Robert T. Young - "Christmas, A. D. 1980" (December 23, 1979)
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- | Sunday worship service. | 0:04 |
December 23rd, 1979. | 0:06 | |
Duke Chapel. | 0:09 | |
(piano introduction begins) | 0:49 | |
(treble choir singing in foreign language) | 1:31 | |
(piano playing) | 5:00 | |
♪ Rejoice, Rejoice ♪ | 6:30 | |
♪ O come, O come Emmanuel ♪ | 6:41 | |
♪ And random captive Israel ♪ | 6:46 | |
♪ That morns in lonely exile here ♪ | 6:52 | |
♪ Until the son of God appears ♪ | 6:59 | |
♪ Rejoice, rejoice Emmanuel ♪ | 7:05 | |
♪ Shall come to thee, O Israel ♪ | 7:15 | |
♪ What child is this who laid to rest ♪ | 7:27 | |
♪ On Mary's lap is sleeping ♪ | 7:33 | |
♪ Who angels greet with anthem sweet ♪ | 7:41 | |
♪ While shepherd's watch are keeping ♪ | 7:47 | |
♪ This, this is Christ the King ♪ | 7:56 | |
♪ Whom shepherds guard and angels keep ♪ | 8:03 | |
♪ This, this is Christ the King ♪ | 8:11 | |
♪ The babe, the son of Mary ♪ | 8:17 | |
♪ So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh ♪ | 8:27 | |
♪ Come peasant, King to own him ♪ | 8:33 | |
♪ The King of Kings salvation brings ♪ | 8:41 | |
♪ Let loving hearts enthrone him ♪ | 8:47 | |
♪ This, this is Christ the King ♪ | 8:55 | |
♪ Whom shepherds guard and angels sing ♪ | 9:01 | |
♪ This, this is Christ the King ♪ | 9:09 | |
♪ The babe, the son of Mary ♪ | 9:14 | |
♪ Lo, how a rose e'er blooming ♪ | 9:34 | |
♪ From tender stem hath sprung ♪ | 9:43 | |
♪ From Jesse's linage coming ♪ | 9:54 | |
♪ As men of old have sung ♪ | 10:02 | |
♪ It came a floweret bright ♪ | 10:12 | |
♪ Amid the cold of winter ♪ | 10:18 | |
♪ When half spent was the night ♪ | 10:23 | |
♪ Isaiah 'twas foretold it ♪ | 10:35 | |
♪ The Rose I have in mind ♪ | 10:43 | |
♪ With Mary we behold it ♪ | 10:52 | |
♪ The Virgin Mother kind ♪ | 10:59 | |
♪ To show God's love aright ♪ | 11:08 | |
♪ She bore to Him a Savior ♪ | 11:14 | |
♪ When half spent was the night ♪ | 11:19 | |
(piano introduction) | 11:34 | |
(treble choral voices in foreign language) | 11:52 | |
(piano introduction) | 13:42 | |
(treble solo voice singing in foreign language) | 14:02 | |
(piano introduction) | 15:58 | |
♪ Silent night ♪ | 16:07 | |
♪ Holy night ♪ | 16:13 | |
♪ All is bright, all is light ♪ | 16:18 | |
♪ He, the only Father and Child. ♪ | 16:28 | |
♪ Heavn'ly (mumbles) ♪ | 16:37 | |
♪ Heavn'ly, heavn'ly peace ♪ | 16:45 | |
♪ Wrapped in heavenly peace ♪ | 16:54 | |
♪ Silent night ♪ | 17:09 | |
♪ Holy night ♪ | 17:14 | |
♪ No more (mumbles) ♪ | 17:19 | |
♪ No more (mumbles) ♪ | 17:23 | |
♪ Not a wise men as they dream ♪ | 17:27 | |
♪ Gives a homage to our King ♪ | 17:36 | |
♪ Jesus Christ our Lord ♪ | 17:45 | |
♪ Jesus Christ our Lord ♪ | 17:54 | |
♪ Silent night ♪ | 18:07 | |
♪ Holy night ♪ | 18:12 | |
♪ Holy babe, holy cross ♪ | 18:16 | |
♪ With the echo of holy dreams ♪ | 18:24 | |
♪ Alleluia to our King ♪ | 18:32 | |
♪ Christ the Savior is born ♪ | 18:39 | |
♪ Jesus, our Savior, is born ♪ | 18:50 | |
(organ music) | 19:16 | |
- | (with the ccongregation) That we may clearly see | 23:47 |
the way to walk, | 23:48 | |
the truth to speak, and the life to live for Him, | 23:50 | |
our Lord Jesus Christ. | 23:54 | |
Amen. | 23:57 | |
(choir sings in foreign language) | 24:06 | |
(organ introduction) | 25:27 | |
♪ Oh come all ye faithful ♪ | 26:19 | |
♪ Joyful and triumphant ♪ | 26:25 | |
♪ Oh come, ye, oh come ye to Bethlehem ♪ | 26:30 | |
♪ Come and behold him, ♪ | 26:41 | |
♪ Born the king of angels ♪ | 26:46 | |
♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ | 26:51 | |
♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ | 26:56 | |
♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ | 27:01 | |
♪ Christ, the Lord ♪ | 27:08 | |
♪ Sing choirs of angels ♪ | 27:18 | |
♪ Sing in exultation ♪ | 27:23 | |
♪ Sing all ye citizens of Heaven above ♪ | 27:29 | |
♪ Glory to God in the highest ♪ | 27:40 | |
♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ | 27:50 | |
♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ | 27:55 | |
♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ | 28:00 | |
♪ Christ, the Lord ♪ | 28:06 | |
♪ Ye, Lord, we greet Thee ♪ | 28:16 | |
♪ Born this happy morning ♪ | 28:21 | |
♪ Jesus, to thee be, all Glory giv'n ♪ | 28:27 | |
♪ Son of the Father ♪ | 28:38 | |
♪ Now in flesh appearing ♪ | 28:43 | |
♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ | 28:48 | |
♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ | 28:53 | |
♪ Oh come let us adore him ♪ | 28:58 | |
♪ Christ, the Lord ♪ | 29:05 | |
♪ Amen ♪ | 29:14 | |
- | God has caused light to shine out of darkness, | 29:37 |
has caused light to shine in our hearts, | 29:41 | |
and will cleanse us from our sins | 29:44 | |
even as we have already been cleansed. | 29:46 | |
Let us therefore make our confession to Almighty God. | 29:50 | |
Let us pray. | 29:54 | |
(leading the congregation) Oh Lord, in this season of hope | 29:57 | |
and expectancy, we look at our lives | 30:00 | |
and confess that we are in need | 30:04 | |
of the miracle of your love and peace. | 30:06 | |
We who claim to have heard the good news | 30:10 | |
live our lives defensively. | 30:14 | |
We are afraid to be made vulnerable by caring too deeply. | 30:17 | |
We hide from pain, loneliness, and involvement. | 30:22 | |
Our lives are full of disillusionment | 30:27 | |
with people and politics. | 30:30 | |
We have forgotten that joy and laughter | 30:34 | |
are a part of your gift to us. | 30:37 | |
Come to us in our fear and despair. | 30:40 | |
Know us as we are. | 30:44 | |
Feel our longing and hunger to be your faithful people. | 30:47 | |
Let your love grow, | 30:52 | |
through Jesus Christ, your son and our Savior. | 30:54 | |
Let us continue our confession of our individual sins | 31:01 | |
in the silence of our own hearts. | 31:04 | |
(ambient coughing) | 31:13 | |
The Lord is our light and our salvation. | 31:24 | |
What have we to fear? | 31:28 | |
Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, God has forgiven us, | 31:31 | |
will strengthen us in all goodness, | 31:36 | |
and will continue to keep us in this life | 31:38 | |
and the world to come. | 31:41 | |
Even as we are forgiven, let us forgive one another. | 31:43 | |
Let us give thanks for God is good, | 31:50 | |
and God's love is everlasting. | 31:53 | |
(with congregation) Thanks be to God, | 31:57 | |
whose love has created us. | 31:59 | |
Thanks be to God, whose mercy forgives us. | 32:02 | |
Thanks be to God, whose advent offers us hope. | 32:06 | |
Amen. | 32:12 | |
We welcome all of you, | 32:16 | |
