Oh come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant. Oh come ye, oh come ye to birth and behold him by the king of angels. Oh, come, let us adore Him. Oh, come, let us adore Him. Oh, come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
Sing my son, sing in Jesus, sing by his hands, Glory to God, all glory in the highest. Oh, come, let us adjourn. Come, let us adore him. Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord. We created the king, shakes us to thee.
Oh, God reneged. The earth now in flesh of marriage or your words for the earth of God's Christmas.
Well, greetings and welcome to our annual Carols and Lessons, or Lessons and Carols. What a great beginning.
Well come let us adore him. That's why we are here tonight. Thank you for coming. Rainy. Being here anyway, we're so grateful for that.
We've come to worship the Lord, to give him the best we can. knowing that the best we can is just the tiniest, tiniest, tiniest bit of what he deserves. But let us give him our all. Just uh walking through a few announcements of coming up this week. Wednesday night we'll have our regular service here at the regular time, 7 o'clock.
A Thursday is the funeral for Ruth Patterson. It is scheduled for 2 o'clock with visitation to proceed at 1 o'clock. And then after the words, we're going to need some help from some volunteers so that we can set up for Friday night. for our Christmas story hour. And that's Friday night at 7 o'clock.
You want to be here for that. Make your plans to join us then. Sunday December 24, Christmas Eve. We'll have one service in the morning at 10.30, no Sunday school, no Sunday evening service. But we want to celebrate the birth of Christ by remembering Christ first above all else.
We will not receive an offering tonight in the normal fashion, but there will be plates at the Usher Station. I forgot to mention that. There will be plates at the Usher Station. Thank you, Ed. And if you want to place your offering there on the way out tonight.
Uh that's your A way to worship the Lord in your giving. Tonight we're going to be led in prayer by Paul Nance. Paul tells me that he's been at Beacon for 25 years, and I said, Well, that means you've been saved 25 years because. I still well remember how the Lord worked in his heart and brought him to Christ. And so we're grateful for that.
He serves on our sound board with the video equipment. And Paul, will you come now and lead us to the Lord in prayer? Would you join me as we enter in? To the throne. Our most Heavenly Father, again, we thank you for your goodness.
Thank you again. For the grace that you extend to us, thank you for salvation that we have through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In the righteousness we cannot stand. of ourselves, but only in Him. We pray that you would bless our time tonight as we give praise back to thee.
through the spoken word from your word. and through the songs from your word. Pray that it would edify. All here. be encouraged and strengthened.
And even as parents and grandparents, as we gather with our family through this week. Lord, that Christ would be magnified in our settings. Lord, someone may be outside the ark of safety. We pray, Lord. that this might be that time that you might draw them to thee.
Bless our time. Encourage us in your word. and that we might give you the praise and honor and glory. because it's all the Praise in Jesus' name. Amen.
God foretells the one who would come from Bethlehem. And Micah 5. two through five. But you Bethlehem Ephra, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to me the one to be ruler in Israel. whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.
Therefore, He shall give them up. until the time that she who is in labour has given birth. Then the remnant of his brethren shall return to the children of Israel. And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. and they shall abide.
For now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. and this one shall be peace. Stand to sing. Jesus Christ's little child he came down to birth from heaven who is God and Lord of all and his shelter was a sable And his great watch astonish, with the poor and keen and lowly, where honor our Savior holy, and our eyes at last shall see him, through his all greedy blood. For that sharp, so near and gentle, is our Lord in heaven above.
And he leads his children on to the place where he is born. Come with him, save holy with me on. Listen as I read the opening verses of John's Gospel. as he unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation. In the beginning was the Word.
And the word was with God. And the word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him. Nothing was made that was made.
In him was life. and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. This man came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all through him might believe.
He was not that light. But was sent to bear witness of of that light. That was the true light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world. And the world was made through him.
And the world did not know him. He came to his own. and his own did not receive him. But as many as received him. to them.
He gave the right to become children of God to those. who believe in His name. who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh. nor of the will of man. But of God And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
And we beheld his glory. the glory as of the only begotten of the Father. full of grace and truth. Bring forth all you just had and the sure in the morning ye shall shrink the But with a price, but hear the angels voice child we give in the sing our God's burdens and joy shall be the power of Satan praising our peace eternal bing Where all the lands were stretched abroad, from everlasting was the word. If God He was the Word was done, and must give by thee the Lord.
By His whole power, all things made, By Him supported, all things stand. He is the whole creation stand, and angels fly at His command. But glory He souls heavenly was. The prophet Isaiah. foretells the coming of the Saviour.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death upon them a light has shined. For unto us A child is born. Unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called Wonderful.
