O Come All Ye Faithful

O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him, born, the king of angels;
O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born for our salvation;
Jesus, to thee be glory given!
Word of the Father now in flesh appearing.
O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

Sing choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above:
“Glory to God, glory the highest!”
O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him,
O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

Scripture Readings

THE BEGINNING….

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness.

(Genesis 1:1-4)

why we need Christmas

This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth

This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became worthless, and their senseless hearts were darkened.

They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts.

The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

(1 John 1:5-6; John 3:19; Romans 1:21; Ephesians 4:18; Romans 13:12)

God Promised to send a saviour

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness…For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

(Isaiah 9:2,6)

God kept his promise

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it…The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

(John 1:1-4,14)

Item - O Come, All You Unfaithful

O come, all you unfaithful
Come, weak and unstable
Come, know you are not alone

O come, barren and waiting ones
Weary of praying, come
See what your God has done

Christ is born, Christ is born
Christ is born for you

O come, bitter and broken
Come with fears unspoken
Come, taste of His perfect love

O come, guilty and hiding ones
There is no need to run
See what your God has done

Christ is born, Christ is born
Christ is born for you

He’s the Lamb who was given
Slain for our pardon
His promise is peace
For those who believe

So come, though you have nothing
Come, He is the offering
Come, see what your God has done

Christ is born, Christ is born
Christ is born for you
Christ is born, Christ is born
Christ is born for you

Scripture Readings

The birth of Jesus

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.”

But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be.

Then the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”

Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man? ”

The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God".

(Luke 1:26-35)

…

The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant from the Holy Spirit. So her husband, Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly.

But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son,and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.”

When Joseph woke up, he did as the Lord’s angel had commanded him. He married her but did not have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to a son. And he named him Jesus.

(Matthew 1:18-25)

…

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered.
This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.

Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant.

While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. Then she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

(Luke 2:1-7 )

Once in Royal David’s City

Once in royal David's city stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her baby in a manger for his bed;
Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.

He came down to earth from heaven who is God and Lord of all,
And his shelter was a stable, and his cradle was a stall;
With the poor, and meek, and lowly, lived on earth our Saviour holy.

And our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love,
For that child so dear and gentle is our Lord in heaven above:
And he leads his children on to the place where he is gone.

Silent Night

Silent night, holy night: all is calm, all is bright
Round the virgin mother and child holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night: shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar, heavenly host sing 'Alleluia;
Christ the Saviour is born, Christ the Saviour is born'.

Silent night, holy night: Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth, Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

Joy to the World

Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing

Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy

He rules the world, with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders of His love

And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders of His love

Item - Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.

Scripture Reading

Rejoice!

In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!”

When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger.

After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them.

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told.

(Luke 2:8-20)

Angels We Have Heard On High

Angels we have heard on high,
Sweetly singing o'er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

Gloria in excelsis Deo,
Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heav'nly song?

Gloria in excelsis Deo,
Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Gloria in excelsis Deo,
Gloria in excelsis Deo.

The First Noel

The First Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields as they lay, keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.

They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them far,
And too the earth, it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

And by the light of that same star
Three wise men came from country afar;
To seek for a king was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went.

This star drew nigh to the northwest,
O'er Bethlehem it took it’s rest,
And there it did both stop and stay
Right over the place where Jesus lay.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord;
That hath made heaven and earth of naught,
And with his blood mankind hath bought

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel
(Repeat)

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Hark! The herald angels sing glory to the new-born King,
Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.
Joyful all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies,
With the angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem."
Hark! The herald angels sing glory to the new-born King.

Christ by highest heav'n adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold him come, offspring of a virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see! hail, the incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! The herald angels sing glory to the new-born King.

Hail the heaven-born Prince of peace! Hail the Sun of righteousness;
Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings:
Mild, he lays his glory by, born that we no more need die,
Born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth.
Hark! The herald angels sing glory to the new-born King.

Scripture Reading

worship!

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born.

“In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah:
Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”

Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship him.”

After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was — the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy.

Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

(Matthew 2:1-11)

We Three Kings

We three kings of orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, Moor and mountain, following yonder star.