Christmas Eve Service - 6.00pm (2)
First B Jackson
2018-12-24

Automatically transcribed. Where this and the recording disagree, the recording is the record.

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987. Oh, I'm so sorry for those I know. For those who are OCD, we really apologize for doing that just now. Oh, you're like, oh, you probably just set your own watch just to see it count down to zero. Hey, Merry Christmas everybody.

How are you? You look great. Let's have some fun tonight, shall we? Merry Christmas. Welcome to first b.

Glad that you're here. And honestly, we hope that you feel at home. I hope when you step through these doors it feels like coming home because we want it to be your home, really. And if you're new, would you please please please stop by the back before you go. There is a gift back there for you.

It includes a free homemade cookie. K? It might also include a hug. We just wanna say hi to you, but really if you're new, please stop by the back. And also know there's, there's nursery care downstairs.

Tonight is meant to just be a fun, reflective, worshipful night. We're here to celebrate Christ in Christmas. That is why we're here. We'll read the nativity story. We feel that the the power is in the story truly.

And we're gonna sing some songs. So did you bring your singing voice? Good. Good. Good.

Light some candles, some special music. Speaking of lighting candles, to begin the candle lighting, we're going to light the Christ candle. I want to light up the Griffiths. Are the Griffiths here? Yes, they are.

You look fantastic, by the way. Yep. Some might even say overdressed. Yep. Oh, perfect.

Happy Christmas. Today marks the end of our advent journey. We've prepared our hearts, our minds, and our spirits for the celebration of Christ's entrance into the world. As we light the Christ candle, may we devote our lives to reflecting his light. He is the light of the world.

In John eight twelve, Jesus said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

Well done and great shoes. Hey, can I take a moment to pray? And then then I'd like to ask you all to stand up and and greet one another, but let me pray first. Okay? God, I'm grateful to be here.

I'm grateful to be here with my church family, And we're thankful, God, that you came into Earth to meet us right where we at, to be the savior of the world. Thank you that in you is light and life. Light and life to all you bring. Thank you. God, I pray that the joy would, joy would just cover this place and each person here.

Meet us where we're at in Jesus' name. Amen. Alright. You wanna take a minute? Say hi to everybody, and I'll ring you back in the song.

Alright. Oh, come on you. Oh, come on you. Alright. Lord, we greet.

Favorite line of the verse here, verse four, he rules the world with truth and grace. Truth and grace. Think about those two things for just a moment here. How important is truth? How important is it to extend grace?

That's what God has given us. Joy to the world. Let's sing it.

Amen. Y'all can have a seat. I'm going to be speaking. I'll be basically reading what you're reading. It's it's a bit scripted tonight because the story is the story, right?

This is the story and it is a story that we are supposed to repeat and tell again and again that Christ stepped out of glories. He left the glories of heaven to come to this Earth. He emptied himself and he humbled himself and we're going to tell that story tonight. It's in the New Living Translation if you're wondering. We didn't make up anything, alright?

Here it is. Alrighty then. The Lord himself will give you the sign and look, the virgin will conceive a child and she will give birth to a son and will call him Emmanuel which means God is with us. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us, and the government will rest on his shoulders and he will be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace, and his government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor, David, for all eternity.

The passionate commitment of the Lord of heaven's armies will make this happen. But you, oh Bethlehem, Epaphra, are only a small village among all the people of Judah, yet a ruler of Israel whose origins are in the distant past, let's say eternity past, will come from you on my behalf. Amen. Prophecies from Isaiah and Micah and New Testament references for everything.

Let's sing of it. Words are on the screen.

And this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph but before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit and Joseph, her fiance, was a good man and he did not want to disgrace her publicly. So, he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. Joseph, son of David, the angel said, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.

For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit and she will have a son and you are to name him Jesus. For he will save his people from their sins. And all of this occurred to fulfill the Lord's message through the prophet. Look, the virgin will conceive a child and she will give birth to a son and they will call him Emmanuel which means God is with us and when Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and he took Mary as his wife.

They didn't own a house no crib no toys were waiting but still they had their love for the child they were anticipating he was born one winter night on a road between two times. They wrapped him up so warm and tight and said it looks like heaven's coming down. There was a new star shining in the sky up above. By its light that winter night they found peace and perfect love if we want to find it I know we always will because that new star is shining for us still. They worried how to feed him.

