Jesus and the Dragon

December 24, 2025 Christmas Eve Luke 2:1-14 Revelation 12 Prelude Christmas Greeting Lighting the Christ Candle First Reader: Tonight/Today, we gather to remember with the prophet Isaiah: For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders, and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Great will be his authority, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this (Isaiah 9:6-7). All: We gather to once again bask in the glory that visited a stable and a manger, shepherds watching their flocks, and a young couple cradling the newborn Messiah. Second Reader: We light the Christ candle as a sign of the glory that came among us in unexpected places and to unexpected people, that we may be people who seek and follow the glory of the Christ child here and now. Light the center candle of the Advent wreath. Call to Worship With eyes wide open and our ears on edge, we look for shepherds and listen for the songs of angels. In the light of winter’s moon, with the Southern Cross lighting the way, we gather outside the door of a mystery, wondering if we dare go enter. With folks and friends we love, with strangers we have just met, we gather, becoming the holy family for this time and in this place. Invocation Hymn O Come All Ye Faithful UMH 234 Interactive Nativity Story: “A Story We Tell Together” – a version of Luke 2:1-14 • When you hear MARY, say: “Yes, Lord.” • When you hear JOSEPH, say: “I will trust God.” • When you hear ANGEL, say: “Do not be afraid!” • When you hear SHEPHERDS, say: “Let us go and see!” • When you hear BABY JESUS, say: “Glory to God!” • When you hear STAR, point upward and say: “God is guiding us!” ________________________________________ Print out the story just for the liturgist The Story Long ago, God chose a young woman named MARY. (Audience: “Yes, Lord.”*) One day, an ANGEL appeared to MARY with surprising news. (Audience: “Do not be afraid!”) God had chosen MARY to bring love into the world in a very special way. (Audience: “Yes, Lord.”) Now JOSEPH, who loved MARY, was confused and worried. But God spoke to JOSEPH in a dream and told him to trust. (Audience: “I will trust God.”*) So JOSEPH and MARY traveled a long way to Bethlehem. The road was hard, the nights were cold, and still they trusted God. (Audience: “Yes, Lord.”* / “I will trust God.”) That night, there was no room in the inn. So in a humble stable, BABY JESUS was born. (Audience: “Glory to God!”*) God placed a bright STAR in the sky to shine over Bethlehem. (Audience: “God is guiding us!”*) Out in the fields nearby, some SHEPHERDS were watching their sheep. Suddenly, an ANGEL appeared and said— (Audience: “Do not be afraid!”*) The ANGEL told the SHEPHERDS that BABY JESUS had been born. (Audience: “Glory to God!”) The SHEPHERDS looked at one another and said, (Audience: “Let us go and see!”) They followed the STAR to the place where MARY and JOSEPH were, and there they found BABY JESUS, lying in a manger. (Audience: “Glory to God!”*) The SHEPHERDS went home rejoicing, MARY treasured these things in her heart, JOSEPH gave thanks, and the STAR kept shining. (Audience responses as words appear) ________________________________________ Closing Leader says: “This is the good news of Christmas: God comes to us in love, God walks with us in trust, and God invites all of us to be part of the story.” All together: “Glory to God!” Hymn Joy to the World UMH 246 A Christmas Message Rev. Harriette Cross First United Methodist Church of Wilmington Christmas Eve December 24, 2025 Luke 2 Revelation 12 Jesus and the Dragon This year, many in the church brought our nativity scenes to church to display. The nativity has been a way for countless generations to learn and remember the Christmas story. We all just recounted the Christmas story in the book of Luke. The nativity is intended to be an ongoing story – not every nativity character is mentioned. We don’t talk about the wise men until much later. But tonight we talked about Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, the shepherds, and the angel. But somehow we forgot all about the dragon – yep I said the dragon. Every year we look at the same old scriptures and tell the same old story. You probably never knew that there is another biblical version of the birth of Jesus in the book of Revelation. I will share some of the story, A woman, her child, and the dragon 12 Then a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant, and she cried out because she was in labor, in pain from giving birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: it was a great fiery red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept down a third of heaven’s stars and threw them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth so that when she gave birth, he might devour her child. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child who is to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was snatched up to God and his throne. 6 Then the woman fled into the desert, where God has prepared a place for her. There she will be taken care of for one thousand two hundred sixty days. Then there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but they did not prevail, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 So the great dragon was thrown down. The old snake, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world, was thrown down to the earth; and his angels were thrown down with him Can you imagine adding a 7 headed dragon and the archangel Michael with a sword to every nativity scene - it would be a lot more fun than just playing with the camels and arranging the wise men – you get to have a sword fight to defeat the slay the evil dragon. It would certainly make our perfect silent night them much more chaotic. But Scripture gives us two Christmas stories. One is gentle and quiet, told in Luke 2. The other is cosmic and dangerous, told in Revelation 12. Luke tells us what happened on earth. Revelation tells us what was happening behind the scenes. Tonight, we hear them together—the birth of Jesus and the appearance of the dragon. But both are intended to give us a glimpse of life. Sometimes even getting ready of Christmas can be like fighting a dragon. Revelation is the story of a cosmic battle that started in heaven but is going on all around us. Mary, the Queen of the universe gives birth to a son. The dragon waits, planning to take away the baby – because of his importance to the world. The guardian angels vow to fight to the death to defend the future of the world. They fight so furiously, that both the angels and the dragon fall to earth. The baby is born protected, but the dragon vows to haunt the family to the ends of the earth. And the never ending battle between good and evil beings. I think we all have faced some seven headed dragons in our life. Challenges that are daunting, overwhelming and impossible to overcome. There may be challenges in health, in finances, in family ties, - we may face challenges at our job, at school, even at home. Sometimes the dragon comes to us in social or political situations. Sometimes the dragon is inside of our heart and soul. Each of is fighting one or more battles that we never want to talk about. Perhaps it is comforting to know that on a cosmic level – we are not alone. There are dragons right here in our lives, but so are God’s angels determined to make sure that the goodness of God prevails through it all. The book of revelation tells us a story a great fiery red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads. With a tail that can take out a third of the world with one swoop. With all of the intimidation that he can muster, he is determined to challenge us with all that he’s got. The good news of the story is that he loses – he has no power over us. Jesus Christ is our hero, our advocate, our champion, our savior. A baby child is born into a world of suffering- he lives, he grows, he teaches, he rises up, he dies, he lives again. He dies our death, so that we can live in his eternal light. That child, Jesus Christ, saves us all from the dragon. The dragon in all of his terror, can’t stop a love that is willing to live int eh trenches with and open the doors of eternity so that we can see. I guess the dragon is not in the nativity scene, because we don’t have to fight him, the angels have done it for us. The child has given us the gifts of hope, peace, joy and love. His innocence defeated evil, his peace defeated chaos, his love defeated the power of hatred and revenge. So I guess the nativity is before us just as it should be. Perhaps this night is just as it should be – The faithful, gathered to see the newborn King, to bask in the light, to tell a story, to sing a song, and to spread a transformational love. We gather to celebrate the birth of a child, who defeated all of lifes dragons before he has born. To God be the glory. Conclusion: Lighting the Candles Tonight, we will light candles. Not because the darkness is gone. But because the light cannot be stopped. The dragon is real. But the child is stronger. The manger tells us: God chose vulnerability over violence. Love over force. Light over fear. And that is why, even now, we sing: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.” Because the dragon did not win. The child did. Merry Christmas. Christmas Eve Prayer Now in the silence, whisper of joy which comes into every life. Now in the comfort of carols, sing of hope which takes away the despair which envelops us. Now in familiar words heard anew, speak to us of grace which is born into barren lives, of peace which is birthed in war’s shadowed fears. Now leaning next to those who have always been a part of us, and those from whom we have been apart, remind us of your heart which always accepts us, always welcomes us. Now in the love which is ours forever, draw us closer to your heart, so we can be surprised by wonder, swaddled in serenity, embraced by tenderness. Now touch us once again with Christmas, God in Community, Holy in One, as we join in praying as we are taught, (The Lord’s Prayer) Giving Offertory Doxology Prayer Communion Page 13 THE GREAT THANKSGIVING FOR CHRISTMAS EVE, DAY, OR SEASON This text is used by the pastor while the congregation uses A Service of Word and Table II (UMH 13–15) or III (UMH 15–16) or one of the musical settings (UMH 17–25). The pastor stands behind the Lord's table. The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. The pastor may lift hands and keep them raised. We lift them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty (almighty God), creator of heaven and earth. You created light out of darkness and brought forth life on the earth. You formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life. When we turned away, and our love failed, your love remained steadfast. You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God, and spoke to us through your prophets. In the fullness of time you gave your only Son Jesus Christ to be our Savior, and at his birth the angels sang glory to you in the highest and peace to your people on earth. And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn: The pastor may lower hands. Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. The pastor may raise hands. Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. As Mary and Joseph went from Galilee to Bethlehem and there found no room, so Jesus went from Galilee to Jerusalem and was despised and rejected. As in the poverty of a stable Jesus was born, so by the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit. The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the bread, or touch the bread, or lift the bread. As your Word became flesh, born of woman, on that night long ago, so, on the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: "Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the cup, or touch the cup, or lift the cup. When the supper was over he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: "Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." The pastor may raise hands. And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith. Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again. The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the bread and cup. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood. The pastor may raise hands. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father (God ), now and for ever. Amen. Copyright: “The Great Thanksgiving for Christmas Eve, Day or Season,” Copyright © 1972 The Methodist Publishing House; Copyright © 1980, 1981, 1985 UMPH; Copyright © 1986 by Abingdon Press; Copyright © 1987, 1989, 1992 UMPH. Used by permission.” Passing the Light Silent Night UMH 239 Benediction “The Work of Christmas” by Howard Thurman When the song of the angels is stilled, When the star in the sky is gone, When the kings and princes are home, When the shepherds are back with their flock, The work of Christmas begins: To find the lost, To heal the broken, To feed the hungry, To release the prisoner, To rebuild the nations, To bring peace among others, To make music in the heart. ________________________________________

