This is part of the worship series,
"Be Not Afraid”
Series Introduction and Prelude
Advent 1 | Advent 2 | Advent 3 | Advent 4 |
Longest Night | Christmas Eve | Epiphany 1 | Epiphany 2
Christmas Eve
Fear of Revelation
Candle of Hope
Prayer of Invocation
When the world was dark
and the city was quiet,
you came.
You crept in beside us.
And no one knew.
Only the few
who dared to believe
that God might do something different.
Will you do the same this Christmas, Lord?
Will you come into the darkness of today’s world;
not the friendly darkness
as when sleep rescues us from tiredness,
but the fearful darkness,
in which people have stopped believing
that war will end
or that food will come
or that a government will change
or that the church cares?
Will you come into that darkness
and do something different
to save your people from death and despair?
Will you come into the quietness of this city,
not the friendly quietness
as when lovers hold hands,
but the fearful silence when
the phone has not rung,
the letter has not come,
the friendly voice no longer speaks,
the doctor’s face says it all?
Will you come into that darkness,
and do something different,
to embrace your people?
And will you come into the dark corners
and the quiet places of our lives?
We ask this… because the fullness our lives long for
depends on us being as open and vulnerable to you
as you were to us,
when you came,
wearing no more than diapers,
and trusting human hands
to hold their Maker.
Will you come into our lives,
if we open them to you
and do something different?
When the world was dark
and the city was quiet
you came.
You crept in beside us.
Do the same this Christmas, Lord,
Do the same this Christmas.
Amen.
—”When the world was dark” from Cloth for the Cradle, p. 92-93 by the Wild Goose Resource Group, © 1997, 2000 WGRG c/o Iona Community, Scotland, GIA Publications, Inc., exclusive North American agent. Reprints permitted with a license from ONE LICENSE.
We hope for an end to the darkness and for the beginning glimpses of light. We hope expectantly as those who wait for a promise that is coming. We light this candle of hope. [Light candle.]
Song
“O Little Town of Bethlehem” (st. 1, 3–4)Brooks
Candle of Love
In-Between Words
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). On this Christmas night we celebrate God’s gift of love, seen in the birth of Jesus Christ. We light this candle of love. [Light candle.] We are also called to show God’s love to others. Please greet each other and extend Christ’s love to those around you.
We Greet Each Other
Song
“Once in Royal David’s City” (st. 1, 4–5) Alexander
Candle of Peace
Scripture Reading
Isaiah 40:1–11
Song
“Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” (st. 1–3) German
In-Between Words
The words of the prophet Isaiah remind us of a coming kingdom where peace will reign and all will be well. Because of the birth of Jesus Christ, we can anticipate peace on earth and pray for the ability to be peacemakers until he comes again. We light this candle of peace and then bow our heads in prayer to pray for the world that God so dearly loves. [Light candle.]
Prayers of the People
Song
“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” (st. 1, 3)Wesley
Candle of Joy
In-Between Words
We light this candle of joy. Emmanuel is born! Rejoice! Rejoice! [Light candle.] Hear now the glorious story of the birth of our Savior.
Scripture Reading
Luke 2:1–20
Homily
Song of Response
“Angels We Have Heard on High” French
Lord’s Supper
Institution of the Lord’s Supper
Long after the angels vacated the skies, the shepherds left the manger and the Magi traveled home again. On another night—the night of his betrayal, not his birth; the night of his arrest, not his adoration—Jesus sat at dinner with his disciples.
On that night, he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way, he took the cup saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this in remembrance of me.”
As we eat this bread and drink this cup, we remember and proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right for us to give thanks and praise.
With joy we praise you, gracious God, Eternal Creator. At the beginning of time your rescue plan of salvation began with the work of Your hands, fashioning our planet and spinning our galaxies into place.
Through history you sent prophets and priests to point the way and to shape the expectations of your people longing for rescue from sin and salvation from bondage to sin’s effects.
Until, at last, in the fullness of time, our Savior and Redeemer was born.
Though he could not find hospitality in his own city, his birth offers the world the eternal hospitality of God.
Song
“Of the Father’s Love Begotten” (st. 1–3) Prudentius
We give thanks to you, Jesus Christ, who came among us as the Word made flesh to show us a new and radiant vision of your glory, full of grace and truth.
Therefore, we join our voices with the angel choirs who forever sing glory to your name.
Song
“Of the Father’s Love Begotten” (st. 4–5) Prudentius
By the power of your Holy Spirit, unite us with Christ and all who share this feast. Give us courage to live according to the promise of this night, to be your people, showing forth your justice, grace, mercy, peace, and love until the day when the baby whose birth we celebrate tonight comes again in fullness and peace.
Then we will feast with all your saints in the joy of your eternal realm.
Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor are yours,
almighty God, now and forever.
Amen.
Invitation
The church father Ambrose of Milan wrote about the significance of this evening, saying:
“He became an infant and a child so that your humanity might be made perfect. He was wrapped in swaddling clothes so that you might be absolved from the bonds of death. He was on earth so that you might be in heaven. He had no room at the inn so that you might have mansions in heaven. He was in a manger so that you might be at the altar.”
—Ambrose, Exposition of the Gospel According to Luke 2:41
The gifts of God for the people of God!
[Distribution of elements while singing “What Child Is This” Dix]
Candle of Light
Scripture Reading
John 1:1–5, 14
We light this candle of light, for Jesus Christ, the light of the world, has been born for us.
[Light candle.]
Song
“Silent Night! Holy Night” Mohr
Parting Blessing
The joy of the angels, the eagerness of the shepherds, the perseverance of the Magi, the obedience of Joseph and Mary, and the peace of Jesus Christ be yours this Christmas.
The blessing of Almighty God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—be upon you and remain with you always. Amen.
