Christmas Eve

Introduction / Welcome!

Good afternoon/evening, and welcome to the Vineyard. We are so glad you've decided to join us—Merry Christmas!

Hopefully you were able to grab a hot beverage… there is childcare for our kiddos under 5 directly downstairs, and there are kids activity packets for the older ones…

Here's what you can expect:

We are going to sing some Christmas carols, we're going to worship Christ together

We're going to read a few of the familiar scripture passages which highlight the birth of Christ

We're going to hear what some of the participants in the story—the innkeeper, a wiseman, a shepherd—we'll hear what they might have been thinking about on that evening…

And then we'll have a short talk from Michael about receiving God's gift to us this Christmas.

Again, thank you for joining us… I'll pray and we can get started!

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit…

The Innkeeper

Luke 2:1–7 NIV

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

The Wise Man

Matthew 2:1–2 NIV

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

The Shepherd

Luke 2:8–18 NIV

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

This is a pretty amazing story, when you take a moment to consider it. No matter who’s perspective you take…it’s kinda wild, right?

And when you think about it, this story runs a bit contrary to our Santa story…

"God didn't send Santa into the world to point out who's been naughty and who's been nice. God sent Jesus into the world to be a savior of the naughty and the nice." Rich Nathan

Christmas reminds us that God is not distant or detached. He’s not just a set of ideas to be intellectually understood. He’s not a concept to be explained by philosophers in cold terms like, the unmoved mover. Christianity is not just a new mindset or some sort.

What we read in the gospels tells the story of a real person, Jesus, who comes on the scene within a story of named people, specific places and events. The story of a real birth experience…the sounds and smells of a real infant.

The hope we celebrate at Christmas, the miracle of Christmas… was that this unknowable, un-namable, utterly holy Lord chose out of his own free will, and out of love for us to become known; the bear a name and meet us where we are. Malcolm Guite

God chose to arrive as a helpless infant to bring joy to all of humanity. He chose to allow himself to be brutally crucified to show us the depth of his love. He chose the antithesis of brute power to show us a strength that breaks through every barrier we might try to put in his way.

If the Christmas story reveals anything, it shows that God chose weakness and vulnerability as a means of calming the fears of a troubled world. That same weakness reappeared during the crucifixion when Jesus chose to love his enemies to the end rather than take vengeance upon them. Esau McCaulley

And frankly, this is where it gets difficult for us… accepting, or surrendering to God on his own terms; I think that’s the hardest part for us. The reality is that we constantly measure God on our terms… when life is difficult, when someone we love is suffering…when we don't get what we think we deserve… when we deserve it…

"Why doesn't God do what I think he should do, when I think he should do it‽"

In the story we remember and celebrate at Christmas, God meets us where we’re at, becoming human, like us, to reveal himself to us, becoming Immanuel—becoming with us—to bring us to himself.

When Christ appeared, many people struggled to accept him the way he came. He was too normal, a simple carpenter’s son. He was too radical, eating and drinking (making way too much wine) with all the wrong folks. He was not radical enough, he said very little to confront the Roman occupiers or address issues we thought he should address.

But those who were in touch with their needs, those who knew their poverty and neediness, those who were on the outside looking in, those who were hungry and lonely and outcast and desperate… those were the folks who pushed through the crowds and climbed the trees and annoyingly kept on shouting to get his attention. And you know what? Those are the folks who’s needs and longings were met by the power and presence of God available in Christ Jesus.

There are a few things that hold us back from allowing the love of God we see in Christ Jesus from really penetrating/finding a deep home within us…

The innkeeper …was just so busy, a little self-absorbed, so that, "…when my own true love came, I missed him." Later in his life I bet the innkeeper wished he'd made more room, more room than he thought he had, for Jesus.

What about you? Sometimes our lives are just so full, filled-to-the-brim, so busy that we’re out of touch, unaware of the needs laying just under the surface—until something difficult comes along and we’re suddenly overwhelmed. Sometimes we mistakenly think its a mark of maturity to not have any needs, or at least not be aware of them…It’s actually just the opposite. Emotional and spiritual maturity requires an awareness of, and a vulnerable honesty about your needs.