those present here in the congregation, | 32:18 | |
and those joining us by radio, to this service. | 32:20 | |
We are glad you have chosen to worship with us on this day. | 32:25 | |
You are invited to attend a service of Lessons in Carols | 32:31 | |
on Christmas Eve, tomorrow night, | 32:34 | |
at 11 p.m. here in Duke Chapel. | 32:38 | |
An instrumental prelude will begin at 10:30 p.m. | 32:41 | |
This service will be broadcast live over WDBS, | 32:46 | |
and will be televised over Channel 11. | 32:50 | |
The preacher for today is the Reverend Robert T. Young, | 32:56 | |
minister to the university. | 33:01 | |
As always, we look forward to the message | 33:03 | |
he will bring to us. | 33:06 | |
Let us now continue our worship of Almighty God. | 33:09 | |
Let us pray. | 33:16 | |
Your word is near, oh Lord, our God. | 33:20 | |
Your grace is near. | 33:23 | |
Come to us now with power. | 33:26 | |
Do not let us be deaf to your words | 33:29 | |
or dense in our understanding, but make us receptive, | 33:31 | |
and open on this day and every day and forever and ever, | 33:35 | |
in the name of the one | 33:40 | |
who opens the meaning of your love to us. | 33:41 | |
Amen. | 33:45 | |
The Old Testament lesson is from the fifth chapter of Micah, | 33:48 | |
verses two to four. | 33:53 | |
"But you, oh Bethlehem Ephrathah, | 33:57 | |
"who are little to be among the clans of Judah, | 34:01 | |
"from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler | 34:05 | |
"in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. | 34:08 | |
"Therefore he shall give them up until the time | 34:15 | |
"when she who is in travail has brought forth. | 34:17 | |
"Then the rest of his brethren shall return | 34:21 | |
"to the people of Israel, and he shall stand | 34:23 | |
"and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, | 34:27 | |
"in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God, | 34:31 | |
"and they shall dwell secure, | 34:35 | |
"for now He shall be great to the ends of the Earth." | 34:37 | |
The reading of the epistle | 34:45 | |
is from the Letter to the Hebrews 10:5-10 | 34:46 | |
"Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, | 34:54 | |
"Sacrifices and offerings thou has not desired, | 34:59 | |
"but a body hast thou prepared for men. | 35:02 | |
"In burnt offerings and sin offerings, | 35:06 | |
"thou has taken no pleasure. | 35:08 | |
"Then I said Lo I have come to do thy will, oh God, | 35:11 | |
"as it is written of me in the role of the book. | 35:16 | |
"When he said above thou has neither desired | 35:21 | |
"nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings | 35:24 | |
"in burnt offerings and sin offerings, | 35:27 | |
"these are offered according to the law. | 35:30 | |
"Then he added lo, I have come to do thy will. | 35:33 | |
"He abolishes the first in order to establish the second, | 35:39 | |
"and by that will, we have been sanctified | 35:43 | |
"through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ | 35:46 | |
"once for all." | 35:49 | |
(organ introduction) | 36:01 | |
♪ O holy night the stars are brightly shining ♪ | 36:06 | |
♪ It is the night of our dear Savior's birth ♪ | 36:13 | |
♪ Long lay the world in sin and error pining ♪ | 36:23 | |
♪ Til he appeared, and the soul felt its worth ♪ | 36:30 | |
♪ A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices ♪ | 36:38 | |
♪ For yonder wakes a new and glorious morn ♪ | 36:44 | |
♪ Fall on your knees ♪ | 36:51 | |
♪ O hear the angel voices ♪ | 36:58 | |
♪ O night divine ♪ | 37:04 | |
♪ O night when Christ was born ♪ | 37:10 | |
♪ O night ♪ | 37:18 | |
♪ Divine ♪ | 37:21 | |
♪ O night ♪ | 37:24 | |
♪ O night divine ♪ | 37:26 | |
(organ interlude) | 37:31 | |
♪ Led by the light of faith serenely beaming ♪ | 37:50 | |
♪ With glowing hearts by his Credo we stand ♪ | 37:57 | |
♪ So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming ♪ | 38:04 | |
♪ Here came the Wise Men from the Orient land ♪ | 38:12 | |
♪ The King of Kings laid thus in lowly manger ♪ | 38:19 | |
♪ In all our trials, born to be our friend ♪ | 38:25 | |
♪ He knows our need ♪ | 38:32 | |
♪ To our weakness, no stranger ♪ | 38:38 | |
♪ Behold your King ♪ | 38:45 | |
♪ Before him lowly bend ♪ | 38:51 | |
♪ Behold your King ♪ | 38:58 | |
♪ Your King ♪ | 39:04 | |
♪ Before Him bend ♪ | 39:06 | |
(organ interlude) | 39:11 | |
♪ Truly He taught us to love one another ♪ | 39:29 | |
♪ His law is love, and His gospel is peace ♪ | 39:35 | |
♪ Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother ♪ | 39:43 | |
♪ And in His name all oppression shall cease ♪ | 39:50 | |
♪ Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we ♪ | 39:58 | |
♪ Let all within us praise His holy name ♪ | 40:04 | |
♪ Christ is the Lord ♪ | 40:11 | |
♪ Then ever, ever praise we ♪ | 40:17 | |
♪ His power and glory evermore proclaim ♪ | 40:23 | |
♪ His power and glory evermore proclaim ♪ | 40:36 | |
- | The Gospel lesson is that according to St. Luke 1:46-56 | 41:03 |
and 2:1-14. | 41:11 | |
Would you please stand for the reading of the Gospel? | 41:14 | |
(crowd standing) | 41:17 | |
"My soul magnifies the Lord, | 41:27 | |
"and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior | 41:30 | |
"for he has regarded the lowest state of his handmaiden. | 41:33 | |
"For behold, henceforth all generations | 41:37 | |
"will call me blessed, | 41:40 | |
"for He, who is mighty, has done great things for me, | 41:43 | |
"and Holy is his name. | 41:46 | |
"And His mercy is on those who fear him | 41:49 | |
"from generation to generation. | 41:52 | |
"He has shown strength with His arm. | 41:55 | |
"He has scattered the crowd | 41:57 | |
"in the imagination of their hearts. | 41:59 | |
"He has put down the mighty from their thrones, | 42:02 | |
"and exalted those of low degree. | 42:05 | |
"He has filled the hungry with good things, | 42:08 | |
"and the rich He has sent empty away. | 42:11 | |
"He has helped is servant, Israel, | 42:15 | |
"in remembrance of His mercy as he spoke to our fathers, | 42:17 | |
"to Abraham and his posterity forever. | 42:22 | |
"And Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months | 42:29 | |
"and then returned to her home. | 42:32 | |
"In those days, a decree went out from Ceasar Augustus | 42:38 | |
"that all the world should be enrolled. | 42:42 | |
"This was the first enrollment, | 42:45 | |
"when Quirinius was governor of Syria. | 42:47 | |
"And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. | 42:50 | |
"And Joseph also went up from Galilee, | 42:55 | |
