners discover the podcast
Download Nicole’s free Christmas Eve Family Liturgy:
https://www.nicoleunice.com/christmas
Join Nicole’s newsletter for Bible resources and updates
Share this episode with a friend who loves Christmas music

Jesus didn&rsquo;t just come to teach us or inspire us; He came to reconcile us to God. In this Advent episode, Nicole explores&nbsp;Hark! The Herald Angels Sing&mdash;one of the most beloved Christmas hymns&mdash;and reveals how richly it is woven with Scripture. With more than 34 direct biblical references, Charles Wesley&rsquo;s hymn is far more than a seasonal melody; it is a sweeping declaration of the Gospel. Nicole walks listeners through the incarnation, reconciliation, new birth, and the cosmic hope that Jesus brings. From Luke 2&rsquo;s angelic announcement to Romans 5&rsquo;s explanation of reconciliation, this episode unpacks why this hymn is actually a lyrical theology lesson celebrating Christ&rsquo;s mission to redeem humanity.
<hr data-start="1252" data-end="1255">
Main Takeaways:
<ul data-start="1302" data-end="1783">
<li data-start="1302" data-end="1384">
Why this Christmas hymn is actually a full retelling of the Gospel message
</li>
<li data-start="1385" data-end="1457">
How Luke 2 connects to the angels&rsquo; proclamation of peace and joy
</li>
<li data-start="1458" data-end="1533">
What &ldquo;God and sinners reconciled&rdquo; truly means according to Romans 5
</li>
<li data-start="1534" data-end="1627">
The significance of Christ &ldquo;laying His glory by&rdquo; and becoming fully God and fully man
</li>
<li data-start="1628" data-end="1696">
Why being &ldquo;born again&rdquo; is the heart of the Christmas message
</li>
<li data-start="1697" data-end="1783">
How Jesus brings spiritual life that cannot die&mdash;even when our physical bodies do
</li>
</ul>
<hr data-start="1785" data-end="1788">
📖 Bible Verses Mentioned (Linked to BibleStudyTools.com)
<ul>
<li data-start="1859" data-end="1965">Luke 2:8&ndash;14 &mdash; Angelic announcement of Christ&rsquo;s birth</li>
<li data-start="1969" data-end="2067">Romans 5:1&ndash;11 &mdash; God and sinners reconciled</li>
<li data-start="2071" data-end="2172">Isaiah 7:14 &mdash; Prophecy of the virgin birth</li>
<li data-start="2176" data-end="2292">Isaiah 9:6 &mdash; Christ as Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace</li>
<li data-start="2296" data-end="2386">John 1:1&ndash;14 &mdash; The Word becomes flesh</li>
<li data-start="2390" data-end="2498">Philippians 2:5&ndash;11 &mdash; Christ &ldquo;lays His glory by&rdquo;</li>
<li data-start="2502" data-end="2623">Malachi 4:2 &mdash; &ldquo;Sun of Righteousness&rdquo; with healing in His wings</li>
<li data-start="2627" data-end="2740">John 11:25&ndash;26 &mdash; &ldquo;Whoever believes in me will never die&rdquo;</li>
<li data-start="2744" data-end="2821">John 3:1&ndash;8 &mdash; Born again</li>
<li data-start="2825" data-end="2949">Matthew 9:1&ndash;8 &mdash; Jesus heals the paralytic (spiritual healing first)</li>
</ul>
Want More?
<ul>
<li data-start="3381" data-end="3442">Subscribe to How to Study the Bible with Nicole Unice</li>
<li data-start="3445" data-end="3520">Leave a rating or review to help other listeners discover the podcast</li>
<li data-start="3523" data-end="3623">Download Nicole&rsquo;s free Christmas Eve Family Liturgy: <a href="https://nicoleunice.com/christmas/" data-start="3584" data-end="3621">https://www.nicoleunice.com/christmas</a></li>
<li data-start="3626" data-end="3688">Join Nicole&rsquo;s newsletter for Bible resources and updates</li>
<li data-start="3691" data-end="3755">Share this episode with a friend who loves Christmas music</li>
</ul>

As Christians, we want to experience God through the Bible… we really do!

But our good intentions fall flat when reading the Bible just doesn’t seem to help us experience God in a real way. What should feel dynamic and important and alive often feels confusing and boring and irrelevant. But it doesn’t have to feel this way.

