The Manger Scene Through Our Senses: The Scene that Changed the World and Our Heart

Sermon Title: The Manger Through Our Senses

Good News Statement: God Blesses Us with the Birth of Jesus Christ

Preached: Sunday, December 24^th, 2023 @4:30PM at Dogwood Prairie UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSV): Luke 1:26-33

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” ²⁹ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰ The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. ³³ He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

 

Scripture (NRSV): Matthew 1:18-21

The Birth of Jesus the Messiah

¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly. ²⁰ But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

 

 

Order of Service

Prelude: “O Come, O Come Emmanual” Emily Skelton – Flute

Welcome – Lighting of the Advent Candles

Candle: The Christ Candle, white

Reader (Daniel): To a people longing for hope and yearning for deliverance, the prophet Isaiah declared, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined…For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”(Isaiah 9:2, 6)

 

Reader (Emily): Tonight, we come seeking hope, peace, joy, and love, and we find these things in a child. God made flesh as a baby in a manger. A baby who is both the beginning and the end of our salvation, who dwells with us even now, our Emmanuel, God with us.

Readers (Daniel and Emily): We live as people in the in-between who celebrate the arrival of the Light that shines in lost and broken places as we wait for the day when we will live in the fullness of God’s kingdom.

Light all five candles (purple, purple, pink, purple, and white) of the Advent wreath.

Prayer: Let Us Pray – We light these candles as signs of our shocking hope, our just peace, our fierce joy, the love that transforms us, and Jesus Christ, our wondrous Light. May the Light burning in our hearts guide us, comfort us, protect us, and tend us in all seasons and circumstances, reminding us that day and night, in the light and in the darkness, God is with us. Our salvation has come! Amen.

 

Opening Hymn:  “There’s A Song in the Air” (#554) – Piano

“What Child is This” (#540) – Flute

Opening Prayer:

            O heavenly Father, as we prepare ourselves for the coming of your Son, fill our hearts and life with praise. Grant that we may be just and merciful, and ready to help in the needs of our neighbor and aware of your good news and great joy for all the people. Fill us with your abounding hope, grant us a silent and holy night of peace, administer joy to all the world, and indwell in us an unconditional love. Bless our life with your spiritual gifts of forgiveness, patience, mutual love, and unending joy. And may we be a beacon of light in this world which shines brightly through and in you. All this we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hymn: “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” (#535) – Piano

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9:2, 6-7

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.

For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders,
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 Great will be his authority,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Hymn: “The First Noel” (#538) – Verses 1, 2, & 4 – Piano

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:26-35, 38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” ²⁹ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰ The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. ³³ He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” ³⁴ Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” ³⁵ The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.”

³⁸ Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Hymn: “O Little Town of Bethlehem” (#541) – Piano

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:8-16

⁸ Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: ¹¹ to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger.

Hymn: “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” (#537) – Piano

 

Homily: The Manger Scene through Your Senses

Introduction:

When my parents got married in June of 1981, they received a ceramic manger scene with a hand-crafted stable made out of wood that in the center housed a small light bulb to illuminate the splendor and wonder of that special night when Jesus was born. Their manger scene consists of Mary, Joseph, a Shepherd, three Wise Men, two sheep, and one donkey. The overall ascetic of the manger scene is worn, faded, a few cracks, and imperfections, but still together and meaningful.

For as long as can remember, I have been setting up that manger scene underneath my parents’ Christmas tree every Christmas Season. Some years I put it up in hurried fashion telling myself I have other things to do; and other years I take my time, really thinking about who goes where, what direction they should be facing, and whether or not the donkey and sheep should be close to Mary and Joseph or at a distance. Sometimes I even contemplate if the Wise Men and Shepherd should either be placed just outside the stable allowing Mary, Joseph, and Jesus to be completely visible or if the Wise Men and Shepherd should be more front and center sending the message that all are invited to see the Baby Jesus. Every person, every animal, and every position and placement of said people and animals matter when it comes to the manger scene, but between the shopping, baking, cooking, shopping, attending holiday festivities, shopping, and spending time with family, friends, and neighbors we often don’t take the time to really ponder the manger scene, to think about the people present and their placement in association with the new born king. What does the manger scene mean to you? What do you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel when you think about the manger scene?

Together, this evening, I invite you to set aside the chaos and the noise of the Christmas season, and try not to think about the future, and turn your attention to the manger scene. Specifically, think about your manger scene, the one that carries memories and traditions, and what it means to you.