"from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the City of David, | 42:58 | |
"which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house | 43:02 | |
"and lineage of David, | 43:07 | |
"to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed. | 43:09 | |
"who was with child. | 43:12 | |
"And while they were there, the time came | 43:14 | |
"for her to be delivered, | 43:17 | |
"and she gave birth to her first-born son, | 43:19 | |
"and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, | 43:23 | |
"and laid him in a manger | 43:25 | |
"because there was no place for them in the inn. | 43:27 | |
"And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, | 43:32 | |
"keeping watch over their flock by night. | 43:35 | |
"And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, | 43:39 | |
"and the glory of the Lord shone round them, | 43:41 | |
"and they were filled with fear. | 43:44 | |
"And the angel said to them, | 43:47 | |
"Be not afraid, for behold, | 43:50 | |
"I bring you good news of a great joy | 43:52 | |
"which shall come to all the people, | 43:55 | |
"for to you is born this day, in the City of David, | 43:57 | |
"a Savior who is Christ the Lord. | 44:01 | |
"And this will be a sign for you. | 44:04 | |
"You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths | 44:07 | |
"and lying in a manger. | 44:10 | |
"And suddenly there was, with the angel, | 44:13 | |
"a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying | 44:15 | |
"Glory to God in the highest, | 44:19 | |
"and on earth, peace among people with whom He is pleased." | 44:21 | |
Praise be to God. | 44:27 | |
(organ introduction) | 44:30 | |
♪ Gloria ♪ | 44:44 | |
♪ In excelsis deo ♪ | 44:52 | |
♪ Gloria ♪ | 44:56 | |
♪ In excelsis deo ♪ | 45:05 | |
- | May I just simply point out to you | 45:40 |
two errors in the bulletin | 45:42 | |
that you may want to take note of. | 45:45 | |
In case you look in the Old Testament | 45:46 | |
for the Book of Michael, there is no such book. | 45:48 | |
It is Micah. | 45:52 | |
And I am aware that this is the year of our Lord 1979, | 45:55 | |
rather than the year of our Lord 1980. | 46:00 | |
I am no more eager for this to be 1980 than you are. | 46:05 | |
A word of thanks to the members of the Durham Boy's Choir. | 46:13 | |
Most of you heard them prior to the beginning of the service | 46:20 | |
and have heard them already, | 46:24 | |
and we will be blessed to hear them again. | 46:26 | |
Mr. Bill Graham and the members of the choir, | 46:30 | |
we welcome you to Duke Chapel and to this service. | 46:32 | |
Again, as you celebrate with us, the meaning of Advent, | 46:36 | |
and the meaning of Christmas, | 46:39 | |
and David, thank you for a beautiful job with the solo. | 46:41 | |
Grace to you and peace from our Lord and Savior, | 46:46 | |
even Jesus the Christ. | 46:49 | |
Christmas is many things to all of us. | 46:52 | |
It is many things to each of us. | 46:57 | |
Expectation, disappointment, remembering, | 47:00 | |
anticipating, hoping, longing. | 47:04 | |
Christmas is words. | 47:08 | |
It is music, song, celebration. | 47:10 | |
Christmas is mixed feelings, ambivalence, | 47:14 | |
happy, sad, thankful, and regretful, | 47:19 | |
concern for self and concern for other. | 47:27 | |
Christmas is giving and receiving. | 47:31 | |
Christmas is real ecstasy, and, for some, despondency. | 47:36 | |
Christmas is, and you could complete that sentence as well, | 47:44 | |
or perhaps better, than I can. | 47:48 | |
Christmas 1979 is almost here. | 47:52 | |
And to understand Christmas in the year of our Lord 1979, | 47:58 | |
I believe we must look again at Christmas | 48:05 | |
in the year of our Lord one or in the year of our Lord five | 48:07 | |
when scholars say that Jesus probably was born. | 48:11 | |
Christmas is many things to all of us, | 48:17 | |
many things to each of us, | 48:19 | |
but I want to proclaim to you this morning as I read, | 48:23 | |
and as was read for us in the Gospel of Luke, | 48:29 | |
as we heard about Mary's experiences | 48:34 | |
and the experiences of the shepherds. | 48:37 | |
In our Gospel lesson for today, I want to proclaim... | 48:40 | |
I started to say "loudly," | 48:46 | |
but perhaps "calmly" is a better word. | 48:48 | |
I want to proclaim calmly and clearly | 48:52 | |
that Christmas is that experience of being surprised by joy. | 48:57 | |
The joy of the coming of the Lord. | 49:06 | |
The coming of Emmanuel, that is God with us. | 49:09 | |
The coming of the Messiah, Savior, Christ. | 49:15 | |
My dear friends, the coming of your Lord and my Lord. | 49:20 | |
That, I believe, is Christmas. | 49:28 | |
Surprise, which comes to us as joy. | 49:32 | |
Cause for real, deep and lasting rejoicing. | 49:37 | |
And as I thought about these words, | 49:44 | |
and as I have written these words, | 49:46 | |
and as I have read them over and over several times, | 49:47 | |
I feel, and feel very deeply, | 49:53 | |
that we need an experience of joy today. | 49:55 | |
Oh how very much we need it. | 49:59 | |
The world, in many ways, is really one big hell-hole, | 50:04 | |
a quagmire of fighting, and bickering, | 50:10 | |
and sin, and lust, and envy, and hatred. | 50:12 | |
Where almost everything horrible and imaginable | 50:19 | |
has been done, or is being done, by us | 50:22 | |
and our fellow human beings in the world. | 50:24 | |
W.H. Auden describes this world in his brief poem | 50:29 | |
entitled A Shock, | 50:34 | |
He writes, "Houseman was perfectly right. | 50:37 | |
"Our world rapidly worsens. | 50:44 | |
"Nothing now is so horrid | 50:50 | |
"or silly that it cannot occur." | 50:55 | |
We who live in the year of our Lord 1979 | 51:05 | |
do know now, as perhaps never before, | 51:08 | |
that nothing within the mind or heart of human beings, | 51:13 | |
nothing that can be imagined or conceived or dreamed of, | 51:16 | |
nothing is really so horrid or so silly | 51:21 | |
that it has not occurred, or is not occurring, | 51:27 | |
or cannot occur on the face of this Earth. | 51:30 | |
We have seen and know of the most horrid and silly ways | 51:35 | |
that human beings can possibly behave. | 51:40 | |
So that's why I believe this morning we need a word of joy. | 51:46 | |
I guess I believe that at least once a year | 51:53 | |
we need to be reminded that God was in Christ, | 51:55 | |
that the Word has become flesh, | 52:00 | |
that unto you that is unto us is born a Savior | 52:03 | |
that you shall call his name Jesus, | 52:07 | |
for he will save his people from their sins. | 52:10 | |