Speaking of Jesus, the apostle John wrote:

John 1:9–11 (NIV)

9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

Like the innkeeper, everyone has a choice whether or not to receive him, the one who made everything, the one who brings light to everyone…

Even right now, the God who put the desires in your heart is still available to meet those desires with himself. I’d like to invite you to make room for Jesus this afternoon/evening; to not miss your own true love.

The wiseman…you do not need a miraclous star to tell you that no king bows down to another king. That kind of humility and vulnerability are rare, right‽ Herod wasn’t about to bow before this little one, this Immanuel, God-with-us, king of kings. In fact, like all tyrants, it was long before he ordered all baby boys to be put to death in an effort to make sure he’d never have to bow.

We haven’t moved too far beyond that if you pause and consider it. Human nature hasn’t changed all that much. If anything, including the one who made everything, if anything threatens to take away my lordship, my complete and total autonomy…it must be put down.

But to experience the life and love God offers to us, requires unconditional surrender, an abandonment to anything but the will of God. Remember the prayer Jesus taught us, “you will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The “on earth” part includes all of my life.

There's a voice that's as deep as the stars are within the sky, a voice calling you and I towards Immanuel, the Christ who is God with us. Will you only give some of your gifts, or will you give yourself. I’d like to invite you to hold nothing back, to unreservedly give your entire self to God this Christmas.

The shepherd …these were generally not the ones you invited to the nice meals or celebrations. They didn’t generally smell the best, given the lives they lived out on the hillsides. And I love the way that these are the folks the angels personally invite! The one’s we wouldn’t think to invite; God lights up the sky with their invitation. Amazing!

I wonder how often you see yourself as unacceptable to be invited? Many of us suffer from this profound sense of acceptability before a perfect Creator. And so we set to work either comparing ourselves to others, trying to find at least one thing we’re better at. Or we address one fault at a time, trying to make ourselves acceptable to God. But you never run out of faults to work on.

The way we become like Jesus in our character—on the inside—is not to work on different faults or flaws, but by being vitally connected with God—believing in and receiving Jesus Christ into our lives.

John 1:12 (NIV)

12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

No matter how tired, no matter how distracted, no matter how hungry and dirty and worn-out these shepherds were—God got their attention, and they pivoted, ran after the promise.

I believe that right now, God—the Father, Son and Holy Spirit—is available to come close to us. And I want to invite us to make ourselves available to God.

Invitation:

I want to invite you to personally receive the gift of of God this Christmas. The gift of Immanuel, God with you. I’m not talking about a concept or an idea or a religious symbol… I’m talking about the personal presence of God, the one who brings light and life to everyone, as the apostle John wrote.

I want to invite you to pray a prayer of unconditional surrender tonight to the God who has loved you since long before you were born. I want to invite you to personally receive the gift of the Father’s love, the gift of the Christ’s sacrifice for you, and the gift of God’s personal presence, the Holy Spirit. All of that is completely available to you tonight.

And its seems way too simple, way too easy, that a simple reorientation of our lives towards God could do so much…but it’s absolutely true.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit… I want to surrender to your amazing love. I want your love of me, right where I am with all of my imperfections, to invade my life.

I want to know you. I want to know your forgiveness in my life. I want to know you in every area of my life. I ask today Father that you would forgive my sins, based on what Jesus did for me on the cross. Forgive me. Jesus will you be my Savior, forgive me, cleanse me. And today Lord, I ask you to come into my life. Please come in, take control, clean up the mess that I’ve made.

Jesus, thank you for loving me so much that you would give your life to set me free to experience and to give away your love. I surrender to you. And would you fill me with your Spirit to embody this love everywhere I go. Amen.

If you prayed that with me, we’d like to give you a little packet on your way out the door that explains what it means to follow Christ…Grab one of these on your way out the door.