Lessons and Carols with Reflections
Dec 2023
Tony E Dillon Hansen
Since today is also the Fourth Sunday of Advent, let us hear the wonderful praise from Mary’s heart to welcome the Love of God into our lives.
Performance: Ave Maria
Opening Prayer
O Holy Creator, We meet you here today on Christmas eve; we come anticipating of time ahead; and we reflect upon the difficult year of trials and tribulations. We lift up those who have died and those who are suffering (mind or body). We rejoice in knowing Your promise and inspiration of Your Spirit is with us. In this season, we know we can be better stewards of your creation and your justice. We confess that we give into expectation and distractions. Forgive us, help us to renew and to prepare our hearts in the words you gave us …
Our Father, who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our debts
As we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory
Forever and ever. Amen.
Assurance
We come to you confessing what is on our hearts and minds.
We do so trusting that you want to hear our petitions
and that you have already forgiven what needs to be forgiven.
We believe that our prayers will be answered in your time
and in your almighty wisdom. Amen.
Lighting the Christ candle.
In times of injustice and anxiousness
Let us hear the good news from the prophet
That people walked in darkness Have seen a great light…
For a child has been born to us
Wide will be the dominion
And boundless the peace with justice and righteousness from now and evermore.
We light the Christ candle,
Thankful that God has come to us, not as a conquering hero
But as a child full of God’s love.
Living God, come to our world,
May the love of the One shine brightly,
At the center of our lives, spreading warmth and light,
in us, in this congregation and everywhere.
Hymn: Angels We Have Heard on High (verse 1-2).
First Lesson: Creation - Genesis 1:1-5
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness God called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Reflection for Genesis 1:1-5 Creation.
Creation is a beginning. It is also change from what wasn’t to what is. Question for us, Where do we start and what do we do? These stories from Genesis remind us that all were created by our Creator and that we have bountiful gifts with this life and this Earth. Thus, we are stewards of that creation as charged by God. So what do you do with your gifts? Jesus challenges us with the parable of talents to do something with your gifts. (Matthew 25: 14-29) Thus, show your gifts - your heart - because your heart is where your treasure is (Luke 12:34). Our creation lesson reminds us that you are a child of our Creator and been given so much. You are blessed and are deserving of love, forgiveness and faith - the true gifts. Perhaps instead of looking for gifts under trees, you could find your true gifts closer to your heart.
Hymn 114: O Come O Come Emmanuel (verse 1-2).
Second Lesson: Covenant - Genesis 22:15-18
The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, 18 and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.”
Reflection for Genesis 22:15-18 Covenant
As one of our gifts, we have a covenant with the one who brought us. Covenants are relationships. Covenants, especially with our Creator, help us to understand our purpose, that we are meant to be here in this place and in this time. That Beloved is purpose -true purpose. God wants you and wants you to do things.
Think then of what your purpose is as a child of God in this covenant? Further, what blessings have been bestowed upon you in this covenant? We can serve God so that we honor those blessings and that covenant through sharing. Question for you - How do you share your gifts and this covenant?
Hymn: O Come O Come Emmanuel (refrain).
Third Lesson: Compassionate and Forgiving – Psalm 103: 1-8
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good as long as you live
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The Lord works vindication
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Reflection for Psalm 103: 1-8
Compassion and Forgiveness are gifts from our Creator given to us so that we might grow to be what we are meant to be. Thus, when we ask God to forgive our debts when we pray, let us also be willing to forgive our debtors. Else, we are weighed down by our attachment to misery and angers - to the unnecessary. Find compassion in your hearts. Turn today into your hearts and let go of what troubles you.That is the beginning steps of repentance and the beginning of forgiveness. Find forgiveness for you and practice with others around you. Forgiveness, a holy gift from God.
Fourth Lesson: Growing - Isaiah 11:1-4
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.3 His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; 4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Reflection for Isaiah 11:1-4 Growing
Advent is not just a new beginning but a season of growing, anticipation and expectation: a winter spring with hope, joy, peace, love, renewal and new growth. Christmas gives us that gift of life - full of joyful wonder. This passage invokes the divine promise to grow. The question for this is what does growth mean for you?
Growth is not just for youth but all God’s children. Our bodies may be broken, but our spirit gives us strength to soar and help those around us. Growth is a chance for us to be better than we were, even in our brokenness. Growing: another divine gift to make us better.
Hymn: O Little Town of Bethlehem (verse 1-2).
