Church Life and Ministry on Christmas

liturgy

Father: Thank You for always being

Author

Scripture

Psalm 34:14, Luke 15:20, Hebrews 4:14, Romans 6:4, Acts 1:8, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Psalm 25:4-5, Matthew 11:28-30, Isaiah 41:10, John 14:13, James 1:5, 2 Corinthians 9:8, Habakkuk 3:2, Isaiah 6:8, Matthew 28:19-20

Father: Thank You for always being ready to welcome us and listen to us. Thank You for sending Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Savior: born like us, experiencing all that we experience yet sinless, who d...

liturgy

God, you come to us and meet us in the

Author

Ruth C. Duck

Keywords

Scripture

1 Kings 19:11-12, Isaiah 41:10, Luke 2:19, Isaiah 52:7, Micah 6:8, Acts 2:17

God, you come to us and meet us in the strangest ways: sometimes in the stillness at the eye of the storm or in the midnight of our lives; sometimes in the raging whirlwind or in the high noon of our ...

liturgy

Gracious and faithful God–our Creator,

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

Psalm 25:4-5, Matthew 1:23, James 5:14-15, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Luke 2:10-11, Isaiah 9:6, Jeremiah 29:11, Matthew 25:35-36, Proverbs 21:1, Matthew 5:14-16, Matthew 28:19-20, John 14:13, Luke 2:1-20, Mark 5:25-34, John 11:17-44

Gracious and faithful God–our Creator, Redeemer and Comforter: When we don’t know the way–You show us the way; and when we can’t find a way–You make a way. Thank you! Thank you for Your gift of a Sav...

liturgy

Hark the glad sound! The Savior

Author

Philip Doddridge

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 2:10-11, Luke 2:8-20, Psalm 24:7-10, Revelation 5:13, Matthew 21:1-11, Zechariah 9:9, Matthew 21:9, John 12:12-15, Philippians 2:9-11, Revelation 19:1, Revelation 7:9-12

Hark the glad sound! The Savior comes, The Savior promised long; Let every heart prepare a throne And every voice a song. Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace, Your welcome shall proclaim, And heaven’s ...

liturgy

Lord Jesus Christ, at your birth the

Author

Chip Hardwick

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 2:13-14, Isaiah 9:6, Luke 2:8-20, Proverbs 16:18, John 12:43, Matthew 23:1-12, 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, Matthew 5:9, Luke 10:25-37, 1 John 1:9, Psalm 51:10, Luke 22:54-62, Psalm 46:10, Matthew 26:36-46, John 14:13-14

Lord Jesus Christ, at your birth the angels gave glory to God in the highest heaven, and offered peace on earth to all humankind. We struggle to follow the heavenly host. All too often we focus on giv...

liturgy

Inspired by John 1 and Matthew 25

Author

Ellen R. Dawson

Keywords

Scripture

John 1:14, Matthew 25:31-46

You came to us, Word made flesh, to show us what it means to love. You came to us, Word made flesh, to teach us how to serve. You came to us, Word made flesh, to remind us to clothe the naked and fe...

liturgy

Heavenly Father, We praise you for

Author

Caryl Mickelm

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 6:19-31

Heavenly Father, We praise you for mankind- born to give, and born to receive; born to help, and born to be helped; born to lead, and born to be led; born to forgive, and born to confess; born to love...

liturgy

Lord Jesus Christ, you are loving and

Author

Chip Hardwick

Keywords

Scripture

Colossians 1:15-16, Luke 9:23-24, Romans 7:18-19, 1 John 1:9, Hebrews 4:16, Psalm 51:10

Lord Jesus Christ, you are loving and merciful. Forgive us for being so captivated by Christmas that we forget that you, the little baby in the manger, grew up as the Lord over all creation. It is som...

liturgy

Lord Jesus–You’ve come, are coming and

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

Revelation 22:12, Titus 2:13, John 8:12, Psalm 119:105, Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 34:18, Matthew 5:44

Lord Jesus–You’ve come, are coming and will come again. Whether we know it or not, we live on the edge of Your advent every moment of every day either with anticipation or with anxiety. As if stumblin...

liturgy

Lord of Christmas Peace, we have done

Author

Nathan Decker

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 3:23-24, James 1:22, 1 John 3:17, John 15:11, Luke 19:1-10, Luke 1:, Luke 2:, Matthew 2:

Lord of Christmas Peace, we have done wrong. We have tarnished the gift you gave freely. We have buried you so deeply in our hearts, the world doesn't see you. We have not followed Christ, we have...

liturgy

Lord—we’re so anxious we can’t

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 40:31, Psalm 27:14, Romans 12:2, Matthew 1:23, John 11:25-26, Hebrews 13:3

Lord—we’re so anxious we can’t wait! Some of us can’t wait for Christmas to come, while (honestly) some others of us can’t wait for it to be over. We’re not proud of it—but that’s just the way it is ...

liturgy

Adapted from Philippians 2:5-11 (ESV)

Author

Dustin Ray

Keywords

Scripture

Philippians 2:5-11

Pastor: "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by tak...

liturgy

We confess, O God, that the Christmas

Author

Chip Hardwick

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 26:30, Ephesians 4:31-32, John 15:11, Hebrews 4:15, Psalm 46:10, Colossians 3:17, Luke 2:13-14

We confess, O God, that the Christmas rush is typical of our efforts to live the Christian life. We pursue peace on earth, but we end up with frayed nerves and short tempers. We wish good will to all,...

liturgy

When we allow darkness to overcome the

Keywords

Scripture

John 1:5, Ephesians 5:18, Isaiah 55:2, Luke 12:15, Ezekiel 36:26

When we allow darkness to overcome the light, forgive us, Lord. When we reduce Christmas to plastic and tinsel, have mercy on us, Father. When hardness of heart keeps us from seeing and hearing an...