Grace, Salvation, Hope

December 24, 2024 Christmas Eve Year C Titus 2:11-14 Grace, Salvation, Hope Prelude Christmas Greeting Lighting of the Christ Candle Reader One: Beloved, today we welcome the Christ Child, the fulfillment of our joy, as we proclaim with the prophet Isaiah, “For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Congregation: Christ our joy has come near. Emmanuel, God with us, has come to dwell with us as a tiny baby. “His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this” (Isaiah 9:7). Reader Two: We light this candle as a sign of Christ coming to dwell with us, to live in the neighborhood of vulnerable humanity as a vulnerable child. May the light of Christ warm our hearts and light our way as we share the joy of God’s salvation wherever we go. (United Methodist Board of Discipleship) Light the center candle of the Advent wreath Words to Gather us Together A child has been born for us, whose name is called: Wonderful Counselor— Good Shepherd, Deliverer, Lamb of God, The Word; Mighty God— First and Last, Author of Life, Morning Star, The Light; Everlasting Father— Bread of Life, Resurrection and Life, Light of the World, The Vine; Prince of Peace— Chief Cornerstone, Lord of lords, King of kings, The Way. He is Immanuel. God with us! (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Bryan Schneider-Thomas) Opening Prayer (Titus 2) Grace of God, you have brought salvation to all, by the giving of yourself. In your sacrifice of love, you have redeemed us. May we live lives that glorify you, as we celebrate your birth into this world. Amen. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Bryan Schneider-Thomas) Hymn Sing We Now of Christmas (verses 1-4) UMH 237 Celebration of Christ's Birth Heaven sings: sing of creation and life; sing of love and light. Earth sings: join the chorus, tell the story of salvation. Let all welcome the Messiah. Sun and moon proclaim the message of divine light. Ocean waves tell of life-giving water. Forests rustle with Spirit-filled wind. Field and vineyard give fruit for a heavenly feast. All peoples marvel at what they see and hear. Join with all of creation in praise. Sing of God's deeds of power and grace. For Jesus Christ is born this day: the One who was foretold by the prophets, and promised in ages past; the One who would triumph over death, and bring us life; the One who would forgive our sin, and heal our wounds; the One who would show us the kingdom of God, and how we might live. Born to set us free ... Born to give us life ... Born as a gift ... Heaven sings and earth rejoices: Jesus Christ is born. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Bryan Schneider-Thomas) Hymn O Little Town of Bethlehem UMH 230 A Christmas Message: Grace, Salvation, Hope So we all know that Christmas is gifting time. We all have a whole theology of gifting – a belief system about giving gifts. Some of us spend months planning on just the right gift for the right person, some of us like to shop for gifts at the store, some of us like to make gifts from the heart. Some of us want people to open the gift right in front of them, others want the gift to be a surprise. Gift givng has not always been a part of the celebration of the birth of Christ. As a matter of fact, it is a relatively recent development. Truth is, America has a complicated history with Christmas, going back to the Puritans, who despised it and considered the celebration un-Christian. The concern that Christmas distracted from religious piety continued even after Puritans faded away. In 1827, an Episcopal bishop lamented that the devil had stolen Christmas "and converted it into a day of worldly festivity, shooting, and swearing." Christmas began to gain popularity when it was transformed into a domestic celebration, after the publication of Clement Clarke Moore's Visitfrom St. Nicholas and Thomas Nast's drawings in Harper's Weekly that created the image of a white-bearded Santa who gave gifts to children. The new emphasis lessened religious leaders' worries that the holiday would be given over to drinking and shooting and swearing, but it introduced another concern: commercialism. And, we have been battling that ever since with a notable lackof success and to the great relief of the nation's retailers who do their best business of the year just prior to Christmas. In the midst of our urge to give gifts, it is important for us to remember that the most important gifts don’t come from the store. They come from the heart. The story is told (by author Brian Joseph) about a five-year-old boy who unwrapped his gifts of Christmas morning. His mother let him play with them for a while, and then asked which one he would like to give away to a poorer child who needed a gift. “None of them,” the boy told her. The mother sat down with him and explained that the power of a gift was in its sharing. Helping other people was an important part of the holiday spirit. This was a hard sell, but the boy agreed to share one of his gifts. His mother let him think about it until the next day. This was a hard choice. There was a book, a toy flute, a Popeye book bag, and a toy dump truck with doors that opened. Finally, he chose the flute, and he and his mother took it to the Salvation Army, where they would make sure it got to a child who could use it. “How will they know it is for a child?” the boy asked his mother. She told him he would write a note and tape it to the gift. His note said: “Please be sure to give this to a kid who doesn’t have a lot of toys.” The next year they did the same thing, and then the next. It became a familiar part of their Christmas tradition. Some years, the decision was really hard. The year that he anguished over the gifts, and finally decided to give up a game of checkers, his mother came in later with a piece of cardboard and some bottle caps. They made a new checkers game out of those, and played on that all year. One year, his mother was out of work for part of the year, and there wasn’t much money for gifts. His mother told him that he didn’t have to give a gift away that year. He was excited at first, and then he told his mother that he wanted to give a gift away. He put his new football in the Salvation Army box. When he grew up, he talked to his mother about this tradition, and how it seemed strange that he had to give a gift away, since they were so poor themselves. His mother just looked at him as if he hadn’t learned much over the years. After some years passed, he became a dad himself, and his own son was now five. His son asked him what had been his favorite gift when he was a child. By now, he had learned a few things, but he still struggled to explain to his young son that his best gifts never came in a box. He told his son about the childhood tradition, and his son asked if he still did that. Yes, he said, he had done it every Christmas for over thirty years. The next day, the dad chose a new sweater, wrote a note on the box, and got ready to deliver it. As he was heading out the door, his young son asked if he could come, too. The father waited in the car for his son to get ready, wondering what in the world was taking so long. Finally the little boy came out the door, holding his new playdough set. “Dad,” he asked, “can you help me write a note?” (Found on www.katinkahesselink.net.) Is there a gift you can use this Christmas? Not a coffeemaker, a sweater, or a game, but a deeper gift? Has this past year held some sorrows for you? Are you looking for a gift of peace? Understanding? Some of you lost loved ones this year, and you’re wondering how you’re going to make it through Christmas. Some of you separated from a partner, and are feeling the loss keenly. Some of you faced serious illness. Some of you have health concerns, and are praying for your health to be restored. Some of you have loved ones who won’t be here next Christmas, and you’re savoring their presence this Christmas, in all its bittersweet-ness. For all of those things, God offers us the gift of hope, through the life-changing, world-transforming, soul-lifting gift of Jesus. This is the season of gifts, but our biggest and brightest and best gift is found in a manger, not under a tree or at a store. That is our gift in the birth of Jesus. For that stunning gift, ready to be opened, ready to be given away, thanks be to God. Amen. Usually on Christmas Eve we look at the scripture in Luke about the birth of Jesus, and we focus on the gifts that we bring to Jesus. This year I thought I would shake things up a little bit. I have never preached from the book of Titus. But I thought that it had an important message for us. Titus is more than a birth story, it tells the story of Jesus after his life, death and resurrection. It focuses more on the second coming of Christ, and not the first. Titus talks about the gifts that we receive from Christ, not the gifts that we give. Titus reminds us that God gives us the best gifts of all. God has a way of giving us things that we didn’t realize that we needed, but we are so grateful to have. The gifts that God gives us have a way of affecting every aspect of our lives. The book of Titus is a very short book, but it contains the entire message of the new testament in a few short chapters. Tonight I want to focus on three very special gifts that God gives us through Christ – grace, salvation and hope. Grace is more important to us than the air we breathe. It is God’s grace that allows us to move freely in life, it is god’s grace that makes the burden of life easy to bare, it is god’s grace that allows us to move forward, it is God’s grace that allows us to start afresh each day, it is God’s grace that supports us in our darkest moments. Grace is that gift that you can enjoy, when you didn’t realize that it was available and you didn’t realize that you needed to get through every moment in life. Salvation means more than just Christ saving us from our sins. It means more that us claiming Jesus as our Lord. Salvation is the confidence to live in God’s love in every moment. It is looking for the light in every situation and being willing to follow the light no matter how dark the situation. It is an assurance that God loves and supports you. It is an assurance that God will always be there for you. Salvation is a moment in time, but it is also a lifestyle. It is looking for God in every situation and finding God. Salvation is living in God’s presence and knowing that our lives will never be the same. Just yesterday, I had a pastor who said that he was expecting Christmas to be about celebrations, and parties, and gifts and special services. He was not expecting to hear the news of two friends who died of cancer recently. How do we deal with bad news, just before Christmas. By taking a deep breath, holding still, and knowing that our faith helps us to deal with the situation much better than if we had not faith. That is the gift of salvation. Titus talks about a lot of gifts that Christ’s presence brings us. But the most important – is hope. A young minister graphically described his involvement in an urban studies program which took him to the streets of San Francisco. One day he and several other ministers were instructed to put on worn-out shoes and old clothes and get into the line for free lunch at Saint Anthony’s Dining Rooms. The ministers moved along the line, exchanging nods with those who had to live for real the life the ministers were temporarily sharing. The ministers watched as the homeless people responded to each other, told stories, and scraped