Christmas Eve Service 12/24/2023

First Baptist Church Leominster

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Well, good evening, folks, and Merry Christmas to you.

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Welcome to this Christmas Eve service. I trust when you came in, you got an order of service and also picked up a candle for the end of the service.

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We'll be singing hymns and a few carols, reading scripture from Luke's gospel this evening, and a few musical pieces from the folks.

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And let's see. Again, at the end of the hour, we'll be going to the perimeter of the sanctuary and we'll light the candles and sing

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Silent Night, and I believe the stanzas are on the back of your program there.

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And so, very good. We will begin this evening with what we do every year for,

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I don't know how many decades now we've been doing this. Third decade you're in.

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All right. And so, the turners will come at this time and light the fifth advent candle.

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Jesus's birth is the advent of life. Thank you, folks. We'll start with John chapter 1, verses 1 to 14.

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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the

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Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made.

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Without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was light, and that light was the light of men.

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The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. There came a man who was sent from God.

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His name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.

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He himself was not the light. He came only as a witness to the light, and the true light that gives life to every man was coming into the world.

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He was in the world, and through the world was made through him. The world did not recognize him.

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He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

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Children born of natural, not of natural descent, nor of human decision, or a husband's will, but born of God.

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The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only who came from the

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Father, full of grace and truth. And then from John 8, verse 12, when

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Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

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Amen. The fifth and final candle lit tonight symbolizes

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Jesus' birth as the advent of the new day.

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Amen. Well, thank you, folks. Well, let's pray and ask our God's blessing upon our gathering this evening.

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Our Father, we thank you for this Christmas Eve in which we can gather together and celebrate the birth of your dear son, our beloved

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Savior. Our Father, we read so many places in your word of the promise that you made to the prophets long ago that you would send forth your son.

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As we reflect upon Isaiah the prophet, for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulder.

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His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

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And of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end. Upon the throne of his father,

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David, and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice, from that time forward, even forever.

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The zeal of you, our Lord of hosts, would perform this. And we thank you, our

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God, that we live on this side of history, reflecting back upon the incarnation.

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When you sent your son into the world, for indeed unto us a child was born, but unto us your son was given, your eternally begotten son, who took upon our human nature, our

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God, a human body, human soul, and became God incarnate, truly

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God, truly man. And we thank you that even now, our Lord Jesus, that you are seated upon your throne in heaven, ruling on the throne, the throne of your ancestor

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David, ruling over heaven and earth. You're the King of kings and Lord of lords, and we celebrate that, our

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God. We celebrate, Lord Jesus, your birth into this world. Help us, our

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God, as we reflect on this historic event, and help us, our

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God, to realize its life -changing and life -giving implications.

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And so, our God, we commit ourselves in this time to you, for we do pray in Jesus' name.

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Amen. Well, let's turn first in our red hymnals to hymn number 196,

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Come Thou Long -Expected Jesus. And let's stand, please, and sing this

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Christmas carol. Hymn 196. Come Thou Long -Expected

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Jesus, Born to set Thy people free,

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From our fears and sins release us,

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Let us find our rest in Thee.

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Is the strength and consolation

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Of all the earth Thou art,

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Dear desire of every nation,

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Joy of every loving heart.

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Joy to those who long to see

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Thee, Daysprings from on high appear.

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Come, Thou promise, Lord of testing,

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All that worth, belong to Thee.

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O 'er the hills the angels singing,

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News that tidings of a birth,

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Go to Him your praises bringing,

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Christ the Lord has come to earth.

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Come to earth to taste Thy sadness,

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Dayspring's glory to no end,

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By His life He brings us gladness,

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O Redeemer, Shepherd, Friend.

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Praising riches without number,

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Born within a vat, Bliss the everlasting wonder,

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Christ was born, the Lord of all.

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Born Thy people to deliver,

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Born a child and yet a King, Born to reign in us forever,

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Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

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By Thine own eternal Spirit, Who in all our hearts alone,

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By Thine own self -picture bearing,

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Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

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Amen. Be seated, please. And we're going to be reading from Luke chapter 2,

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Luke's account of the birth, the infancy narrative, the birth of Jesus. And this is the occasion in which

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God brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem where he was born.