Simple praise was all they knew. There was a new star shining in the sky up above. By its light, that winter night, They found peace and perfect love. If we want to find it, I know we always will because that new star is shining for us still. If we want to find it, I know we always will.

Because that new star is shining for us still. Because that new star is shining for us still.

Thank you, fellas. Would you all hang around a minute? Yeah. At that time, the Roman emperor Augustus decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire and this was the first census that was taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria. There are time markers here.

Y'all noticing that? A lot of what I've said so far has a time marker associated. This really happened. It really happened in time and space and we can track it and trace it back. It's beautiful.

It's a beautiful story. All returned to their ancestral towns to register for this census and because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiance, who was now obviously pregnant and while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born and she gave birth to her first child, a son, and she wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger because there was no lodging available for them.

Mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water. Mary, did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters? Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new? This child that you deliver will soon deliver you. Mary, did you know that your baby boy would give sight to a blind man, Mary?

Did you know, Mary? Did you know that your baby boy would call a storm with his hands? Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod? When you kiss your little baby, You kiss the face of God. The blind will see, the deaf will hear, and the dead will live again.

The lame will leap, the dumb will speak praises of the lamb. Mary, did you know that your baby boy is lord of all creation? Mary, did you know that your baby, that your baby boy would one day rule the nations? Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect lamb? This sleeping child you're holding is the great I am.

Thank you, Scott and Clay and Jake. Well, that night, there were shepherds that were staying in the fields nearby and they were guarding their flock of sheep and suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them and they were terrified but the angel reassured them. Angels must be scary. Just every time you see em in scripture, they're reassuring people not to be afraid and they said, don't be afraid. I bring you good news that will be great joy to all people.

The savior, yes, the Messiah, the Lord has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David and you will recognize him by this sign. You will find a baby that's wrapped snugly in strips of cloth and lying in a manger. And suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of other angels, the armies of heaven, and praising God and saying, glory to God in highest heaven and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased. When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, let's go to Bethlehem and let's see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about. Now, that did you notice that each person that has received this message from God has done something immediately?

These guys, the shepherds received this message and it says and immediately, they said, let's go to Bethlehem. Let's see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about and they hurried to the village and they found Mary and Joseph and there was the baby and that baby was lying in a manger. Now, manger is not a normal place for a child to be. It's a place where animals eat. Can you imagine this?

Mary has received this vision from God and he says, this is what I want to do. This is what I want to do and she said, may it be to me just as you have said and then, Joseph sees this clear dream for his betrothed one. He's never been with her before and he has this dream. It's okay, Joseph. Take her to be your wife.

It's alright. This is the Holy Spirit's child. So, both of them have received this vision and then when the shepherds received this vision and they go, can you imagine the confirmation for both Mary and the confirmation for Joseph? Carrying on with the story. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.

All who heard the shepherd's story were astonished but Mary kept all these things in her heart and she thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks but they went back glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and all that they had seen for it was just as the angel had told them.

Would you stand with me and and let's let's sing of it.

Alright. Angels we've heard.

That means glory in the highest to God. In the English version, it's glory be to God on high. That's what we sing to say. Gloria. Let's sing the first Noel together.

Amen. Y'all can be seated And Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the reign of King Herod. And about that time, some wise men from Eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem asking, where is this newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose and we have come to worship him. King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this.

Why? Because he was king Herod and they were come seeking a new king. King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this as was everyone in Jerusalem. It's a political hotbed then even as it is now. He called a meeting of the leading priest and teachers of the religious law and he asked, where is the Messiah supposed to be born?

In Bethlehem, in Judea, they said, for this is what the prophet wrote and you, oh Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people, Israel. And then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared, and then he told them, go to Bethlehem and search carefully for this child and when you find him, you come back and you tell me so that I can go and worship him too. Being deeply disturbed, you think that's what he really wanted to do? After this interview, the wise men went their way and the the star they had seen in the East guided them to Bethlehem and it went ahead of them and it stopped over the place where the child was and when they saw this star, they were filled with joy. They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and they worshiped him.

Now, we've had shepherds, a humble, lowly bunch of shepherds come in and now we've had these wise men from the East. And both had the same response when they see this child with his mother, Mary. They bowed down and they worshiped him and then, they opened their treasure chest and they gave him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. There's been a lot of discussion over why those three gifts, They were a poor family and it would not be long before they needed to make paste and go kind of refugee towards Egypt and that would fund their journey but the three gifts I do think have significance. Gold is still precious but it was even more precious back then.

