Christmas Eve December 24, 2022
by Pastor Edwin Lehmann on December 23, 2022
Christmas Eve December 24, 2022
O Christ, Thou Light of the World, Thou Prince of Peace, Thou Perfect Gift from heaven, shine into our hearts this night with the light of Your saving truth and love, so that knowing You as Savior, we may share the light of Your salvation with all people. It is the greatest gift we can give. In Your most holy name we ask Your blessing upon our worship this evening. Amen.
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P e a c e , P e a c e , P r e c i o u s P e a c e
The Entrance Hymn: “O, Come, All Ye Faithful” #354
The Invocation & Call to Worship:
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
Congr: And also with you.
Pastor: Come, let us sing unto the Lord.
Congr: Let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation.
Pastor: Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving.
Congr: And make a joyful noise to Him with psalms.
Pastor: Come, let us worship and bow down;
Congr: Let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker.
Pastor: The Dayspring from on high has visited us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
Congr: To guide our feet into the way of peace.
Pastor: Unto us the Christ is born. Come, let us worship Him.
Congr: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be; world without end. Amen.
The cattle are lowing, The poor Baby wakes,
But little Lord Jesus No crying He makes,
I love Thee Lord Jesus Look down from the sky,
And stay by my cradle Till morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, And love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children In Thy tender care,
And take us to heaven, To live with Thee there.
(Interlude)
Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright,
Round yon 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,
Heav’nly hosts sing: “Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Savior 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.
Christmas Eve Prayer & The Lord’s Prayer
The Benediction
Closing Carol: Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King
Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n, and heav’n, and nature sing.
Silent Prayer
Narration – The Apostle John Unfolds the Mystery of the
Incarnation – God Made Flesh for Us.
John 1:1-16
Congregational Carols by Candlelight
(The piano will introduce each carol.)
The first Noel the angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Noel…Noel…Noel…Noel, Born is the King of Israel.
They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east, beyond them far;
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.
Noel…Noel…Noel…Noel, Born is the King of Israel.
(Interlude)
Angels we have heard on high,
Sweetly singing o’er the plains.
And the mountains in reply,
Echoing their joyous strains.
Glo-ri-a in excelsis Deo; Glo-ri-a in excelsis De-o.
Come, to Bethlehem, and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the new born King.
Glo-ri-a in excelsis Deo; Glo-ri-a in excelsis De-o.
(Interlude)
Away in a manger, No crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus Laid down His sweet head,
The stars in the sky Looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus Asleep on the hay.
Part I: Perfect Peace, Given, & Lost
Narration
Responsive Reading:
Pastor: Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman:
Congr: “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’”
Pastor: The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
Congr: “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Pastor: When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
Congr: Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked;
Pastor: So they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
Hymn: “O, Come, O, Come, Emmanuel st. 1-2 #327
Part II: Perfect Peace, Promised & Restored
Narration
Responsive Reading:
Pastor: And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.
Congr: And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city.
Pastor: And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David.
Congr: To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
Pastor: And so it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
Congr: And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Hymn: “O Little Town of Bethlehem” st.1-2 #333
Part III: Precious Peace, Offered, & Owned
Narration
Responsive Reading:
Pastor: And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Congr: And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them:
Pastor: Fear not, for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
Congr: And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Pastor: And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying
Congr: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Pastor: And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another;
Congr: Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
Pastor: And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
Congr: And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
Hymn: “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” #350
Part IV: Precious Peace, Proclaimed & Enjoyed
Narration
All: Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your Word. For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.
Hymn: “What Child Is This” #344
Part V: The Service of Light Reflects God’s
Gift of Peace in the Christ-Child
At this time the ushers will come forward to pass out the candles. The Christ Candle in the middle of the Advent Wreath will act as our source of light. As the ushers proceed down the center aisle, tip your unlit candle towards the lighted one and pass the flame to your neighbor, keeping your lighted candle held vertically at all times.
No offering will be taken during the service this evening so as to not diminish the focus on our Heavenly Father’s supreme Gift to us. An offering plate is found in the narthex where you may place a gift as you leave in response to God’s gift of Himself to us.
We wish you a most happy and blessed Christmas. May the true Light of Bethlehem, Christ Jesus, God’s Son, our Savior, shine into your hearts this holiday season and cheer you with His presence.
As we enter the New Year, may He go before you to bless your life in Him for He will continue on His way to the cross and the empty tomb. There we will again find much reason to sing for joy as the Light and Life of salvation fulfills what He came to do for us.
“The Word became flesh and dwelled (literally, tented) among us for a while. We have seen His glory, the glory He has as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
(John 1:14).
