Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

[0:00] Good evening and welcome to Braymar. We're so glad you could join us for our Christmas Eve service. This is a safe place, a place for you to be welcomed as you are, treated with kindness and acceptance, and invited in as part of the family. In these times of uncertainty and anxiety, we all need to be reminded of truth and hope. We need to be reminded of the things that we can trust.

[0:27] Every Sunday in the Advent season, the four weeks leading up to Christmas, we light the candles of the Advent wreath. These four candles represent the four virtues Jesus brings us. Hope, love, joy, and peace.

[0:46] And on Christmas Eve, we light a larger white candle in the center, which is called the Christ candle. This Christ candle reminds us that our time of waiting has become a time of welcome.

[0:59] Our time of anticipation has become a time of celebration. In light of a present and future that, at least for now, seems to be changing like shifting sand, we need to be reminded of a story that never changes and the hope that story can bring to our lives.

[1:18] That is the story of the birth of Jesus Christ and the true meaning of Christmas. So tonight, we gather here to listen to the words of that story from the Bible and from the well-known Christmas carols.

[1:32] The prophet Isaiah heralded the coming of the Messiah in Isaiah chapter 7, verse 14, when he wrote, The people of Israel longed for a deliverer, and prophecies foretold that he would come.

[1:53] O come, O come, O come, Emmanuel, Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel, Emmanuel, shall come to thee, O Israel.

[2:48] O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer, Our spirits by thine advent inte тень.

[3:02] Disperse the gloomy clouds of night And death's dark shadows put to flight Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel O come, desire of nations, bind All peoples in one heart and one mind Bid envy, strife, and quarrel cease Fill the whole world with heaven's peace Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel

[4:10] Shall come to thee, O Israel Prophecies foretold the coming of a king, a messiah, a savior But who would this savior be?

[4:29] For many, the promised deliverer would be a great warrior who would ride into battle and conquer the enemies of the Jewish people But as it so often does, God's plan defied all human expectations or understanding God's grand eternity-altering plan was declared to shepherds Luke chapter 2 verse 8 reminds us And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone all around them, and they were terrified But the angel said to them, do not be afraid I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people Today in the town of David, a savior has been born to you He is Christ the Lord This will be a sign to you You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger Suddenly, a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying

[5:33] Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace to men on whom his favor rests Hark the herald angels sing Glory to the newborn King Peace on earth and mercy mild God and sinners reconciled Joyful, O ye nations, rise Join the triumph of the skies With angelic hosts proclaim Christ is born in Bethlehem Hark the herald angels sing Glory to the newborn King

[6:37] Christ the highest heaven adored Christ the everlasting Lord Late in time, behold him come Offspring of the virgin's woe 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 newborn King Glory to the newborn King Glory to the newborn King The heaven-born Prince of Peace

[7:45] Hail the Son of Righteousness Light and life to all he brings Risen with healing in his wings Mild he lays his glory by Born that man no more may die Born to raise the sons of earth Born to give them second birth Hark the herald angels sing Glory to the newborn King Hark the herald angels sing Glory to the newborn King Heaven's own Son set aside his glory

[8:50] And his rightful place with the Father in Heaven He did that to become frail and fragile Born as a human baby But this baby was unlike any other before or since This baby brought hope Brought love, joy, and peace This baby would break chains Free slaves Bring an end to the oppression and slavery of sin On that one night The fate of humanity was changed For all time O holy night The stars are brightly shining It is the night of the dear Savior's birth

[9:53] Long lay the world In sin and error pining Till he appeared And the soul felt its worth A thrill of hope The weary world rejoices For yonder breaks A new and glorious morn Fall on your knees O hear the angel voices O night divine

[10:57] O night when Christ was born Truly he taught us To love one another His law is love His law is love And his gospel is peace Change shall he break For the slave is our brother And in his name All oppression shall cease

[11:58] Sweet hymns of joy In grateful chorus raise we Let all within us Praise his holy name Christ is the Lord Christ is the Lord O praise his name forever His power and glory His power and glory Evermore proclaim His power and glory Evermore proclaim

[13:05] Father Our On your knees Oh, hear the angel voices.

