No Keeping Out

L: Welcome to this most magical night when angels and shepherds mingle and the birth of a baby changes the world. P: We come to celebrate with joy and wonder. Celebrate the light that shines all around us. P: We will sing and praise our most wondrous God. Let us kneel before the Christ child, who makes God’s promises come true.

LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE BARRERA FAMILY

Reader 1: We light the first Advent Candle: the candle of watching and waiting for we have searched and waited for our Savior to come to us. Reader 2: We light the second Advent Candle: the candle of preparation as we have prepared our hearts to receive the Savior. Reader 3: We light the third Advent Candle: the candle of beholding and believing because we have seen the mighty power and love of God in our lives. Reader 4: We light the fourth Advent Candle: the candle of rejoicing because we have been blessed with the good news of God’s love for all God’s people! Liturgist: Now the time is near! The One who will save us, brings God’s light into our world. We light this Christ Candle in celebration of God’s most precious gift to us - our Savior Jesus Christ. AMEN.

*MUSIC

THE HOLY SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

INTRODUCTION OF THE SERVICE AND PRESENTATION OF CANDIDATE

Emmalyn Cricket McCall

RENUNCIATION OF SIN AND PROFESSION OF FAITH

The pastor addresses parents or other sponsors:

On behalf of the whole Church, I ask you:

Do you reject all that is evil, repent of your sin, and accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves?

I do.

Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior, put your whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as your Lord, in union with the Church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations, and races?

I do.

Will you nurture these Cricket in Christ’s holy Church, that by your teaching and example she may be guided to accept God’s grace for herself, to profess her faith openly, and to lead a Christian life?

I will.

The pastor addresses the congregation, and the congregation responds:

Do you, as Christ’s body, the Church, reaffirm both your rejection of sin and your commitment to Christ?

We do.

Will you nurture one another in the Christian faith and life, include Cricket now before you in your care, and surround her with a community of love and forgiveness?

We will.

THANKSGIVING OVER THE WATER

Eternal Father, your mighty acts of salvation have been made known through water—from the moving of your Spirit upon the waters of creation, to the deliverance of your people through the flood and through the Red Sea. In the fullness of time you sent Jesus, nurtured in the water of a womb, baptized by John, and anointed by your Spirit. He called his disciples to share in the baptism of his death and resurrection and to make disciples of all nations.

Pour out your Holy Spirit, to bless this gift of water and those who receive it, to wash away their sin and clothe them in righteousness throughout their lives that, dying and being raised with Christ, they may share in his final victory; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

BAPTISM WITH LAYING ON OF HANDS

Cricket, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Immediately after the administration of the water, the pastor places hands on the candidate’s head and invokes the work of the Holy Spirit. Other persons, including baptized members of the candidate’s family, may join the pastor in this action. During the laying on of hands, the pastor says:

The Holy Spirit work within you, that being born through water and the Spirit, you may be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. Amen.

COMMENDATION AND WELCOME

The pastor addresses the congregation:

Members of the household of God, I commend Cricket to your love and care. Do all in your power to increase her faith, confirm her hope, and perfect her in love

The congregation responds:

We give thanks for all that God has already given you and we welcome you in Christian love.

As members together with you in the body of Christ and in this congregation of The United Methodist Church, we renew our covenant faithfully to participate in the ministries of the Church by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness, that in everything

God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.

The pastor addresses those baptized and their parents and sponsors:

The God of all grace, who has called us to eternal glory in Christ, establish you and strengthen you by the power of the Holy Spirit, that you may live in grace and peace.

PASTORAL PRAYER Liturgist

LORD’S PRAYER Liturgist

LOVE OFFERING FOR AGAPE MINISTRY

Scripture

Luke 2:1–20 AV

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION

Introduction

Well, the moment we have all been waiting for has arrived. Jesus is born and tonight you heard the story from Luke. I am sure you recall that Mark and John do not have birth stories, we only find the birth stories in Matthew and Luke.

There are similarities and differences between the two accounts. We tend to blend the two stories together . However, when we do that it makes it all about the story and not about what God is doing. Like our manger scenes at home it is all about the story not understanding of God and how God operates in God’s creation.

