A CELEBRATION IN LESSONS AND CAROLS

December 24th, 2011 ~ New City Church | Calgary

The Festival of Lessons and Carols was first held on Christmas Eve 1918, at Kings College, Cambridge. Our service is a adaptation of the traditional service.

Welcome We are glad you have joined us today for this special service at Christmas. Whether you are a Christian seeking to grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ, or a skeptic looking for answers, or someone who is struggling to make sense of life and are looking for a caring community, you are warmly welcome here. Were glad you came. Pastors John Ferguson & Mike Ivancic, & the Family of New City Church

Reflections & Preparation for Worship

O God, by Your power may we, together with all the saints, comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that we may be filled with Your fullness. Amen. ~ based on Ephesians 3:18-19 The central miracle asserted by Christians is the incarnation. They say that God became man. ~ CS Lewis, Oxford University If we could condense all the truths of Christmas into only three words, these would be the words: God with us. We tend to focus our attention at Christmas on the infancy of Christ. The greater truth of the holiday is His deity. More astonishing than a baby in the manger is the truth that this promised baby is the omnipotent Creator of the heavens and the earth! ~ John MacArthur, pastor The entire meaning of the incarnation is that God enters our human condition, embraces it, comes to where we are to save us. ~ Eugene Peterson, Leap Over a Wall Could it be true, this Bethlehem story of a Creator descending to be born on one small planet? If so, it is a story like no other. Little wonder a choir of angels broke out in spontaneous song, disturbing not only a few shepherds but the entire universe. ~ Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew In the Christian view, the ultimate evidence for the existence of God is Jesus Christ. If there is a God, we characters in his play have to hope that he put some information about himself in the play. But Christians believe he did more than give us information. He wrote himself into the play as the main character in history, when Jesus was born in a manger and rose from the dead. ~ Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

*CALL TO WORSHIP AND PRAISE Leader: Unison: Leader: Unison: Glory to God in the highest! And on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests! Behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people! For unto you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord! O come, let us adore Him, for He is Christ the Lord! * O Come, All Ye Faithful O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem Come and behold him born the King of angels O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation Sing, all ye citizens of heavn above Glory to God in the highest O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord Yea Lord we greet Thee, born this happy morning Jesus, to Thee be all glory givn Word of the Father, late in flesh appearing O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord *OPENING PRAYER FIRST LESSON: Genesis 3:1-15

When our great enemy entered the Garden of Eden and tempted our first parents to turn their back upon God, God announced His intentions to undo the work of the evil one and restore peaceshalom!to His creation. In the very place of sin, transgression and betrayal, the Father announces the coming of the Promised One, to be born of a woman, who will war against the great serpent and crush his head.
CONFESSION & REFLECTION Leader: John the Baptist came as a forerunner before Jesus announcing, Prepare the way of the Lord! Likewise, we are called to let every heart prepare Him room. Let us pray. Leader: While we ask, Lord, for the most meaningful Advent season ever, We confess that we do not know how to prepare well for Your coming. We have not centered our lives upon You as You deserve. We have not sought out Your will for our lives like we should.
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Instead, we have too often occupied ourselves with our own concerns, And we have not noticed the needs of the people around us as we ought. We have forgotten how to hope in miracles. We have ignored the promise of Your kingdom. We have been distracted by the busyness of the holiday season. Have mercy upon us, O God according to Your unfailing love... ~ Silent Confession & Reflection ~ Unison: Grant us a renewed sense of Your presence this Christmas, A confident assurance of Your unfailing love, And a renewed desire to live for the King of kings and Lord of lords Jesus Christ, Your Son and our Lord. Amen.

*The Words of the Gospel Leader: The good news of this Advent season is the forgiveness of sins and the promise of new life that is found in Christ Jesus! For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Thanks be to God!

Unison:

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled! Joyful, all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies With thangelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem! Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King Christ, by highest heavn adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord Late in time behold Him come, offspring of the Virgins womb Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail thincarnate Deity Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King Hail the heavn-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, risn 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

SECOND LESSON: Isaiah 7:14; 9:2, 6-7

The birth of the Lord Jesus Christ and the coming of His glorious kingdom are foretold over 700 years before His birth by the prophet Isaiah. Born of a virgin, the new-born King will be known as Immanuel or Emmanuel, which means, God is with us.
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O Come, O Come, Emmanuel O come, O come, Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lowly exile here, until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. O come, Thou rod of Jesse, free Thine own from Satans tyranny; From depths of hell Thy people save and give them victry oer the grave. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. O come Thou Dayspring from on high, and cheer our spirits by Thine advent here; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and deaths dark shadow put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. THIRD LESSON: Micah 5:2-5a

