Christmas Eve Eve Service

Here, new and those who have made this your home, I want to say Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas! Oh, come on. Let's do a better job. Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! Oh, yeah. I feel the love now. Well, awesome, guys. I'm so glad you made it in here. We have a special treat for you all. We want to welcome the Cross Connections kids choir, and they should be walking up already. So, let's give them a hand. Keep it going, because it's a long walk. Keep it going!

Awesome. You guys may be seated. If you want to take some photos, there are some seats up front, or you can kneel down in front, kind of one at a time. We hope you enjoy this time.

Let's open up with a word of prayer. So, everyone, bow our hearts in prayer as we go before the Lord.

Heavenly Father, thank you so much for this evening that we can come and proclaim the good news of our King, the birth of our King, and just celebrate You. God, we ask that You would rest on us. Would You overflow our hearts with joy, overflow our hearts with peace and Your love as we sing out to You? Thank you, Lord, for Your love. Thank you for this blessing that we can sing to You, Lord. Help us to enjoy this time. In Jesus' name, Amen.

We have some songs for you guys. Let's go ahead and do this.

Are you listening? In the lane, snow is missing. A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight, walking away. Gone away, here to stay. He's a new. He sings a love song as we go along, walking in the meadow. We can build a snowman and pretend that he's a parson brown.

He'll say, "Are you married?" We'll say, "No, man. You can do the job when you're in town."

Later on, as we dream, we will fire unafraid the plans that we made, walking in a winter wonderland. In the meadow, we can build a snowman. Timothy's a circus clown. We'll have lots of fun with Mr. Snowman until the other kiddos knock him down.

Later on, we'll conspire as we drink by the fire to face the plans that we made, walking in a winter wonderland.

Oh, the first Noel the angel did say was to certain poor shepherds in fields where they were keeping their sheep on a cold winter's night that was so deep. Born.

Is the King of Israel? They looked up and saw a star shining in the east, beyond and far into the earth. It gave great light and continued to shine.

I need to sing Noel. Noel. Noel. The Lamb is the King of Israel. Noel. Noel. Noel. Is the King of Israel?

All right. Can we give them another big hand? They did so well! Awesome.

So, real quick, as they head off, they're going to reset the stage so Pastor Miles can come up and teach. Let's do this. Can we all stand? We're going to do some upbeat songs, so please stand right now and stretch out. You can come on in and grab that stuff. Awesome!

Well, let's pray one more time as these guys are doing this, and we're going to go before the Lord. Lord, thank you again for the songs of the saints and the songs of the kids. It is beautiful to hear their praises, Lord. There is nothing like it. You said, "Let us have faith as a child." May we come to you and sing out to you as loud as these kids have sung about the first Christmas and about You, Lord. Thank you for that. We praise You, God, in this place, Lord, in Jesus' mighty name.

Can you clap your hands like this? Oh, sing it out! Sing it if you know it: "Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing over the plains." The mountains in reply echo their joy. Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What the glome tinge?

Which inspire your heavenly song. Sing it out. Oh, glorify! We shall see it here. We glory to God. Glory to God. Glory to God in the highest forever. For all He has done is unfailing love.

Glory to God in the highest forever. Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing. Come, adore on men and Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Oh, glorify! We shall see. Here we go. Glory to God. Glory to God. Glory to God in the highest forever. All He has done is unfailing love. Glory to God in the highest forever. Glory to God. Glory to God. Glory to God in the highest forever. All He has done is unfailing love. Glory to God in the highest forever. Glory.

Glory to God in the highest. Glory, glory to God in the highest. Amen.

Church, this is a worship service, so let's sing out to Him. Amen.

All right, let's keep the hands going. I know you have soul. I know you have groove.

Joy to the world! The Lord has come. Let her receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room.

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy. The sounding joy, oh!

He rules the world with truth and grace and makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love.

His love and wonders inspire awe. Oh, joy to the world! Joy to the world! Joy to the world! Oh, joy to the world!