We do need to be reminded, perhaps more often than we are, | 52:19 | |
but at least once a year of God's coming to us. | 52:23 | |
Murray Bodo, Roman Catholic priest, writes | 52:31 | |
"Everyone who turns to God, at one time or another, | 52:35 | |
"asks oneself if God is, | 52:40 | |
"or if one is really deceiving oneself | 52:46 | |
"in order to explain one's own unfulfilled life. | 52:48 | |
"And then subtly, in ways one did not expect, | 52:54 | |
"the Lord comes to one, pleadingly, | 52:57 | |
"to keep alive the longing and the hope | 53:02 | |
"of the life to come." | 53:04 | |
God never comes on our own terms, | 53:07 | |
but in his own time and place. | 53:10 | |
"And his appearance," Bodo says, "is always a surprise." | 53:14 | |
No one ever sees God, of course, | 53:19 | |
but we see the shadows of his passing through our lives | 53:22 | |
in the things that change that we never thought would, | 53:26 | |
in the prayers that are answered in ways we never expected, | 53:30 | |
in a new level of maturity | 53:35 | |
that we knew we couldn't have arrived at alone, | 53:37 | |
and once again, our faith is enkindled, | 53:41 | |
and we begin to hope for more, for a sound in the air, | 53:44 | |
for a sign unmistakable and clear. | 53:48 | |
"God is a lover," he continues, "and God leads us artfully, | 53:52 | |
"attracting us, then showering us with blessings, | 53:57 | |
"then withdrawing to start the process | 54:00 | |
"all over again on a new level. | 54:04 | |
"Everyone asks, at one time or another, if God is. | 54:09 | |
"God never comes on our own terms. | 54:16 | |
"And then, subtly, in ways one did not expect, | 54:20 | |
"the Lord comes, and his appearance is always a surprise." | 54:23 | |
In his book entitled Christian Wholeness, | 54:31 | |
Tom Langford, Dean of the Divinity School, | 54:34 | |
quotes August Bournonville, | 54:37 | |
late leader of the Royal Danish ballet. | 54:40 | |
As having said some words | 54:44 | |
that I think are aptly and beautifully descriptive | 54:45 | |
of what Christmas is all about, | 54:49 | |
noble simplicity will always be beautiful. | 54:54 | |
It seems to me that that is the message of Christmas. | 55:02 | |
The whole experience is one of noble simplicity | 55:06 | |
when God surprises us with the joy | 55:10 | |
which God has to give to us. | 55:12 | |
Noble simplicity. | 55:15 | |
That is Christmas. | 55:17 | |
Christmas A.D. 1, or A.D. 5, or A.D. 79, or A.D. 1980. | 55:18 | |
Noble simplicity. | 55:26 | |
Husband, wife. | 55:28 | |
Pregnant woman walking, paying taxes, resting at night. | 55:30 | |
Simple place. | 55:36 | |
Simple people. | 55:37 | |
Simple tasks to do. | 55:38 | |
Simple roles to play. | 55:40 | |
A mother's pain. | 55:43 | |
A father's anxiety. | 55:47 | |
A baby's birth, a baby's cry. | 55:50 | |
A baby is born in the night, | 55:53 | |
and the world was never, never, ever to be the same again. | 55:55 | |
God used, and God uses, the ordinary, | 56:02 | |
the common, the everyday to say | 56:04 | |
this is the way I love you, | 56:07 | |
to surprise us with joy. | 56:11 | |
So. | 56:16 | |
This, it seems to me, is what Christmas is all about. | 56:19 | |
Those times, and those occasions, those experiences | 56:24 | |
when God surprises us with joy. | 56:27 | |
So I wanna look at these two experiences | 56:32 | |
of Mary and of the shepherds, | 56:34 | |
and see what it is in these experiences that tell us of joy, | 56:38 | |
of celebration, of rejoicing, | 56:42 | |
and see if they have a word for us | 56:45 | |
in the year of our Lord 1979. | 56:47 | |
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God | 56:49 | |
to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, | 56:52 | |
to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph | 56:55 | |
of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. | 56:58 | |
He came to her and said, "Hail, oh favored one. | 57:03 | |
"The Lord is with you." | 57:05 | |
And she was greatly troubled at this saying, | 57:08 | |
and considered in her mind what sort of greeting | 57:10 | |
this might be, and the angel said to her, | 57:12 | |
"Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God, | 57:14 | |
"and behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, | 57:19 | |
"and you shall call his name Jesus." | 57:22 | |
Mary said, "How can this be since I have no husband? | 57:25 | |
And the angel said to her, | 57:28 | |
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you." | 57:29 | |
Mary's response is, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. | 57:32 | |
"Let it be to me according to your word." | 57:38 | |
And the angel departed from her. | 57:40 | |
And in those days, Mary arose, and went with haste | 57:43 | |
into the hill country to a city of Judah, | 57:46 | |
and she entered the house of Zachariah | 57:48 | |
and greeted Elizabeth. | 57:50 | |
And Elizabeth's response to her coming was, | 57:56 | |
"Blessed are you among women, | 57:58 | |
"and blessed is the fruit of your womb." | 58:01 | |
Mary's response in the presence of Elizabeth is, | 58:04 | |
"My soul magnifies the Lord, | 58:09 | |
"and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior, | 58:13 | |
"for he has regarded the lowest state of his handmaiden. | 58:18 | |
"He who is mighty has done great things for me, | 58:21 | |
"and Holy is his name, | 58:24 | |
"and His mercy is on those who fear Him | 58:26 | |
"from generation to generation. | 58:29 | |
"He has shown strength with His arm. | 58:32 | |
"He has exalted those of low degree. | 58:35 | |
"He has filled the hungry with good things. | 58:38 | |
"He has helped his servant, Israel." | 58:41 | |
Mary's experience with the angel of God, | 58:45 | |
and her response to that coming. | 58:48 | |
And then Luke continues. | 58:54 | |
As he tells about this experience of the shepherds. | 58:57 | |
"In that region, there were shepherds out in the field | 59:02 | |
"keeping watch over their flock by night, | 59:05 | |
"when an angel of the Lord appeared to them, | 59:07 | |
"and the glory of the Lord shone around them. | 59:09 | |
"The angel said to them, Be not afraid. | 59:12 | |
"but behold, I bring you good news of great joy | 59:17 | |
"which will come to all the people, | 59:21 | |
"for to you is born this day, in the City of David, | 59:25 | |
"a Savior who is Christ, the Lord. | 59:28 | |
"This will be a sign for you. | 59:32 | |
"You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths | 59:34 | |
"and lying in a manger. | 59:37 | |
"Suddenly there was, with the angel, | 59:39 | |