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Luke chapter 2 verse 1 and following. And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus to all the world that all the world should be registered.

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And this census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

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Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth onto Judea to the city of David, which is called

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Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife who was with child.

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And so it was that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no room for him in the inn.

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May the Lord bless his word as we reflect upon the birth of our Savior into the world.

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Jennifer, Lizzie, you have a piece for us saying we the story of Emmanuel.

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Sing we the song of Emmanuel, this the

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Christ who was long foretold. Low in the shadows of Bethlehem, promise of dawn now our eyes behold.

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God most high in a manger laid, lift your voices and now proclaim

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Great and glorious love has come to us.

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Join now with the host of heaven. Come we to welcome

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Emmanuel, King who came with no crown or throne.

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Helpless he lay the invincible, maker of Mary, now

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Mary's son. Oh, what wisdom to save us all.

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Shepherds, sages before him fall. Grace and majesty, what humility.

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Come on, bended knee, adore him. Go spread the news of peace for the weary heart.

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Lift up your heads for your King has come. Sing for the light overwhelms the dark.

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Glory shining for all to see. Hope alive, let the gospel ring.

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God has made a way, he will have the praise. Tell the world his name is

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Jesus. Turn in our hymnals please to number 195.

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Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let's stand please. Joy to the world, let earth receive her

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King. Let every heart prepare

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Him room. And heaven and nature sing. And heaven and nature sing.

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And heaven and heaven and nature sing.

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Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns. Let men their songs employ.

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Hills and floods, rocks, hills and plains.

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Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy. Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

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No more let sins and sorrows grow. Nor thorns infest the ground.

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He comes to make His blessings flow.

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Far as the curse is found. Far as the curse is found.

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Far as, far as the curse is found.

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He rules the world with truth and grace.

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And makes a nation's crew. The glories of His righteousness.

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Wonders of His love. And wonders of His love.

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And wonders, wonders of His love.

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Amen. Let's be seated please. And now we continue in Luke's infancy narrative with Luke chapter 2 verse 8.

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Immediately upon the birth of the Savior we read of an announcement of the angelic host to the shepherds.

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And the principal message here, the shepherds were very lowly with regard to the status in their community.

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And the message to them is that this Savior was born unto them. All strata of society.

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Now they were the same country shepherds living out in the fields keeping watch over their flock by night.

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And behold an angel of the Lord stood before them. And the glory of the Lord shone around them.

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And they were greatly afraid. And then the angel said to them.

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Do not be afraid for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

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For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you.

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You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger.

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And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising

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God and saying glory to God in the highest. And on earth peace goodwill toward men.

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And so it was when the angels had gone away from them into heaven that the shepherds said to one another.

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Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass which the Lord has made known to us.

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And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger.

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Now when they had seen him they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this child.

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And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

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But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. And then the shepherds returned glorifying and praising

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God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told them.

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You see the children are going to be singing. Go tell it on the mountain.

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Go tell it on the mountain. Over the hills and everywhere.

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Go tell it on the mountain. That Jesus Christ is born.

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While shepherds kept their watching. O 'er silent flocks by night.

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Behold throughout the heavens. There shone a holy light.

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Go tell it on the mountain. Over the hills and everywhere.

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Go tell it on the mountain. That Jesus Christ is born.

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The shepherds feared and trembled. When low above the earth.

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Rang out the angel chorus. That hailed the

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Savior's birth. Go tell it on the mountain.

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Over the hills and everywhere. Go tell it on the mountain.

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That Jesus Christ is born. Down in a lowly manger.

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Our humble Christ was born. And God sent us salvation.

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That blessed Christmas morn. Go tell it on the mountain.

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Over the hills and everywhere. Go tell it on the mountain.

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That Jesus Christ is born. Number 213 in your red hymnal,

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What Child is This? Of course, this is a traditional English carol. Green sleeves goes back to the 16th century.