You may be seated if you like, or you can stand.

It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of hope from angels bending near the earth to touch their hearts of gold. Peace on earth, good will to men from heaven's all-creations. The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing. For lo, the days are...

Hazing on my prophet, seen of all. When, with the ever-circling years, shall come the time foretold? Peace on the earth, good will to men. The Prince of Peace, their King, and the whole world sings back the song which now the angels sing: holy, holy, holy.

He is on the earth. God will let the world sing like the song which now the angels sing. It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of hope. From angels bending near the earth to touch their...

Hearts of gold. All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord's message through His prophet. Look, the virgin will conceive a child. She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel, which means God is with us. (Matthew 1:22-23).

Oh, holy night, the stars are brightly shining. It is the night of our dear Savior's birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining till He appeared, and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope. The weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks the new and glorious morning. Fall on your knees. Oh, hear the angel voices. Oh night divine. Oh night when Christ was born.

Was born. Oh, divine night! Truly taught us to love one another. His law is love, and his gospel is peace. Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother, and in His name all oppression shall cease.

Sweet hands of joy in grateful praise raise us. Praise His holy name. Christ is the Lord. Oh, praise His name forever. His power and glory more proclaim.

Heat.

Who is God that He would take our friend, the sin inside the pain? He will breathe the very air that sustains. He is the architect inside the plan.

Oh, come now with His arrival, the God of creation, royalty robed in the flesh He created. Jesus, the Maker, has made Himself known. All hail the infinite love! The One who had no thought and knows no end became confined in time, intense. The everlasting God, the great I Am, is in the mercy of a mother's hands.

Oh, come now; there is arrival, the God of creation, royalty robed in the flesh created. Jesus, the Maker, has made Himself known. All hail the infinity! The One who holds the stars in the creases of His hands is the One who holds my heart, like a mother.

Once had me. The one who knows what lies where space has run its course. Embrace the baby's mind. And now I can know my God, the monarch of the stars, the King above all kings, the ruler of my heart, and the Savior for my sins. The one who sees what lies in each and every soul. Embrace our finite eyes. And now we can see our God.

The Word of God by name, the author beside the angel, comes now of God's creation. Royalty in the flesh, He is Jesus, the Maker who has made Himself known, all the infinite God. God embraced our frame. When He graced the world, He made all hell. The divine in a manger. Love.

Embrace our faith. When the playwright took up the stage, all heralded the arrival of our Maker. God embraced our prayer. When He graced the world, He made all hell divine in a manger. Oh, embrace the name when the plays of the stage. Oh, hail the arrival of our Savior.

For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Mark the herald angels sing: Glory to the newborn King. Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled. Joyful all nations rise. Join the triumph of the skies with angelic hosts proclaiming: Christ is born in Bethlehem. Hark the herald angels sing. Glory to the Lord.

My high is heaven adore. Christ, the everlasting Lord, in time, behold Him come off of the virgin in flesh, the God with men.

Sing it out! The hellborn Prince of Peace. Hail the Son of Righteousness. Come on, light and life to all He brings, risen with healing in His face. I'll be His glory for heaven to raise the sun to Him.

Silent night, holy night. All is calm, all is bright. Round your virgin mother and child, holy infant so tender and mild. Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night. Shepherds quake at the sight. Glory streams from heaven above. Heavenly host sing a hallelujah. Christ, our Savior, is born. Christ the Savior is born.

Holy night, holy night. Son of God, loves pure light, radiant from my holy face. With the joy of redeeming grace, Jesus at thy birth. Jesus, Lord of thy birth.

Let's sing together.

Silent night, holy night. All is calm, all is bright. A virgin mother and child, holy so tender and sleeping. Heavenly peace. Sleep in heavenly peace.

Thank you, Father, for your peace that you give us, which surpasses all understanding. The love that you shower on us, Lord, the mercy and grace you bestow on us, Lord, the hope that we have in you, God, and the joy of our salvation—the joy that is our strength. God, we love you. We bless your name in Jesus' mighty name. Amen.

