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December 25, 1999
Pastor: Wayne C. Eichstadt
Pre-Service Meditation: Psalm 96
Pre-Service Prayer:
Jesus, Come from on high to me; I cannot rise to Thee.
Cheer my wearied spirit, O pure and holy Child;
Through Your grace and merit, blest Jesus, Lord most mild
Draw me unto Thee! Oh, Draw me unto Thee! Amen.
A Christmas Song Service
Call to Worship: Church Choir – Adeste Fidelis
Congregation Hymn: Welcome Happy Morning! [tune = TLH #202]
Welcome happy morning age to age shall say
"Christ is born of Mary all our debt to pay."
Heav’nly riches leaving, God’s own Son came down
Born our sin to carry and give us His crown.
Welcome happy morning age to age shall say,
"Christ laid in a manger, PEACE is born today!"
In a world of darkness, hopelessness, and grief,
In a world of sinners, where is there relief?
Turn your eyes to Beth’lem see salvation’s morn
In the Light of Jesus all our fears are gone.
Welcome happy morning age to age shall say,
Christ laid in a manger, HOPE is born today!"
Not a passing gladness but eternal joy
Is God’s Christmas present through this little Boy.
For God’s gracious blessing let thanksgiving ring!
And this Christmas morning lift your hearts to sing:
Welcome happy morning age to age shall say,
"Christ laid in a manger, JOY is born today!"
Pastor: Welcome to the Birth Day celebration of our Savior from sin—Jesus Christ, God’s Son! We worship this morning in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…
Congregation: "Amen"
Pastor: O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments
Cong: We have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.
P: We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God
C: To walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets.
P: And now, O Lord our God…we have sinned,
C: We have done wickedly!
P: "O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive!
C: O Lord, listen and act!
Pastor: REJOICE THIS IS CHRISTMAS MORNING! God has sent His only begotten Son to be Your substitute for sin! The Son of God, has become man, conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary. The Father has sent His Son to suffer under Pontius Pilate, be crucified, dead, and buried to pay the debt of your sin; and to rise again on the third day to give you life! Rejoice! Rejoice! Believers for God has put away Your sin, you will not surely die for Christ is born to give you LIFE!
Pastor: Lord, You have been favorable to Your land;
C: You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.
P: You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people;
C: You have covered all their sin.
P: You have taken away all Your wrath;
C: You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.
P: Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
C: For His mercy endures forever.
P: Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!
C: For His mercy endures forever.
P: Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!
C: For His mercy endures forever:
P: Who remembered us in our lowly state,
C: For His mercy endures forever;
P: And rescued us from our enemies,
C: For His mercy endures forever;
P: Who gives food to all flesh,
C: For His mercy endures forever.
P: Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven!
C: For His mercy endures forever.
Congregation Hymn: God Rest You Merry
God rest you merry gentlemen let nothing you dismay,
For Jesus Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan’s pow’r when we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.
Now to the Lord sing praises all you within this place,
In Christian faith and charity each other now embrace,
This holy tide of Christmas reveals to us God’s grace.
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.
(Scripture Readings ~ The Christmas Gospel)
I. From Eternity ~ John 1:1-14
Hymn: #98 (1,4,5) ~ Of the Father’s Love Begotten
II. Conceived by the Holy Spirit ~ Matthew 1:18-25
Hymn: #76 (1,2,4) ~ A Great and Mighty Wonder
III. Born of the Virgin Mary ~ Luke 2:1-7
Hymn: What Child is This?
What child is this who laid to rest,
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing.
Haste, haste to bring Him laud the Babe, the Son of Mary!
Why lies He in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians fear; for sinners here
The Silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear, shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for Me, for you
Hail, hail, the Word made flesh, the Babe, the Son of Mary!
IV. Announced by God ~ Luke 2:8-16, p.886 pb
Hymn: #91 (1-4) ~ Let the Earth Now Praise the Lord
(Christmas Meditations)
I love to tell the story—the one you have just heard
The one recorded by John, Matthew, and Luke by inspiration of the Lord.
I am one of the shepherds who saw the angel out in the field that night.
And let me tell you something—it was quite a sight!
You know how stories sometimes change and years later you can’t quite agree,
On just exactly how things happened when so-and-so was here with you and me?
Well, that could never happen with this story between my shepherd friends and I
Because we all remember just so clearly the messenger from God on High!
As you know we were at first completely filled with fear
But then the angel told us to stop being afraid because our Savior was here!
Even now the words still echo in my heart, soul, and mind
An angel from God said: "To ME was born a Savior…and Him I would find!
Oh dear Christians, let me tell you the story of just what it means to see
That God is so gracious and after so many years—so faithful—to send a Savior to set us free.
Oh dear Christians, let me tell you the story of the joy that filled my heart and will never cease,
When I heard the heavenly host say the one…simple…little word: PEACE!
Now I am just a shepherd—my life much different from the ones you lead
But when all is said and done, we’re the same: weak, heavily burdened sinners who need to be freed.