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Early days of the Protestant Reformation. Let's stand and sing What Child is

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This? Where is the one who's been born King of the Jews? What child is this who laid.

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To rest on Mary's lap is sleeping.

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Whom angels greet with anthems sweet.

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While shepherds watch are keeping. This, this is

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Christ the King. Whom shepherds guard and angels sing.

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Haste, haste to bring him loud. The babe, the son of Mary.

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Why lies he in such mean estate?

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Where ox and ass are feeding.

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Good Christian, fear for sinners here.

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The silent word is pleading. Nail, spear shall pierce him through the cross.

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Be born for me, for you. Hail, hail the word made flesh.

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The babe, the son of Mary. So bring him incense, gold and myrrh.

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Come pleasant King to home. Him the

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King of Kings salvation brings.

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Let loving hearts enthrone him.

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Raise, raise the song on high. The virgin sings her lullaby.

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Joy for Christ is born. The babe, the son of Mary.

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Seated please. And at this time we have an anthem. God so loved the world.

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Jesus of course was born into a Jewish family. He was a Jewish boy.

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Born under the law of Moses. And therefore he conformed himself to the law of God even as an infant.

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And so on the eighth day he was circumcised as an infant boy. And then some days later when the time arrived for Mary to be ceremonially purified after giving birth.

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They went into the temple and it was on this occasion that they met two people.

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Both a man and a woman who recognized Jesus as the promised

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Messiah. They made declarations that Jesus was not only a savior of Jews but Gentiles also.

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And so here's Luke 2 21 and following. When eight days were completed for the circumcision of the child his name was called

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Jesus. The name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

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Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed. They brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the

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Lord. As it's written in the law of the Lord every male who opens the womb should be called holy to the

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Lord. And to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord. A pair of turtle does or two young pigeons.

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And behold there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. And this man was just and devout.

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Waiting for the consolation the comfort of Israel. And the Holy Spirit was upon him.

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And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death. Before he had seen the

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Lord's Christ. And so he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the child

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Jesus to do for him according to the custom of the Jews. He took him up in his arms and blessed

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God and said. Lord now you are letting your servant depart in peace.

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According to your word for my eyes have seen your salvation. Which you have prepared before the face of all peoples.

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A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel. And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him.

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And then Simeon blessed them. Said to Mary his mother behold this child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel.

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And for a sign which will be spoken against. Yes a sword will pierce through your own soul also.

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That the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. Now there was one

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Anna a prophetess. The daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher.

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She was of a great age and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity.

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And this woman was a widow of about 84 years. Who did not depart from the temple but served

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God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the

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Lord. And spoke of him to all those who looked for the redemption in Jerusalem.

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So when they had performed all these things according to the law of the Lord. They returned to Galilee to their own city

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Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong in spirit. Filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him.

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And so we have the infancy narrative in Luke's gospel. An anthem still still still okay.

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Well this evening

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Pastor Jason Austin is going to bring the message for us. Let us pray and ask our

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God to open our the eyes of our understanding. And help us to see the truth of it.

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And may the Holy Spirit impact us with the relevance of it. Let's pray. Thank you our

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Father for your word. It tells us of the birth of the Savior into the world.

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And we thank you our God that we have this occasion to reflect upon this.

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To celebrate it. Help us our God not just to view this as an annual time of celebrating and holiday.

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But help us to see the glory of it our God. Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God has been born.

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Who lived and died and rose again and is now enthroned in heaven. We thank you

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Father for this glorious realization of your kingdom. That you have inaugurated when you seated him on your throne in heaven.

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And now Father we pray that you would take your word. Illuminate our mind to the truth that's in Jesus Christ.

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Help us our God to have faith in Jesus. May you enhance that faith.

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May you better inform our understanding with regard to Jesus who he is.

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And the wonderful blessing that comes through faith in his name. Help Pastor Jason now as he opens your word to us.

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We pray in Jesus name. Amen. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.