Counselor. Mighty God. everlasting Father. Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end.
Upon the throne of David and over his kingdom To order it. and establish it. With judgment. and justice. From that time forward, even forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord. of host will perform this. Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, The virgin shall conceive and bear a son. and shall call his name Emmanuel.
See the angel, born for us on earth below. See the Lamb of God, promise God each earth, ever blessed and born, everything just happy dawn. Sing for all their goods of hell. Christ is born in Bethlehem. Lord, within a page, He who will the star is nice, he who broke in Christ of life since the middle of Jebel and the everlasting Lord Every and just happy dawn Savior walked through Christ is born in that hearth Savior in bed all denied what a love was fine Thus to come from highestness Count is such a world as this and of the everlasting Blessed born, every hands happy heart sing through all the rules of Christ is for in my hand The angel Gabriel salutes the Virgin Mary.
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth. To a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph. of the house of David. The Virgin's name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, Rejoice, highly favoured one The Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women. But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying. and consider what manner of greeting this was, Then the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary. Few have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son.
And you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, will be called the Son of the Highest. and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. and of his kingdom there will be no end.
God is with us, God is for Do not be of praise I shall walk every sea every sea from their own life. There shall be no crying God shall walk away every tear, every tear from their own in the valley of the shadow, God is with us I will feel ye, God is for us, I am with you always unto thee God is There shall be no light there shall be O crying God shall wide every team every deep from their heart is willing. For us, how could be a praise that we and for not be a friend to God is with us God is for us forever. Luke tells of the birth of Jesus in Luke 2:1 through 7. And it came to pass in those days that a d that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
The census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.
So all went to be registered, every one to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea to to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem. because he was of the house and lineage of David. to be registered with marry his betrothed wife, who was with child.
So it was that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. and she brought forth her first born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Oh, yeah. In a manger or crib for a bed. The live the Lord Jesus lay down his sweethead.
The stars in the sky look down where he lay. The little Lord Jesus does sleep on thy hand. What for loving the baby always? But live the Lord Jesus, no crying he makes. I love thee, Lord Jesus.
Look down from the sky and stay by my cradle till morning. Morning is mine. Be nearly Lord Jesus, I ask you to stay close by me forever. And love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in thy tender care and give us forehea from Luke.
Two. eight through twenty. The shepherds go to the manger.
Now, there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields. keeping watch o'er their flock by night. And behold, An angel of the LORD stood before them, and the glory of the LORD shone around them. and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, Do not be afraid.
For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 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, you will find a babe, wrapped in swaddling claws, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest.
and on earth peace. Goodwill. Toward men.
So it was. When the angels had gone away from them from into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us. And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph. And the babe. Lion in the manger.
Now when they had seen him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all those who heard it marvelled at those things, which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen. as it was told to them.
Faring through the hills on a night, all starry, on the way to Bethlehem. Far away I heard the shepherd boy biting on the way to Bethlehem. Days brought his men to dance and sing for joy that Christ the King is come to. Bring us peace on earth. By design.
Wiggle there and devil there Tell me shepherd boy I think tunes so merrily on the way to Bethlehem. We will hear your tunes on these hills so lonely on the way to Bethlehem. Angels brought this message, dance and sing the For joy that Christ the king is to bring us peace on. And his eye, cradle there at Bethlehem.
Now may hear my voice on these hills so lonely, on the way to Bethlehem. But the king would hear me praise cradle of mighty into Bethlehem. Joseph was going kingdom. Over and over the major hills in the arms of his father Mary, sleeping away from the forest, shepherd boy, piping merrily, is he there at Bethlehem? And one night it saw the brightest star shining brightly in the sky of Bethlehem.
Bethlehem. Hey, Jesus, brought this message. Dance and sing for joy that Christ the King is come to bring us peace on earth and is lying in there at Breath of Man. May I come with you, shepherd boy, piping merrily, come with you to Lethman. Pay my homage to at the new king's radio, is it far to Bethlehem?
Hey, Jesus, brought this message. Dance and sing for joy that Christ the King is far to snack in glory, stable yonder, for you and birth. Matthew 2, 1 through 11. The wise men from the East. Search for Christ.
Now, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea. In the days of Herod the king. Behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east. and have come to worship him.
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled. and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, He inquired of them or the Christ was to be born.
So they said to him, in Bethlehem of Judea, For thus it is written by the prophet, But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are you not the least among the rulers of Judah? For out of you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. Then Herod when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search carefully for the young child, and when you have found him, Bring back word to me. that I may come and worship him.