In this bible study podcast, pastor and Bible teacher Nicole Unice brings life back to reading the Bible by walking listeners through her Alive Method of Bible study, helping us personally encounter God through His Word by giving us a practical, clear road map for understanding, interpreting and applying Scripture to our lives. 

Topics covered in this podcast:

💡 Three Common Obstacles to Understanding the Bible
💡The Basics of Bible Study (Observation, Interpretation) and How to Apple the Bible to Your Life
💡Deep Dive into Bible Studies by Books of the Bible (We've covered Ecclesiastes, Romans, Matthew, and more!)
💡 Topical Bible study lessons on Joy, Contentment, Prayer and more
💡 Spiritual Rhythms: Creating New Rhythms in Your Life
💡 4 Principles You Need to Interpret Difficult Scripture

To find more from Nicole, visit https://nicoleunice.com/.

As Christians, we want to experience God through the Bible… we really do! But our good intentions fall flat when reading the Bible just doesn’t seem to help us experience God in a real way. What should feel dynamic and important and alive often feels confusing and boring and irrelevant. But it doesn’t have to feel this way. In this bible study podcast, pastor and Bible teacher Nicole Unice brings life back to reading the Bible by walking listeners through her Alive Method of Bible study, helping us personally encounter God through His Word by giving us a practical, clear road map for understanding, interpreting and applying Scripture to our lives. 
Topics covered in this podcast:
💡 Three Common Obstacles to Understanding the Bible 💡The Basics of Bible Study (Observation, Interpretation) and How to Apple the Bible to Your Life 💡Deep Dive into Bible Studies by Books of the Bible (We've covered Ecclesiastes, Romans, Matthew, and more!) 💡 Topical Bible study lessons on Joy, Contentment, Prayer and more 💡 Spiritual Rhythms: Creating New Rhythms in Your Life 💡 4 Principles You Need to Interpret Difficult Scripture
To find more from Nicole, visit <a href="https://nicoleunice.com/">https://nicoleunice.com/</a>.

How to Study the Bible - Bible Study Made Simple

As Christians, we want to experience God through the Bible… we really do!

But our good intentions fall flat when reading the Bible just doesn’t seem to help us experience God in a real way. What should feel dynamic and important and alive often feels confusing and boring and irrelevant. But it doesn’t have to feel this way.

In this bible study podcast, pastor and Bible teacher Nicole Unice brings life back to reading the Bible by walking listeners through her Alive Method of Bible study, helping us personally encounter God through His Word by giving us a practical, clear road map for understanding, interpreting and applying Scripture to our lives. 

Topics covered in this podcast:

💡 Common Obstacles to Understanding the Bible
💡The Basics of Bible Study (Observation, Interpretation) and How to Apple the Bible to Your Life
💡Deep Dive into Bible Studies by Books of the Bible (We've covered Ecclesiastes, Romans, Matthew, and more!)
💡 Topical Bible Study Lessons on Joy, Contentment, Prayer and More
💡 Spiritual Rhythms: Creating New Rhythms in Your Life
💡 Principles You Need to Interpret Difficult Scripture

To find more from Nicole, visit https://nicoleunice.com/.

As Christians, we want to experience God through the Bible… we really do! But our good intentions fall flat when reading the Bible just doesn’t seem to help us experience God in a real way. What should feel dynamic and important and alive often feels confusing and boring and irrelevant. But it doesn’t have to feel this way. In this bible study podcast, pastor and Bible teacher Nicole Unice brings life back to reading the Bible by walking listeners through her Alive Method of Bible study, helping us personally encounter God through His Word by giving us a practical, clear road map for understanding, interpreting and applying Scripture to our lives. 
Topics covered in this podcast:
💡 Common Obstacles to Understanding the Bible 💡The Basics of Bible Study (Observation, Interpretation) and How to Apple the Bible to Your Life 💡Deep Dive into Bible Studies by Books of the Bible (We've covered Ecclesiastes, Romans, Matthew, and more!) 💡 Topical Bible Study Lessons on Joy, Contentment, Prayer and More 💡 Spiritual Rhythms: Creating New Rhythms in Your Life 💡 Principles You Need to Interpret Difficult Scripture
To find more from Nicole, visit <a href="https://nicoleunice.com/">https://nicoleunice.com/</a>.

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