"a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying, | 59:41 | |
"Glory to God in the highest, | 59:44 | |
"and on Earth, peace among those with whom God is pleased. | 59:47 | |
"When the angels went away, | 59:52 | |
"the shepherds said to one another, | 59:53 | |
"Let us go over to Bethlehem | 59:55 | |
"and see this thing that is happened | 59:56 | |
"which the Lord has made known to us. | 59:58 | |
"And they went with haste, | 1:00:01 | |
"and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger." | 1:00:03 | |
And then this passage ends with Luke saying, | 1:00:11 | |
"After the shepherds had seen this babe lying in a manger, | 1:00:18 | |
"and the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God | 1:00:24 | |
"for all that they had heard and seen." | 1:00:30 | |
Joy. | 1:00:37 | |
Absolute, unadulterated joy. | 1:00:39 | |
It's something like an experience that I had recently | 1:00:45 | |
when, after the Saturday luncheon | 1:00:48 | |
with the Friends at the chapel, | 1:00:53 | |
and a faculty member, | 1:00:55 | |
who is a member of the Friends of Duke Chapel, | 1:00:56 | |
and I were walking from the luncheon over here to the chapel | 1:00:58 | |
for the Saturday afternoon performance of Messiah. | 1:01:03 | |
We were walking along, and the crowd was coming in. | 1:01:07 | |
People with excited, expectant, | 1:01:11 | |
enthusiastic, warm, radiant expressions on their face, | 1:01:12 | |
knowing that a real blessing was just in store for them. | 1:01:16 | |
Beautiful day outside, so as we walked, we looked around. | 1:01:22 | |
We saw these people. | 1:01:25 | |
We saw the expectancy and the joy on their faces. | 1:01:26 | |
Looked up and saw the two big, | 1:01:29 | |
beautiful wreathes on the front of the chapel. | 1:01:31 | |
Walked on inside and stood at the back for just a moment | 1:01:33 | |
and saw the advent wreath and beautiful poinsettias. | 1:01:36 | |
I said, "Boy, this is some great time of year." | 1:01:40 | |
And the faculty member turned to me and said, | 1:01:46 | |
"Yes. | 1:01:49 | |
"For me, Advent, Christmas is the one time of the year | 1:01:50 | |
"when I feel I experience sheer joy." | 1:01:59 | |
Sheer joy. | 1:02:08 | |
And I believe it is, my friends. | 1:02:11 | |
Even in the midst of personal hurt or sadness, | 1:02:14 | |
or loss or pain. | 1:02:17 | |
Whatever we may be suffering | 1:02:19 | |
Or even in the midst of a world today | 1:02:20 | |
that is torn, and bickering, | 1:02:22 | |
and fighting, and filled with hatred. | 1:02:24 | |
There is a word from God which says, | 1:02:26 | |
"I come to you to bring you joy. | 1:02:27 | |
"That your life may be full." | 1:02:30 | |
And so I wanna say just a word | 1:02:35 | |
about the joy that these folks experienced. | 1:02:36 | |
That Mary experienced and the shepherds experienced, | 1:02:39 | |
and see if it has anything to do | 1:02:44 | |
with the possibility of what you and I may experience. | 1:02:46 | |
The first is that joy from God | 1:02:50 | |
often comes to unlikely people in unlikely places. | 1:02:52 | |
Who would ever have imagined that an angel of the Lord | 1:03:00 | |
would have come to a 14 or 15 year-old girl | 1:03:03 | |
named Mary in Nazareth? | 1:03:06 | |
But it did. | 1:03:11 | |
Who would ever have imagined | 1:03:14 | |
that a multitude of the hosts of God, | 1:03:17 | |
whatever it was, whoever it was, however it came, | 1:03:19 | |
that this experience with God would have come | 1:03:23 | |
to a group of shepherds out on the side of a hill | 1:03:25 | |
late at night? | 1:03:29 | |
But it did. | 1:03:32 | |
We have absolutely no way of knowing, | 1:03:35 | |
certainly no way of controlling, | 1:03:38 | |
surely no way of predicting, | 1:03:41 | |
how, and when, and where, and to whom | 1:03:46 | |
the joy, which comes from God, may be experienced. | 1:03:51 | |
Joy rejoicing is that experience which comes from God | 1:03:57 | |
to unlikely people in unlikely places. | 1:04:02 | |
Second thing I think about this is that rejoicing | 1:04:09 | |
in the grace of God is very, very personal. | 1:04:12 | |
It's hard to rejoice secondhand. | 1:04:25 | |
Vicarious rejoicing is hardly | 1:04:30 | |
any rejoicing at all, isn't it? | 1:04:33 | |
If rejoicing is not personal, then what is it to be? | 1:04:38 | |
Mary, young maiden, heart singing, life-filled, | 1:04:45 | |
joy-filled, full and overflowing, | 1:04:51 | |
"My soul magnifies the Lord," she says. | 1:04:54 | |
Very personal. | 1:04:58 | |
The shepherds. | 1:05:00 | |
The angel came to them. | 1:05:04 | |
The hosts sang to them. | 1:05:07 | |
Their response was, "Not let us wait here. | 1:05:09 | |
"Let us see what things look like in the morning, | 1:05:12 | |
"but let us go with haste unto Bethlehem." | 1:05:14 | |
Is there really any other way to know the fullness | 1:05:22 | |
and the goodness of God's love and grace | 1:05:26 | |
other than through one's personal experience? | 1:05:29 | |
Rejoicing then, it seems to me, | 1:05:35 | |
is to be very, very personal. | 1:05:36 | |
A third thing, it seems to me, | 1:05:41 | |
that comes through loudly and clearly here, | 1:05:42 | |
is that rejoicing is to be shared. | 1:05:45 | |
Do you notice how Mary could not stay by herself? | 1:05:51 | |
She had to go and be with somebody. | 1:05:55 | |
She had to share her experience. | 1:05:57 | |
She had good news that she wanted to tell somebody, | 1:06:00 | |
and let somebody know what had happened to her. | 1:06:03 | |
She had to sing and celebrate and rejoice, | 1:06:06 | |
and that's hard to do all by yourself, isn't it? | 1:06:09 | |
The shepherds, after seeing and hearing the angels, | 1:06:14 | |
getting together, made up their minds and moved, | 1:06:18 | |
and they saw the baby Jesus. | 1:06:21 | |
After they had seen and experienced the fullness | 1:06:24 | |
of God's grace in the message that had come to them, | 1:06:27 | |
and the revelation which they had seen in the child, Jesus, | 1:06:30 | |
what was the response? | 1:06:33 | |
Not to keep it to themselves, but to return, | 1:06:35 | |
glorifying and praising God | 1:06:38 | |
for all that they had seen and heard. | 1:06:40 | |
It's hard to rejoice or to celebrate or to know joy, | 1:06:42 | |
and to keep it to one's self, isn't it? | 1:06:45 | |
You ever try to celebrate your birthday all by yourself? | 1:06:47 | |
Rejoicing is intended to be shared, | 1:06:55 | |
and so was the message which came to Mary | 1:06:59 | |
and the message which came to the shepherds. | 1:07:02 | |
Joy, celebration, rejoicing. | 1:07:07 | |
To unlikely people in unlikely places. | 1:07:11 | |