Amen. Praise the Lord. Thank you, Anthony and team. Good evening to all of you. I'm going to ask you to stand for a moment, if you would. Take about a minute, 90 seconds, to say hello to those around you. Greet someone you have never met before. Hopefully, you met somebody new close to you. If you have a seat next to you that is open, please squeeze into the middle because we still have some people standing in the back. I promise I won't talk for more than two hours; we'll be perfectly fine. Actually, we have another service after this, so I can't talk that long.

It is so good to see all of you here tonight. I think this is the most full our Christmas Eve Eve service has ever been. Of course, we have to do two of them, but normally this is the fullest one, and it seems to be more than it has been before. We are so glad to see all of you here. Praise the Lord! Merry Christmas to you! I know it seems kind of weird to do this on the 23rd. I have explained it in the past, but if you didn't know, for years we did the Christmas Eve Eve service at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido, and the union would not come on the 24th. So, we decided to do it on the 23rd. Then we discovered we liked the 23rd better. Welcome! We are so glad that you are here with us.

Our worship team did such a great job, and the kids did such a great job as well. I know that most of you came to see the kids anyway, and that’s awesome. I would too. To be honest with you, it was kind of weird. I was standing in the back, thinking about when my kids were little and up here singing, and now they are not little anymore. My son is taller than me, and my other son is going to be taller than me in no time. He is working on it; he wants to be.

This is an important time of year, such a good time to celebrate and rejoice together. You know, at the Jewish Passover, which is a different time of the year entirely, they have a gathering called the Seder Feast. There is a question that the youngest child asks, which is a traditional thing that has been going on for thousands of years: "Why is this night different from other nights?" I like that question. I have brought it up before when we gather together on the 23rd to think about why this time we gather to commemorate is different from other times. In some respects, it seems...

Like any other time, this event is important for us to consider. What we celebrate at Christmas is the most significant event in all human history, yet it happened in relative obscurity. We do not know the exact day it occurred, the precise location, or even the specific time of year. We have certain assumptions that are educated guesses about when it happened, as it seems to coincide with the Feast of Dedication, which is this time of year in Israel. However, we lack all the details about where and when it took place.

What happened in relative obscurity 2,000 years ago is, as I said, the most important event in all of human history. This significance is not just because of the birth of the child we celebrate, but also because of what was taking place in the spiritual realm at that time. Paul, in Philippians, speaks about what was happening in the heavenlies during the birth in Bethlehem. He writes in Philippians 2:5-11:

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore, God also has highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of those in heaven, of those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father."

What Paul is discussing here is the incarnation, a significant theological concept that refers to God becoming a man and coming to earth in human flesh. We sang about it, and although I had never heard the arrival song we performed tonight, it is a great song that speaks of the infinite God as this infant child. It is an amazing thing to consider. He humbled himself and came down to us. What a beautiful and remarkable act that he chose to come down to us.

So while we remember the birth that happened in Bethlehem, we should recognize that this birth is the incarnation of the King of Kings. The King of Kings came down for a very specific purpose, which we've talked about quite a bit over the last several weeks and frequently here at Cross Connection Church. We will discuss it more as we move into the new year and into the spring, preparing our hearts for our next big celebration as we commemorate the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. That was His purpose for coming, and as I said, it is the most important event in all of human history.

The amazing thing is that for the better part of the last 1,500 years, the entire western world has centered its annual calendar around this birth. We refer to the year in which we live as the year of our Lord. Our entire calendar, our entire world, is centered around this one whom some people in our culture would like to purge from history, but it's just impossible. You can't do it. So we celebrate this awesome event that took place 2,000 years ago.

We read about it in that famous Christmas passage in the Gospel of Luke, specifically in Luke 2. It states, "And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world would be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, unto Judea, to the city of David, which was called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. And so it was that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. She brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn."