leftovers from others’ plates into little plastic bags to have something to eat for supper. Then, as the homeless people faded into the alleys and porticos of the city to return to their status as the lost and lonely, the ministers pulled off their dirty, ragged clothes and rejoined their instructors who had been involved in the same experience. The meaning of the Christmas Event is most sharply defined at this point. We cannot discredit those who change from their identification with the poor and resume their middle-class life. Most of us wouldn’t deign to dress down even one time. Today we celebrate the day of the birth of our Lord. The good news is the fact that our Lord stayed after the birth and will come to us again. So be it. The message of Titus, is that Jesus did not come to be with us just for one night. Jesus is here to stay. Jesus will be with us each and every day of our lives. Jesus is a gift that just keeps going. When we have hope in the Christ to come – we look to the future, and we realize that the best is yet to come. When we have hope, the gift keeps on giving. We have more to look forward to. When we have grace, salvation, and hope – every day is a gift from God. Christmas is a time of gifting others, but it is a time of receiving the wonderful gift of life in Christ. We need the grace of God that has appeared in Jesus, because here’s the deal… • The GIFT that is Jesus is not a gift you receive and put on your shelf. • The GIFT that is Jesus is not a gift you use when you simply feel stuck or on major holidays like Christmas. • The GIFT that is Jesus is the gift that keeps on giving all year, for all the years that have been and are to come. • The GIFT that is Jesus not only saves us but changes us and transforms us. If you could receive the most wonderful gift this Christmas – what would it be? If you could receive a gift that would change the trajectory of your life and what would it be? This year let us focus on the gifts that God gives us, that we use everyday, but sometimes take for granted. Grace, salvation and hope. Even in times when it doesn’t feel like it, there are always there. Titus says that the grace of God appeared to give salvation to all people. Sometimes the greatest gifts of life, just appear to us when we least expect them. Joy sneaks in as you pour a cup of coffee, watching the sunlight hit your favorite tree, your sight and you usher joy away because you are not ready for her. Your house is not as it should be for such a distinguished guest, but joy cares nothing for your messy home, your book balance, or your waistline, you see. Joy is supposed to slither in the cracks of our imperfect life, that is how joy works. (Donna Ashworth). Let grace, salvation and hope slither in with the joy. Let us pray….. Christmas Prayers of the People (See Insert) God of our Salvation, we come to you on this wondrous night to gather in praise, to lift up your name with friend, family, and stranger. In the beginning, your creative work began with a word, and tonight, your creation continues with the Word made flesh. On this holiest of nights, we join the everlasting chorus saying: Glory to God on highest! Great is your name in all the earth! Like Mary, we ponder these things in our hearts, and wonder how you could love us so much as to actually become one of us, one with us. We remember these stories this evening that remind us of your steadfast love, that affirm that you have never, and will never, give up on your children. Thank you for your steadfast presence in our lives! And yet, even on this night on which we celebrate the fulfillment of love, we recognize that there are many who are still waiting for fulfillment: the fulfillment of adequate food and shelter… the fulfillment of peace and the end of violence… the fulfillment of reprieve from the fierce grip of grief… the fulfillment of a restoration of a broken relationship… the fulfillment of a renewing of heart, mind, or body… the fulfillment of healing from a chronic illness… the fulfillment of an end to substance abuse… Giving God, give us the courage to do your work in the world and to share the peace coming to us in the manger this evening. We pray this night especially for those who have traveled to be here… for those who have lost loved ones in the past year… for those who struggle with mental illness… for those who fight alcoholism’s onslaught… for those who will be traveling in the coming days and weeks… for those who work on Christmas: especially medical workers, police, and emergency personnel… for those who cannot make it home for Christmas… hear us we pray, O God, Restore us and make your face to shine that we might be saved. In all that we do and in all that we are, send your Spirit to send us forward with the majesty of this night and to share the grace we find with everyone we encounter. Submitted by Rev. Stephen M. Fearing, Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, NY Lord’s Prayer Offertory Prayer Glorious God, as the shepherds rejoiced at the angel's news, we too bring our offerings with joy. Bless these gifts, that they may spread your good news of great joy to all people. Use them to bring peace, justice, and hope to our community and beyond. In this season of Advent, may our giving reflect the light of Christ, and may we be your instruments of love and generosity. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. (Luke 2:1-14) (United Methodist Board of Discipleship) Communion This text is used by the pastor while the congregation uses A Service of Word and Table II (UMH 13–15) or III (UMH 15–16) or one of the musical settings (UMH 17–25). The pastor stands behind the Lord's table. The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. The pastor may lift hands and keep them raised. We lift them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty (almighty God), creator of heaven and earth. You created light out of darkness and brought forth life on the earth. You formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life. When we turned away, and our love failed, your love remained steadfast. You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God, and spoke to us through your prophets. In the fullness of time you gave your only Son Jesus Christ to be our Savior, and at his birth the angels sang glory to you in the highest and peace to your people on earth. And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn: The pastor may lower hands. Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. The pastor may raise hands. Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. As Mary and Joseph went from Galilee to Bethlehem and there found no room, so Jesus went from Galilee to Jerusalem and was despised and rejected. As in the poverty of a stable Jesus was born, so by the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit. The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the bread, or touch the bread, or lift the bread. As your Word became flesh, born of woman, on that night long ago, so, on the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: "Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the cup, or touch the cup, or lift the cup. When the supper was over he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: "Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." The pastor may raise hands. And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith. Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again. The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the bread and cup. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood. The pastor may raise hands. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father (God ), now and for ever. Amen. Passing the Light “Silent Night, Holy Night UMH 239 Benediction (Isaiah 9, Titus 2) In darkness we arrived. In light we now leave. Though once we stumbled, we now walk with confidence. Rise up and go, for the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all. May the light of Christ lead us forevermore. The Story continues………. Illustrations: To paraphrase one of William Barclay's memorable sayings, when we see Jesus healing the sick, feeding the hungry, or forgiving the reprobate, we cannot help but think to ourselves, "So this is what God is like." The epistle to Titus reminds him, and us, that the Christ has promised to stay always. The grace of God that first appeared in Bethlehem continues to “teach us” as we wait for the glorious appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (vv. 12-13). The grace appears in the nativity of our Lord. It stays with us as a teacher. It will return to us in glory. On the night of the performance the school auditorium was filled with family, friends, and other well-wishers who looked forward to the annual Christmas play. As the curtain was drawn back from the stage the audience initially beheld Joseph leading a donkey across the stage, with Mary astride. The narrator told the story of how Caesar Augustus had ordered a census of the whole world, and it was necessary for Joseph to travel with Mary, his pregnant wife, to Bethlehem to register. Upon their arrival the couple looked for a place to stay but could find no room in the local inn. As the play continued, Caitlin’s parents wondered where their daughter was. Based on what she had said, they were sure that she would have the role of Mary or one of the shepherds, but so far she had not been present on stage. Then the narrator spoke of the birth of Jesus and with this a brilliant star arose over the stable to mark the spot of Jesus’ birth. Caitlin was carrying the star above her head. Wherever Mary went with Jesus in her arms, Caitlin followed behind; the star never left Jesus. When the play concluded all in attendance and the participants gathered in the cafeteria for a celebration of cookies, cake, and beverages. Caitlin asked her parents, “Did you enjoy the play?” Her parents responded, “We loved it; it was great!” Her father continued, “Caitlin you told us that you had one of the leading roles but we noticed that you carried the star. We thought you might be Mary or possibly one of the shepherds or magi.” Caitlin responded, “I had the most important role. It was my task as the star to lead others to Jesus. There could not be any more important task and privilege in the entire world.” "The grace of God has appeared ... training us ... to await our blessed hope." Tonight we Pause. Waiting, listening for the sound of the One who is coming; who bridges heaven and earth and reclaims us. Is he coming -- as he said he would? Will he join us in our Christmas Pause? Will we see his footprints or those of another? "Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand; ponder nothing earthly minded...." The grace of God has appeared and trained us ... to await our blessed hope, to await the One who gave himself for us to redeem us -- to return to us our worth. Christmas Pause. All I want for Christmas this year is grace — just grace. The story of Christmas is, after all, at its heart, a story of grace. The coming of Jesus Christ into our world is the affirmation of God's unmerited favor to us. Look again at that little New Testament "postcard" (it's hardly long enough to be called something as high falutin as an "epistle") to Titus: "For the grace of God that brings salvation ... Jesus ... has appeared to all..." (Titus 2:11). Grace — the essence of Christmas. Grace — that is what I want for Christmas this year ... grace. You, too? I want to be a grace-giver, too, because I know that will begin to make this world more the place that the gracious God who sent us Jesus wants it to be. Oh, and Merry Christmas. It does feel good to say it. CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lectionary Tales for the Pulpit, by David E. Leininger That is really important. It answers that most basic question that every person asks. From the moment we are born, we begin to look out at the world that surrounds us and ask, "What is all of that out there? What is it all about? How does it relate to me? And, how should I relate to it?" The answer we come up with to that basic question will do more than anything else to determine the shape of our lives. And the answer is not always easy to guess. The world around us gives mixed signals. People come up with lots of different answers. As a result, people live