Family Christmas Eve Worship

Why is important to read all of a story?

The beginning of the story is God creating us.

Genesis 1:26–28 CSB

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female. 28 God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.”

Why did God create us in his own image?

God created us in his image because he wanted a creation that could know him.

Animals and plants can’t know God like we can.

What happened to humans right after God created us?

We disobeyed him which separated us from God.

Our sin separates us from God.

Why is this a problem for us?

Does God like that we are separated from him?

Because God loves us, he began to work in our lives to restore our broken relationship.

For many, many years, God promised his people that he would send someone that could fix our relationship.

How was God going to fix the broken relationship? Who was he going to send?

Jeremiah 31:31 CSB

31 “Look, the days are coming”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

God made a promise that he would send someone to save us.

Isaiah 9:6 CSB

6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Sing O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Emmanuel means God with us and guess what we are celebrating at Christmas.

God is with us!

Matthew 1:23 CSB

23 See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.”

God’s plan to mend our relationship with us was to come and live with us.

When we celebrate Christmas, we are celebrating that Jesus was born, but also that by being born, he was fulfilling his promise.

Luke 2:1–7 CSB

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. 2 This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, 5 to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Luke 2:8–14 CSB

8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!

Luke 2:15–20 CSB

15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger. 17 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told.

Jesus lived a perfect life, with no sin, and took our punishment so that we could have a relationship with God.

This is the whole story of Christmas.

Jesus’ came to fix what we broke, and made it possible for us to be in a relationship with God.

That relationship only happens when we confess that we believe Jesus came to die for our sins, ask him to forgive us, and ask him to lead our lives.