Body:

When was the last time you deliberately, maybe with great intention and prayer, set up your manger scene or someone else’s realizing that you were creating a scene that changed the world? When was the last time you really thought about the people and animals in the manger scene: their stories, their history, their traditions, and quite possible their sacrifices? When was the last time you thought about the sounds, the sights, the tastes, and the emotions centered around the manger on that wonderful night when Christ was born? Was it truly a silent night filled with a peace that surpassed all understanding; or was it a loud and chaotic night with Baby Jesus crying, the animals rustling in the hay, Mary and Joseph doing their best to put Jesus to sleep, and the shepherds attempting to keep their sheep away from the feeding trough by knocking their staffs against the wooden frame of the stable? When was the last time you thought about what you see in our own manger scene: who’s there and who isn’t there? When was the last time, with great intention and deliberation, you set up the manger scene—the scene that changed the world and brought good news and great joy to all the people?

I offer these questions to you, not to overwhelm you, but to hopefully make you realize that the manger scene is more than a decoration: it is more than figurines, ceramic animals, and a wooden stable placed under the Christmas tree or placed on display on a shelf somewhere in your home. The manger scene is the place that God became Incarnate, the Word became flesh, two normal people became favored and chosen by God, where the wealthy and the poor came together, and where the “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace” dwelt among us: the manger is where humanity began to realize the importance and significance of the name Emmanuel—God with us. God showed up in the manger just like He shows up in our life. However, do you take the time to notice His presence? Are you someone who glances into the stable as you walk by or are you someone who pauses and appreciates what is before you?

As I mentioned earlier, there have been times in my life when I rushed through Christmas. I was too focused on getting the perfect gift, making sure everything was just right, that the tree was decorated, and that the lights were on the house that I forget to set up the manger scene. And when I finally got the chance to set it up, I was too focused on the next task that I needed to complete. I rushed through Christmas and I forgot the most important thing. Have any of you ever “rushed through Christmas?” You’ve been too focused on creating the perfect Christmas that you forgot, at least for a little while, what Christmas really means and is all about? You rushed through Christmas forgetting to quote to yourself the words from the Grinch, “Maybe Christmas…doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more.” You’ve rushed through Christmas forgetting to pause and slow down and take in the sights, sounds, tastes, and emotions of the season. We have all been there: we have all rushed through Christmas. Nevertheless, it’s not too late to slow down and experience the true meaning of Christmas, to experience the manger scene through your senses.

Sight: What Do You See?

I invite you to see yourself standing before the stable. You have traveled back to Bethlehem to be counted in the census as ordered by Augustus. Your feet are covered in dirt, your clothes are dusty and stained, your hair has remnants of yesterday’s work in it, and you look exhausted. You are trying to find a place to rest, but there is no more room in the Inn. So you stumble through the streets just looking for a quiet place to rest your head. While walking around, you come across a stable. What do you see? Do you see a stable with a few cattle and sheep? Do you see a stable with two people kneeling beside a feeding trough filled with hay? Do those two people who look terrified, tired, concerned, or maybe overjoyed? Do you see a new born baby, wrapped in bands of cloths, “no crying he makes”? Do you see shepherds? Do you see three or more wealthy people with gifts in their hands? Are there other people standing by the stable? Maybe there is no one there beside you and Mary and Joseph? What do you see as you stand near the manger of Christ?

Every Christmas, we are reminded of what Luke and Matthew envisioned the birth of Christ to be like: who was there, where Jesus was born, and the fear that centered around this joyous occasion. We get a visual glimpse of the day that changed the world. But sometimes, we don’t take the time to really think about what God is allowing us to see through Luke and Matthew. Instead, we only see what we want to see. Christmas is filled with spectacular sights: Christmas lights, Christmas decorations and trees, people shopping, store front windows festively adorned with garland. We see the magic of Christmas, but at the manger God needs us to see the meaning of Christmas. Now for the first time, lying in that manger, we are invited to see the eyes of God. Through Jesus, God sees what we long to see: the hungry being filled, the homeless finding shelter, the poor being blessed, the persecuted leaping for joy, the less fortunate and the fortunate building unity, the pews of the church being filled. During Christmas, God, through Jesus, sees His creation, and we are invited to do the same.

