And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. Luke 2:15
It was the year 1906. Theodore Roosevelt from New York was President of the USA (and as a first for an American President, he left the country and inspected the Panama Canal), a revival was taking place in churches on the West Coast, the 7.8 earthquake rattled Los Angeles, Bradbury Robinson of the Saint Louis University throws the first forward pass in football, and the earliest broadcast on over the air radio was transmitted. It was a progressive era. The AM radio did not even have regular broadcasting on it until the 1920s. The technology was new and cutting edge.
Inventor and Canadian Reginal Fessenden sent out the first radio broadcast on December 24. For the very first radio signal sent, he chose to play the Christmas Carol O Holy Night. After playing the song on his violin himself, Fessenden read from Luke 2, the Christmas story, according to Luke. This broadcast was made in Brant Rock, MA, with radio operators along the coast listening in.
The very first song played on the radio was on Christmas Eve, and it was a song about – Christmas!
How fitting that on the precipice of new and wonderful communication technology that in Biblical fashion, the good news is proclaimed and shared. Like and angels, the shepherds, and the first radio broadcaster, Christmas is good news worth sharing and giving.
With all the new technology our world is immersed in, phones, PC’s media, podcasts, XM, and good old fashioned AM or FM, don’t forget about Jesus. In spite of all of the crackly “static” around you be sure to remember Jesus and share His gift with others.
Merry Christmas everyone!
EDC Christian 