Sunday, December 17, 2023 PM

I wanna welcome all of you to our Christmas and Carol's opportunity here this year. I've been looking forward to this for months, talking with Chris and Lisa and everybody who has been preparing for tonight to sing praises together.

What I enjoy about this time every year is not only hearing the choir sing the songs that they've learned and hearing the scriptures read, but also everybody gets to sing as well. So that's why we've been moved up a little bit from the back row so we can scoot in together and make our voices more one tonight as we sing praises to our Lord and rejoice in the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Opening Prayer and Desire for Hearts Transformed

So let me pray for us and then we'll get started. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the day and we thank you for the opportunity to be here tonight to sing praises, to rejoice in your truth. Lord, I pray that you would bless the singing of your praises to our hearts, that we would not be unaffected, but that our hearts would be warmed, that our lives would be transformed as we consider the glories of your son, Jesus Christ.

And it's in his name that we pray, amen.

The Promise of the Coming Seed, Virgin Son, and Righteous Branch

I will put enmity between your seed and her seed.

He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel. Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel. But you, O Bethlehem, Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be a ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from old, from ancient days.

Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous branch and he shall reign as king and deal wisely and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace, there will be no end.

On the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. In that day, the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples, of him shall the nations inquire and his resting place shall be glorious.

Behold, my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen in whom my soul delights. I have put my spirit upon him. He will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice or make it heard in the street.

A bruised reed he will not break and a faintly burning wick he will not quench. He will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth and the coastlands will wait for his law.

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.

Is who else we all share

Pass.

Israel's Demand for a King and God's Covenant with David

When Samuel was told that he made his sons, when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second, Bijah. They were judges in Beersheba, but his sons did not walk in his ways.

They turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes and perverted justice. Then all the men of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, look, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways.

Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, give us a king to judge us. So Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me that I should not reign over them.

According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day with which they have forsaken me and served other gods, so they are doing to you also.

Now, therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them. Second Samuel seven, beginning in verse 12. When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers I will set up your seed after you who will come from your body and I will establish his kingdom.

He shall build a house for my name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father and he shall be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chase in him with a rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.

But my mercy shall not depart from him as I took it from Saul whom I removed from before you and your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.

According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David. Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and he said, who am I? Oh Lord God. And what is my house that you have brought me this far?

And yet this was a small thing in your sight, oh Lord God. And you have also spoken of your servant's house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man? Oh Lord God. Now, what more can David say to you?

For you, Lord God, know your servant for your word's sake. And according to your own heart, you have done all these great things to make your servant know them.

Lighting the Candles and Preparing for the Final Songs

If you all would take your lamps and don we now our gleam light carols. Hold your lamps up these last two songs. We will sing after the last reading.

Psalm 2 and the Reign of God's Anointed Son

Psalm two. Why do the nations rage and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed saying. Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us.

He who sits in the heavens shall laugh. The Lord shall hold them in his derision. Then he shall speak to them in his wrath and distress them in his deep displeasure. Yet I have set my king on my holy hill of Zion.

I will declare the decree. The Lord has said to me, you are my son. Today I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession.

You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel. Now, therefore, be wise, O kings. Be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the son lest he be angry and you perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in him.

The Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem

Luke two, one through 14. In those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn.

And in the same region, there were shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were filled with great fear.

And the angel said to them, fear not for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a savior who is Christ the Lord.

And this will be a sign for you. You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace among those with whom he is pleased.

Would you please stand as we sing joy to the world for coming this evening. We're grateful for the season that we have. You are all dismissed. Back to the fellowship hall where there are cookies and fellowship waiting.