lots of different kinds of lives. But Christians believe that, in the coming of Jesus, that greater reality which is present in all of the little realities that bump up against us, did something special to make us able to know that God loves us, and that God loves everybody, and that life is a good gift given to us by God. Think about the love of the ones who love you most. Then, think about a love even bigger than that coming from the one who gives you life and comes to meet you in every new day of life. That is grace. Learn to believe that and to live as if it is true and that belief will make a big difference in your life. That is why the text goes on to say, "Grace has appeared, bringing salvation." Salvation means a lot more than many people think it means. It means more than having your guilt atoned for so that you can go to heaven after you die, wonderful as that is. It also means being set free from the power of fear and greed and hate and indifference and all of the other things that can mess up our lives and generate all of that guilt. It means being liberated for a life of freedom and purpose and love. If you learn to live trusting God's love, God will enable you to live in love. That interaction will become a lifelong process of having your life shaped and fulfilled by God. It is a very complex process because it works itself out differently in the life of every person. But it is also a very simple process because it is always a working out of the impact of God's love on your life. Think of a message that brought you the news of a new possibility that changed your life, a college scholarship, a new job, acceptance of a marriage proposal. Then think of another new possibility many times better than any of these. That is salvation. The text goes on, "The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all." - "For all!" God loves everybody just like God loves you and God wants fullness of life for everybody just as God wants fullness of life for you. As you grow in love and learn to love as God loves, you will learn to love others as you love yourself and to want fullness of life for all others just as you want it for yourself. That love will be a part of what shapes your life. It will generate in you a commitment to justice and well-being for all people and it will also generate in you a compulsion to share with others the good news that is shaping your life, the good news that the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all. Think of the thing that stirs up the greatest commitment within you, love for your country, love for your family, love for life. Christ hopes to stir up in you just that kind of commitment to the salvation of the world. That will indeed reshape our lives. "The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions and to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly...." Yes. God works in our lives to make us into the very best people we can be. That is part of the process of the salvation that Jesus came to bring into our lives. The apostle links the living of "sober, upright, and godly lives" to "awaiting our blessed hope, the epiphany of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ." If life is to have purpose, we must have a vision of the final goal. Once a Sunday school teacher tried to explain to her class how they should play the game of life. One puzzled child asked, "How can we play the game when we don’t know where the goal posts are?" In the light of epiphany we know where the goal posts are. We know that the future belongs to Christ, that his ultimate triumph is certain, and that we share in that triumph. Thus the light of epiphany transfigures even the night of death. When our pilgrimage on earth is over and we must step into the shadows "black as the night from pole to pole," they are shadows of good things to come, the unsearchable riches that eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man has imagined. Then we shall know in its full glory the life that is clear and clean and good. CSS Publishing Co., Inc., Good News For All Seasons, by T. A. Kantonen First make the tree good, says our Lord, and then the fruit will be good. To be put right with God through his own saving action means that the tree is made good. The relationship with God, broken by sin, has been restored. That little branch of humanity, your life, has been grafted into God’s life so that the power of his Spirit can flow into it to produce fruit that pleases God. Our own determination to turn over a new leaf is never enough. A businessman may find, upon taking inventory, that he is bankrupt. But he cannot simply say, "Let bygones be bygones, from now on I shall do better." The creditors too have something to say. The mistakes and failures of the past must be rectified. The "good news" of the gospel is that God has done just that for us. He has wiped the slate clean. We have hope for the future because the sins of the past are forgiven. We have a genuinely fresh start and power for a genuinely new life. Thus our Lord says, "Go and sin no more," only after he has said, "Your sins are forgiven." First the Gabe, as the Germans express it, then the Aufgabe, first the gift of forgiveness, then the task of living the good life. A television commercial advertising a soft drink says, "Sprite is what you want the world to be - clear and clean and good." Whether or not Sprite deserves such praise, certainly that is what we want the world - and our own lives - to be, clear and clean and good. And it is precisely in these terms that the apostle describes what the coming of Christ means to us. The apostle uses the word epiphaneia, the original for our word epiphany, to describe both the first and the second coming of Christ. He tells us, "the grace of God has made its epiphany for the salvation of all men," and now we are "awaiting our blessed hope, the epiphany of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ." Epiphany means appearance, becoming visible, the coming into view of what was hidden. Thus when Luke portrays a storm on the Mediterranean Sea and an impending shipwreck, he says that the ship was driven by a strong wind and "neither sun nor stars made an epiphany for many a day" (Acts 27:20). But throughout scripture, both the Old Testament and the New, the appearance of light is used as a symbol for the coming of the Messiah. In the word of prophecy, "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord will be seen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples, but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you" (Isaiah 60:1-2). When the New Testament announces the fulfillment of the prophecy, it likens the coming of the Messiah to the glory of daybreak, "the dayspring from on high has visited us to give light (literally, to make an epiphany) to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death" (Luke 1:78-79). The epiphany of Christ makes life clear and clean and good. We cannot live normal lives in darkness. Admiral Peary, the discoverer of the North Pole, said that the greatest obstacle in his Arctic exploration was not the cold but the darkness. The continual absence of sunlight depressed the spirits of the explorers. We have some experience of that. An extended period of overcast days begins to get on our nerves. We wonder how long a person can stay in complete darkness without losing his sanity. Primitive men feared darkness, for they imagined that the ghosts of the dead prowl about at night and vampires lurk to suck their blood while they were asleep. We have not outgrown this dread of the dark. Our fears and anxieties beset us in the stillness of the night. Anyone who has tossed sleepless through the night knows what the Psalmist had in mind when he prayed, "My soul waits for thee as those who watch for the morning." And he can appreciate the prophetic description of the coming of the Messiah, "The sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings." All of us have received presents that made us wonder why we got them. Like the present I got from my mom 15 years ago: an extension cord and a very large pair of women’s underwear. That was a little confusing. Five years ago my dad gave us a rice-cooker. No confusion there—we were expected to use it whenever he came for dinner. Not every gift comes with a “why?” But some do. When a young man asks his girlfriend’s parents to coffee? There’s a why. When you receive an abrupt text that reads, “You’re welcome!” you’ve received a gift that came with a why. And if a gift comes with a why, you better know it.

Our Light Has Come

Rev. Harriette Cross First United Methodist Church of Wilmington December 24, 2022 Christmas Eve Luke 2:1-20 Year A Prelude Welcome (We start with a single candle to light the darkness) Advent Hymn Lighting of the Advent and Christ Candle Tonight in order to dispel the cold and darkness outside, we light a single candle – this candle makes all of the difference in the world. And now we light the candles of hope, joy, peace and love. As we gather in the light, all of us here have been affected by loss. All of us have empty seats around the table. All of us are missing those people in our lives who taught us the traditions of Christmas, all of us are trying to carry on in spite of the loss of treasured memories. So as we begin this service – I want to light these candles- to represent those who we hold our heart and it wouldn’t be Christmas without them. Let us begin our worship now…. Call to Worship (inspired by Psalm 96) Leader: Welcome to this wondrous night, as we await the Coming One! People: We’ve come to worship the Lord, and welcome the Christ child. Leader: Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice…(pause) And listen! People: The fields rejoice! The trees of the forest sing for joy! Leader: The Lord is coming to judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with full truth! People: Let’s lift our voices as we praise God. (choir or cong. song like “People, Look East”, CH #142 or #136, “Christians All, Your Lord is Coming”) Hymn Angels We Have Heard on High UMH 238 Prayer Mighty God, After weeks of active waiting, the time is NOW! Thank you for the gift you give in the coming of your beloved one. We’re full of joy, and eager to praise you. Help us let go of the bustle and busy-ness of packages and performances, so we might focus on the wonder and joy of Christ’s coming. Open our eyes and our hearts to welcome “God-with-us” once more. AMEN” Chancel Choir Scripture Luke 2:1-20 Praise Ringers Christmas Message Our Light Has Come All that we celebrate tonight – everything that we do starts with just one light. Since the sun set about 30 minutes ago, if we didn’t have light we would be sitting in the darkness and it would be pretty hard to do anything. But the most important light for us is the light of Christ. Jesus is the light of the world. We all know that light is pretty important for our faith and our life. Pastor Don Jones points out three every important functions of light. Light helps us to see what is hidden in the dark, it helps us to measure time, and it lights up a pathway for us to see. The carpet and furniture in my house looks really good until you turn the light on. The light will show the spots in the carpet and it will show the dust and flaws in my furniture and will, in general, show me where I need to clean. A prominent pastor in the Valley shared his past one day in Bible study. He referred to the passage in John 3:19-21. Before he came to Jesus as Lord he would visit bars in the area to drink his troubles away. One bar in particular was his favorite because it was cool, dark, and generally very quiet. Along with the alcohol he could get a cheese burger. It was cooked on a griddle that gave it a special flavoring. The grease combined with a thick slice of cheese on a butter bun made it a fantastic lunch. After he came to Christ he would frequent the same bar and get that burger, but instead of alcohol he would get a coke. He would visit with some of the people he knew a share with them his new found relationship in Christ. One Saturday he decided to take his wife to get one of the famous hamburgers. When they arrived he noticed that the normally darkened windows were cleaned of the dark shading. They walked in and discovered the inside well lit. He asked the owner and the owner