The TRUE meaning of Christmas
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What follows is a worship service which, I pray, you can participate in at a time(s) that are convenient to you. This 'service' will take about forty five (45) minutes.
I pray that you will feel called to ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE in this service.
The text that is in reguar typeface (that is what you are reading at the moment) is to be read quietly, while the text that is in bold face (like you are reading right now) is meant to be read aloud.
Opening Carol:
Let us continue by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we begin our celebration with one of the most beautiful of Carols.
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The Pewsheet:
Call to Worship:
We meet in the name of God,
Creator of the universe,
source of true humanity,
mother and father of all. Amen.
We meet in the name of Jesus,
Word made flesh,
saviour of fallen humanity, lover of all. Amen.
We meet in the name of the Holy Spirit,
Lord and giver of life,
midwife of new humanity,
inspirer of all. Amen.
An Assurance of Forgiveness
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The Sentence for Christmas Day
The Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us, full of grace and truth: we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.
The Special Prayer for Christmas Day (The Collect)
Let us pray together.
Eternal God, holy and glorious, shining through the darkness; lighten the darkness of our world, of our minds, and of our lives, awaken us to your grace and truth. Through Jesus Christ our Liberator, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
A reading from The Old Testament
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A reading from The New Testament
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Pause for a moment of silent reflection.
The Gradual Carol
Let us continue by watching, and please do feel free to join in with another wonderful carol.
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The Gospel Reading, John 1:1-14 (The Word Became Flesh)
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Listen to the sermon:
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or, if you prefer, you can read to the sermon, below:
CHRISTMAS DAY : 25th DECEMBER 2022
May the words of my mouth and the meditations in our heart be acceptable in Your sight O Lord, our strength and redeemer. <Amen>
A holy and blessed Christmas to you all.
Last night, Christmas Eve, I spoke about the “rebelliousness” of Christmas. On this great and glorious day where we re-live and celebrate our Saviour’s birth, I feel called to speak in the same “non-traditional” way.
As I reflect upon one of the great theological masterpieces in Christian tradition and also one of the great literary gems of the whole Western tradition - the prologue to the Gospel of John - I point towards the “scandal” that this may have caused. <PAUSE>
In some ways the Johannine prologue sums up the whole of Christianity and certainly what this day and season are about.
John begins “in the beginning was the word”. No first century Jew is going to miss that because that’s how The Torah, indeed, the whole Bible commences … “in the beginning when God made the heavens and the earth”. John is saying the story I’m going to tell you is a story of new creation. It's God as it were completing creation adding something fresh and new. Giving us His Son, the Christ-child.
The beautiful language of John then draws humanity, in a very special way, into a union with God through Jesus Christ - “God, the word” comes among us. So, believe in Christ, have faith, and become children of God.
This, of course, is the great climax, verse 14, “and the word became flesh and made his dwelling among us”.
This is the hinge, isn't it, of all of Christianity. This claim that the word, God, became flesh. God among his people, the true temple now is Christ the Word made flesh.
So, we now have a new and definitive place to go to meet God. Heaven and earth come together in Christ. <PAUSE> Now … hand on a moment …
“The Word became flesh” … that was a HUGE shock in John's world. It was a shock in the second and third centuries as people were studying John's gospel because there were many people in the ancient world for whom the idea of “flesh” was something nasty. It was corrupt, this stuff of which we're composed, leads us astray into sin, gets sick and it's going to die! Many would have said, “thank goodness we can get rid of this flesh when we die and we'll go somewhere else instead”.
The idea that the word of God, the word that WAS God, became flesh … well, As I mentioned at the beginning, on Christmas Eve I preached about the “rebelliousness” of Christmas and today, Christmas Day, I find myself speaking of the “scandal” that is Christmas. You see, John’s words were truly extraordinary, when he wrote them. God becomes the same horrid stuff, this “flesh” that we are made of … SCANDALOUS … in the extreme! <PAUSE>Yet, this extraordinary and glorious truth is deeply rooted in Israel's scriptures.
It’s deeply rooted in the “in the beginning”. It IS the creation story which is fulfilled in the birth of Jesus we celebrate today. <PAUSE>
Then the salvation of this new creation emerges as ‘The Saviour of The World” dies to defeat the power of death in his own resurrection body.
If all that were not enough, now consider this, throughout the old testament, God’s people are looking ahead. It’s a matter of hope and John says the hope has now arrived .. and that hope for the future is called Jesus - full of grace and full of truth.
The Christmas story that you all know so well, the stable, the manger, the shepherds, the Magi, swaddling clothes! What we see in John's gospel is the humility of the word made flesh, we go on to see the one who weeps at the tomb of his friend (see chapter 11), the one who squats down and washes the dirty, smelly, muddy feet of his followers (see chapter 13) … this is what it looks like when the word becomes flesh … and yes, all the way to the time when He hangs on the cross and finally says it is accomplished.
So today, just for a moment let us put aside commercialism, presents, huge meals, movies on Netflix and celebrate the greatest gift that humankind has ever been given. Let’s celebrate and remember that we are here for the new genesis, we are here to remember that the word, through whom all was made, became flesh and tabernacled, pitched His tent, in our midst.
We can gaze because the Christ-child happens right now, here today and every time you read this story <lift Bible> and realise that you are gazing on the glory of god. <PAUSE>
So may God give you grace and faith and joy in His service that in gazing upon His glory you may know Him in spirit - full of grace and full of truth.
In the name of God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. AMEN.
Pause and Reflect
Just take a moment now to pause. Bow your head, close your eyes.
Allow these words of Holy Scripture and this interpretation of them today speak to you.
An Affirmation of Our Faith
Let us affirm our faith by listening as "The Apostles Creed" is read to us.
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... and now ... let us pray for the Church and for the World, giving thanks for God's goodness.
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The Lord's Prayer
Remembering that we are confident to pray this day, and every day, because Jesus Christ has taught us:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
Let us conclude our prayers by praying together and aloud:
God of mercy,
you have given us grace to pray with one heart and one voice,
and have promised to hear the prayers
of two or three who agree in your name,
fulfil now, we pray,
the prayers and longings of your people
as may be best for us and for your kingdom.
Grant us in this world to know your truth,
and in the world to come to see your glory. Amen.
The Blessing
The blessing of Almighty God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with you and all of those whom you love,
on this day and forever more.
A Closing Carol
Let us continue with our closing Carol and please do feel free to sing along.
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Dismissal
Go now to love and serve The Lord,
Go in peace.
Amen, we go in the name of Christ.