THAT’s why I love to tell the story. Why! I tell it even to myself!
Because in that little child is my and everyone else’s eternal escape from hell!
Life was not always easy keeping watch over flocks by night
And whether by night or day, at work or play, my battle ‘gainst sin is a constant fight.
Oh, the worries! The wrong words I’ve said! The sinful things I do!
The thoughts I’m glad no one hears, but (you know) God does, and that makes me sad. How ‘bout you?
But JOY to know that my worries really have no foundation
Because the God who created heaven and earth has now sent His Son for my Salvation!
PEACE to know that every harmful word, every evil thought, every sinful thing that I have done
In the blood of Jesus is washed away – every SINGLE ONE!
Though centuries stand between us I think you’re just like me
I think that when you come to Bethlehem in spirit you too come to see
A wondrous gift from Heaven, God’s Son come down to earth
And in that lowly manger find a treasure beyond all other worth.
I was an eyewitness of Jesus’ birth and God’s angelic declaration,
I’m giving you my eyewitness story to fill your hearts with elation.
Such a wondrous story, I love to tell it again and again
So YOU, having heard, Come! "Praise God the Lord, ye sons of Men!"
Hymn: #105 (1,6-8) ~ Praise God the Lord, Ye Sons of Men
I love to tell the story—I have a perspective like none other
For when I tell the story it is of my firstborn son—I am Mary, Jesus’ mother.
The story I tell begins before Beth’lem, the shepherds, and manger
Back to when Gabriel entered my room, at that time a total stranger!
Gabriel greeted me: "Rejoice Highly favored one." A greeting strange indeed!
The angel’s words grew still more wondrous as he explained to me
That I would conceive and bring forth a son. Now, THIS perplexed me sore
Because I had not yet known a man. So, the angel told me more.
The son whom I would bear would be from God. The Holy Spirit would conceive;
If this message had come from anyone but God I know I could not have believed;
But I trusted the news God was bringing as hard as it was, and I marveled at God’s grace
That He would send through ME His Son to be the Savior of the sinful human race!
Is there love greater than that of a mother? God’s is and this I know
Still, as I wrapped and laid down my new born son I began to feel just how strong my love for Him would grow.
Oh, the joy of motherhood to see my young son grow and play!
How happy I was, how blessed I felt to watch him day by day.
When Jesus, Joseph, and I met Simeon in the temple, this he did say:
That my mother’s heart of love would be pierced with deepest sorrow one day.
As I stood at the foot of the cross, I watched my Jesus bow His head in death
And then I knew just how true were the words Simeon had said.
"I watched MY Jesus die" – mine because He is my son,
But even more than that, MINE and YOURS because for us salvation was won!
In Jesus’ birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection there is so much to ponder
I didn’t understand it all right then, but now I do and it fills my soul with greatest wonder.
As I and others tell the story, listen! and hear! all there is to know
Tuck the story into your heart and ponder it and your love for it will grow
Because the story is the GOSPEL; and the Holy Spirit who did my son conceive,
Will work in your hearts as He did in mine and you will grow in love & understanding, and believe!
Jesus was born to me to be my son for thirty-three years upon this earth,
Jesus was born to be all people’s Savior, forever, and to give us all new birth.
So ponder the GOSPEL, let it be your uplifting when you walk through life sinful and weary
Bring it all back to your mind and heart and then exclaim: "God Loves Me Dearly!"
Hymn: God Loves Me Dearly
God loves me dearly grants me salvation,
God loves me dearly loves even me.
Refrain:
Therefore I’ll say again: God loves me dearly,
God loves me dearly, loves even me.
He sent forth Jesus, My dear Redeemer
He sent forth Jesus, and set me free.
Refrain
Now will I praise You, O Love Eternal
Now will I praise You all my life long.
Refrain
I love to tell the story—though for me it took longer to complete
Because to see Jesus, I and my fellow wisemen had to come a great distance from the East.
You need not trouble your hearts and minds with every little thing
Like from what exact country did we come, how we saw the star and knew the message God intended it to bring.
No, don’t trouble yourselves trying to decide just exactly how it all came to be
Just believe that it was God’s guiding hand—that’s enough for me!
I rejoice in the story the shepherd has already told you, and Mary as well
Their message is the background for the chapter of the story I wish to tell.
I want and love to tell the story of God’s guidance and direction
The love, power, and strength He uses for each of us, to lead and give protection.
God made the star, brought us safely to Jerusalem, then gave the star once more
Which, when it had reappeared, led us straight to Jesus’ door!
When we had worshipped and given gifts to Jesus in His home it was time to return to ours
We knew nothing of what was happening, but God knew the dangers being planned by human powers.
So God warned us in a dream to return home a different way from that which we had come.
By so doing God protected His Son, our Savior, and gave US a safe journey home.
With Joy we had followed the star because we trusted God was showing the way
And THAT is the message of the story I wish to bring to you today.