explained they were doing some remodeling. He also asked if he and his wife would like two cheese burgers and two cokes. Pastor said yes and went to his usual table. As they sat and visited he began to notice the condition of the bar. He could now see the dirt and grime on the floor. He also noticed that the tables were not particularly clean. In the light he could see the cook’s area and noticed that the grill had not been cleaned of anything for what looked like months. He saw dead cock roaches on the floor. The place literally was disgusting in the light. In the darkness he had noticed nothing but the light revealed all of the filth in the place. When the burgers arrived he was no longer hungry and as he lifted the glass to his lips he noticed that the bottom had not been cleaned. It had what looked like a crusted milk ring at the bottom. Needless to say he politely paid his bill, said goodbye. He left never to return. Had anything changed from all those years before? Not really, but the light revealed a filthy, sticky, cock roach infested, disgusting place. The light revealed all of the filth. The light found in Jesus came into the world so we might see our filth. Light is also used as a standard of measure. Light travels at 186,000 miles per second. A light year is the distance light travels in a year. It is use on sci-fi movies but also used in astronomy to measure the immense distances of the universe. From what I understand light is a very accurate unit of measure. It takes light from the sun 8 minutes to travel to earth – it’s travel is so predictable, that we not only do we depend on it, we set our clocks by it. Anyone who has traveled at night, knows that light is very effective at lighting a path for us. Without it we would not be able to see where we are going whether we are traveling by car or by foot. Jesus, does that same for each of us. The light of Jesus helps us to see things about ourselves and others the need to be fixed. The light of Christ gives us a sense of direction , and the light of Jesus will light our path to a good life. Tonight we will see light from many different sources – the Christmas lights on the tree, the lights overhead, the light of the candles – all of them have different power sources. But have you noticed that the effects of darkness are the same. There is darkness outside, there is darkness in our hearts, there is darkness in the hatred and violence in the world. Darkness has a tendency to rob us of our energy, our purpose, our ability to move around and do things. That is why our single candle is so important. The Light in the Manger Never Goes Out On The Protestant Hour sometime back, the Rev. Harry H. Pritchett, Jr., told about the worst nativity pageant he could ever remember. It was at the church where he grew up. The youth group was staging a manger scene. Pritchett was chosen to play Joseph and his future wife, Allison, was chosen to play Mary. They did their parts with seriousness and commitment, looking as pious as possible. And then it came time for the shepherds to enter. The choir was singing “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night,” and some of their fellow young people dressed in flannel bathrobes and toweled head gear proceeded to the altar steps. Young Pritchett and Allison both managed to gaze solemnly at the straw which contained a naked light bulb. But then one of the shepherds broke the sacred spell. With his back to the congregation, he said in a very loud whisper for all the cast to hear, “Well, Joe, when you gonna pass out cigars?” The spell of that occasion was not simply broken by his remark, it exploded. The Mary and Joseph cover was completely destroyed as it became impossible to hold back the bursts of laughter. The chief angel, standing on a chair behind them was the worst. She shook so hard that she fell off her chair and simply rolled over on the floor, holding her stomach. The strains of “Silent Night” and “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem” were hardly sufficient to cover the uncontrolled snorts of the main characters. Their much upset but good sported youth advisor said, “The only thing that didn’t go to pieces was the light bulb in the manger, it never went out.” Harry Pritchett thought to himself later, that’s a nice image- the light in the manger never goes out regardless of any mess we may make of things. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com When we look at the nativity story – there is so much for us to see. We see the hope of his mother that the world would improve for every one, we see the determination of his parents to provide a safe space, we see how cruel the world can be as they could only find a stable to stay in, we see ordinary witness of the shepherd who stopped their jobs to witness this event. The angels saw the glory of the moment. The light of the world had come to make the world a better place. It all starts with one single light – but tonight in this Christmas moment it has the potential to spread to so many people. There was a story in the news a few years ago about a lady in Hanover Park who was concerned because she had to scale back her decorations. She has won all types of awards for her light decorations. But now she was limited because her condo association said that there was a limit to the number of cords that could be plugged in public places. The story caught my attention because I wondered how her cords would be plugged up in a public place. Were the cords across the sidewalk because she had plugged them in the nieghbors outlets? Or did she run them across the street to use someone elses outlet. How could the cords be a problem? But you know that is the fascinating thing about Christmas lights, they are pretty, they light of the night, they can truly light the way for Christ to come to that house – but they are useless without the cords. They have no ability to shine on their own – they have to be plugged into some power source. Without the cords – Christmas can be pretty dark. For Christmas, we are the lights and Jesus Christ is the power source. I think that this Christmas, we need to run our extension cords across as many public byways as possible. We want people to trip on us. When they see the light of Christ in us, maybe they will realize that they live in darkness – and they need to get plugged in too. The world needs Christmas – but the world needs Christians to celebrate Christmas. Not just inside here – but in the world where everyone can see us. It starts with a single light – That single light is Jesus. But when we are all connected to the power source – people all over the world and in space can see the light of God. Jesus is the light of the world – but we are his Christmas lights – in the coming days let us stay connected to our power source, be kind, and spread the light! Amen Prayer of Hope, Peace, Love, Joy God of bright and shining stars, we come this evening with the reminiscences of the story in our hearts. All around us are symbols and reminders of the miraculous Birth. The candles shed their glowing light helping us to remember the many ways in which you have brightened our lives and offered light to our journey In this world in which your holy land is in such turmoil, shed your light anew, that your healing Love may bring Peace and Hope to people in conflict. Be a presence to those who refuse to believe in you; who see your word through the church as a tradition, but see very little impact in their daily lives. Let the Light of Jesus Christ penetrate that darkness of alienation and bring Hope and Peace to all your people. May the light of the stars which sparkled in those dark skies, again illuminate our lives, guiding, healing, leading us to you. As we gather in this time and place, hearing the story of the birth, remind us again that you are born continually in our lives. In gratitude we offer our praise and our love to you. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Lord’s Prayer UMH 894 Special Music Moment for Stewardship (don’t print) Luke tells, in oh-so-familiar words- the story of the shepherds on the day Jesus was born. Long ago, Bing Crosby sang “Do You Hear What I Hear?”, including the verse: Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king, “Do you know what I know? in your palace warm, mighty king. Do you know what I know? A Child, a child, shivers in the cold Let us bring him silver and gold, Let us bring him silver and gold.” Tonight’s the night we remember the shepherds going to see the newborn child. And it’s the night for us to share our silver and gold. Our offering tonight will go bring about God’s plan for our community. It will provide a beacon of light for others around us. Your gifts support this mission. With joy, let us bring our offering. Offertory Doxology Prayer of Thanksgiving Holy God, thank you for the gift of this Child, born to set us free. Thank you for this opportunity to remember the Child as we share our silver and gold. Please receive these gifts, and help each of us rejoice in knowing they will be used to fulfill your mission. AMEN Invitation to Communion (do not print the words) In the wonder of this night, surrounded by deep darkness, we open our hearts to God’s love, in the words of a prayer: Living God, you dwell in clouds and thick darkness. We lift our eyes to the night sky and sense depth and fullness beyond our grasp. You freed your children from Egyptian bondage under the security of nightfall. When you were born, the star came in the night heavens. A black man carried your cross. You made your pure sacrifice of love in the midday darkness. Rain falls from black clouds. Babies grow in uterine shadows. Prophets speak in ebony voices. Treasures of darkness! Help us receive them … and help us receive these gifts of bread and cup as riches from you. AMEN (taken from CH#332) All are invited to breathe in the wonder and take in the taste of these emblems, remembering Jesus. Holy Communion UMH 9 Praying After Communion Passing the Light Silent Night UMH 239 Benediction “Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her king!” Proclaim the good news of Christ’s birth to all the world. May the grace, hope, peace and love of God the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer be with us all, now and forever. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Terri McDowell Ott) Children’s Sermon As the children gather ask them if they know the Christmas story. If they do, ask them what their favorite part of the story is. If you have a tight schedule you might want to skip this, but it is a chance to hear where they are with the story and it might change how you do the next part! Well, I have a story about the Christmas story. I think that most of us know the Christmas story, but did you ever think about how that story got to us? I was thinking about that because I was listening to a song called “Do You Hear What I Hear?” The song starts with the wind whispering to a lamb, the lamb tells the shepherd, the shepherd tells the king and the king tells everyone! The message is that Christ is born! As I was listening to the song I started thinking about the story of Jesus, and I realized that the song is probably not that far off. OK, OK, in the actual story there isn’t a talking sheep, but think about the story that we hear at Christmas. Mary and Joseph know what’s going on because an angel told them – that’s kind of like the wind whispering to you. The angels also told the shepherds who came to see. Later on there were thee wise men, or maybe kings who heard about Jesus somehow and came following the light of a star! So there is just this handful of people who know what is really happening in that little stable in Bethlehem, and they all manage to keep it quiet for a long time. We don’t really hear much about Jesus as a child, but then Jesus’ story gets really interesting! More people hear about Jesus as a teacher and healer, they tell their friends and neighbors, who tell their friends and neighbors. The word of God spreads far and wide, churches spring up in the far corners of the world, books are written, songs are written, there are paintings and sculptures made, plays are performed, people are feed, baptized, blessed with God’s Word all over the word and throughout the centuries of time. And it all started with an angel telling people to “Come and see.” So, this Christmas, I encourage you to invite some one to come and see. It doesn’t have to be today, or tomorrow, or even this month. But be like those angels and shepherds, the friends and neighbors – invite someone to “come and see!” Emmanuel, God with us, thank you for coming to us. Additional illustrations The Reflection of the Light Frederick Buechner tells in one of his sermons about some useful advice he once received from a young ship's officer aboard a British freighter. It was night; the ship was in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and the officer had been peering into the darkness, looking for the lights of the other ships. He told Buechner that the way to see lights on the horizon is not to look straight at the horizon, but to look just above the horizon. You can see the lights better, he told Buechner, when you do not try to look at them directly. "Since then," writes Buechner, "I have learned that it is also the way to see other things." Just so, Luke moves our gaze from the light on the horizon to the places just above, below, and off to one side. We are told of the light which filled the world that night, but we do not really see it. We see instead the reflection of that light on the faces and in the hearts of those who were present. Thomas G. Long, Something Is About to Happen, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. First, light reveals what was hidden in the dark. We would have never found our way in the dark had it not been for that ever so small light. Amazing, in the midst of all that darkness that one lamp in the window of the house led the way. The light Jesus does the same for us today. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 Through Jesus Christ, the light of the world, we have a path to follow. He is our Light. Like Tom in the bar, let the Light, Jesus, show you the way. If you have not accepted\or followed Jesus as Lord of your life and would like to tonight, follow me in this simple prayer

The Christmas Promise

Christmas Eve Isaiah 9:2-7 Year C Opening Song Welcome Home Lighting of the Advent and Christ candle Opening Prayer O wondrous God of the stars, we come tonight with breathless wonder to see the babe who will change our lives. We hear the names “Wonderful Counselor,” “Mighty God,” “Prince of Peace,” and we are in awe. You have touched the earth this night with your unconditional love. Touch us— touch our hearts and minds and souls. May we never tire of this story. May we never take it for granted. Make this night magical again. Amen. Song Hark the Herald Angels Sing UMH 240 Invitation to the Offering Come now and kneel before the Christ child. Bring all that you are and all that you have. Offer your gifts in wonder and surprise and awe. Offer your gifts in joy and delight. Prayer of Thanksgiving So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh, come, peasant, king, to own Him. The King of Kings salvation brings. Let loving hearts enthrone Him. This, this is Christ the King whom shepherds guard and angels sing. Haste, haste to bring him laud the Babe, the Son of Mary. Dear Lord, accept our gifts to your mission on earth. Amen. TELLING THE STORY (Please use leader and people instead of presider and assembly) Presider: The Light of Christ is born anew this night as your heart. Assembly: And also yours. Presider: In the beginning, Light shines in the darkness – Loving, Beautiful, Good – giving birth to all creation, the center, the heart, of unfolding life. The Light graces all creation as God’s presence. Assembly: The Light is Christ. Presider: The Light is the child of Mary and Joseph. Assembly: The Light is Love. Presider: The Light is a Jewish mystic, sage, and prophet. Assembly: The Light is Beautiful. Presider: The Light is life in the midst of death. Assembly: The Light is Good. Presider: May Christ, the Light, reveal to all who would see the wisdom and wonder of God’s boundless love. All: Amen. We sit. Scripture Isaiah 9:2-7 [a] The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. On those living in a pitch-dark land, light has dawned. 3 You have made the nation great; you have increased its joy. They rejoiced before you as with joy at the harvest, as those who divide plunder rejoice. 4 As on the day of Midian, you’ve shattered the yoke that burdened them, the staff on their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor. 5 Because every boot of the thundering warriors, and every garment rolled in blood will be burned, fuel for the fire. 6 A child is born to us, a son is given to us, and authority will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 There will be vast authority and endless peace for David’s throne and for his kingdom, establishing and sustaining it with justice and righteousness now and forever. The zeal of the LORD of heavenly forces will do this. Song Away in the Manger UMH 217 (verses 1, 3) Christmas Message Living By the Light Jesus Christ is the promise of Christmas. Steve Thomason is a Lutheran Pastor who tells the story of a promise that his older brother made to him as a child. He was a third grader and his brother was a junior in high school – you can predict how this promise will go. One year his mother was making his favorite cookies, thumbprint cookies. He loved the jelly inside of the thumbprint. So his brother promised him cookies if he went upstairs and cleaned his brother’s room and did all of his chores. Young Steve went upstairs and did the best that he could to make his brother happy. After he finished, he ran downstairs, his brother met him at the bottom of the steps with his hands behind his back. Steve waited in anticipation – and when his brother revealed his hand – sure enough there were thumbprint cookies. His brother laughed when he revealed that that the cookies had no jelly in them. Steve grew up and never forgot the so called promise that his brother made. Life is full of promises. The bible is full of promises. Christianity is full of promises Christmas is full of promises. Our scripture in Isaiah is a promise. Isaiah promises that the people who walk in darkness have seen a great light. People who were living in oppression and frustration will see freedom, as a leader is born who will lead them into a better life. This fortells the birth of Jesus. Christmas is full of promises. Christmas promises peace, joy, love and hope. Beautiful words that we hear every Christmas – but do you ever wonder if they will be fulfilled? Christmas eve in worship is perfect. But as soon as you watch the next newscast, we will be reminded that Christmas is not full of peace, joy, hope and love. Just last night I watched in horror as a shooting in Oakbrook mall occurred. All I could think of was being a parent sending my child Christmas shopping alone for the first time, only to hear that the mall was in lock down. I think that with all that is happening in our lives today – we can wonder if the Christmas promise even matters any more. And every year at Christmas we are reminded of the promises of Isaiah. It was a promise to the people of the time, but it was also a promise to the world. – that the current suffering would end. That promise manifested itself again thousands of years later when a baby was born in the manger. The promise manifest itself today – when we continue to have faith, even in the midst of a pandemic. We continue to hope that things will get better. Isaiah says that a son will be born and his name will be Immanuel – God is with us. he shall be called wonderful counselor, mighty god, eternal father, prince of peace. He shall be a savior. His name is Jesus. Does the Christmas promise still matter today – I think that is up to each of us. His Name at the Top _ missionary A Payne I had the nicest Christmas list, The longest one in town, Till Daddy looked at it and said, "You'll have to cut it down." I knew that what he said was true Beyond the faintest doubt, But was amazed to hear him say, "You've left your best friend out." And so I scanned my list again, And said, "Oh, that's not true!" But Daddy said, "His name's not there, That Friend who died for you." And then I clearly understood, 'Twas Jesus that he meant; For Him who should come first of all I hadn't planned a cent! I'd made a Christmas birthday list, And left the Saviour out! But, oh, it didn't take me long To change the list about. And though I've had to drop some names of folks I like a lot, My Lord must have the most---because His name is at the top! As long as we remember to keep Christ name at the top of our list, then God’s promises will come true. Is Christmas just a day in our life, or is our life contained in this day? Christ has to come first in all that we do, in order for the Christmas promise to make a difference for us all. If Christ is present in our hearts – then the promise will be fulfilled in the world. I leave you with the words of this poem May the Christmas GIFTS remind us of God’s greatest gift, His only Son. * May the Christmas CANDLES remind us of Him who is the “Light of the world.” * May the Christmas TREES remind us of another tree upon which he died. * May the Christmas CHEER remind us of Him who said, “Be of good cheer.” * May the Christmas FEAST remind us of Him who is “the Bread of Life.” * May the Christmas BELLS remind us of the glorious proclamation of His birth. * May the Christmas CAROLS remind us of the son the angels sang, “Glory to God in the Highest!” * May the Christmas SEASON remind us in every way of Jesus Christ our King! Let us celebrate the fact that the Christmas promise still lives today. Pastoral Prayer God of bright and shining stars, we come this evening with the reminiscences of the old, old story in our hearts. For many here, the story has been heard numerous times, flooding their lives with warmth and love; For others the story is new, surprising, causing wonder and surprise. All around us are symbols and reminders of the miraculous Birth. We see the greens which remind us of your eternal presence and love for us. The candles shed their glowing light helping us to remember the many ways in which you have brightened our lives and offered light to our journey. The colors, the music, and aromas, the people, invite us again into your wonderful presence in the world in the birth of your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. In this world in which your holy land is in such turmoil, shed your light anew, that your healing Love may bring Peace and Hope to people in conflict. We ask that you protect all those who are in harm’s way; all those who live lives of anguish, poverty, oppression. We ask your loving presence to be with those who refuse to believe in you; who see your word through the church as a tradition, but see very little impact in their daily lives. Let the Light of Jesus Christ penetrate that darkness of alienation and bring Hope and Peace to all your people. May the light of the stars which sparkled in those dark skies, again illuminate our lives, guiding, healing, leading us to you, Blessed God.. As we gather in this time and place, hearing the story of the birth, remind us again that you are born continually in our lives. In gratitude we offer our praise and our love to you. AMEN. Invitation to Communion This is a magical night. God-with-us has come to touch our world, our lives. God-with-us has come to bring us out of darkness into a glorious light. God-with-us invites us now to come to the table, believing in the promises of God fulfilled tonight. Here we hear angels, and see shepherds, and are transformed by a baby. Here love is offered, and love is found, in the sharing of bread and cup. Here we find our journey’s end and its beginning. Communion – page 13 PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION We are filled with joy for we have heard good news of great joy. We are filled with love for we have tasted the sign of God's great love. We are filled with hope for the angels still sing in our world and there is a Light for us to follow. Passing of the Light Silent Night – UMH 239 Benediction May the light that began at creation, continued through the witness of the prophets, and has come to fullness at the Birth of Jesus Christ , be in your hearts and minds this evening. As you go from this place may your spirits be filled with joy and hope; for God’s precious Light has been given