Very, very personal, and to be shared. | 1:07:14 | |
"Christmas," the faulty member said to me, | 1:07:19 | |
"is my time of year. | 1:07:22 | |
"It is the one time of year that is sheer excitement. | 1:07:26 | |
"Sheer joy." | 1:07:30 | |
And we all want that, don't we? | 1:07:33 | |
We want one time of the year, at least, | 1:07:35 | |
when we can know sheer, unadulterated joy, | 1:07:37 | |
when life is pure, | 1:07:42 | |
when we know and sense and experience the Holy. | 1:07:44 | |
I guess that is part of the reason | 1:07:49 | |
that we never give up hoping, | 1:07:51 | |
praying, that Christmas will come. | 1:07:54 | |
Maybe not last year, | 1:07:57 | |
but surely Christmas will come this year. | 1:07:58 | |
If not this year, then surely next year. | 1:08:01 | |
This year, surely we will know joy. | 1:08:05 | |
We will find and know purity of life. | 1:08:12 | |
We will know and experience | 1:08:15 | |
the Holy, the good, the just, the right. | 1:08:17 | |
There seems to be an insatiable longing and yearning | 1:08:19 | |
deep down inside of us that does keep praying, | 1:08:23 | |
"Come, Lord Jesus. | 1:08:26 | |
"Come quickly, Lord Jesus." | 1:08:28 | |
They keep singing, "Oh come, oh come Emmanuel. | 1:08:30 | |
"Oh come and cheer our spirits by thine Advent here." | 1:08:34 | |
This is why we sing again, and say again, | 1:08:38 | |
"Come, thou long-expected Jesus. | 1:08:41 | |
"From our fears and sins release us." | 1:08:43 | |
This is why the words of Joseph Moore's lines touch us | 1:08:47 | |
and revive our hopes again for this year. | 1:08:53 | |
Silent night, holy night. | 1:08:58 | |
All is calm, all is bright. | 1:09:04 | |
Round, yon virgin, mother and child. | 1:09:08 | |
Holy infant, so tender and mild. | 1:09:13 | |
Sleep in heavenly peace. | 1:09:19 | |
Sleep in heavenly peace. | 1:09:23 | |
Silent night, holy night. | 1:09:29 | |
Son of God, love's pure light. | 1:09:34 | |
Radiant beams from thy holy face. | 1:09:41 | |
With the dawn of redeeming grace. | 1:09:46 | |
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth. | 1:09:50 | |
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth. | 1:09:55 | |
For to you is born this day, | 1:10:03 | |
in the City of David, | 1:10:09 | |
a Savior | 1:10:12 | |
who is Christ, the Lord. | 1:10:15 | |
To you, | 1:10:19 | |
and to you, | 1:10:21 | |
and to you. | 1:10:24 | |
Come. | 1:10:26 | |
Let us go to Bethlehem, | 1:10:28 | |
to see this which has come to pass. | 1:10:33 | |
Let us pray. | 1:10:39 | |
Almighty God, | 1:10:45 | |
God of power. | 1:10:47 | |
We praise you for Jesus the Christ, | 1:10:51 | |
who came to love us and to bring us everlasting life. | 1:10:55 | |
We thank you in this moment, oh God, | 1:11:02 | |
for the prophet's hope, for the angel's and Mary's songs, | 1:11:04 | |
for the birth in Bethlehem. | 1:11:11 | |
We thank you that in Jesus the Christ, you came to us, | 1:11:15 | |
sharing our human hurts and our pleasures. | 1:11:19 | |
And so we say, oh God, glory be to you, | 1:11:25 | |
for your boundless love. | 1:11:28 | |
Glory to you, eternal God, | 1:11:31 | |
through Jesus Christ who is Lord of Lords and King of Kings, | 1:11:34 | |
forever and ever, | 1:11:41 | |
Amen. | 1:11:44 | |
I'd like to share a personal word at this moment, if I may. | 1:11:48 | |
This morning, just a little after 8 o'clock, | 1:11:57 | |
Dr. Jay Phillips died. | 1:12:00 | |
Many of you know of him, have heard of him, | 1:12:06 | |
and share with me the sadness that this word brings. | 1:12:12 | |
Jay Phillips and his wife, Alice, | 1:12:20 | |
are beloved by all who know them. | 1:12:24 | |
Dr. Phillips was, for a time, | 1:12:29 | |
Chaplain to the University here, | 1:12:32 | |
and for many years served as professor of religion | 1:12:35 | |
in the Department of Religion here at Duke. | 1:12:39 | |
I think it must be said | 1:12:45 | |
that he surely was one of the most beloved professors | 1:12:49 | |
by all the students who ever had him | 1:12:55 | |
that I think this University has ever had. | 1:12:58 | |
Alice and he loved this chapel. | 1:13:04 | |
They worshiped with us every Sunday morning, | 1:13:09 | |
even though they were not here in the chapel. | 1:13:11 | |
And so, it is with a heavy heart | 1:13:15 | |
that I share that word with you, | 1:13:17 | |
but all of you who know Jay and Alice | 1:13:19 | |
will want to know of that. | 1:13:21 | |
The funeral service for Jay | 1:13:26 | |
will be on Wednesday at 2 o'clock here in the chapel. | 1:13:28 | |
During this Holy season, | 1:13:34 | |
when we remember the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ, | 1:13:38 | |
I ask you to remember Jay with thanksgiving, | 1:13:42 | |
and to remember Alice and their family | 1:13:48 | |
with your love and your prayers, | 1:13:50 | |
and to God be the glory, | 1:13:53 | |
now and forever. | 1:13:56 | |
Our hymn is Hark, The Herald Angels Sing, | 1:13:59 | |
which will be sung to tune number 388 rather than 387. | 1:14:03 | |
Let us stand as we sing. | 1:14:08 | |
(organ introduction) | 1:14:10 | |
♪ Hark, the herald angels sing ♪ | 1:14:56 | |
♪ Glory to the newborn King ♪ | 1:15:00 | |
♪ Peace on Earth and mercy mild ♪ | 1:15:05 | |
♪ God and sinners reconciled ♪ | 1:15:10 | |
♪ Joyful all ye nations rise ♪ | 1:15:15 | |
♪ Join the triumph of the skies ♪ | 1:15:20 | |
♪ With angelic hosts proclaim ♪ | 1:15:25 | |
♪ Christ is born in Bethlehem ♪ | 1:15:30 | |
♪ Hark, the herald angels sing ♪ | 1:15:35 | |
♪ Glory to the newborn King ♪ | 1:15:40 | |
♪ Christ by highest heav'n adored ♪ | 1:15:49 | |
♪ Christ the everlasting Lord ♪ | 1:15:54 | |
♪ Late in time behold Him come ♪ | 1:16:00 | |
♪ Offspring of a Virgin's womb ♪ | 1:16:05 | |
♪ Veiled in flesh the Godhead see ♪ | 1:16:10 | |
♪ Hail the incarnate Deity ♪ | 1:16:15 | |
♪ Pleased as man with us to dwell ♪ | 1:16:20 | |
♪ Jesus, our Emmanuel ♪ | 1:16:25 | |
♪ Hark, the herald angels sing ♪ | 1:16:30 | |
♪ Glory to the newborn King ♪ | 1:16:36 | |
♪ Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace ♪ | 1:16:45 | |
♪ Hail the Son of Righteousness ♪ | 1:16:50 | |
♪ Light and life to all He brings ♪ | 1:16:55 | |
♪ Ris'n with healing in His wings ♪ | 1:17:00 | |
♪ Mild he lays his glory by ♪ | 1:17:05 | |
♪ Born that man no more may die ♪ | 1:17:10 | |
♪ Born to raise the sons of Earth ♪ | 1:17:16 | |
(organ drowns out singing) | 1:17:21 | |
♪ Hark the herald angels sing ♪ | 1:17:26 | |
(organ drowns out singing) | 1:17:31 | |
♪ Amen ♪ | 1:17:40 | |
- | Let us affirm what we believe. | 1:17:51 |
(with the crowd) We believe in God, | 1:17:55 | |