Also, When they heard the king, they departed, and behold the star which they had seen in the east, went before them. till it came and stood over where the young child was, And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they'd come into the house. They saw the young child Would mu would marry his mother. and fell down and worshipped him.
And when they opened their treasures they presented gifts to him, Gold. Frankincense And myrrh. She on a cold winter sky that was so deep. On his king of this right, they know that swords are shining in the grace. They all fall and to be bright with vibrating light and show is until.
Lord is a king, no prison over with one accord, sing praises to our heavenly Lord and God made heaven and earth of God that faith is God. And thine and gone over hell, all. Let's stand to sing, please. God is for the one of the world, God is comfortable, God's the baseline that one world, of forever, on the battlefield, love. Seems like glory, God ample gift of God, Jesus, born of Mary.
Sounds of wonder fill the sky, in the songs of angels, as the mighty prince of high shelters in a savage, as the steady star in place, shave the earth in darkness. Bling them to the mother's breast, honorable and helpless. Shepherds now before I am, gazing at the glory. His window, mist and land, of Messiah's glory. Glory is for today, his God is with us.
There is limb will in the way by his blood will us, son of man, in as a ransom, and inside God and man, Christ our mighty champion. What a savior, what a friend, what a glorious history, once a living and a man. How Lord love is tree. It exhales his name. It exhales his name.
Angels sweet and word of high, sweetly singing o'er the place. And the mountains in reply, and the wind their joy is raised. Oh, it exhales his name. Save by faith and mighty sea, which is high your heavenly song. Oh, it excels his name.
It excels his name. Come to them the heavens sea, whose worthy angels sing. Come adore our men to be Christ the Lord the new one. See with him a major lake, Jesus Lord of heaven, Mary chosen by your name. We must see our Savior's room, with Excelsior's Savior, Hallelujah, with Excelsior's David, in these passages from 1 John and Philippians, we're going to learn of the love of God that is manifested in Christ.
In this, the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. And this is love, not that we loved God. but that he loved us. and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. but made himself of no reputation. taking the form of a bond servant. and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death.
even the death of the cross. Therefore, God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. God who was rich beyond all standard, all for the sake he came as power. Those for a man's soul sat directly for its able flow. God was rich beyond all standard, all for us sake became the Lord.
Hallelujah, be of all praising, all for us sake, became as man. Stood so low, but still praising, and thy high eternal land. Hallelujah, be up all praising, all for us sake, became as man. Hallelujah, be honor all telling, Savior and King we worship thee. We are well within us well, make us what thou wouldst be Thou who art the Savior and King we worship thee Colossians one Yeah.
nineteen Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. It's preeminent. in all things. Giving thanks to the Father. who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us. into the kingdom of the son of the son of his love. in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God. the firstborn over all creation.
For by him all things were created that are in heaven. And that are on the earth. visible and invisible. whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, All things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things consist.
And he is the head of the body. The church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead. that in all things he may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him all the fullness should dwell. Let's stand to sing together, please.
Joyful all ye nations rise, joy the triumph of the skies, with the telling host proclaim, Christ is born in the heaven. Heart the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King, Christ thy eyes and Christ the everlasting Lord. High o'er land and no more they die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give the second birth. Our herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn king. Come desire of nations come, face in us thy humble home.
Christ of Lord's comfort sea, pursued us the serpent's end. Adam's likeness now in face, set thy image in his place. Seven from above, reinstate us. In thy love, our whole angels sing, Glory to the newborn King.
Well, I want to give a word of thanks on behalf of the Lord. the congregation All of those. who participated tonight. An awful lot of work went into this, and I thank you for it. Musicians, and readers, and choir.
and Minister of Music. I know you did it as unto the Lord and not unto men. But In honoring the Lord with your labors, you certainly blessed this man. and I'm sure a lot of others as well.
Well, we are well aware of this. Scripture in Isaiah. The Gospel of Isaiah, as I heard it called about a week ago. And that's not far off track because there's an awful lot of gospel in the book of Isaiah and an awful lot about the Lord Jesus Christ. But we read in Isaiah 9, 6, For unto us a child is born.
Unto us a son is given. And the government will be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor. Mighty God. Everlasting Father.
Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. Upon the throne of David and over his kingdom to order it and establish it with judgment and justice. from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
That is an amazing prophecy. Given to Isaiah seven hundred years before Jesus Christ came into the world. And how clearly it tells us what to expect in the coming of the promised Messiah. For unto us a child is born. that speaks of his humanity.
