O Come All Ye Faithful Series

O Come All Ye Faithful

Lk 2:1-20, Mt.2:1-11

- The Latin version ‘Adeste Fideles’

- Meaning “be present or near, ye faithful.”

- Written by John Francis Wade (1711-86)

- Fled England after the 1745 Jacobite rebellion

(England & Scotland) to teach music in the school for British Roman Catholic exiles in France.

- First published in 1760, it might have incidentally served as a coded rallying cry for the Scottish cause.

- The English translation was made by Frederick Oakley and William Brooke in 1841.

- O Come all ye Faithful

- Calls us to Bethlehem – Where it began

- Do you recall your starting place ?

- What was your experience?

- It is a call to worship – "Behold Him"

- Chorus - Speaks of Adoration

1. The “Faithful” Once Lived in Darkness

SHEPHERDS – Low class

- Little notice – Without breeding

- No time for worship

MAGI – Upper class

- Much notice - Mt 2:3 Troubled Herod & City

- Superstitious

- Each lived according to their own insight

Jeremiah 9:23–24 (AV)

23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:

24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

2. The "Faithful" Are Drawn By God

- SHEPHERDS by the Angel's Song

- MAGI by the pointing star

- Power of His Word pointing us to Jesus

John 8:12 (AV)

12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

3. The "Faithful" Go And See

- ANGLES pointed to Bethlehem

Luke 2:15 (AV)

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

- MAGI enquired of scripture

Matthew 2:4–6 (AV)

4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

- WOMEN AT THE WELL

John 4:28–30 (AV)

28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,

29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

- HEED SCRIPTURE

Revelation 22:17 (AV)

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

4. The "Faithful" Kneel & Worship

-SHEPHERDS – We surmise their response of seeing the truth

Luke 2:16–18 (AV)

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

THE MAGI we know

Matthew 2:10–11 (AV)

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

- GIFTS

• Gold – Divinity

- Given to honor a King

• Frankincense – Incense for Worship

– His holiness & Rightness

• Myrrh – Oil Spice for His death & burial

- His Bitterness & Suffering

ALL – Will Bow

Philippians 2:5–11 (AV)

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.