Fifth Lesson: Good News - Mark 1: 1-8
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ.
As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way,
the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight,’ ”
so John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins… He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Reflection for Mark 1: 1-8 Good News
John the Baptizer opens the Gospel of Mark with verses from Isaiah. This John dresses simple with a simple diet, but what shines about him is something more than him - more than us. John doesn’t think he is worthy, but he, like us, are worthy. That is the point of the “good news” and all that comes from Jesus. John reminds us the point of baptism is not just water upon us but rejuvenation of spirit and soul. A cleansing of all that was from our world and turning that into something joyful and hopeful- all that is possible with Jesus. This gift of possible through the word and ministry of Jesus is truly a gift that sustains - so that we can persevere through all this broken world will do to us. That is Good News!
Hymn: It Came upon the Midnight Clear (verse 1-2).
Sixth Lesson: Birth - Matthew 1:18-23
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.”
Reflection for Matthew 1:18-23 Birth
Birth is beautiful and messy. There is a tired parent, and there is offspring. A family grows with possibilities and worries. This is a beginning. Each day, each breath, is a chance for a repentance (not as a scary word) but a new beginning with God - with us.
Think of the journey across the Red Sea in Exodus, they left everything behind and witness the wreckage of pursuing pasts on the shore now as survivors. As children of God, we can begin something new. The past is always there to help us learn, but we know that we cannot go back there.
That story happens in our lives as we consider where we are, where we have been and especially (if not more importantly), where we go from here. That is anxious, scary, but also breathtaking and full of exhilarating joyfulness. How can we renew and embrace the joy of birth – the gift of life!?
Hymn: The First Noel (verse 1-2).
Seventh Lesson: Shepherds Visit – Luke 2:8-16
8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.
Reflection for Luke 2:8-16 Angels around Us.
We like to challenge angels even wrestle them, but sometimes, angels bring us great news - even when we don’t yet understand just how great. So why do shepherds hear the angels? A shepherd tends a flock to protect, to nurture and to sustain them. A shepherd knows that a flock needs a steward.
Our Shepherd, Jesus, was born this day to teach us and lead us, and God invites us with angels. Angels are here with us as gifts from God. Question for you is: are you willing to witness them? Are you ready to hear the angels this day? Perhaps better question, how can you be an angel for someone who needs one?
Hymn: Hark the Herald Angels Sing (verse 1-2).
Eighth Lesson: Wise Visit – Matthew 2:1-11
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise ones from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise ones and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” 9 When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Hymn 132: O Come All Ye Faithful (verse 1-2).
Ninth Lesson: New Beginnings - John 1:1-5 (Inclusive)
In the beginning, there was the Word, and the Word was in God’s presence, and the Word was God. 2 The Word was present to God from the beginning. 3 Through the Word, all things came into being, and apart from the Word, nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In the Word was life, and the life was our light-- 5 Light that shines in the darkness, Light that the darkness did not overcome.
Reflection for John 1:1-5 New Beginnings
Word made flesh. A transformation. Another beginning. Another chance. We also heard John the Baptizer bring the Good News. We read about birth. Yet, this John opens with the mystic notion of God being present everywhere and in everything.
This notion describes God as being encompassing while also being intimately within each of us. That with the breath and love of God, we are brought into being. Therefore, all creatures and things reveal the work of God: from the trees, the creatures, the rocks, the waters, the entire cosmos and all humanity.
These are among the gifts we have been given. We can marvel and awe at this wonderfulness, even when a broken world makes us weary and skeptical. We are made stewards of this creation and all in it - including ourselves.
Remember that we are formed in darkness to meet the new day. Today is a new day - another opportunity, another gift. We can look into the future with hope because God has given a place to start, again and again.
Open your ears, hear the wisdom of God. Open your eyes to witness. Embrace all that we have been given: the covenant that sustains, growth to learn, good news that cleanses, forgiveness to let go, the birth into new life with Christ, open heart to witness, and the wisdom to serve. Then, we transcend divisions and be one with the Spirit!
That is the Christmas promise: that we can be one with the Spirit. Let go and renew in this season. Find your hope and promise right here for you in the light of Christ.
(Please make your way around the sanctuary and share the light of Christ with each other as we sing.)
Hymn: Silent Night (verse 1-2).
Benediction:
From 2 Thessalonians.
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father (and Mother), who loves us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, 17 comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.
Go with love and light of Christ in your hearts this Christmas season and into the New Year!
