Memorable Christ

Introduction

SLIDE - Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Church

Merry Christmas Guests! Welcome. Be sure to stop at the connect center on your way our for a small gift. We’d like to show you how grateful we are that you joined us for this special night of remembering.

Tonight we gather together to remember the story that changed time as we know it. 2024 years ago, a baby was born unlike any that had ever come before nor any who would come again. A child that, though completely human like us, was also the complete embodiment of God himself. Jesus Christ. John, one of Jesus’ closest friends said...

SCRIPTURE

John 1:1–18 NIV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 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. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

The Christian faith that is celebrated in this church family is not merely rooted in belief in the existence of God, but in relationship with Jesus Christ who makes God known personally.

This is not just fancy words and ideas, but reality. This year we have seen this same God repair broken marriages, heal people with terminal illnesses, transform broken habits and addictions into healthy lives full of purpose. And this God is not just doing it here at Valley Chapel, but amongst Christians gathered in various cities, states, and countries around the world. We’ve heard of stillborn babies comes to life as they were born, we’ve seen chaos turned to peace, and we’ve seen hope where there is only reason for despair.

Today we remember that it was this helpless little baby Jesus who brought it all to be.

So, tonight, soak in the story, because it doesn’t just belong to history books. It has been given to you so that you might know hope. And it is given to all who need something, or more specifically, someone, who is worth placing their hope in.

SCRIPTURE

Psalm 96:1–7 NIV

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Reflection 1:

SLIDE - Leave up last line of scripture (v. 7)

God, in many ways, works backwards from how we do. We might think “I have an important story to share with people, I should tell them the story and make sure they understand it first, and the send them out second” but God does the opposite. He begins his story by sending people out and reveals the details little by little as they choose to place their trust in him.

Why? that doesn’t make sense. Doesn’t God want it done right?

Well, it appears God care a whole lot less about it being done “right” than he cares about it being done “together” If you hear nothing else tonight, hear this.

The purpose of Christmas, the big point of the big story is not “God’s correct, get on board,” it’s

“God will not move on without you”

If you read the scriptures you will see that

God clearly wants you to see how much he loves you and what goodness he has in store for you.

God wants you to see how full your life could be when you’re surrendered to him.

God wants you to share what you see with the people who have yet to see and the people who have forgotten what they saw.

If you choose to place your trust in him, if you choose to let go of control and you go seeking God, then he will show you things that you could never imagine to be real.

And the Psalm we just read reminded us all that sharing this most memorable of stories, is all of ours to do. So, take notes, prepare yourself, because this story is yours to carry back out of this building tonight.

Let’s prepare our hearts for his coming.

Song: “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus”

Travel & Census

SCRIPTURE

Luke 2:1–5 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.

Reflection 2:

SLIDE - Journey to Bethlehem

Have you ever had to do something the government made you do that was not only inconvenient, but painful and costly?

Well, Jesus’ family did. His parents had been informed that they were having a baby, even though they were not yet married and had not slept together. They were in the middle of a lot of drama around town about who the father might really be when suddenly they were demanded to take a 4 day road trip so that the government could count them.

The bible is such a famous collection of books and Jesus such a famous name, so you wouldn;t be at fault for assuming it all fits in a sort of fantasy world, disconnected from reality. But clearly this is the world as we know it.

Your life needs to get more difficult for the ease of some bureaucracy.

But red tape doesn’t stop God. In fact, God was using the “real life” inconvenience to make his plans work just right.

When you follow Jesus, you see this to be true. Jesus reveals how inconveniences all the way up to straight up suffering and injustice are seen by a follower as more opportunities for God to reveal his story to us and the world.

So, keep you eyes open. Perhaps the things you see as distractions are already being used by God for your good and the good of the world around you. He is just waiting for you to notice.

Song: “Worth The Wait”

Birth of Jesus/ Giving Liturgy

Luke 2:6–7 NIV

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.

Reflection 3:

SLIDE - Manger Scene

Following Jesus not only means noticing what he is doing, but noticing what he is inviting us to do. Mary and Joseph, the two faithful humans entrusted with the raising of the son of God, give us a great example. You see they did not have much to speak of. They didn’t have much money, Mary was a teenager, and Joseph was a carpenter of some form. They obeyed their instructions, not with their abundance, but as an act of trust in the God who invited them.

They went, not after God provided, but before. They stepped out to take on their charge, trusting that God would make a way. And God didn’t make them rich, he didn’t shower them with presents. But he did provide through the few resources that little town of Bethlehem had available. And, by doing do, turned their trust into the greatest purpose in the history of mankind.

One of the ways our community follows Jesus is by giving him an intentional portion of the wealth he has entrusted us with. For many of us that means we give 10% or a tithe, for others it’s a different amount. But the point is that we see everything we have, not as our possession, but as something entrusted to our care, no matter how little or much it is.

We don’t pass a basket soliciting donations for our church, and we all give in various ways and at various times such as cash or check in the boxes at the back or online via our app or website (valleychapel.org/give).

I want to invite you to consider joining us in this, not because the church needs it, or even because God needs it. I want to invite you into this because, like Mary, like Joseph, and like that little town of Bethlehem, you have been entrusted with things by your maker. It may be money, and it may not. It may be physical things, and it may not. It may be time, talent, relationships. Only you know.

But, taking a moment to join our community in giving provides you with a chance to pause and notice. To see what God has entrusted to YOUR care, to offer it to his service and to make room for him to create purpose in your life far beyond anything you could create on your own.

