The text for Christmas Eve is Micah 5:1-5 and related prophecies of Jesus’ place, especially Bethlehem and Galilee (Isaiah 9:1-2). The worship theme is “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” and the visual theme is “Winter Night.” (Note: Scroll down for the Christmas Day worship plan)
Here is the link to the YouTube playlist: 161224 Christmas Eve and Christmas Heart Prep
Worship:
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
O Little Town of Bethlehem – Hymn #141
Micah 5:1-5 Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. 2But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. 3Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. 4And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. 5And he shall be their peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land and treads in our palaces, then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princes of men;
Exposition Micah 5:1-5
Luke 2:1-7 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Children’s Corner Luke 2;1-7
Special Music:
Light of the World – Lauren Daigle
Worship:
Born Where the Shadows Lie – Getty
What Child is This? – Hymn #137
Matthew 2:13-23 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” 16Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 18“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” 19But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” 21And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
Isaiah 9:1-2 But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
Exposition: Matthew 2:13-23, Hosea 11:1, Isaiah 9:1-2
Candle Lighting
Worship:
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear – Hymn #128
Worship for Christmas Day
The text for Christmas Day is John 1:1-14, supported by Genesis 1:1, Exodus 40:34-35. We’ll be celebrating the incarnation of the one who came to make his dwelling among us. The Worship will focus on the incarnation, and the visual theme will be winter mornings.
Here is the link to the YouTube playlist: 161224 Christmas Eve and Christmas Heart Prep
Prelude:
Here with Us – Joy Williams
Worship Set:
Joy to the World – Hymn #125
Also, the Pentatonix verson: Joy to the World
John 1:1-14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Angels We Have Heard on High – Hymn #132
Good Christian Men Rejoice – Hymn #151
Offertory:
Noel – Daigle
Benedictions:
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing – Hymn #133
Additional Favorites
Assuming you might want to use the playlist as background for your Christmas activities, I’ve added a few more of my personal favorites:
Winter Snow by Audrey Assad
Fernando Ortega’s version of O Little Town of Bethlehem
Labor of Love by Andrew Peterson
David Jackson’s Angels Strain to See
Come Children of this Long Discarded Night by Ron Block, Jeff Taylor and Rebecca Reynolds
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, the Casting Crowns version