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Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness on them light shone.

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For to us a child is born. To us a son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulders.

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And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

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Isaiah 9 verses 2 and 6. To us a child is born.

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To us a son was given. To those who are walking and dwelling in deep darkness a great light was seen.

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A great light shone in the darkness. This child, this son, this light is called

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Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God. Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

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In the beginning he was with God. In the beginning he was

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God. All things were made through him and for him.

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And in him all things hold together. In him was life and the life was the light of men.

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The light continues to shine in the darkness and the darkness will not overcome it.

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In the Gospel of John this light of men is further described. John 1 verses 9 through 13.

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The true light which gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

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He was in the world and the world was made through him. Yet the world did not know him.

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He came to his own and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him who believed in his name he gave the right to become children of God.

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Who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God.

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The light is here described as being true. True as opposed to false.

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Real as opposed to fake. Genuine as opposed to counterfeit.

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Jesus Christ the true light which gives light to everyone has come into the world.

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John 8 verse 12. Again Jesus spoke to them saying I am the light of the world.

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J .C. Ryle in his commentary on this passage remarked. Christ is to the souls of men what the sun is to the world.

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He is the center and source of all spiritual light. Warmth, life, health, growth, beauty and fertility.

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Like the sun he shines for the common benefit of all mankind. For high and for low.

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For rich and for poor. For Jew and for Greek. Like the sun he is free to all.

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All may look at him and drink health out of his light. Jesus as the light of the world.

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The true light that gives light to everyone illustrates a very important truth.

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It illustrates the darkness and the blindness of the world. All who walk and dwell in deep darkness cannot see the light.

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Without the true light there would be only darkness. Black spiritual darkness.

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Without the true light of truth there would be darkness and falsehood.

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Without the light of wisdom there would be darkness and ignorance. Without the light of holiness there would be darkness and sin.

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Without the light of joy there would be darkness and sorrow. Without the light of hope there would be darkness and despair.

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And without the light of life, there is only darkness, despair, and death.

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Jesus is the true light. He is the light of the world, and He gives light to everyone.

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He is the fullest and the clearest revelation of the Lord God. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature.

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He is the brightness and the brilliance of the glory of God. He perfectly reflects the character of God.

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He perfectly reflects the essence and nature of God, just as sunlight reflects the brightness and brilliance of the sun.

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Beloved, the true light is the Lord God manifest. It is Jesus who reveals the

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Lord God to us. The only radiance of the glory of God is mediated to us through the true light, the

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Lord Jesus Christ. But how does the true light give light to everyone?

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What does this mean? The Lord God has enlightened every man in the sense that He has revealed something of Himself to all men.

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The Lord God has written His law down upon the heart of man, and it is in this sense that every man is enlightened.

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The knowledge of God's existence and His law have been made plain to all men.

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Romans 118 says, For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

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For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.

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For His invisible attributes, namely His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made, so that they are without excuse.

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For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

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If the true light coming into the world gives light to everyone, and if the Lord Jesus Christ is the true light, the light of the nations, the light of the world, then why in this passage is it said that their foolish hearts were darkened?

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Their foolish hearts were darkened because the true light was suppressed. Man suppressed the truth in unrighteousness.

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Man refused to honor the Lord God. Man refused to give thanks to the

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Lord God. Man became futile in their speculations, exchanging the truth of God for a lie, which resulted in their foolish hearts being darkened.

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And this is the tragedy, this is the tragic reality of the world in which we live.

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Man rejects the true light and exchanges it for darkness. Well why would any man be willing to make this exchange?

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The short answer is that man loves himself and his sin more than the light.

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John 3, 19, and this is the judgment. The light has come into the world, and people love the darkness rather than the light, because their works were evil.

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For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light lest his works should be exposed.

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Men refuse to come to the light of the Lord Jesus Christ because they love the darkness and they love their sin and their evil works.

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Even though the true light gives light to everyone, not everyone accepts this light.

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Most men will reject it. John 1, 10, he was in the world and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.