It's a familiar passage. Many people who have never read the Bible have heard this, perhaps on the Charlie Brown Christmas special. It is one of those great, important passages—a very simple story of an event that, as I said, happened in relative obscurity, but it is anything but insignificant. What happened at that moment, the birth in Bethlehem, is the most significant birth in all of human history because it was not just a birth; it was the incarnation of the King of Kings. That birth was the child that all human history looked forward to.

Forward to before the birth, all human history looks back to after the birth. It is kind of the fulcrum of all human history. That's the amazing thing to think about: human history looks forward to the coming of this child before He was born. How do we know that? We know that as we go back to the oldest documents of antiquity, the Scriptures, specifically the Book of Genesis, which describes the earliest events in human history, including creation and then the fall in Genesis chapter 3.

In Genesis chapter 3, after the fall, God makes a proclamation, a prophetic pronouncement. He speaks about this one who would be a child coming from the seed of a woman. This child would be a male child, and He would destroy the work of the enemy who brought forth the sin and the deception that resulted in the fall. Genesis 3:15 is referred to by theologians as the first gospel in the Scriptures, where it is declared that this child would come. God says, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed," speaking to the serpent. He continues, "He, this child that's going to come from a woman, shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel." This is the first proclamation of the Redeemer, the King of Kings, who would come.

From that point, Genesis 3:15 onward, until the announcement of the angels to the shepherds in Bethlehem, "Behold, this day Christ has been born to you," all of human history was looking forward to that promise of redemption—the one who would come to deal with the horror of the fall.

Jumping just a few chapters from Genesis 3:15 to Genesis 12, we find the proclamation about who this male child through the seed of a woman would come through. What family would this child belong to? In Genesis 12, God calls a man named Abram. As He calls him, He says, "I want you to come and follow Me by faith. If you do, I'm going to bless you, and I'm going to make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. In you, all the nations, all the peoples of the world will be blessed." This is another one of these great proclamations from God about where this child is going to come from. It will be a male child through the seed of a woman, but now it will come through the family of Abraham.

As you continue the story through the Book of Genesis, you...

Discover that it's going to come through Abraham's son, Isaac. This child would come through Isaac's son, Jacob. Jacob's name is changed to Israel, and Israel has twelve sons. God says that this child is going to come through your son, Judah. You can follow the story down through the whole lineage of these different people. You can read the entire lineage in both the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of Matthew. That promise started with Adam and Eve in Genesis chapter 3 and continues through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Judah, down the line.

Eventually, God makes a promise that this child is going to come through the seed of Jesse. Jesse's youngest son, at the time when God calls him, is a young boy named David. David, the shepherd boy, became the king of the people. God promised that through the royal line of King David, this Messiah would come. As you continue the story through the Old Testament, you see that God, through the prophets, is making more proclamations and predictions about where this child is going to come from. The focus narrows more and more.

The child is going to be born by miraculous means. God says in Isaiah 7, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a child, and you shall call his name Emanuel," which is translated "God with us." We're told about his nature a couple of chapters later in Isaiah chapter 9. His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. These aren't really the names by which he is called, but rather the nature that his names represent: the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

As you continue down through the stories of history and the prophetic promises given, Micah the prophet tells us in Micah 5:2 that this child, who is going to come from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Judah through the line of Jesse and the royal lineage of King David, will be born to a virgin in the city of Bethlehem. Throughout the story of the Old Testament, there is prophecy after prophecy speaking about the first coming of this Christ child, the anointed Redeemer, born of a woman, come to overthrow the work of the serpent in deceiving humanity into sin and bringing the fall. This child would be a blessing to all nations from the family of Abraham, through Isaac, through Jacob, through Judah, through Jesse, and through David.

There in Bethlehem, perhaps you can see why all of human history was looking forward to His birth when He finally and ultimately came. In Luke 1, we read in verse 26, "Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph. He was of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, 'Rejoice, highly favored one. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.' But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying and considered what manner of greeting this was.