[13:37] Oh, night divine. Oh, night when Christ was born.

[13:53] Oh, night divine. Oh, night.

[14:07] Oh, night divine. Oh, night divine.

[14:20] Throughout the Old Testament, many prophecies spoke of the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. But it took more than 800 years for those prophecies to be fulfilled. Advent is the time when we recognize that fulfillment of those prophecies.

[14:36] And it's tonight when our waiting is finally over. So many prophecies, such great expectation. The Messiah, the Redeemer, the long expected baby was finally coming.

[14:50] It was finally coming. Come, thou long expected, Jesus born to set thy people free.

[15:20] From our fears and sins release us. Let us find our rest in thee.

[15:35] Israel strength and consolation. Hope of all the earth thou art.

[15:49] Dear desire of every nation. Joy of every longing heart.

[16:03] Come, born thy people to deliver.

[16:18] Born a child and yet a king. Born to reign in us forever now.

[16:37] Thy gracious kingdom bring. By thine own eternal spirit rule in all our hearts alone.

[16:56] By thine all sufficient merit raise us to thy glorious throne.

[17:12] Come, thou long expected, Jesus born to set thy people free.

[17:25] From our fears and sins release us. Let us find our rest in thee.

[17:38] Israel strength and consolation. Hope of all the earth thou art. Dear desire of all the earth. Jesus, let us find our rest in thee.

[17:50] Israel strength and consolation. Hope of all the earth thou art.

[18:03] Dear desire of every nation. Joy of every longing heart.

[18:35] Every notable historical person is from somewhere. They were born on a particular date and in a particular place. Often the places where notable people were born are equally notable.

[18:47] Palaces or estates. Great cities with great landmarks. But Jesus? Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Bethlehem. Largely unremarkable and likely forgettable to anyone who had visited there.

[19:02] But God had plans for Bethlehem. As we read in Micah 5, verse 2. But you, Bethlehem, Ephrathah. Though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me, one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.

[19:24] God chose this sleepy little out-of-the-way community in a corner of the nation of Israel to be the humble hometown of his only son.

[19:36] God chose this sleepy little out-of-the-way community in a corner of Israel.

[19:59] O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie! Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.

[20:20] Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light.

[20:31] The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

[20:43] Due to righteousness on your side. Onic sic patient and comfort our leaders in a corner of Israel. Now that we see thee.' downloaded by progressive Israel to the expressussia!! For committ fu. The minist秒 of re-olin, our efforts to come for us, this is a responder-to-person gift, theOUT nya 2004 thereafter.

[21:00] For his souls would lower the world of cortisol until the last we see the moment. How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given.

[21:14] So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven.

[21:26] No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.

[21:56] To rule the letter to Jeann Gemini, theinal yang suit are a true power.

[22:21] O holy child of Bethlehem Descend to us we pray Cast out our sin and enter in Be born in us today We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tidings tell O come to us, abide with us Our Lord Emmanuel Christmas Eve

[23:30] It's the time when we recognize that God's plan, His promise, would be born to an unremarkable, poor couple Who would lay their baby in a food trough, a manger Often one of the earliest Christmas songs we teach to little children because of its simple language and clear message Away in a manger so beautifully relates the humble surroundings into which the Savior of the world was born Away in a manger, no crib for a bed The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay

[24:34] The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay 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 Hear me, Lord Jesus I ask Thee to stay Close by me forever And love me, I pray

[25:36] Bless all the dear children In Thy tender care And take us to heaven To live with Thee there The little Lord Jesus Asleep on the hay The little Lord Jesus Asleep on the hay The little Lord Jesus Asleep on the hay The prophesied Messiah and Savior had finally come