Song: “Make Room”

Shepherds in the field/ Angels

Turn off all lights except center speaker

Luke 2:8–14 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.”

SLIDE - Shepherds and Angels

Reflection:

Have you noticed that every time an angel shows up people are terrified? What is it about Angels that makes everyone shake in their boots? Angels are not particularly scary in and of themselves. The word simply means messenger, so not all “Angels” in the bible are a particular kind of spiritual being, but simply someone who has a message from God. No it’s not the angel that’s terrifying, it’s the glory of the lord that shines around them.

Now, you would be forgiven for thinking “what’s so scary about a bright light.” well, let me give you a hint...

Turn on all lights at once and play clip from Handel’s Messiah

Turn lights back to normal

But the glory of the lord is more than just that. That merely scratches the surface of it. I want you to imagine being in the presence of someone who is so perfect, so powerful, and so beautiful that they are hard to look at and then multiply it by infinity. The “Glory of the Lord” is terrifying because it reveals every inadequacy in us and every perfection in God all at once and it overwhelms us. In ancient Israel they believed that you would die if you every looked directly at the glory of the lord.

Why does this all matter? well, because God chose to send this message, colored by his own glory and power, to a bunch of nobodies. In modern days he would be sending it to the guys working nightshirt at the Salt mine or to the Walmart cashiers working a night shift. He didn;t bring this message to the public figures to the politicians, to the celebrities, or to the motivational speakers. In fact he sent it to the people who were least likely to feel equipped or to be listened to.

These heavenly messengers could have revealed themselves to the whole town, but they chose these shepherds.

Friends, that same God whose glory overwhelms, has focused his attention on you tonight. If you are hearing this story, then it is yours to share. A savior has been born, and his name is Jesus.

Song: “Angels We Have Heard on High”

Shepherds visit Jesus

Luke 2:15–18 NIV

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.

SLIDE - Shepherds in Bethlehem

Reflection:

You wouldn’t blame the shepherd’s for thinking they ate a bad burrito with that crazy experience with the angels, so they decided to go and double check on it.

Sometimes we hear a message that sounds too good or too wild to be true, but we just dismiss it rather than going to check on it. The story of God is a real-world story, and in an age of AI, fake news, and magical technology, it is important we look into what is “real” and what is just an illusion.

The reality of Jesus’ existence is not in question by any legitimate historian. In fact there is more evidence for the life of Jesus than many other historical figures of the time. But don’t believe me because I said it, I encourage you to do some research. I’m confident you will find it to be true.

Those Shepherds were not amazed by the message, but by the truth of it. That everything the Angels said was proven true in real life.

But, they had to go, they had to see.

Friends, will you stay in your fields, or will you go to see the child. To try to know Jesus whose birth promises hope within whatever garbage you are dealing with in your life.

This Christmas, let’s go and see what kind of child this is.

Song: “What Child is This”

Mary Treasured/ KiDZ Message

SCRIPTURE

Luke 2:19 NIV

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

SLIDE - KiDZ Message

Reflection: KiDZ Message/ Candle Lighting

invite kids up

We want this Christmas to be memorable, and sometimes the best way to remember something is to tell others about it yourself. So, let’s tell the story together.

Everyone will have a part, and a line I will teach you.

Mary: "I trust God."

Joseph: "I will take care of Mary."

Angels: "Do not be afraid!"

Shepherds: "Let’s go see Jesus!"

Bethlehem: "No room here!"

Script (3-Minute Story):

Let’s practice first!”

SLIDE - Elaborate Manger

The Story:

"A long time ago, in the town of Nazareth, an angel appeared to Mary and told her she would have a special baby—the Son of God."

(Point to Mary: "I trust God.")

"Mary was engaged to a man named Joseph. When Joseph learned about the baby, an angel told him not to be afraid and to care for Mary."

(Point to Joseph: "I will take care of Mary.")

"Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem for a census. But when they arrived, there was no room for them anywhere."

(Point to Bethlehem: "No room here!")

"Finally, they found a stable, and that’s where Jesus was born. That night, angels appeared to shepherds in the fields."

(Point to Angels: "Do not be afraid!")

"The angels told the shepherds about Jesus, and the shepherds hurried to Bethlehem to see Him."

(Point to Shepherds: "Let’s go see Jesus!")

"When the shepherds saw Jesus, they praised God and told everyone they met about Him. And that’s how the story of Jesus began—a story we still celebrate today!"

Thank you for your help!

Let’s move to our advent wreath...

Teach about each candle and finally the Christ Candle]

In the beginning of our time together we heard that Jesus was the Light of the world.

Light the Christ Candle

As we light the Christ candle, we remember that Jesus is the center of Christmas. How on one quiet night in the little town of Bethlehem, the savior of the world was born.

Tonight as we finish our Christmas eve service, let’s share the light of Jesus with one another so that we can go out to our families and community, bringing Jesus with us.

[Instruct kids to help ushers distribute candles while the songs starts]

Song: "Silent Night”

Shepherds Proclaim!/ Benediction

SCRIPTURE

Luke 2:20 NIV

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.

Benediction:

Thank you for being here tonight. Like the Shepherds, You’ve heard the story, and now you are free to return to your fields, glorifying and praising God for all you have seen and heard.

Go, now, knowing that the God who made you is the same God who continues to save you, and the same God who has offered you purpose. May the light of Christ shine through you.

SLIDE - Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas friends.

Postlude: - “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”