CHRISTMAS EVE - He Came for Us

MUCH OF THE IMAGE OR THOUGHTS IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS THIS EVENING......... OF CHRISTMAS OR IN A CHRISTMAS EVE SETTING SUCH AS THIS

ARE BROUGHT TO LIGHT WITH THE SONGS WE SANG THIS EVENING ...................AND WITH THE STORIES TOLD

MARY....JOSEPH.....THE ANGELS......THE SETTING OF ALL THAT

AND THOSE WHO CAME TO BRING GIFTS AND TO WORSHIP JESUS

OFTEN TIMES OF PONDERING THIS IMAGE MORE THAN LIKELY WE DO FEEL A SENSE OF HOPE.......PEACE.......JOY......AND LOVE

A SPECIAL PERSONAL, INTIMATE KIND THOUGH RIGHT?

UNDERNEATH ALL THAT THOUGH....... IS SOMETHING MUCH DEEPER THAT CAUSES A ............RESPONSE..... IN US OR FROM US ALL

FOR EXAMPLE ....THE SONG “MARY DID YOU KNOW”

WE KNOW FROM THE BIBLE IN THE BOOK OF LUKE MARY PONDERED IN HER HEART THE THINGS REVEALED BY THE ANGEL GABRIEL AND THEN LATER WAS AMAZED BY WHAT SIMEON THE PRIEST SPOKE OF HIM

BUT DID SHE EVER KNOW ...........HOLDING THIS SON OF GOD IN HER ARMS BY WHO HE WAS.......AND WHAT HE WOULD DO.......WOULD BE SO MUCH ABOUT A RESPONSE FROM US

AS THE WORDS IN THAT SONG STATE......THE CHILD THAT SHE DELIVERED......... WOULD SOON DELIVER HER

THAT HER BABY BOY...... WOULD SAVE HER SONS AND DAUGHTERS

THAT WHEN SHE WOULD KISS THAT BABY BOY.......SHE WOULD KISS THE FACE OF GOD?

DID SHE KNOW SHE WAS HOLDING HEAVEN’S PERFECT LAMB?

THAT THIS BABY SHE WAS HOLDING IS THE GREAT I AM?

AND SOMETHING THAT IS STILL TO COME TO PASS .....DID SHE KNOW THIS BABY BOY WOULD SOMEDAY RULE THE NATIONS!

THESE ARE ALL A DESCRIPTION OF GOD’S AMAZING LOVE FOR US.........BUT HE MAGNIFICENTLY DESIGNED IT TO DRAW FORTH........ A RESPONSE...... FROM US

IF YOU COULD DESCRIBE FROM THE IMAGE OR THOUGHT IN YOUR HEART THIS CHRISTMAS EVE OF THIS EVENT......WHAT RESPONSE FROM MAN DO WE FEEL WOULD BE THERE WOULD BE?

WOULD IT BE THOSE COMING TO ADORE HIM ON BENDED KNEE?

IT IS IN FACT THE FIRST RESPONSE THAT GOD DRAWS FROM MAN

AND STILL HE IS DOING THAT IN US TODAY AND STILL DESIRES TO DRAW THAT OUT OF US TODAY

ADORE HIM........ ON BENDED KNEE

IN THE SONG....... ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH....VERSE 3 STATES THIS

Come to Bethlehem and see.....Him Whose birth the angels sing.....Come adore on bended knee...... Christ the Lord…the new born King

BECAUSE OF LOVE.....HE CAME

BECAUSE OF GRACE.......HE DIED

BECAUSE OF HOPE......HE GAVE US LIFE, A LIVING SACRIFICE

HAVE YOUR HEART EVER BEEN SO TOUCHED AND DRAWN BY GOD TO RESPOND TO THESE ACTS OF GREAT LOVE?

WE ARE FIXING TO TAKE COMMUNION AND WILL BE EVERYONE'S OPPORTUNITY THIS EVENING TO RESPOND

IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE CLOSE YOUR EYES AND BOW YOUR HEAD

HAS THIS MESSAGE OF LOVE BEEN PERSONAL TO YOU TONIGHT?

IS THERE A RESPONSE DEEP WITHIN YOU READY TO COME OUT AS A SIGN OR A PICTURE OF BENDED KNEE TONIGHT?

IS THERE ANYTHING OR EVERYTHING AND YOUR LIFE YOU WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND AND TO SURRENDER THROUGH THAT SIGN OF BENDED KNEE TO THE LORD JESUS TONIGHT?

LET’S PRAY

AS WE NOW PREPARE FOR COMMUNION ..........YOU AND I ARE BY FAITH CONFIRMING WE ARE IN COVENANT WITH YOU GOD THROUGH JESUS HIS SON

NOW PLEASE .....QUIETLY IN REVERENCE YOU CAN GO AND GET ELEMENTS.....YOU CAN THEN QUIETLY FIND A PLACE, FORM FAMILY CIRCLES, FRIENDS, HUSBANDS AND WIVES OR YOU CAN RETURN TO YOUR SEATS IF YOU DESIRE

WHEN EVERYONE IS READY I WILL LEAD US THROUGH THE LORD’S SUPPER

COMMUNION

EVERYONE CAN QUIETLY RETURN TO YOUR SEATS

music padding for Silent Night.....start lighting candles

SO MUCH THAT HAPPENS FROM A RESPONSE TO THE LORD’S LOVE IS WE THEN LET THAT FLOW TO OTHERS, ITS CALLED LETTING OUR LIGHT FROM JESUS SHINE TO OTHERS AND THE WORLD

WILL YOU LET THAT BE YOUR ACTION FROM A RESPONSE TO HIM TONIGHT AND DAYS TO COME?

SILENT NIGHT

JOY TO THE WORLD

MARK TO DISMISS