[26:40] This sleepy little baby born under the most humble circumstances God in the flesh The arrival of Jesus heralded a new covenant A new promise between God and humanity The arrival of Jesus brought joy to the world Joy to the world, the Lord is come Let earth receive her King Let every heart prepare Him And heaven and nature sing And heaven and nature sing And heaven and nature sing And heaven and heaven and nature sing Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns Let men their songs and ploy

[27:41] While fields and floods Rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy Repeat the sounding joy Repeat the sounding joy Repeat, repeat the sounding joy No more lips in And sorrows grow Nor thorns infest the ground He comes to make His blessings flow Make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found Far as the curse is found Far as, far as the curse is found He rules the world with truth and grace

[28:47] And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness And wonders of His love And wonders, wonders of His love And wonders, wonders of His love My friends, our world And likely our personal circumstances as well Are so chaotic these days, aren't they?

[29:29] I want you to take time to reflect on what the coming of Jesus What the opportunity for a renewed relationship with God Can mean for our world and for you I encourage you to seek God's peace And remember that even at times like this He remains in control Take a moment to reflect on the coming of Christ On that silent night Silent night All is calm All is bright Round yon virgin Mother and child

[30:30] Holy infant So tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace Christ the Savior Silent night Holy night Shepherds quake At the sight Glories stream From heaven afar Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia Christ the Savior

[31:30] Is born Christ the Savior Is born Christ the Savior Is born Silent night Holy night Silent night Holy night Silent night Holy night Son of God Son of God Love's pure light Radiant beams From thy holy face With the dawn of redeeming grace Dreaming grace Jesus Lord At thy birth Jesus Lord At thy birth Jesus Lord

[32:34] At thy birth Jesus Lord At thy birth Son of God Tonight We remember Tonight We celebrate But tonight We also declare We declare that on that night So long ago in Bethlehem Bethlehem God came near And in becoming human The Son of God Became the baby Jesus And that same Jesus Brings us the promise of freedom From shame From guilt And the promise of restoration Through Jesus we can be restored In relationship with God And receive the gift of eternal life This gift we recognize Is the greatest gift

[33:36] We could ever receive And the revelation of God's plan For all of creation This my friends Is the gospel And this gift must be shared Share this amazing life-changing truth of Jesus Christ With everyone you know And everyone you meet Shout this truth from the mountaintops The holy e-champ And the holy e-champ Go tell it on the mountain Over the hills and everywhere Go tell it on the mountain That Jesus Christ is born That Jesus Christ is born While shepherds kept their watching O'er silent flocks by night Behold, throughout the heavens

[34:41] There shone a holy line And go, tell it on the mountain Over the hills and everywhere Go, tell it on the mountain That Jesus Christ is born The shepherds feared and trembled When low above the earth Rang out the angel chorus That hailed the Savior's birth And go, tell it on the mountain Over the hills and everywhere Go, tell it on the mountain That Jesus Christ is born Down in a lowly manger The humble Christ was born

[35:43] And God sent us salvation And God sent us salvation That blessed Christmas morn And go, tell it on the mountain Over the hills and everywhere And go, tell it on the mountain And everywhere Go, tell it on the mountain That Jesus Christ is born And go, tell it on the mountain Over the hills and everywhere Go, tell it on the mountain Tell it on the mountain That Jesus Christ is born Jesus Christ was born He lived and died

[36:45] He rose again to make it possible For you and me To have a relationship with God again And to spend eternity with Him My friends, tonight As we have celebrated That God is with us In the birth of Jesus Let us continue to live lives Of hope, joy, peace, and love Share God's love with the shepherds You meet on the hillside Share the communion of the Holy Spirit That fills your heart with glad tidings Like the angels proclaimed And the Prince of Peace Whose birth we've reflected on tonight May He live in your heart To comfort and to challenge you As you seek to live as one of His disciples My friends, go in peace And have a very Merry Christmas