Whether you see animals or not; whether you see shepherds and magi or not; whether you see a crowd or just a few people; and whether you see a well-kept stable or one that is worn out, what matters is that you see the meaning of Christmas. You open your eyes to see the manger for what is and not for what it has become. The manger is not a simple decoration: it is the scene and place that changed the world. The manger invites all of us to see Jesus, the Word made flesh, the way, the truth, and the life, the good shepherd, the vine, the door to salvation, and the light of the world. What do you see when you look at the manger scene?

Hear: What Do You Hear?

Now, invite you to open your ears. As you stand before the manger, take a few steps closer. Notice the sound of each step. Notice the pace of your breathing. Notice the sound that is generated as you place your staff on the ground with every step. Are your steps deliberate or are they hesitant? What do you hear in the manger? Do you hear the animals rustling in their hay trying to decide who these strangers are? Do you hear God’s heavenly host of angels, proclaiming from the heavens, “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing”? Do you hear the Shepherds humming “The First Noel” as they seek a livelier tune to bring joy to the world as they share the good news of great joy from every mountain? Do you hear the Innkeepers praying “away in a manger…no crying he makes”? Do you hear the Wise Men digging through their satchels for royal gifts fit for a king? Do you hear the people passing by asking “What child is this who lay to rest on Mary’s lap is sleeping”? Do you hear Mary and Joseph singing a lullaby or conversing about what comes next? Is Jesus crying? Maybe you don’t hear anything at all but instead you hear a silent and holy night when all is calm and all is bright?

The Christmas season is busy which is probably why Dean Martin sings about taking time to hear, on every street corner, silver bells. Amy Grant has the same message in her song I Need A Silent Night. She sings, “I need a silent night, a holy night, To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise. I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here, To end this crazy day with a silent night.” The Christmas season is busy, but it’s not too busy to open our ears to the sounds of the manger. God not only saw, but heard through the ears of Jesus Christ. Now that God has ears, God is able to hear what we long to hear, the sounds of Christmas: the joy of the season, the expressive and secret laments on a silent night, the call for loving our enemy, words of healing for those who are sick, and we hear a baby’s low cry. At Christmas, God heard His creation through the ears of Christ, which is something we long to experience every day.

The manger scene not only opens our eyes to the meaning of Christmas, but it opens our ears to hear the voice of God. What do you hear when you consider the sounds of the manger? God invites us to hear the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, and gentleness of Christ. But are we listening. God invites us to hear the crying of God’s people, but are we listening. God invites us to hear the needs of the starving, the thirsty, and the homeless, but are we listening. God invites us to hear the pleas of the persecuted and abandoned, but are we listening. God invites us to hear the coming salvation and the amazing grace, but are we listening. God invites us to hear the needs and voices of the church, but are we listening. And God invites us to hear the sound of change as it lies in the manger, but are we listening. Are we listening? What do you hear when you stand before the place that changed the world?

Taste: What Do You Taste?

This next part is going to sound a little strange, but trust me! Now that you are close enough to see and hear what is in the manger, I ask you, “What do you taste?” If you have ever been in a barn before, you have probably realized that once you open your mouth there is a good chance that you are going to be inhaling something that is more than likely not good for you. You might get a taste of barn dust, hay, tiny food particles being tossed to-and-fro as the animals eat, and you might even get a taste of something fowl and undeniably disgusting. Now barns and stables today are not what they would have been like back during the time of Jesus, so just imagine what sort of tastes those barns and stables offered to the people.

As you stand in the manger scene, what do you taste? Do you taste hay? Do you taste food particles? Do you taste dust and dirt? Do you taste something that is fowl and undeniably disgusting? The manger is filled with tastes, much like Christmas is filled with tastes, we long to experience every year but more often than not we set those tastes aside for something in which we think is going to satisfy our hunger. The manger is filled with tastes that remind us that we have been “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) in the image of God: tastes that God knows we need in our life. In the manger, in addition to grace and salvation and redemption, we taste hope, peace, joy, and love.

The taste of Jesus is hope. The Apostle Paul tells us in his letter to the people of Rome, “May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13). Jesus flavors our life with his hope because he knows we are going to need him when life is not fair, when temptation creeps in, and when sin starts to find our ways. We hope so that our faith remains strong and our trust in Jesus doesn’t run dry.