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He came to his own and his own people did not receive him. There is great irony in this passage.

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The Lord God Almighty, the creator of the heavens and the earth, the creator of the visible and invisible world, is not known by his own creation.

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The world did not know him. The true light was not accepted. The true light was rejected.

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Again, J .C. Ryle remarked, if millions of mankind were mad enough to dwell in caves underground or to bandage their eyes, their darkness would be their own fault and not the fault of the sun.

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So likewise, if millions of men and women love spiritual darkness rather than light, the blame must be laid on their blind hearts and not on Christ.

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Man's rejection of the light is both sad and tragic and it reveals the depth of the wickedness in the heart of man.

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But even more shocking and more tragic than this, the Lord Jesus Christ's own people also rejected him.

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Not only did the world not know him, but he came to his own and his own people did not receive him.

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The Lord Jesus Christ came to his own people, to those whom the Lord God had specifically chosen out of all the nations of the world.

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He came to the very people who had read and studied and memorized the Old Testament scriptures.

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He came to the very people who were eagerly awaiting their Messiah. And yet, they rejected him.

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The true light came into the world, but the world didn't want it and the world rejected it.

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The true light came to his own people, but even his own people didn't want it and his own people rejected him again.

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But here's the good news, John 1, 12, but to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

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Not all men receive the light, but to those who do, to them, he gives the right to become children of God.

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This is why the Lord God sent his son to justify, redeem, forgive, reconcile, and adopt sinners into the family of God.

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Romans 8, 16, the spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

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And if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

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As a child of God, all of the divine riches and all of the divine blessings of the

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Lord God's kingdom, everything that belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ will be our inheritance.

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Everything that the Lord Jesus Christ receives by divine right, we will receive by divine grace because being a child of God is a guarantee of future glory.

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Well, what if you're not a child of God? What do the non -children of God receive?

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If you're not a child of God, then you will not receive an inheritance, nor will you receive future glory.

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Rather, you will receive justice. You will receive what you have earned in this life, judgment and death, the wages of sin.

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Romans 2, 6, he will render to each one according to his works, to those who by patience and well -doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

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But for those who are self -seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

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There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the

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Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the

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Jew first and also the Greek. The Lord God will render to each person according to his deeds.

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Physical death is only the beginning. After death comes judgment.

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All men will kneel before their creator and they will give an account of their lives.

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The sole criteria that will alone determine your standing before the Lord your God is the answer to this question, am

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I a child of God? According to John 1, 12 and 13, there are two conditions to becoming a child of God.

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To become a child of God, you must receive the Lord Jesus Christ, meaning that when the

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Lord Jesus Christ offers himself to you, you accept him and you welcome him into your life on his terms.

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The call of the Lord Jesus Christ is a call to discipleship. It is a call to follow him in submissive obedience.

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It's not just a plea to make a decision, to make a profession or to even pray a prayer.

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The cost of following the Lord Jesus Christ is extremely high. The way is narrow and there are few who find it.

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To receive the Lord Jesus Christ means that you will repent of your sins and strive to conform your life to his image.

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It means that you will wholly give yourself to him. It means that you will take him into your life, into your home, into your marriage, your family, your work, your leisure time, and every other area of your life, surrendering all to the

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Lord God because all belongs to the Lord God. To become a child of God, the

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Lord Jesus Christ must be received as your savior, as your king, as your authority.

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In short, the Lord Jesus Christ must be received as the Lord Jesus Christ.

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The second condition to become a child of God is that you must believe in his name.

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To believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ means that you believe in the totality of the person of the

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Lord Jesus Christ. It means that you believe in all that he is, in all that he does, and in all that the scriptures reveal concerning him.

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In other words, to believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ means that you will believe in who he says he is.

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You need to believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is who he claimed to be. To believe in the name of the

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Lord Jesus Christ means that you will not only believe who he claimed to be, but you will also believe in what he did, in what he accomplished on behalf of sinners.

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1 Corinthians 15, verses 3 through 4. For I delivered to you as of first importance what

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I also received, that Christ Jesus died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures.