who has created and is creating, | 1:17:57 | |
who has come in the truly human Jesus | 1:18:00 | |
to reconcile and make new, | 1:18:03 | |
who works in us and others by the Spirit. | 1:18:06 | |
We trust God, who calls us to be the church, | 1:18:11 | |
to celebrate life and its fullness, | 1:18:16 | |
to love and serve others, | 1:18:19 | |
to seek justice and resist evil, | 1:18:22 | |
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen, | 1:18:25 | |
our judge and our hope. | 1:18:29 | |
In life, in death, | 1:18:32 | |
in life beyond death, | 1:18:35 | |
God is with us. | 1:18:37 | |
We are not alone. | 1:18:39 | |
Thanks be to God. | 1:18:41 | |
You may be seated. | 1:18:44 | |
(crowd sitting) | 1:18:46 | |
The Lord be with you. | 1:18:57 | |
- | (crowd in unison) And with your spirit. | 1:18:59 |
- | Let us pray. | 1:19:01 |
Thank you, our words easy on our lips | 1:19:06 | |
this time of year, oh God. | 1:19:08 | |
Thank you for the card. | 1:19:11 | |
Thank you for the gift. | 1:19:14 | |
Thank you for the meal, the party, the time off from work. | 1:19:16 | |
We say thank you to members of our families | 1:19:21 | |
to friends, to those with whom we work, to strangers. | 1:19:24 | |
And now we pause to thank you for giving us life, | 1:19:31 | |
and enriching life with faith and love and friends, | 1:19:34 | |
and little boys and girls who smile or cry, | 1:19:38 | |
and make us feel like hugging the whole world. | 1:19:41 | |
Thank you for evergreen trees and red ribbons, | 1:19:46 | |
for gifts unwrapped and the joy of anticipation. | 1:19:49 | |
Thank you for young people growing up, | 1:19:53 | |
changing, becoming men and women before our eyes. | 1:19:56 | |
Thank you for quiet evenings at home, | 1:20:01 | |
and for jolly holiday gatherings. | 1:20:03 | |
Thank you for mature years, | 1:20:07 | |
for reflections of the mind and heart, | 1:20:09 | |
for memories and hopes, | 1:20:12 | |
for chance encounters with unselfishness. | 1:20:15 | |
Thank you for holy moments, for candlelight, and songs, | 1:20:19 | |
and warm smells, and angels on the tree. | 1:20:23 | |
And thank you, God, as we await the coming of the one | 1:20:28 | |
who traced a path from Bethlehem to Calvary, | 1:20:30 | |
and at Easter gave meaning to Advent. | 1:20:34 | |
And so we say thank you, | 1:20:38 | |
but we know, oh Holy God, | 1:20:42 | |
that none of us here are shepherds. | 1:20:43 | |
We are not professional wise men or women | 1:20:47 | |
like the magi of old. | 1:20:50 | |
And who of us is an innkeeper? | 1:20:53 | |
Yet we do know that our waiting is almost over. | 1:20:57 | |
That Christmas is about to overtake even us. | 1:21:01 | |
How favored we are to be among those invited | 1:21:06 | |
to Bethlehem's manger to celebrate the excitement | 1:21:08 | |
of you, great God Almighty. | 1:21:11 | |
Humbled and glorified as the newborn infant. | 1:21:13 | |
The creator become a child to share our human experience, | 1:21:17 | |
and so become our Savior. | 1:21:22 | |
Yet Christmas, oh God, is different for us. | 1:21:27 | |
Different because we have grown accustomed to it. | 1:21:31 | |
And it's hard, sometimes, to find the Christ Child | 1:21:35 | |
under the tissue paper and the red and green foil. | 1:21:37 | |
The sounds of Santa's bells, and commercials, | 1:21:41 | |
and the telephone drown out | 1:21:44 | |
the chance of hearing choirs of angels. | 1:21:45 | |
Shopping and parties and travel plans | 1:21:50 | |
make us too tense for wonder. | 1:21:52 | |
Do, thou, oh God, quieten and calm our lives, | 1:21:56 | |
so that this year we may hear and understand the message | 1:21:59 | |
"Peace on Earth. | 1:22:03 | |
"Goodwill to all people." | 1:22:05 | |
May we pause in our cooking and our decorating | 1:22:09 | |
long enough to grasp what that message means. | 1:22:11 | |
That you do love us, and call us to lives of love. | 1:22:15 | |
We pray, oh God, that the message | 1:22:22 | |
and the meaning of Christmas | 1:22:23 | |
will dawn in our world this year. | 1:22:24 | |
Hasten the release of the captives in Iran. | 1:22:28 | |
Give stamina, courage, and wisdom to those | 1:22:31 | |
who try to negotiate the demands and intentions | 1:22:34 | |
of that situation. | 1:22:37 | |
Bring sensibility and compassion to all rulers | 1:22:39 | |
and forces that defy peace in Latin America, | 1:22:43 | |
Southern Africa, in Northern Ireland, | 1:22:47 | |
and all other places where political and economic tensions | 1:22:50 | |
cause bloodshed and suffering. | 1:22:53 | |
We pray for the new settlement in Zimbabwe, Rhodesia. | 1:22:57 | |
That it may be lasting and an end to the suffering | 1:23:00 | |
of those long-denied peace. | 1:23:03 | |
And today, oh God, we remember with special longing | 1:23:08 | |
all people who are hungry, who are held prisoner, | 1:23:10 | |
all whose human and civil rights are denied. | 1:23:14 | |
Brighten their hope, and instill in us determination | 1:23:19 | |
to be bearers of the glad tidings of justice. | 1:23:22 | |
We know that it is pointless to pray | 1:23:27 | |
that hungry and lonely persons have a merry Christmas, | 1:23:29 | |
unless we are willing to share what we have. | 1:23:33 | |
Our food, our fellowship, and ourselves with them. | 1:23:36 | |
We pray, therefore, for a new spirit of generosity | 1:23:41 | |
and Christ-like service within the Church and all lands, | 1:23:44 | |
for a growing love in this place, | 1:23:49 | |
and for our personal willingness to be self-sacrificing | 1:23:52 | |
that none shall be hungry, or cold, or friendless. | 1:23:55 | |
We pray today for all the Ebenezer Scrooge's of this world, | 1:24:00 | |
and for the exorcizing of the Scrooge in ourselves. | 1:24:04 | |
And on this Sunday before Christmas, Mighty God, | 1:24:10 | |
we pray for all who travel in this holiday season, | 1:24:13 | |
for friends and families as they gather in good cheer. | 1:24:17 | |
We pray for all who sing hymns to your glory, | 1:24:21 | |
for every child who dons angel's wings or shepherd's gear, | 1:24:25 | |
for every church school which decorates trees, | 1:24:29 | |
and every minister who proclaims your Christmas word. | 1:24:32 | |
We solicit your healing powers for the sick. | 1:24:37 | |
Restore them to health and to their families. | 1:24:41 | |
We remember, in prayerful respect, | 1:24:45 | |
all those who fill our memories this Christmas. | 1:24:47 | |
May those memories enrich our Christmas now | 1:24:51 | |
and in Christmases to come. | 1:24:53 | |
We remember, especially today, Mrs. Phillips, | 1:24:57 | |