Then the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son, and you will call His name Jesus. He will be great. He will be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.'

Mary said to the angel, 'How can this be since I've not known a man?' The angel answered her and said, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. Therefore, the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is now the sixth month for her who has been called barren. For with God, nothing shall be impossible.'

Then Mary said, 'Behold the maidservant of the Lord. Let it be according to your word.' And the angel departed from her. All of those prophecies were zeroing in on this young girl in Bethlehem, or actually in Nazareth at that point.

Now the birth of Jesus was as follows. Matthew records in Matthew 1:18, "After His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit." Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man and not wanting to make a public example of her, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bring forth a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through

Shall conceive, be with child, and bear a son. You shall call his name Emanuel, which is translated "God with us." And Joseph, being woken from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took his wife. He did not know her until she had brought forth her firstborn son. He called his name Jesus, which means "Jehovah is salvation." He has come to save his people.

He has come, as the Gospels proclaim, to seek and to save that which is lost. He came to give his life as a ransom for many. He came to give life and to give life more abundantly. He is a light in the darkness. He is the Prince of Peace. He is the Wonderful Counselor. He is Emmanuel. He is God with us.

He is the demonstration, as I've shared over the last few weeks here on Sunday mornings, of the love of God. He is love incarnate in the flesh. He is peace, hope, and joy embodied. He is the one who was anticipated for thousands of years and the one who continues to be regarded as the greatest in all of history. At his name, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he is the Lord, to the glory of the Father.

In him alone is a hope that does not disappoint, that is sure and steadfast, an anchor for our souls. A peace that surpasses all understanding guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. And a joy that is increasing unto abundance for eternity. That is the good news of this time, this day.

Why is this day, or what we're going to celebrate in a couple of days, different from every other day? Because this is the day that we remember the greatest event that happened in all human history, and we proclaim it to a world that desperately needs the light that Christ brings. Amen.

Would you stand with me? Father God, thank you. Thank you for the opportunity to gather together to rejoice in you, Lord, to be grateful for your coming. You humbled yourself, stepping down to our lowly estate because there is no possible way that we could, by our efforts or our good works, get to you or reach up to you. You came.

Down to us so that you might redeem us. Lord, we rejoice in You. I pray, God, that tonight and the celebration over the next couple of days would be a joyful celebration as we rejoice in You and the good news of Your birth. May we have an opportunity to share the good news of Your birth with others. For we ask this in Jesus' name. And all those that agreed said, "Amen."

Held within a manger, the Son of God arrived, the one who would be called Emmanuel. The promise was delivered unto a virgin bride, the one who would be called Emmanuel. Your name is the highest. Your name is the greatest. Your name stands above them all. All thrones and dominions, all powers and positions, Your name stands above them all.

And the angels cry, "Holy." Oh, creation cries, "Holy." You are lifted high. Holy, holy, forever in the humble town of David, a Savior born today, the one who would be called Emmanuel. Behold the host of heaven.

The holy rock, the one who would be called the Messiah, is with us now. Our God is present, and the angels of creation sing praises.

Your name is the highest. Your name is the greatest. Your name stands above them all, above all dominions, all powers, and positions. Your name stands above the moon. Oh Lord Jesus, your name is the highest. Your name is the greatest. Your name stands above all.

Holy, holy, holy. You will always be holy, holy forever. Lord, you are holy. We praise you, God. We thank you for the opportunity to gather together with one another, to fellowship with one another, and to rejoice in you. We pray that our celebrations over the next couple of days would be centered around you.

We praise you and thank you that we are now your people. We who were not a people have been made a people. We who had not received mercy have received it in abundance. I pray that you would help us to proclaim the praises of you who called us out of darkness and into your marvelous light, in Jesus' name.

May you be filled with the wonder of Mary, the obedience of Joseph, the joy of the angels, the eagerness of the shepherds, the determination of the magi, and the peace of the Christ child. May Almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit bless you forever and ever. Amen.