Scripture referenced 7 passages
The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.
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Luke 2:10 quoted on announcement slide as theme for Monday night Christmas message: 'good news of great joy for all people'
10 The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
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John 3:16-17
read aloud during the lighting of the fourth advent candle
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
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Matthew 1:18-25
read aloud as part of the Christmas program, titled 'Joseph accepts Jesus as his son'
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
19 Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.
20 But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
21 She shall give birth to a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”
22 Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel”; which is, being interpreted, “God with us.”
24 Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself;
25 and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.
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Luke 1:26-38
read aloud as part of the Christmas program, the angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary
26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary.
28 Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!”
29 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.
30 The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and give birth to a son, and will call his name ‘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 the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.”
34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.
36 Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
37 For nothing spoken by God is impossible.”
38 Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” The angel departed from her.
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Luke 2:1-7
read aloud as part of the Christmas program, the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem
1 Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
2 This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3 All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city.
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David;
5 to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.
6 While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth.
7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.
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Luke 2:8-20
read aloud as part of the Christmas program, the shepherds and the angels
8 There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.
9 Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
11 For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.”
13 Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.”
15 When the angels went away from them into the sky, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16 They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough.
17 When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child.
18 All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.
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Matthew 2:1-12
read aloud as part of the Christmas program, the Magi coming to worship Jesus
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,
2 “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born.
5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet,
6 ‘You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah: for out of you shall come a governor, who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’”
7 Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.
8 He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”
9 They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
11 They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 Being warned in a dream that they shouldn’t return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.
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Recap
The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.
This service centered on the birth of Jesus Christ, told through Scripture readings and music woven together as a Christmas program. Rather than a traditional sermon, the congregation heard the nativity story presented by readers, singers, and children from the church. The focus throughout was the incarnation of God and what it means that He entered the world as a child.
What was said
The service opened with the lighting of the fourth Advent candle, the candle of love. The moment was anchored in John 3:16-17, the declaration that God gave His Son not to condemn the world but to save it. That framing of love as the reason for the incarnation set the tone for everything that followed.
Joseph's side of the story came first. The reading from Matthew's account described a man caught in an impossible situation, who chose obedience when the angel told him not to be afraid and to take Mary as his wife. The name given to the child, Jesus, was explained plainly: He would save His people from their sins.
The angel Gabriel's visit to Mary followed, drawn from Luke's account. Mary's question, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" was met with the angel's answer that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, and that no word from God would ever fail. Her response, "I am the Lord's servant," was read without commentary, left to stand on its own.
The song "Mary, Did You Know?" was sung between the readings, reflecting on the weight of what Mary held in her arms without yet fully understanding. The lyrics traced forward from the manger to the miracles, asking whether she knew that the child she delivered would one day deliver her.
The shepherds' account from Luke placed ordinary working people at the center of the announcement. The angel told them not to be afraid and brought them news of great joy for all people. The detail that stayed was Mary's response to all of it: she treasured these things and pondered them in her heart.
The Magi closed the narrative. They came from the East following a star, fell down and worshiped, and presented their gifts. Having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went home another way. The program ended where the story itself turns outward, with people from far off coming to find and worship the one born King of the Jews.
Doing a Bible study?
Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.
- The fourth Advent candle represents love, and John 3:16-17 was read to describe God sending His Son not to condemn the world but to save it. What does it mean to you personally that God's love took the form of sending rather than condemning?
- Joseph learned Mary was pregnant before they were married, and his first instinct was to divorce her quietly to protect her from disgrace. What does that tell us about Joseph's character, and what does it cost someone to do the right thing when the full picture is not yet clear?
and 3 more questions in the guide
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