and the family and friends of Jay Phillips. | 1:25:00 | |
Bring them your comfort in their time of grief. | 1:25:04 | |
And now, oh God, we're never too big or too old | 1:25:10 | |
to outgrow the excitement of unwrapping a gift. | 1:25:13 | |
So let us now untie the strings we have used | 1:25:20 | |
to bind our greatest gift, your love in Christ. | 1:25:23 | |
As one family, we pray the family prayer. | 1:25:28 | |
(with the crowd) Our father, | 1:25:33 | |
who art in heaven, | 1:25:34 | |
hallowed be Thy name. | 1:25:36 | |
Thy kingdom come, | 1:25:38 | |
Thy will be done, | 1:25:40 | |
on Earth as it is in Heaven. | 1:25:41 | |
Give us this day our daily bread, | 1:25:44 | |
and forgive us our trespasses, | 1:25:47 | |
as we forgive those who trespass against us, | 1:25:50 | |
and lead us not into temptation, | 1:25:53 | |
but deliver us from evil. | 1:25:56 | |
For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory forever. | 1:25:58 | |
Amen. | 1:26:04 | |
(organ solo) | 1:26:06 | |
♪ Glorious is Thy name, Almighty Lord ♪ | 1:27:55 | |
♪ Glorious is Thy name ♪ | 1:28:06 | |
♪ Is Thy name, oh Lord ♪ | 1:28:10 | |
♪ Glorious is Thy name ♪ | 1:28:14 | |
♪ Glorious is Thy name, Lord ♪ | 1:28:17 | |
♪ Glorious is Thy name, oh Lord. ♪ | 1:28:20 | |
♪ Glorious is Thy name, oh Lord. ♪ | 1:28:25 | |
♪ Glorious is Thy name, oh Lord. ♪ | 1:28:28 | |
♪ Glorious is Thy name, Almighty Lord. ♪ | 1:28:33 | |
♪ All the angels stand ♪ | 1:28:40 | |
♪ Stand ♪ | 1:28:45 | |
♪ Round about Thy throne ♪ | 1:28:47 | |
♪ All the angels stand ♪ | 1:28:49 | |
♪ Stand ♪ | 1:28:54 | |
♪ Round about Thy throne ♪ | 1:28:56 | |
♪ Let all nations ♪ | 1:29:01 | |
♪ Bow before Thee ♪ | 1:29:05 | |
♪ Bow before Thee ♪ | 1:29:09 | |
♪ Let all, let all nations bow before Thee ♪ | 1:29:12 | |
♪ Let all ♪ | 1:29:18 | |
♪ All the nations bow before Thee ♪ | 1:29:20 | |
♪ Let all ♪ | 1:29:27 | |
♪ Let all nations bow before Thee ♪ | 1:29:29 | |
♪ Let all ♪ | 1:29:33 | |
♪ All nations bow before Thee ♪ | 1:29:35 | |
♪ And declare Thy wond'rous works ♪ | 1:29:43 | |
♪ And declare Thy wondr'rous works ♪ | 1:29:48 | |
♪ We praise Thee ♪ | 1:29:59 | |
♪ We give thanks to Thee ♪ | 1:30:03 | |
♪ We adore Thee ♪ | 1:30:07 | |
♪ We glorify Thee ♪ | 1:30:10 | |
♪ Lord we adore Thee ♪ | 1:30:16 | |
♪ We bless Thee ♪ | 1:30:20 | |
♪ Lord, we thank Thee ♪ | 1:30:22 | |
♪ For Thy great glory ♪ | 1:30:27 | |
♪ Lord, we thank Thee ♪ | 1:30:31 | |
♪ For Thy great glory ♪ | 1:30:35 | |
♪ Lord, we thank Thee ♪ | 1:30:39 | |
♪ For Thy great glory ♪ | 1:30:43 | |
♪ Lord, we thank Thee ♪ | 1:30:47 | |
♪ For Thy great glory ♪ | 1:30:51 | |
♪ For Thy great glory ♪ | 1:30:55 | |
♪ For Thy great glory ♪ | 1:30:59 | |
♪ Heav'n is Thy throne and Earth is Thy footstool. ♪ | 1:31:09 | |
♪ Thou art King over all the world ♪ | 1:31:16 | |
♪ Glorious is Thy name ♪ | 1:31:25 | |
♪ Is Thy name, oh Lord ♪ | 1:31:28 | |
♪ Glorious is Thy name ♪ | 1:31:33 | |
♪ Blessing and honor be to God forever and ever ♪ | 1:31:36 | |
♪ Forever and ever more ♪ | 1:31:43 | |
♪ Forever and ever more ♪ | 1:31:49 | |
♪ Blessing and honor be to God forever and ever more ♪ | 1:31:53 | |
♪ Blessing and honor be to God forever and ever more ♪ | 1:32:01 | |
♪ Blessing forever and ever more ♪ | 1:32:07 |
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ | 0:03 | |
♪ Praise Him above, ye heavenly host ♪ | 0:09 | |
♪ Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ♪ | 0:15 | |
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ | 0:21 | |
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ | 0:26 | |
♪ Hallelujah ♪ | 0:33 | |
♪ Amen ♪ | 0:42 | |
- | Oh God, we symbolize the giving of ourselves | 0:53 |
by the giving of our gifts. | 0:56 | |
What we have, we bring. | 0:59 | |
Our good intentions, our mixed motives, | 1:02 | |
our uncertainties about life, | 1:05 | |
our grasp of truth, | 1:08 | |
our partial commitment, | 1:10 | |
our small gifts. | 1:13 | |
None of it, we know, is good enough | 1:15 | |
but it is what we offer. | 1:18 | |
And we dare to believe it is received | 1:20 | |
to be used by you and to your glory. | 1:23 | |
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. | 1:26 | |
- | Amen. | 1:29 |
(lively organ music) | 1:31 | |
♪ The First Noel, the Angels did say ♪ | 2:16 | |
♪ Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay ♪ | 2:25 | |
♪ In fields where they lay keeping their sheep ♪ | 2:33 | |
♪ On a cold winter's night that was so deep ♪ | 2:41 | |
♪ Noel, Noel ♪ | 2:49 | |
♪ Noel, Noel ♪ | 2:53 | |
♪ Born is the King of Israel ♪ | 2:57 | |
♪ They looked up and saw a star ♪ | 3:08 | |
♪ Shining in the East beyond them far ♪ | 3:16 | |
♪ And to the Earth it gave great light ♪ | 3:24 | |
♪ And so it continued both day and night ♪ | 3:32 | |
♪ Noel, Noel ♪ | 3:40 | |
♪ Noel, Noel ♪ | 3:44 | |
♪ Born is the King of Israel ♪ | 3:50 | |
♪ And by the light of that same star ♪ | 4:00 | |
♪ Three wise men came from country far ♪ | 4:09 | |
♪ To seek for a king was their intent ♪ | 4:17 | |
♪ And to follow the star wherever it went ♪ | 4:25 | |
♪ Noel, Noel ♪ | 4:33 | |
♪ Noel, Noel ♪ | 4:38 | |
♪ Born is the King of Israel ♪ | 4:43 | |
♪ This star drew nigh to the northwest ♪ | 4:54 | |
♪ O'er Bethlehem it took it rest ♪ | 5:02 | |
♪ And there it did both stop and stay ♪ | 5:11 | |
♪ Right over the place where Jesus lay ♪ | 5:19 | |
♪ Noel, Noel ♪ | 5:28 | |
♪ Noel, Noel ♪ | 5:32 | |
♪ Born is the King of Israel ♪ | 5:37 | |
♪ Then entered in those wise men three ♪ | 5:48 | |
♪ Full reverently upon their knee ♪ | 5:56 | |
♪ And offered there in His presence ♪ | 6:05 | |
♪ Their gold, and myrrh and frankincense ♪ | 6:13 | |
♪ Noel Noel ♪ | 6:22 | |
♪ Noel Noel ♪ | 6:27 | |
♪ Born is the King of Israel ♪ | 6:32 | |
- | Let us go remembering that Jesus is our Lord, | 6:48 |
that we are God's people. | 6:53 | |
We are loved, we are forgiven, | 6:56 | |
we have been taught, we have declared our intentions | 7:00 | |
and we know our responsibilities. | 7:04 | |
Let us now scatter into the world to live as free | 7:08 | |
and responsible people in Christ. | 7:11 | |
And as we go, | 7:15 | |
may God's gracious gifts of peace | 7:17 | |
and joy and love go with us. | 7:19 | |
In the name of the creator, | 7:23 | |
the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen. | 7:24 | |
(tranquil organ music) | 7:29 | |
♪ Gloria, Gloria ♪ | 7:32 | |
♪ To God on high ♪ | 7:35 | |
♪ The angel's song ♪ | 7:40 | |
(choir singing) | 7:43 | |
♪ Gloria, Gloria ♪ | 7:46 | |
♪ Gloria to God on high ♪ | 7:49 | |
(lively organ music) | 7:58 |