There's more of it today than there was then. It's a kingly gift. It's something for royalty. Frankincense is a priestly gift. Frankincense being very important in worship and then myrrh.

Myrrh is an embalming spice and this was truly a baby who was born to live. Yes, a perfect life but also to die and so at his very birth, he has gold, frankincense, and myrrh. That's from Matthew two one through 11.

As the wise men joyfully gave gifts, we we too have an opportunity to give this evening. The ushers are are coming forward and I'd like to invite Kyler and Judy up to the front as as well. Kyler's gonna sing oh, holy night, but he's going to do it in French because English is just too easy, and so we need to do it in French. No. But, really, it's it's a it's a treat to have him.

So thanks, Kyler, for for for agreeing to sing tonight. And while they're they're here, I want you to know you're you're not obligated to give. If you feel compelled to give, I I want you to know what you're giving to. At first b, we have a local benevolence fund. And thanks to your generosity, we get to help people in their time of need, which really is almost daily.

Folks are coming in, and whether it's a bill or a gas or rent or room for the night, it's a real blessing when we get to say yes. And so if that sounds like something you'd like to to give too, thank you. We encourage giving because because God has given to us. John three sixteen says, for God so loved to the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him won't die, but will have eternal life. Ray, would you would you pray?

Yeah. Would y'all pray with me? God, I thank you for the precious gift you've given in Jesus and I thank you lord that He is still being born into hearts today. I thank you that he's still at work. I thank you that you are at work, lord, through the continuing body of Christ.

Christ said that all authority had been given into him, given unto him in heaven and in earth. He also said that he would build his church and lord, He is doing that. We pray that you would advance the good news of love and forgiveness straight from the father through the son that we may be carriers of that lord and lord, I also have it ringing in my ears right now that Jesus said, whatsoever you do for the least of these, this also have you done for me. So, lord, I pray that you'd use the funds that are placed in these plates this evening. That you'd use them to clothe those who are threadbare or naked, that you would use these to feed those who are hungry, that you would use these funds to shelter those who are cold and alone and homeless.

In Jesus name, would you do your will through us? Amen.

Thanks, Kyler and Judy. Homegrown. Homegrown. So proud of you. As Jesus grew and he began his public ministry in John eight twelve, he said, I am the light of the world.

If you follow me, you won't have to walk in the darkness because you will have the light that leads to life. That's good news. Tonight, I want you to hear that very good news and that very real invitation to you to trust Christ. Really, that's what it is. It's about trusting Christ whom God sent as the light of the world to rescue us from the state that we all begin in, and that is the state of darkness and sin that leads to death.

That's where we start. But that's why Christ came, and that's the good news of the gospel. To give us light, to give us life, so that by belief in him, we're promised eternal life. That's the hope that we have church. That's why we're here.

Simply put, Jesus came to earth so we could go to heaven. In response to this invitation, we're gonna close in a candle lighting. And so I'd like to invite, you to stand up with us here, and while you're standing, I'll invite Ray. He's gonna light his candle from the Christ candle. That candle represents Jesus, the light of life.

And then we pass that light to one another representing our task to let that light of of Jesus shine through us to the world. Remember, this is Jesus light shining through us. We're not our own light. We only shine what we've been given. It's living it's Jesus living through us.

When your candle's lit, would you be sure to hold it straight up? So if you got a lit candle, hold that straight up. Let that unlit candle be the one that's tipping. Alright. We'll we'll save some wax, burn some eyebrows.

And and and while they're lighting candles here, we'll we'll invite you to sing a couple of songs with us. Away in a manger and silent night, and the words will be on the screen. And let's sing silent night together, shall we? It's pretty, isn't it? You can blow out your candles.

Here's what I want you to know this evening that we blow out these candles, but there is nothing that can extinguish the true light of Christ. Where does he live? He lives in those who put their faith and trust in him. John one five, the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. Would you be encouraged by that?

The darkness of this world can never extinguish the light of Christ. What's more is God has given you and I the privilege of letting his light shine through us. Matthew five, Jesus says, you are the light of the world. First, he says, I'm the light of the world. Then he says, you're the light of the world.

Why? Because he's living through us. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden, neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, catch this, let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven.

That's what this last song is about. I encourage you to sing out, sing loud. We're gonna sing, go tell it on the mountain. Hey, Merry Christmas everybody. Enjoy the reason for the season, that's Jesus.