Christmas Eve Service

1. OPENING

Welcome

IMerry Christmas One Hope Church!

It is good to be with you all tonight as we celebrate the coming of the Lord Jesus

God became flesh in the coming of Jesus 2000 years ago to save us from our sins

To usher us into His Kingdom for all eternity.

Let’s Pray

God just as you came to earth 2000 years ago in the person of Jesus. Come now into this space and minister to us.

Fill this place with your presence Lord as we lift up the name of Jesus.

Let’s Stand and Worship His Name in Song and Story

2. ADVENT LIGHTING

Meaning

Liseth and Jose Santos

The Advent season is a four week period before Christmas that celebrates the anticipation and coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

The origin of "advent" is from the Latin word adventus which simply translates "coming" or "arrival".

Not only is the Christian meaning for preparation and celebration of the coming of Jesus Christ, his birth at Christmas, but also to celebrate the new life when someone accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior, and lastly, the anticipation of Jesus returning again.

Candles

Hope/Promise Candle

Preparation/Prophecy/Bethlehem Candle

Joy/Shepherds’ Candle

Peace/Love Candle

Adoration/Christ Candle:

The (optional) fifth candle represents light and purity and is called "Christ’s candle." It is placed in the middle and is lit on Christmas Day.

3. KIDS READING

Jaden Wong (Luke 2:1-7)

Kenzo Torres (Luke 2:8-14)

Milan Torres (Luke 2:15-20)

Abby Ashurst (Luke 2:21-35

Hannah Ashurst (Luke 2:36-40)

4. SERMON

Intro

We heard from our wonderful readers from Luke 2.

who’s Birthday is it tmrw?

Kids

what do you do when you see something cool?

when you get a new toy? gift?

You tell others about it

And what I want to do tonight is just to look at 4 witnesses to Jesus Christ in this section of scripture.

Let’s just marvel together and worship together at the coming of Christ 2000 years ago.

I want to make a few comments of how God was working on that night

And how he is still working today.

By briefly looking at these four witnesses to Jesus in this text.

How they both witnessed the Glory of Jesus so that they could be a witness of Jesus to the World.

Our witness FOR Jesus comes from our witness OF Jesus

Let’s Pray

Pray

Isa 61:1-3.

Four Witnesses

I. Joseph and Mary

Both had angelic visitations and were providentially led to Bethlehem that night.

They were the humblest of people — nobodies from a no-name town

God used them to birth the greatest miracles of all time

God becoming a man

The Savior of the World

The Lord of all Creation.

Christ was literally birthed in Mary

In the humblest of cirumstances God Almighty comes to earth as a baby.

It is unimaginable.

The All Powerful Creator — comes in the humblest most dependant of forms.

Phil 2:6-7 “6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”

For the one that provided everything to everyone, there was no place / room for at the end.

The Indwelling Christ

Christ was literally birthed inside of her by the Holy Spirit.

a picture of the new birth

It is this internal witness to Christ

Just as Jesus was physically birthed in Mary by the power of God, so to Jesus is spirituall birthed in us when we believe in Him

God used the humblest of people — Joseph and Mary

It means that anybody can be a witness to the glory of Christ.

all it takes is faith — believe in Jesus

We must have this itneral witness to Christ

christ must be birthed in each of us spiritually.

Let’s look at our 2nd set of witnesses — the shepherds.

II. The Shepherds

In the ‘same region’

there were these shepherds.

Shepherds were an odd bunch, kind of the outcasts of society

Yet the Lord comes to them as well.

He comes to them in dramatic fasion.

A. An Angel appears to them — Supernatural Activity

They saw the Glory of the Lord

The promises fulfilled / finish the story

Luke 2:11–12 (ESV) 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

B. Worship In Heaven — Window into Heaven

They get this glimpse into Heaven

A glorious picture of the Worship of God

What awaits us b/c of the Savior

C. They come to Christ — they go and see

some of the lowest, roughest people in society

They come and see the baby Jesus lying in a manger, just as the angels had said.

Luke 2:15–16 (ESV) 15 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.”

16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

D. Their response — their witness?

They witnessed to Joseph and Mary

Luke 2:17–19 (ESV) 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

They glorified God in their hearts.

I’m assuming that was enough for them to believe that Jesus is the Christ

Jesus, even as a baby, is bringing people to know God.

Luke 2:20 (ESV) 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Sometimes God shows up in supernatural dramatic ways

For the shepherds it was a Dramatic Supernatual encounter that brought them to Christ.