for you. Go in Peace and know that God’s peace always goes with you. AMEN. Additional illustrations Slow Down and Welcome Christmas “The Christmas spirit comes on me more slowly than it used to,” writes Joan Mills, a mother of three children, in her book Christmas Coming. “But it comes, it comes. Middle-aged (most of the time) and jaded (some of the time), I complain of plastic sentiment, days too brief, bones too weary. Scrooge stands at my elbow muttering, “Bah!” and “Humbug!” as I total the bills. But when I acknowledge the child I once was (and still am, somewhere within), the spirit of Christmas irresistibly descends.” “For Christmas is truly for children those we have, and those we have been ourselves. It is the keeping-place for memories of our age in lovely ritual and simplicities. “I’m tired,” I say fretfully. “There’s just too much to do! Must we make so much of Christmas?” “Yes!” they say flatly. “But bayberry, pine and cinnamon scent the shadowed room. Snow lies in quiet beauty outside. I hear someone downstairs turning on the tree lights while another admires. I lie very still in the dark. From the church in the village on the far side of the woods, carillon notes fall faint and sweet on winter clear air. “Silent night,” my heart repeats softly. Holy night. All is calm All is bright. “As I take the stairs lightly going down, no bones weary now, my whole self is thankful; once again, I am flooded with the certainty (call it faith) that there’s goodness in the world, and love endures.” Leonard Sweet, adapting Joan Mills, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Pick Up the Baby Sam Levenson tells a wonderful story about the birth of his first child. The first night home the baby would not stop crying. His wife frantically flipped through the pages of Dr. Spock to find out why babies cry and what to do about it. Since Spock’s book is rather long, the baby cried a long time. Grandma was in the house, but since she had not read the books on childrearing, she was not consulted. The baby continued to cry. Finally, Grandma could be silent no longer. “Put down the book,” she told her children, “and pick up the baby.” Good advice. Put down the book and pick up the baby. Spend time with your children. Particularly at Christmastime. We have the mistaken notion that good parents give their children lots of things. Wrong. In a survey done of fifteen thousand schoolchildren the question was asked, “What do you think makes a happy family?” When the kids answered, they didn’t list a big house, fancy cars, or new video games as the source of happiness. The most frequently given answer was “doing things together.” Notice the joy with which Mary and Elizabeth greeted the news of their pregnancy. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com After unwrapping all of his presents, a little boy was asked, “Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas?” He thought a moment and said, “No, but then, it’s not my birthday.” Source: The Speaker’s Quote Book, Roy B. Zuck

Christmas Message

December 24, 2019 Christmas Eve Service Psalm 96 Luke 2: 1-20 Christmas Message Year B Luke 2:1-20 Common English Bible (CEB) Jesus’ birth 2 In those days Caesar Augustus declared that everyone throughout the empire should be enrolled in the tax lists. 2 This first enrollment occurred when Quirinius governed Syria. 3 Everyone went to their own cities to be enrolled. 4 Since Joseph belonged to David’s house and family line, he went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to David’s city, called Bethlehem, in Judea. 5 He went to be enrolled together with Mary, who was promised to him in marriage and who was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for Mary to have her baby. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn child, a son, wrapped him snugly, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the guestroom. Announcement to shepherds 8 Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night. 9 The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people. 11 Your savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord. 12 This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God. They said, 14 “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.” 15 When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go right now to Bethlehem and see what’s happened. Let’s confirm what the Lord has revealed to us.” 16 They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they reported what they had been told about this child. 18 Everyone who heard it was amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 Mary committed these things to memory and considered them carefully. 20 The shepherds returned home, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. Everything happened just as they had been told. Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible The most important line of this story - Do not be afraid, good news of great joy for all people! Sermon So here we are at another Christmas Eve celebration. Every year we sing the same songs, and hear the same old story. If we are not careful, when we hear this story of a baby born into a manger who grew up to become the savior of the world – we can start to believe that this story has no meaning for us. when we think about all of the things that is going on in the world today, all of the challenges of the coming year – we can ask what difference this story makes. Sort of like Jerry Turner, a ten year old on his way to rehearsal for the Christmas play with his mother. Do I have to be in another Christmas pageant he asks. No his mother replied but it is a good reminder for us of what Christmas is all about, besides, it is tradition in our church. Well, Jerry goes on, it is the same old thing every year. And why do I have to be a shepherd anyway. I don’t like having to wear a bathrobe in front of all of those people. Why are shepherds even important to this story. His mother explained that the shepherds were the first to witness and to see the miracle of Christmas. The angels delivered a message from God.- and what are angels anyway. Messengers from God – explained his mother, messengers, why didn’t God just put it in the newspaper? His mother went on that God speaks to us in ways that we understand – God always delivers the message of love in a timely and relevant way. A way we can understand. Jerry still didn’t really understand, but he went along. I will be a part of this story for at least one more year – but I still don’t understand why we make such a fuss about a little baby. One pastor said that some stories that we hear are true to fact, and some are true to life. This is the story of life, of life that Goes on and on, and that reveals itself in unexpected ways time and time again. It is not about looking back at Bethlehem, it is about looking forward to today in our world. And in each revelation is a story of love. God needs us just as much as we need God, but God has such a problem getting through to us. We get so caught up on the news, on the mail, on facebook – that we forget to listen to God, and we miss that message of God’s love for us. But who doesn’t listen to little babies speak - can our children ring our bells…. This year as we here the story of Jesus birth – I thought that we should focus on the psalm. We read psalm 96, there are three readings for Christmas . Psalm 96, Psalm 97 and Psalm 98. All three of these psalms are known as enthronement psalms. They all honor God on the throne. Each of them encourages all of us to sing- song a new song. Joy to the world is based on psalm 98 which says that all of creation, should sing and celebrate that Jesus Christ is born. Psalm 96 says sing, sing, sing, acribe, come ascribe, ascribe, come worship, tremble. We sing three songs three different times Sing a new song in the morning, sing all of the earth in the daytime as we witness creation and sing at night the God is faithful and steady and will hold us together no matter what. We ascribe to God that God is king – king of us all whether we are hear or not, God loves all people. If God is lord of all creation, heaven and nature – that opens the door to our understanding – beyond ourselfs, beyond our family, beyond our community, to all of the world. That is a very wide door! And we worship – worship is not just about gathering in this sanctuary – worship is the life we life anywhere, at the grocery store, at the family table, in the hospital room, in a manger. God is with us in all of our lives, and worship is just acknowledging God’s presence. Someone said that God and our modern politicians have something in common – they make a lot of promises – God is King because all of those promises come true. That is why we are encouraged to sing, sing our faith, sing our Christmas songs, sing for a life full of hope and joy. This is the night we celebrate Christ is with us, Christ has come to us in a brand new way, so we can sing a new song. Bishop Sprague once said that Christ coming is not about the first coming or the second coming. Christ has come into the world a 3, a 4th a 20th time. Every day we can wake up is a new day, and a new day always calls for a new song. If we can sing a song in a new way – we can have hope that things will change, things will be different this time. Who is it that brings joy and good news to the situation of today? – that is God coming to us in human form – Jesus Christ. Where is Christ breaking into our world anew today? Where does joy seep into the darkness? It is in our singing, in Christ born anew. (Can our children ring bells to remind us of Christ presence). Amen. Stewardship moment Each line if psalm 96 gives us a directive, something that we should be doing. We are instructed to sing, sing, sing, tell, declare, ascribe, ascribe, bring an offering, come, worship and tremble. Whenever we are in the presence of God it is important for us to remember to tremble. To stand in awe of the power of God. But the psalm also says that we should bring an offering to God. It is time for us to bring that offering to God, an offering of our gifts, but more importantly our lives, our gratitude, our hearts our worship, our lives. In this season of giving, I want us not to focus on what we give, but what we receive. What have we received from God, this may have been a hard year, but we could not have done it without God. the greatest gift we receive in this season, is the ability to say thank you. Our offering is a part of our total worship of a loving, peaceful, joyful, hopeful God. Christmas Blessing Happy Holidays. This Christmas let hope warm your heart, love warm your family, and the Holy Spirit warm all mankind. May the harmony of Christmas stay in your heart all year round and may the Lord send his blessings. May God bless you and let this Christmas season bring comfort and joy to you and your family.Sep 5, 2018 Additional illustrations……… 6. KIERKEGAARD'S STORY OF THE PRINCE We affirm a belief in the Son, Jesus Christ. We say that God took on human form, came and lived among us, suffered the same trials that we suffered, experienced the same Feelings that we experienced. Jesus was purely human and purely divine. Jesus was not God. Jesus was God incarnate. There is a difference. Jesus never drew attention to himself but always pointed to God. Soren Kierkegaard, the great Danish theologian of another century tells a story of a prince who wanted to find a maiden suitable to be his queen. One day while running an errand in the local village for his father he passed through a poor section. As he glanced out the windows of the carriage his eyes fell upon a beautiful peasant maiden. During the ensuing days he often passed by the young lady and soon fell in love. But he had a problem. How would he seek her hand? He could order her to marry him. But even a prince wants his bride to marry him freely and voluntarily and not through coercion. He could put on his most splendid uniform and drive up to her front door in a carriage drawn by six horses. But if he did this he would never be certain that the maiden loved him or was simply overwhelmed with all of the splendor. As you might have guessed, the prince came up with another solution. He would give up his kingly robe. He moved, into the village, entering not with a crown but in the garb of a peasant. He lived among the