The taste of Jesus is peace. Jesus tells his disciples in the Gospel of John, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you” (John 14:27). Matthew notes, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). Paul asserts, “Do not be anxious about anything…” (Philippians 4:6-7). And Isaiah assures us, “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace” (Isaiah 55:12). Jesus knows we are going to need peace in our life. Jesus knows life is going to be worrisome and bombarded with anxiety. Jesus knows that we need to flavor our life with peace, so don’t pass it up when he gives it to you.

The taste of Jesus is joy. The wisdom of King Solomon tells us, “A joyful heart is good medicine…” (Proverbs 17:22). James tells us to count all things as joy (James 1:2). And Paul encourages us to “Rejoice in the Lord always…” (Philippians 4:4). Christmas is the time of year to flavor your life with the joy of Christ. Why? Because Jesus is the joy of the season. Jesus offers us a taste of joy when the hustle and bustle overcome the joyous sound of those silver bells ringing on every street corner. Jesus offers us a taste of joy because joy is the medicine of the heart, the very place where Jesus lives today.

Lastly, Jesus is the taste of love. Scripture is filled with passages that talk about God’s love and the love that Jesus lived out while on earth: love that is patient and kind, and is not envious or boastful, and keeps no record of wrong but rejoices in the truth; a love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things and a love that never ends (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). But the one passage that really highlights the taste of love is found in 1 John 14:18-19, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us.” Jesus flavors our life with love because he loves us. We are called to maintain this love because it covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8).

Not only in the person of Jesus does God see with divine eyes and hear with holy ears, but God will for the first time know hunger and thirst. Jesus understood there is no greater connection with each other and the divine than when we gather around the table to remember Jesus. Every time you eat: every time you feed; and every time you prepare the table for family, friend, and enemy, be mindful that Jesus is there. Jesus never eats alone. Jesus, much like we should do, invites others to dine with him. God, through Jesus, is now able to taste and see the goodness of His creation. We don’t have to eat the honey flavored scroll like Ezekiel and John do. We simply have to be filled by the presence of Christ, to taste his goodness. The manger scene invites us to taste the presence of Christ in our life, to accept the invite to eat with him, and to extend the invite to others. The manger scene that changed the world invites us to taste the goodness of Christ.

Feel: What Do You Feel?

The manger is where we let Jesus know how we feel. After experiencing the taste of Jesus, you now, as other people are watching, kneel beside the feeding trough. You don’t care what others are thinking. You don’t care that Mary and Joseph are upset that you are keeping their child awake. You don’t care that you are kneeling in a filthy stable. You don’t care that you are touching an imperfect feeding trough with opportunities to get splinters. What you do care about is what you are feeling at that particular moment in time. During the Christmas season, people experience a multitude of emotions. Some people experience elated joy and happiness and are on top of the world. Some people feel overwhelmed, exhausted, anxious, worried, or even stressed. Some people feel as if there should be no joy this season as they notice an empty chair around the table: grief, sorrow, pain, and hurt are the emotions that they are feeling. Christmas is a season of real emotions. People “feel” differently during the Christmas season.

What are you feeling as you kneel in the manger scene? Several years ago, I took my nephew, who was probably four or five at the time, to see a Christmas parade and show him all the wonderfully decorated and themed Christmas trees. We looked at trees decorated with lots of lights, ornaments, and adorned with popcorn. We saw trees that were painted to look like candy canes. We even saw trees that were upside down. But the one tree that he stood in front of for a few minutes was a construction themed tree. On the branches hung construction cones, miniature road signs, barricades, flashing orange lights, and excavators, dozers, and dump trucks. As we stood there, I was thinking about all the other trees I wanted to show him, but the longer we stood there the more I realized that the future can wait. It was more important that I witness his eyes gazing all over the tree, the smile on his face growing with every tractor he saw, and his precious hands reaching out to touch every ornament and light before him. We all know what is to come during the Christmas season, but we also need to witness what is happening now before we find ourselves at the manger scene. We need to experience our emotions rather than ignore them.

What emotions are you bringing to the manger that you no longer want to ignore? Is your body aching and hurting? Is your mind stressed about things you still have to do? Is your soul cloaked in anxiety and worry? Does your heart feel broken? Are you tired and heavy laden with burdens and need rest? Maybe you are filled with joy and are at peace with everything? The manger is your opportunity to let Jesus know that you need him; to let yourself know that Jesus is in the world with you; and that you are ready to be changed by the power of the manger. As you find yourself kneeling in the manger, I encourage you to repeat these words, “Jesus, Jesus, can I tell you how I feel? You have given me your spirit; I love you so.” I learned those words eight words ago while attending Teens Encounter Christ, and they have stuck with me ever since.