The testified to what they saw and heard and glorified God (Luk 2:17, 20)

Sometimes it is dramatic like this, often times it is the gentle whsiper of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

Let’s look at our third witness.

III. Simeon

Luke 2:25–26 (ESV) 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

The Shepherds get an Angelic Choir —

Simeon gets the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit.

Who knows how long he was waiting

perhaps years, maybe even decades.

It says THAT DAY he was led by the spirit.

Luke 2:27 (ESV) 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law,

For Simeon, Christ comes to Him.

The shepherds were brought to Jesus, but for Simeon Christ comes to Him.

And he Knows — the Holy Spirit reveals to Him that this is the One.

Simeon’s Witness/Confession

Luke 2:29–32 (ESV) 29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

Simeon comes to faith in Jesus b/c Jesus was brought to Him

Witnessing to Jesus through the Word of God (6 diff OT passages)

Isa 52:10 “10 The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”

Psalm 98 2 “2 The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.”

Isa. 42:6 “6 “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,”

Isa 49:6 “6 he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.””

Isa 52:10 “10 The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”

Isa 60:3 “3 And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

For Simeon, The Holy Spirit had revealed to Him — he had heard the voice of God

And he waited for many years

And then the time came.

His witness was one of faithful patience and trust.

But when the time came he witnessed powerfully to Jesus.

Sometimes our witness of Jesus will be a ‘long obedience in the same direction’

It was a witness by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God

Finally, Anna.

IV. Anna the Prophetess

Anna is the picture of a devoted follwer of Jesus for decades.

84 years old faithful worshipper of God

Praying and Fasting day and night

She breaks out in thanksgiving presumably by the Spirit of God.

I don’t know if she was right there when Simeon blessed the Child or if she just knew who Jesus was when she saw him.

She immediately begins to evangelize all who were there.

Luke 2:38 (ESV) 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

This is the One — Giving Thanks to God

This is the Redeemer of Jersalem

The King has returned!

Sometimes our witness will be spontaneous

The Lord will just show up and we are to tell about him

Sometimes God will spontanesously inspire you to witness to Jesus

Conclusion

Each of these four witnesses testified to who Jesus was.

Whether through supernatural revelation

Angelic Visitations

The Whispers of the Holy Spirit

The Word of God

Or a momennt of spontaneous inspiration

They witness the glory of Christ and they went on to witness / testify this glory to others.

Our witness FOR Jesus comes from our witness OF Jesus

Tonight we Witness

We gather together as a Church and here on Christmas Eve

to Witness Jesus and worship Him

To catch a glimpse of his Glory

To sense the presence of God in our midst

That we might go an witness for Jesus to a waiting world.

Jesus is the Light

Jesus is the Light of the World (as Simeon said)

We are to take that light into the darkness that others might come to know the light.

Luke 2:32 (ESV) 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

Luke 2:34–35 (ESV)

34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

Christ the King has come.

The Kingdom of God is at hand

Let this Christmas Day — be a new beginning for you.

Let Christ be birthed in you

Let that Fire come alive tonight!

Let Him come to maturity in your hearts through the Holy Spirit

Come to Him and marvel as the shepherds did

Be aware how he may be coming to you as with Simeon

Tell others of his glory as Anna did.

Christ is the greatest Gift we can ever recieve and ever give.

truly it is the gift that keeps on giving — unto eternity.

Let us rise up now in worship of him

Let us sing to him with our hearts

and lay down our fears, our burdens, and anxieties

Let us recieve the gift of His presence here and now

Oh Lord lead us!

Closing Prayer

Father, we thank you for who you are.

Thank you for the Gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ

Thank you for the Gift of Holy Spirit in our hearts

Thank you for bringing us home to you Father God.

5. Candle Lighting

we are going to conclude tonight’s service with a candle light singing of Silent night

as your are lighting your candles

Jesus is the light of the world

he came to make us lights as well

as you light your candles remember this

mot only are you to shine

but you are to light others as well.

lighting tip

only move unlit candle

lit remain vertical

unlit horizontal

lets sing silent night together under candle light

6. CLOSING

so good to worship with you,

we hope you have a merry Christmas

no Christmas Day Service

well be back New Years day

Philippians 4:8–9 (ESV)

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Join us and other churches for Seek First Event on New Years Eve

Bring in the new year through prayer, worship and intercession.

Benediction

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Extra

Four Witnesses to Christ

The Internal Witness of Christ Birthed In You

Dramatic Supernatual Encounter

Gentle Whipser of the Holy Spirit and the Word of god

Sponatneous Inspiration by God