CHRISTMAS EVE PRELUDE WELCOME & INTRODUCTION. December 24, 2017

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1 CHRISTMAS EVE December 24, 2017 The biblical story is the message of the God who so loved the world as to enter into it, and ultimately to die for it. The Christian Religion is not an ethereal or eternal doctrine about the nature of deity or a polite philosophical discussion about the relation of spirit to matter but the historical unfolding of God s covenantal involvement in the world, the acme of which is God s coming into the world in the person of Jesus Christ. -Michael D. Williams, Far As The Curse Is Found PRELUDE Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o'er the plains And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains Gloria in excelsis Deo Gloria in excelsis Deo The First Noel (Instrumental) *Angels We Have Heard On High Shepherds why this jubilee Why your joyous strains prolong What the gladsome tidings be Which inspire your heavenly song Gloria in excelsis Deo Gloria in excelsis Deo Come to Bethlehem and see Christ whose birth the angels sing Come adore on bended knee Christ the Lord the newborn King Gloria in excelsis Deo Gloria in excelsis Deo WELCOME & INTRODUCTION Rev. Ben Sinnard A Few Words of Instruction: Please pick up a candle and holder on your way into the sanctuary. Near the end of the service we will be lighting these as we sing together. Please discard the candles in the baskets as you exit the sanctuary. * Please stand if able throughout the service 1

2 FIRST LESSON The Fall and the First Word of Hope Genesis 3:8-15 Erin King And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, Where are you? And he said, I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself. He said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat? The man said, The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate. Then the LORD God said to the woman, What is this that you have done? The woman said, The serpent deceived me, and I ate. The LORD God said to the serpent, Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. 2

3 O come O come Emmanuel And ransom captive Israel That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear Rejoice rejoice Emmanuel Shall come to thee O Israel O Come O Come Emmanuel O come Thou Dayspring come and cheer Our spirits by Thine advent here Disperse the gloomy clouds of night And death's dark shadows put to flight Rejoice rejoice Emmanuel Shall come to thee O Israel O come Desire of nations bind All peoples in one heart and mind Bid envy strife and quarrels cease Fill the whole world with heaven's peace Rejoice rejoice Emmanuel Shall come to thee O Israel SECOND LESSON The People walking in darkness have seen great light. Isaiah 7:13-14,9:2,6-7 Jeanine DeLadurantey Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. O holy night the stars are brightly shining, it is the night of the dear Saviors birth; Long lay the world in sin and error pinning, till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn; 3 O Holy Night

4 Fall on your knees. O, hear the angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born! O night, O holy night, O night divine! Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is love and His Gospel is peace; Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother, and in His name all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, let all within us praise His holy name; Christ is the Lord, O, praise His name forever! His pow r and glory evermore proclaim! His pow r and glory evermore proclaim! Fall on your knees. O, hear the angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born! O night, O holy night, O night divine! THIRD LESSON The Promised Savior From the Lineage of David in Bethlehem Micah 5:2-5 Susan Slaber But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace. 4

5 5 O Little Town of Bethlehem

6 FOURTH LESSON Mary responds To the Angel Gabriel in Humility Luke 1:26-38 Nathan DeLadurantey In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you! But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. And Mary said to the angel, How will this be, since I am a virgin? And the angel answered her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God. And Mary said, Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her. 6

7 What Child is this who laid to rest On Mary's lap is sleeping Whom angels greet with anthems sweet While shepherds watch are keeping This this is Christ the King Whom shepherds guard and angels sing Haste haste to bring Him laud The Babe the Son of Mary *What Child is This? So bring Him incense gold and myrrh Come peasant king to own Him The King of kings salvation brings Let loving hearts enthrone Him Raise raise the song on high The Virgin sings her lullaby Joy joy for Christ is born The Babe the Son of Mary Why lies He in such mean estate Where ox and lamb are feeding Good Christian fear for sinners here The silent Word is pleading Nails spear shall pierce Him through The cross be borne for me for you Hail hail the Word made flesh The Babe the Son of Mary This this is Christ the King Whom shepherds guard and angels sing Haste haste to bring Him laud The Babe the Son of Mary *FIFTH LESSON The Word Became Flesh *Luke 2:1-7 Bob Sievert In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 7

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9 Just a Moment Greg Brinkmann & Heidi Duston Excerpt from When God Came Near by Max Lucado Labor of Love Solo SIXTH LESSON The Angels Proclaim Salvation Has Come Luke 2: 8-21 Laura Brinkmann And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased! When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 9

10 10 *Hark the Herald Angels Sing

11 *SEVENTH LESSON Let us Walk in the Light of Christ *Philippians 2: 1-11 Richard Graebner So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. With, In, and Through Rev. Ben Sinnard God With Us Video Leader: Jesus said, I am the light of the world; Advent Candle Lighting Christ Candle the one who follows me will not walk in darkness but have the light of life. All: We light these candles as a sign of the coming light of Christ. Leader: Lord, you are Hope! All: God with us. Leader: Lord, you are Peace! All: God with us. Leader: Lord, you are Love! All: God with us. Leader: Lord, you are Joy! All: God with us. Leader: All: The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. Let us walk in the light of the Lord. 11

12 *Silent Night [Candles will be lit as we sing] *Prayer 12

13 *EIGHTH LESSON Simeon s Song *Luke 2:29-32 Rev. Ben Sinnard Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel. [Candles extinguished] 13

14 *Joy To The World verses

15 *BENEDICTION & FAREWELL Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. *DOXOLOGY Joy to the World verse 4 He rules the world, with truth and grace and makes the nations prove, the glories of his righteousness, and wonders of his love, and wonders of his love, and wonders, wonders of his love. All scripture quotations taken from the English Standard Version (ESV). All songs not public domain are used with permission under CCLI license