So tonight at least for the next few minutes lets put Matthew up here and not homogenize Luke with Matthew. Let’s examine what Luke says about this in Luke’s context.

Background

For the past 4 Sunday's we have been talking about how this whole incarnation thing, that is God coming into the world in Jesus of Nazareth, or Jesus son of Joseph, being scandalous and messy.

Elizabeth conceiving at a very old age and giving birth to John the Baptist. We talked about Elizabeth’s disgrace in being barren for so long.

Mary a young betrothed girl between 12 and 14 years old becomes pregnant and unwed!

Mary and Elizabeth meet and Mary sings or prays, in the face of what would have been ridicule, a song of thankfulness, God overcoming the powerful and arrogant and raising up the poor and lowly.

Finally, last week Chris talked about the birth of John the Baptist where his father Zechariah sings of God making good on his promises and that his son John will be the prophet to prepare the way. John would later be beheaded in a scandal.

So tonight here we are: God’s plan for the salvation of creation comes to the point where God empties God’s self to come into the world. We’ll get back to that idea in a moment.

Exegesis

We make Christmas seem so sweet and innocent with the way we have merged legend with facts and blended the birth stories in Matthew and Luke. There was no donkey that Mary rode on, they wouldn’t have been able to afford one. The word for Inn literally means guest room. More than likely they were staying with relatives who claimed their guest room was full. Maybe it was that they didn’t want an unwed pregnant woman spending the night with them. So they let Mary and Joseph stay with the animals. Tradition says it was a cave. The Church of the nativity is built over a cave. Mangers were hewn out of stone not fashioned out of wood. There is a lot more stone than trees in Israel.

Luke does have this beautiful story about the heavens opening up to the shepherds. Ever wonder why the shepherds were there instead of going to their hometowns to be counted along with their livestock? Its because shepherds weren’t considered worth counting. Shepherds were considered the lowest of the low. They were seen as shifty, dishonest, and grazing their flocks on land they did not own! In fact the rabbis had a prayer asking God not to allow their sons to grow up to be shepherds. Yet, this is who God sends as the first witnesses to Jesus birth! A timely fulfillment to Mary’s Magnificat Prayer. The lowly shepherds become the first to behold the face of God incarnate. The lesson for us is that God keeps no one out. God excludes no one.

Can you imagine four or five days prior when they start this journey. Mary about to deliver walks the 90 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem. “Favored one” she was called by Gabriel. “Blessed among women” Elizabeth called her. Here she is full term, walking to Bethlehem because of the Emperor’s decree.

Here is more scandal and messiness! God was born on the road! God came incarnate in this tiny baby born into the world in less than ideal conditions. Do you realize what a scandal it is for the Creator of the universe to come incarnate in the world in this manner? This is no silent night. No this is sore afraid! God comes into human history completely helpless and was laid on the cold stone of a manger. God decides to come into the world “under the radar” so to speak. Born in a small town, in a small province, far from the seat of earthly power to a poor couple from an even smaller town and less respected province and not even married yet! This is not the scene of our nativity sets is it!?”

When pregnancies occur, the world changes. When babies are born the world changes even more. I sat by my first child’s bassinet for several hours after we brought her home watching her sleep. Pondering. What will she become? Do I really know how to be a parent? Is everything OK with her? Birth is an amazing and wonderful thing. I pondered on the meaning of it. The visit of Gabriel and Gabriel’s unusual greeting and message. What Mary was told of the child she was going to carry, the miraculous conception, the emperor’s decree, the birth in a cave surrounded by animals, and now this story from the shepherds. Mary pondered, what does it all mean? Mary is seeking to understand the deeper meaning of all these events. She wants to understand what God is trying to reveal in all these strange things.

Application

Let me go back to what I said about God emptying God’s self. I want to send you home tonight to ponder on the miraculous, wild, messy, scandalous, holy mystery of the incarnation as a gift of grace from God. Listen to what Paul writes from Philippians:

Philippians 2:5–8 NRSV

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.