people, shared their interests and concerns, and talked their language. In time the maiden grew to love him for who he was and because he had first loved her. This very simple, almost child like story, written by one of the most brilliant minds of our time explains what we Christians mean by the incarnation. God came and lived among us. I am glad that this happened for two reasons. One, it shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is with us, that he is on our side, and that he loves us. Secondly, it gives us a first hand view of what the mind of God is really all about. When people ask what God is like, we as Christians point to the person of Jesus Christ. God himself is incomprehensible. But in Jesus Christ we get a glimpse of his glory. In the person of Jesus we are told that God, that mysterious other that created the stars and the universe, is willing to go all of the way, to be one of us, talk our language, eat our food, share our suffering die on a cross. Why? So that a single person, you, me, might be redeemed. And, grow to love Him. 7. GET THE JOB DONE -- OPENER It's a startling fact but true -- Jesus and politicians have a lot in common. This no doubt comes as a surprise to those who regard politics as a dirty business, or who think of politicians essentially as liars, and who believe steadfastly that politics and religion don't mix. Nonetheless, Jesus and the politicians have a lot in common. When you think of it, politicians get elected by promising us something better. Twenty years ago President Reagan was elected and then re-elected by asking the public, "Are you better off now than four years ago?" The first time, the people answered, "no," and elected Reagan for the promise of something better. Four years later they responded "yes" to the question and elected Reagan for another term in hope for an even better four years. Jesus and politicians do have a lot in common. Not always, however. A little girl asked her mother whether all fairy tales began with, "Once upon a time." "No," replied the mother. "Today most of them begin with 'If I'm elected.'" Jesus made promises, but not like that. Was Jesus, 2,000 years ago, promising something better? Indeed he was. He said he had come to bring in the kingdom of God, the rules of God's righteousness in the world. For 900 years, Jews had been hoping for a restoration of the glorious kingdom of David and Solomon. For 500 years they had been longing for an end to foreign tyranny and a return to prosperity and freedom. And in Jesus' time the longings and expectations were at an all-time high. For Jews of that time, the hopes of a better life were often focused on a Messiah, a new King David who would come and restore their good fortune. Others spoke of a messianic age about to arrive, the coming of the kingdom of God, a time when God would reign supreme over his people, and freedom and prosperity and the good life would be enjoyed. It would also be a time when righteousness and justice and peace would prevail. Had there been people who claimed to be the promised Messiah? Indeed there had been, and the Romans, then occupying Judea and Palestine, promptly disposed of them. But now Jesus appears on the scene, announcing far and wide that the kingdom of God is at hand, and that he is God's agent to bring in his kingdom, the new and better life. Not only is Jesus like politicians in promising a new and better way, he is like them in his struggle to get the word out to all the people, to announce the kingdom is coming, to raise expectations and to prepare them to receive Jesus' message. Without newspapers, radios and television, how do you get the job done? You do it in person and you delegate emissaries, advance men, to prepare the way and to excite anticipation for Jesus' arrival and for his message of hope. The sermon goes on to develop the idea of how Jesus got the job done and poses the question: How do we get the job done in our time? The sermon uses Jesus as our model and goes on to answer this questions with the following outline: 1. To get the job done we must delegate 2. To get the job done we must discover new opportunities 3. To get the job done you must dedicate yourself to the task

A time for us to come to God

December 24, 2017 Christmas Eve Luke 2:1-20 Luke 2:1-20Common English Bible (CEB) Jesus’ birth 2 In those days Caesar Augustus declared that everyone throughout the empire should be enrolled in the tax lists. 2 This first enrollment occurred when Quirinius governed Syria. 3 Everyone went to their own cities to be enrolled. 4 Since Joseph belonged to David’s house and family line, he went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to David’s city, called Bethlehem, in Judea. 5 He went to be enrolled together with Mary, who was promised to him in marriage and who was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for Mary to have her baby. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn child, a son, wrapped him snugly, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the guestroom. Announcement to shepherds 8 Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night. 9 The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people. 11 Your savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord. 12 This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God. They said, 14 “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.” 15 When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go right now to Bethlehem and see what’s happened. Let’s confirm what the Lord has revealed to us.” 16 They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they reported what they had been told about this child.18 Everyone who heard it was amazed at what the shepherds told them.19 Mary committed these things to memory and considered them carefully. 20 The shepherds returned home, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. Everything happened just as they had been told. Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible This is holiest night of the year. It is a perfect night, for me it is a little bit too perfect. For those of you who were praying for a white Christmas, it looks like you have gotten your wish. That was not my prayer. But nevertheless, Christmas Eve is the night where the world comes to a standstill. It is the night when we get to put aside the problems of every day life. It is the night when we declare that enough is enough – we are ready for Christmas, it is the one night when we see the world as it should be – everyone loving one another, everyone at peace, everyone focused on the manger, the baby Jesus, and what his coming means for the world. We could be tempted to be like the mother, who wrote santa with her grown up Christmas list…. Christmas Eve means different things, depending on your age. For our children it is the most exciting evening of the year as you await the arrival of Santa. For parents it might mean something more. One unknown mother sent her own requests to Santa: Dear Santa, I’ve been a good mom all year. I’ve fed, cleaned, and cuddled my two children on demand, visited the doctor’s office more than my doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground and figured out how to attach nine patches onto my daughter’s girl scout sash with staples and a glue gun. I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son’s red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I’ll find any more free time in the next 18 years. Here are my Christmas wishes: I’d like a pair of legs (in any color, except purple, which I already have) that don’t ache after a day of chasing kids . . . and arms that don’t flap in the breeze, but are strong enough to carry a screaming toddler out of the candy aisle in the grocery store. I’d also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy. If you’re hauling big ticket items this year I’d like a car with fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays big-people music; a television that doesn’t broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone. On the practical side, I could use a talking daughter doll that says, “Yes, Mommy” to boost my parental confidence, along with one potty-trained toddler, two kids who don’t fight, and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools. I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting, “Don’t eat in the living room” and “Take your hands off your brother,” because my voice seems to be just out of my children’s hearing range and can only be heard by the dog. And please don’t forget the Play-doh Travel Pack, the hottest stocking stuffer this year for mothers of preschoolers. It comes in three fluorescent colors and is guaranteed to crumble on any carpet, making the in-laws’ house seem just like mine. If it’s too late to find any of these products, I’d settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container. If you don’t mind I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It would clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family; or if my toddler didn’t look so cute sneaking downstairs in his pajamas to eat contraband ice cream at midnight. Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the chimney and come in and dry off by the fire so you don’t catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table, but don’t eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet. Yours Always, Mom P.S. One more thing: You can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young . . . (1) Ah, that would be nice . . . to keep our children forever young, forever joyfully anticipating the arrival of Santa, forever believing that the world is a place completely filled with beauty, and love and joy and peace. But they must grow up and learn about life in the real world. The real world sees Christmas merely as a time to turn a profit on a year’s commerce. So, yes, in a sense we would like to keep them forever young. We too have that same prayer, about this night, about baby Jesus. We want to keep him in the manger forever, we want this night to last forever. When the truth is, Baby Jesus will have to grow up pretty fast. Jesus grows up. In order to keep the peace, the joy, the love the hope of this night going – Jesus will have to grow up to become a man to address some pretty tough issues going on in our world. And Just as Jesus grows. Our faith will have to grow also. Some of you came this evening sincerely searching for God. Others of you came for the singing of the carols, to be with your family in a safe and loving place. Or maybe you came simply to keep the warm glow of the Christmas season alive just a little longer. I pray that whatever your reason for being here, something might happen this night that will cause you to hear the voice of an angel saying, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And then suddenly I hope you will hear in the quietness a great company of the heavenly host . . . with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” And I hope you will leave this place a changed person. That is my prayer for you this night. The video that I showed had one important message for all of us. God came as a baby in a manger to be with is- and this evening is our chance for us to be with God. To not stay stuck in this night, but to let it grow and to let it flow. To pass this night on to others, to help them know that God’s love is big enough to handle any issue. The story of Mary, and Joseph, and baby jesus, and the shepherds, the animals, the angels is a timeless story. It is our proof that God is listening and hears our cries and answers our prayers. God came into the world as a baby to grow into a savior because God knew and God knows the problems of the world. Jesus is here to fulfill a promise to solve our problems. Mary heard that promise first, and in spite of all of the problems she was willing to be a mother, to take care of Jesus, because she believed that if God made a promise, then God will provide what we need. And whenever God provides – God has a purpose. – to being us through our problems to a place of peace. Jesus is the promise, the provision, and the purpose of our faith, and of who we are. Jesus gives the world hope, peace, love and joy. This night wont last forever, but as long as we have hope, peace, love and joy – the true purpose of this night will last forever. Amen