Isaiahs contemporary, the prophet Micah, also foretells about the Lord Jesus Christ, the coming King who will arise from a little town called Bethlehem. He who is the Prince of Peace is to become our Peace and the worlds true Peace.
O Little Town of Bethlehem O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight For Christ is born of Mary and gathered all above While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondring love O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth 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! FOURTH LESSON: Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-7

The angel, Gabriel, comes to the virgin, Mary, announcing that she is favored by God to bear the Chosen One who will be called Jesus. In this gospel lesson, St. Luke tells of his amazing birth that would change the world.
* Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus Come Thou long-expected Jesus Born to set Thy people free From our fears and sins release us
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Let us find our rest in Thee Israels strength and consolation Hope of all the earth Thou art Dear Desire of every nation Joy of every longing heart Joy to those who long to see Thee Dayspring from on high appear Come, Thou promised Rod of Jesse Of Thy birth we long to hear Oer the hills the angels singing News, glad tidings of a birth Go to Him, your praises bringing Christ the Lord has come to earth. Come to earth to taste our sadness He whose glories knew no end By His life He brings us gladness Our Redeemer, Shepherd, Friend Leaving riches without number Born within a cattle stall This the everlasting wonder Christ was born the Lord of all Born Thy people to deliver Born a Child and yet a King Born to reign in us forever Now Thy gracious kingdom bring By Thine own eternal Spirit Rule in all our hearts alone By Thine all-sufficient merit Raise us to Thy glorious throne A Christmas Meditation Good News of Great Joy: Peace Like No Other John 14:27; Philippians 4:6-7; Colossians 3:15 (notes) Mike Ivancic, Pastor

Silent Night! Holy Night! Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright Round yon virgin mother and child Holy infant, so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace Silent night! Holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight Glories stream from heaven afar Heavnly hosts sing alleluia Christ, the Saviour, is born Christ, the Saviour is born Silent night! Holy night! Son of God, loves pure light Radiant beams from Thy holy face With the dawn of redeeming grace Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth FIFTH LESSON: Luke 2:8-20

An angel announces the birth of the Savior to a group of shepherds in the field who were suddenly surrounded by a multitude of angels singing, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased! The shepherds then go and make haste to find the Savior-child.
* Angels We Have Heard on High Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing ore the plains And the mountains in reply echo back their joyous strains Glo-----ria in excelsis Deo, glo-------ria in excelsis Deo Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? Say what may the tidings be, which inspire your heavnly song? Glo-----ria in excelsis Deo, glo-------ria in excelsis Deo Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing Come adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn King Glo-----ria in excelsis Deo, glo-------ria in excelsis Deo SIXTH LESSON: Matthew 2:1-11

In the days of Herod the king, wise men from the east came in search for the worlds true King to worship and to give Him great gifts. A star led these wise men to the child-King named Jesus. Even today, wise men and women, boys and girls still seek out the King of Kings to offer their
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worship, their lives, and their treasures to His service.

What Child Is This? What Child is this who laid to rest On Marys 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 Christian fear, for sinners here The silent Word is pleading So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh Come peasant king to own Him The King of kings, salvation brings Let loving hearts enthrone Him This, this is Christ the King Whom shepherds guard and angels sing Haste, haste to bring him laud The babe, the son of Mary SEVENTH LESSON: JOHN 1:1-14

The Lord Jesus Christ is the worlds true King, the worlds true Life, and the worlds true Light. All who follow Him will never walk in darkness but will have the light of eternal life.
The Lighting of the Christmas Candles The symbolic lighting of the Christmas candles communicates the truth that the message of Christmas is meant to impact and transform each of our lives, and it is also meant to be spread through our lives to impact and transform the lives of others around us. * Joy to the World Joy to the world! The Lord is come: let earth receive her King Let every heart prepare Him room And heavn and nature sing, and heavn and nature sing And heavn and heavn and nature sing Joy to the earth! The Savior reigns: Let men their songs employ While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
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Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy Repeat, repeat the sounding joy No more let sin and sorrow grow, nor thorns infest the ground He comes to 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, and makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness And wonders of His love, and wonders of His love And wonders, wonders of His love

RESPONSIVE BENEDICTION Leader: Unison: Leader: Unison: May God, who sent His angels to proclaim the good news of the Saviors birth, fill you with joy and make you heralds of His Gospel. Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus! Go now into the world, carrying Christmas into your everyday life, and may God grant you His peace! Amen.

+ A very special thanks to the music ensemble for their preparation and participation in this
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years Christmas Eve service, and to Mark Bottomley for organizing the ensemble. Thanks to all of you for your service to us.