That speaks of his birth. That speaks of his coming into this world by a virgin's womb. And as we know, being laid is a little babe in the manger. And that child was born for us. Unto us a child is born.
It was a child born unto Mary, for sure. It was a child born into the family of Joseph, to be sure. He was a child born to the nation of Israel. But it was a child born Unto us. And therefore, we praise God for the birth Of his son in a human body.
taking upon him a human nature. Becoming in that birth what we are, except for no sin in him. That he might be able to conquer sin and to raise the sinful sons of Adam to become the sons of God. Unto us a child is born. But the prophet goes on to say, Unto us a son, is given.
And that points to his deity. The sun is given. The child is born, but the son is given. And if we'll think about it for a moment, we realize how that points to his deity because something that is given existed before it was given. The presents we give to one another at Christmas time.
acquire them, we select them, we wrap them, we do whatever we can to them, and then we give them. They already existed before they are given. And likewise, this one already existed before he was given. Before he was born, he already was the eternal Son of God. For God so loved the world that he gave.
His only begotten Son, That whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. And so the child that was born in his humanity is the son that was given in his deity. And he was given that men might have life, that those who believe in him who trust him. who recognize their need of cleansing from sin. And recognize their need of a Savior to stand in our place, in that place of judgment before a thrice holy God, but recognizing that God has given His Son a substitute, that those who trust in Him might have the judgment that is due unto us.
poured out upon him. What a wonderful message. And then the rest of it goes on to talk about his nature and about his. Coming rulership. He's already the ruler, but we're going to see that someday.
And we're looking forward to that, aren't we? This world is so broken. And the evidence of that seems to grow. with every passing day. I think I had more conversations this morning in our Fellowship, personal fellowship between services.
About broken relationships than I can ever remember, all in one condensed time frame. I talked to one person, and they were telling me about this broken relationship that has infected their life and has become such a problem for them. And then I took up conversation with someone else and learned about another broken relationship. And this one told me about a close relative with whom. They he has no Contact, no conversation, no relationship, it's all been broken because of sin.
And I heard that again and again and again. Just evidence. of the ravages of sin. in this world. And in every life, ours and all of those around us.
It's no wonder that we can't achieve world peace. How can we achieve world peace when we've got billions of people in this world who are at war against? Their creator. They are a war against the God who made them. They are at war against the God who has given them life and sustains that life and has given us his word.
And they have said, we will not have this man, Jesus, to rule over us. We will not have his Father in heaven to rule over us. But somehow we in our sinfulness are going to bring about peace. And we try this and we try that. And war breaks out and war breaks out and war breaks out and war breaks out.
and riots in the streets. and murder in mayhem. and anything but peace. But this child that was born Who is the eternal Son of God who is given shall take some day full charge of this world. The government will be upon his shoulder.
His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor. Everything he decides, everything he counsels, every decision he makes will be right. It will be perfect. It will be just. He is mighty God.
He's the everlasting Father. He's the prince of peace. And of the increase of his government, there will be no end. That phrase. Astonishes me.
I don't know if I can get my mind around it exactly, but it seems to be that. In eternity, we're going to see the growth and expansion of God's. God's rule over the universe in a way that I really can't imagine, but it will just grow and expand and grow and expand. His glory shall become greater and greater, and that's going to go on forever and forever and forever and forever. What a wonderful Wonderful truth is the gospel.
And dear friend, Will you be a part? of that everlasting government of peace. Will you enter into the eternal kingdom by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? Will you qualify for that kingdom through the new birth? That comes by the work of God's Holy Spirit and is received by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Because if you reject him, You're going to not only lose out on the blessings of that eternal kingdom. But you are going to dwell eternity in misery. Paying the judgment for your own sins that Could have been laid upon the Lord Jesus Christ if you had laid hold of him by faith. May God help every one of us to do exactly that. Heavenly Father, we are needy, sinful creatures.
Who are in need of cleansing for our sin, we're in need of a righteousness which we do not have and cannot achieve. We are in need of something to reconcile us to our Creator, a holy God, a thrice holy God. And yet our sins block access to that Creator. But oh Lord God, in kindness, in mercy, in grace, you have given your Son. Born of a virgin laid in a manger Growing up in a little village in Galilee.
living a perfect life of obedience to the Father. that perfect life of obedience that none of us have lived, and obtaining therefore a perfect righteousness. and then voluntarily giving his life upon the cross. rising from the dead, ascending back to heaven. And here tonight, O Lord, we worship Thee.
We trust in Thee. And we pray. that this wonderful salvation Shall be the heritage of everyone. who is listening to this tonight. We ask it in Jesus' name.
Amen.