At the manger, we encounter the sense of feeling. God, through His incarnation to become flesh through Jesus Christ, feels what we feel. He feels pain. He feels joy. He feels sorrow and discomfort. He feels excitement and adoration. He feels unheard and ignored. He feels heard and seen. God, through Jesus, is with us—Emmanuel—as we experience the feelings of Christmas. God is with us as we open each gift with a smile on our face. God is with us as we see an empty chair. God is with us as we gather around the table. God is with us as we shed tears of joy and sadness. And God is with us because He will never forsake us. At the manger, don’t be afraid to tell Jesus what you feel. For unto us, in the City of David, a child is born…the Messiah is born for you. The manger scene that changed the world can change your heart.

The Manger: A Sense-Able Experience that Changed the World

Every year, I think about my parents’ manger scene, the one that they got as a wedding gift. To them it is not just a gift: it is a reminder of their unity, the day when they looked into each other’s eyes and repeated those sacred vows, “to have and to hold from this day forward.” It is a promise that Jesus will not only be in their life, but he will be in their marriage. When I place their manger scene below the Christmas tree and turn on the single-small bulb, I am illuminating the love of Christ in my parents’ life and within the lives of those in their family. That wedding gift is a reminder that when God put on flesh the world changed and new beginnings were born.

When God put on flesh, God, through Jesus, sees His creation, He hears His people, He hungers for love, grace, and salvation, and He feels what we feel. The manger scene is something that changed the world. The manger scene is more than a decoration. It is the place where the outcast were seen, where the wealthy became humble, where the animals obeyed their creator, where two scared parents found hope, and where Jesus became one of us. The manger scene is where we find ourselves every year anticipating and expecting the arrival of a new born king. But this year, let us not be in a rush to leave the manger scene. Let us take time to think about what we see, what we hear, what we taste, and what we feel. The manger scene is a gift and Jesus wants us to accept this gift as the light of our life.

When God put on flesh, everything changed. When Jesus was born in a manger, he created a scene that changed the world. When you find yourself at the manger your life will change because you found Christ. “To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Amen.

Conclusion:

The time has come to accept the light of Christ and embrace peace. The announcement has been made, Mary gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, and the heavenly host has sang “Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace among those whom he favors” (Luke 2:14). The light of Christ—the light of peace and love—has entered our life through the manger so that we may have a life in Christ. “And the Word became flesh and lived among us…” (John 1:14).

The life which Jesus gives us starts now. And it starts by accepting that Jesus Christ is the true light, which enlightens everyone; that Jesus Christ is the true light that brings us out of darkness; that Jesus Christ is the true light that has come into this world, full of grace, full of love, and full of truth and hope, peace, and joy. Jesus Christ is the true light of peace found on a silent and holy night. Through the eyes of Mary and Joseph, we have seen peace. “Close your eyes. Soon enough you will save the day.” Amen.

Congregational Response: “Away in a Manger” (#552) – Piano & Guitar

*Sharing the Light of Christ:

As Adam Hamilton notes, “Jesus came to be the light for us that we, as his followers, might in turn be light for others.” May this light bring you hope, joy, love, and peace. May this light be all you need to embrace a silent and holy night. At this time, we will share the light of Christ with our neighbors by passing them the light of Christ. As you pass the light, say to your neighbor, “The Light of Christ shines for you.”

 

Before the candles are lit and the lights are turned off,

turn your hymnals to #530, “Silent Night”

*Closing Song: “Silent Night” (#530) – Piano & Guitar

*Benediction:

            In just a few minutes or hours, you will gather together with family and friends, laughing and smiling and enjoying the Spirit of Christmas. After the festivities have concluded, place yourself in the manger scene next to Mary and Joseph as they hold their new born child, our Lord and Savior, for the first time. As you stand there set aside the chaos and the noise and embrace the peace of a silent and holy night. May God bless you, May the Light of Christ shine within you, and May the peace of the Holy Spirit fill your heart. Amen.

Merry Christmas!

*Please Stand in Body or Spirit