Just as God directed Caesar’s decree, our journey, and all the rest,
So too, He will without a doubt lead and direct your life in whatever way is best.
Now, before you ever wish for a star or some other dramatic sign to guide,
I want you to stop and think of what was leading me and the friends by my side.
Yes, we saw the star, but that star did not tell us about the "King of the Jews" whom we sought
And when we left Jerusalem for Beth’lem it was on the basis of God’s Old Testament Word that the temple scribes had brought.
When the star re-appeared it was only a sign like swaddling clothes and manger for the shepherds that first Christmas night
So it was really God’s Word that had been guiding us all along—yes that is right!
The Same Word of God which you have was really our guiding "star"
To realize you have the same Word guiding you will show you just how blessed you are!
As you travel life’s long journey, across challenges, and broken dreams,
Remember that if things don’t always go your direction they aren’t really as hopeless as they seem
For when you want to go one way and end up going quite the other,
It might hurt a bit, but you will dry your tears to know that you are being led by your heavenly Father.
Your life and all its decisions and actions is your journey through this valley of tears,
Go forward and by God’s grace live your life for Christ with confidence, and set aside your fears.
Go forward! Say to God, "Lead on!!" Walk sure and bold
Trusting that God WILL guide you, and then go with joy just As with Gladness did we, Men of Old.
Hymn: #127 ~ As With Gladness Men of Old
"I love to tell the story" upon this theme let us dwell
As we are gathered here to celebrate our Lord—Immanuel.
What a story! And best of all it is completely true
Not just a fairy tale or entertainment or a mystery to leave us wondering "what to do?"
It is a story you know well because you have heard it before.
It’s a story we pray will not leave us when we walk out the front door.
MY trouble is…and perhaps it’s a challenge also for you
It is that I know the story so well I assume that others to too!
But there are many who don’t know the story or if they do know the words they don’t believe.
If angels rejoice over each sinner who repents then surely they must grieve
To see so many in the world for whom Christmas is just another night
Because they place their trust in false hope, or may not even see their sinful plight.
To a world lost in sin Jesus has called us to speak salvation’s story
To tell of the Father’s love for all sinners; His Son who died, rose again and now reigns in eternal glory.
And as long as we stay sinners, the Gospel story is one we also need to hear
And so we celebrate with joy God’s Christmas gift and relive it year by year.
God’s Word is timeless. The century in which we live is truly of little concern,
Whether a sinner of 4000 B.C. or 2000 A.D. the one true God is a refuge to whom we can turn!
To Father, Son, and Holy Spirit let us lift our hearts in praise and give Him thanks and GLORY,
For such a great gift of grace that we cannot help but LOVE TO TELL THE STORY!
In Christ Jesus,
Merry Christmas!
Amen!
Hymn: I Love to Tell the Story
I love to tell the story of Christ born from above,
Of Jesus and His glory, Of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story because I know its true;
It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.
Refrain:
I love to tell the story; ‘Twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love!
I love to tell the story, for those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting to hear like the rest.
And when in scenes of glory I sing the new, new song,
‘Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.
Refrain
Offering Prayer:
Ah, Lord, who hast created all, how weak art Thou and poor and small,
That Thou dost choose Thine infant bed where humble cattle lately fed!
Were earth a thousand times as fair, beset with gold and jewels rare,
It yet were far too poor to be a narrow, cradle Lord for Thee.
Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a tribute far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. Amen.
Christmas Offering
CHRISTMAS PRAYER
Lord Jesus, newborn Savior, we follow in the steps of those who knelt in humble adoration at Your manger so many years ago. As we come to see Your manger keep Your cross also before our eyes so that we never lose sight of the true purpose for Your coming. Let us take away with us the assurance that You were born to die for our sins and that through the blessed work which You accomplished we have peace, joy, and the certain hope of everlasting life!
Like the shepherds we thrill to hear the message which the angel brings. Encourage, equip, empower us to fulfill in faithfulness the things which You have given us to do. Make our daily walk a road toward eternal glory and a mission of proclaiming peace through You.
As you did with Mary, make Your home in the lives and hearts of sinners. May all who see and worship You do so in spirit and in truth. Cause those who observe our worship to marvel at what we say and do, and then be turned to the Scriptures to also ponder these things with love for You deep within their hearts.
Grant safe journeys and return home for all who are traveling. Be with each of us as we celebrate Your birth, and grant us all a truly Merry Christmas, for Your name’s sake. Amen.
We join to pray…
Lord’s Prayer
Benediction
Closing Hymn: #87 ~ Joy to the World!
…And to all who visit us through our Web Site, your friends at Immanuel wish you
A MERRY CHRISTMAS
&
A BLESSED NEW YEAR IN CHRIST!
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Immanuel Lutheran Church 421 North Second Street Mankato, Minnesota 56001 |
Church Office: (507) 345-3027 Pastor Nolting: (507) 387-7035 Pastor Eichstadt: (507) 344-0898 |