blog

An Order of Worship for a Blue Christmas Service (aka a Longest Night Service)

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 11:1-5, Psalm 86:1, Psalm 22:1-2, Psalm 28:7, Psalm 65:5

A Blue Christmas Service is offered especially for those hurting during the holidays. It’s often offered December 21, the longest night of the year. Some come because they are mourning the death of...

illustration

Christmas Carols

Author

Dominic Walker

Keywords

Christmas carols always seem to bring out the best in people. It’s as if we can travel back in time to a place where life was less complicated and Christmas was full of joy and magic. The churches fil...

illustration

The Origin of the “J Shaped” Candy Cane

Author

David McLaughlan

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 2:8-11, John 10:11, Luke 2:8-20, Psalm 23:1-4, Micah 5:4, Jeremiah 31:13

Legend has it that the choirmaster of Cologne Cathedral was the one who first bent straight white candy canes into their familiar inverted “J” shape. It wasn’t to represent the name Jesus, as is often...

illustration

Mary & Joseph were Poor

Author

Ashley Hales

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 2:22-24, 2 Corinthians 8:9, Isaiah 9:6-7, Philippians 2:6-8, John 1:14, Isaiah 61:1

They were poor. We know this because the two young turtledoves Joseph and Mary brought was the smallest offering they were allowed as devout Jews and yet the largest they likely could afford. With tw...

illustration

The Master of the Universe Born a Baby

Author

Ashley Hales

Keywords

Scripture

Revelation 1:17-18, Luke 1:38, John 1:14, Micah 5:2, Isaiah 7:14, Luke 1:45, Galatians 4:4-5

The promised Messiah, whose voice sounds like rushing waters, who holds the key to death and Hades, also grew in secret in Mary’s womb. He kicked and elbowed as all babies do, and came at the appointe...

illustration

Noticing Where You Find Yourself

Author

Frederick Buechner

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 2:7, John 1:14, Matthew 1:23, Isaiah 40:11, Psalm 46:10, 2 Corinthians 4:7, Luke 24:13-35

One Christmas Eve in Vermont when my children were small, we did the things you do when your children are small on Christmas Eve. We stuffed and hung their stockings. We put out a draught of cider and...

illustration

The Great Exchange

Author

John Chrysostom

Keywords

Scripture

Philippians 2:6-8, 2 Corinthians 8:9, John 1:14, Luke 2:7, Isaiah 9:6, John 3:16

The incarnation has often been described as “The Great Exchange,” whereupon God took on human form so that we might participate in God's divine life (through the Holy Spirit). In a sermon on the n...

illustration

Gosh, Some Angels

Author

Walter Brueggemann

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 2:8-14, Matthew 2:1-2, Isaiah 7:14, Psalm 19:1-2, Luke 2:15-20, Micah 5:2, Matthew 18:3-4

My ten-year-old son Jim had to write a play for Christmas for his Sunday School class. He made it a dialogue between two animals at Bethlehem. It goes like this: Donkey: It sure is cold, is it not? ...

illustration

Embracing the Call

Author

Timothy Keller

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 1:23

So what did it mean for Joseph and Mary to accept the Word of the Lord, to say, “We embrace the call to receive this child. We will accept whatever comes with it”? What did it take for them to literal...

illustration

A Gift That Requires Swallowing your Pride

Author

Timothy Keller

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 3:23-24, Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:16, Isaiah 64:6, Romans 5:8, Titus 3:4-5, Luke 19:1-10

Christmas is about receiving presents, but consider how challenging it is to receive certain kinds of gifts. Some gifts by their very nature make you swallow your pride. Imagine opening a present on C...

Quote

Author

Ben Jonson

Keywords

Scripture

John 1:9, Luke 2:15-20, John 8:12, Hebrews 1:6, 2 Corinthians 4:6, Psalm 27:1, Luke 2:25-35

I sing the birth was born tonight, The author both of life and light, The angels so did sound it; And like the ravished shepherds Said, Who saw the light, and were afraid, Yet sarched, and tru they fo...

Quote

Author

Bette Dickinson

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 2:8-11, Matthew 5:3, Philippians 2:6-8, Isaiah 57:15, Micah 5:2

The shepherds show us that we don’t prepare to receive the king of heaven the same way we prepare to meet the celebrities of our day, through earthly displays of showiness. In fact, receiving our King...

Quote

Author

Christina Rossetti

Keywords

Scripture

Proverbs 23:26, Romans 12:1, Matthew 2:11, 2 Corinthians 8:12, Psalm 51:16-17, Micah 6:6-8, John 6:1-13

What can I give Him Poor as I am? If I were a shepherd I would bring a lamb; If I were a wise man I would do my part,- Yet what I can give him Give my heart.

Quote

Author

C. S. Lewis

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 9:6, Luke 2:10-12, Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1-11

"Once in our world, a stable had something in it that was bigger than our whole world."

Quote

Author

C. S. Lewis

Keywords

Scripture

Colossians 1:15-17, John 1:14, Micah 5:2, 2 Corinthians 4:7, Isaiah 57:15, Hebrews 1:3

“It seems, then,” said Tirian, smiling himself, “that the Stable seen from within and the Stable seen from without are two different places.” “Yes,” said the Lord Digory. “Its inside is bigger than it...

Quote

Author

David Letterman

Keywords

Scripture

Proverbs 21:5, Proverbs 31:15-18, Acts 20:35, Luke 21:1-4, Matthew 25:1-13

Halloween is the beginning of the holiday shopping season. That’s for women. The beginning of the holiday shopping season for men is Christmas Eve.

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