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This is the gospel. This is the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ condensed into two verses.

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The Lord Jesus Christ died for sins, he was buried, and on the third day he rose again.

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This is what he did. The Lord Jesus Christ died to save sinners.

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He died on the cross in the place of sinners as a divinely appointed substitute.

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It is through the perfect sacrifice that he, the Lord Jesus Christ, gives to all that receive him the right or the authority to become children of God, to those who believe in his name.

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Salvation is a question of believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is who he claimed to be and believing that he did what he claimed to do.

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All men are born in spiritual darkness, thus all men need the light.

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All men need the true light that gives them spiritual life.

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But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

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Beloved salvation is not of blood. It is not attainable through family ties or your racial or ethnic heritage.

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Salvation is not of the will of the flesh. It is not attainable through your efforts, your desire, or your striving.

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Salvation is not of the will of man. It is not attainable through any man -made system or any man -made list of rules.

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Salvation is of God. The Lord God gives us the right to become children of God.

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First John 119, we love because he first loved us.

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And it was this love that prompted the great miracle of Christmas, the incarnation, the

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Lord Jesus Christ becoming flesh. The greatest miracle of Christmas was the

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Lord God sending his son, the true light, into the world as an atonement and offering for sin.

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John 316, for God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

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For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

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Beloved, over this Christmas holiday, I would encourage you to reflect upon these truths. Light is of no use unless it is seen.

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Reflect upon the true light. Reflect upon why the Lord God sent the true light into the world.

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Reflect upon the true meaning behind the incarnation of Christ and his birth.

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And ask yourself, have I received the Lord Jesus Christ? Do I believe and trust in his name?

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Do I truly believe what the Bible says? Do I truly believe in what the Bible says he has done?

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Do I have the marks that correspond to my profession of faith? Or am

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I still living in darkness? Yes, the darkness of this world is great, but the true light will continue to shine in the darkness, and the darkness will not overcome it.

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Do not reject the true light, but look to the light of the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.

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Receive the Lord Jesus Christ and be numbered as a child of God. Let's pray.

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Our Father, we thank you for the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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We thank you, Lord, that you sent your son, that he entered into history, that he entered into his own creation, and that he accomplished what we could never do.

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He fulfilled the law. He fulfilled your will. And Lord, he died, not for his sin, for he had no sin, but he died for your people.

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And Lord, we pray that we would reflect upon these things. Lord, if there are any here that do not know you, we pray that your spirit would convict, that your spirit would shine the light upon their hearts so that they might receive your truth.

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Lord, there is such great joy being in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we pray that as we meet with family and friends and other relatives, we pray,

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Lord, that we would share this truth. We pray that we would keep you at the center of our thoughts.

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Thank you, Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen. Well, folks, at this time, if you will take your candle in hand and move to the perimeter of the sanctuary, please.

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And whoever has matches or lighters, start lighting the candles. And in a few moments, we'll be turning out the lights, and we'll be singing three stanzas of Silent Night.

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And again, those are printed on the back of your bulletin. Some of you men, if you can help us with lighting candle and taking it around to folks, it would be wonderful.

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Artie, please. Thank you. Thank you.

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We need some help over here on this side of the sanctuary. If any of you can bring a lighted candle over there, a couple of them, that would be wonderful.

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All right. Let's go ahead and turn out the lights and invite, if you'll play for us, please. Silent night, holy night.

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All is calm, all is bright.

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Round yon virgin, mother and child.

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Sleep in heavenly peace.

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Silent night, holy night.

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Heavenly Christ, the Savior is born.

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Silent night, holy night.

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Father, thank you for this

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Christmas season. Thank you for the birth of your son, our Lord Jesus Christ. And we pray, our

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God, that you would help us to hold him in high regard in our hearts and our minds throughout this evening and tomorrow while we're with family and friends.

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We pray this would be a joyous occasion, our God, as we reflect upon your goodness and mercy and kindness and the glorious eternity that you've given us as a gift through your son,