Christmas Eve Service 2023

Readings

Carol of the Bells

Peter Welcome and Offering

ALPS Special Song - 12 Days of Christmas

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

ANGEL VISITS MARY

Luke 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[b] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

“Oh Come All Ye Faithful (His Name Shall Be)”

Luke 2:1-7 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[a] 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.

“AWAY IN A MANGER” Kids come up

SHEPHERDS VISIT JESUS

Luke 2:8-15

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.”

Luke 2:16-20

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.

19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

“NOEL” - Johanna

Peter’s Message

Merry Christmas! We have spent the last 4 weeks observing Advent. Advent which comes from the Latin word Adventus. The Greek translation is parousia which translates in the English as “Second Coming”. That is what makes observing Advent different from the mere celebration of the Christmas story of Jesus birth.

As we’ve seen all along, advent is the celebration not just of Jesus first coming as a little baby in a manger, but it is the expectant celebration and anticipation of His second coming as well.

Advent Recap

The four previous weeks we’ve looked at the first 4 messages of Advent.

1. We looked first at the Hope we find in Jesus, both in the fulfillment he brings through OT prophecies and in the hope of eternity.

2. We looked at Peace. How Jesus is not only the promised Prince of Peace but also the one who makes peace with God possible.

3. We looked at what true Joy is and where it comes from. That Jesus came to make our joy full as we live in obedience to him and taking joy in God and God alone.

4. We looked at the fourth focus for advent, Love, and looked at how Jesus came down as a baby and died on the cross for our sins as the ultimate act of love. Understanding and experiencing this love is the only way to carry out God’s command to love him and love our neighbors as ourselves.

Today we focus is on Light. Light is helpful. Light helps us see things we need to see! It brings to our attention things that we would have otherwise tripped over, stubbed our toe on, or even fallen into.

Moments spent in the absolute absence of light can be mysterious at first, even feel thrilling, but quickly become eerie, unnerving, even uncomfortable.

Power in Light

Darkness never takes over light! It doesn’t get dark at night because the darkness effected the light. It happens because the light is absent from that part of the earth at that time. It is light that shines to add warmth, shines to make things grow, we need a lot of it during the winter here in Montana because sun light produces Vitamin D which makes our mood uplifted.

John 8:12 ESV

12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

· Jesus came into this world to shine his light on humanity, but not just to expose our sin. He came to die for our sins.

· In John chapter 1 this is explained very clearly.

John 1:1–5 ESV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:9–18 ESV

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And 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. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

The problem with the world is that it prefers darkness over light when it comes to where our sinful flesh is concerned.

Part of Jesus light was to reveal the Character of God, full of grace and truth. It was also to expose our need for him and his forgiveness!

This idea is continued in John 3:16-21

John 3:16–21 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

God loved us so much that he sent Jesus to make a way for us that if we would just believe in him, “does what is true” or acts on what is true, the truth of the gospel, we would become a child of God.

He came to save and redeem

As you sit here today celebrating Jesus first coming please don’t miss the second part of Advent, his second coming. Jesus second coming will bring great hope, joy, and peace to you if you are a child of God.

It gives us something to look forward to. It’s what we hold on to and what gets us through the tough times. Eternal life is one promise but to be in the presence of Jesus for eternity is what we long for in the depths of our soul, even if we haven’t realized it yet.

Inside of us is a longing, an aching to be with the God who created us, Jesus, Immanuel! Listen to Jesus own words as he gets ready to go to the cross.

John 14:1–3 ESV

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

This Christmas season, we celebrate Jesus coming as a little baby in a manger. We find our hope, peace, joy, and the ability to love through the Lord.

We are the light of the world and we expectantly await His return in Glory!

Matthew 5:14–16 ESV

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

May we be a light because of His light! The Light of Life!

Silent Night

Joy to the World