What Paul writes here sums up the scandalous nature of this birth. God comes incarnate in the son of Mary and Joseph; two ordinary folks from a small un important village called Nazareth. God is born in the usual way. The same way you and I came into the world. The conception might be miraculous, yet God is born in the usual way. Here, kings do not come to visit but lowly shepherds, lowly despised shepherds. God is born among the animals in the stall among the hay and the dung and the smells. Now the creation is to raise and nurture the creator. What kind of God is this? Eugene Peterson writes: “When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!” Phil 4:7

Conclusion

And Mary looked down at the child and in her eyes were the love of a mother rejoicing in the everyday miracle of delivering a child and she was rejoicing in her heart pondering the mysteries of this night. Mysteries of child birth, mysteries of the birth of this Holy child. I think what Mary does here is what we need to do tonight when we leave. After we have sung the last verse of Silent Night and blow out our candles, I invite you to ponder the mysteries of this night. We all need to ponder the mysteries of this not so silent night. It’s the mysteries of this night that make us, like the shepherds, sore afraid.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION Liturgist

It’s Christmas Eve again, God. We’re barely ready for it. So much to do to get ready— gifts to buy and wrap, parties to attend, trees to trim, houses to decorate. We’re in a whirlwind of activity. In the midst of the busyness we sometimes miss what it is all about— you coming to earth—Emmanuel—God-with-us. Help us hear anew your promises of hope and salvation and love as we sing our familiar carols. Forgive us for forgetting the magic of this night, for focusing on ourselves and what we need to do instead of on the miracle of Jesus’ birth. Rock us out of our complacency. Let us hear angel voices, see shepherds hurrying to a stable, feel the baby’s soft breath on our cheeks, and ponder in our hearts what all this means for the world, for us.

Words of Assurance Liturgist

God’s love knows no bounds. Love comes down at Christmas— a love so deep and so profound that nothing will ever be the same again. Know that this love is come for you— to touch you, to heal you, to forgive you, to make you whole.

INVITATION TO COMMUNION Rob

This is a magical night. God-with-us has come to touch our world, our lives. God-with-us has come to bring us out of darkness into a glorious light. God-with-us invites us now to come to the table, believing in the promises of God fulfilled tonight. Here we hear angels, and see shepherds, and are transformed by a baby. Here love is offered, and love is found, in the sharing of bread and cup. Here we find our journey’s end and its beginning.

Explain Process and Intinction

CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION

Liturgist: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Liturgist: Lift up your hearts.

People: We lift them to the Lord.

Liturgist: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God,

People: It is right to give God thanks and praise.

Rob: Father, at this blessed Christmas feast we give you thanks and praise. You created light out of darkness and brought forth life on the earth. You make us in your image; and though we all have sinned and fallen short of your glory, you loved the world so much you gave your only Son Jesus Christ to be our Savior.

Liturgist: As Mary and Joseph went from Galilee to Bethlehem and there found no room, so Jesus went from Galilee to Jerusalem and was despised and rejected. As in the poverty of a stable Jesus was born, so from suffering and death you raised him to bring us life. Therefore, with the angels who sang glory to you in the highest and peace to your people in all ages and the whole company of heaven, we join in the song of unending praise, saying:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

Rob: ” Truly holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus. As your Word became flesh, born of woman, on that night long ago, so on the night he offered himself up for us he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: "Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

When the supper was over he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: "Drink from this, all of you; for this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

Therefore, in remembrance of your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanks-giving, which we offer in union with Christ's sacrifice for us, as a living and holy surrender of ourselves.

Send the power of your Holy Spirit on us and on these gifts, that in the breaking of this bread and the drinking of this wine we may know the presence of the living Christ; be one body in him, cleansed by his blood; faithfully serve him in the world; and look forward to his coming in final victory.

Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory is yours, Almighty God, now and forever. AMEN

SHARING OF THE BREAD AND CUP

The service concludes with the singing of "Silent Night, Holy Night and candle light

MUSIC: Silent Night

BENEDICTION Liturgist

Go now in wonder. Go to bring light to those in darkness, joy to those who can find no joy, magic to a world steeped in realism. Go with the songs of angels in your ears, and the love of God in your hearts. Go and spread the word— the babe of Bethlehem is born for all.

Related Media

Related Sermons