Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve

1. Read Luke 2:1-7

2. “A Journey”

a. census done that way now.

1. snarl of traffic

2. planes – movies, meals, snacks, speed, press. Cabins, bathrooms

3. cars – speed, some have vcrs/tvs

b. Mary – great with child, riding donkey

c. Mothers – last few days before birth, on a donkey?

d. Not safe travel – no Motel 6/Red Roof Inn

e. Travel/be counted in census – not great timing

f. 70-80 miles – 1 ½ hrs. today, 5 days then. A days journey was 15-20 miles. 15 miles here to Walmart, 20 miles S. side of M.C.

3. Song “Away in a Manger”

4. Read Luke 2:8-16

5. “The Journeys Continue…”

a. Shepherds in field doing ??? singing Kum By Yah?

b. Angels came, scared the bejeebers out of them.

1. “Let us go now and see this thing”

2. They went with haste. No arguing about who was going/staying, no discussion about how to find child in crowded Bethlehem.

c. Shepherds knew importance of this event.

d. Journey was 2(?) miles from fields or 1-2 hrs. each way.

6. Song “Go, Tell It on the Mountain”

7. Read Matthew 2:1-12

8. “The Journeys Continue…”

a. Wisemen? Astrologers? Stargazers? We don’t know for sure.

b. Charting stars & saw a special star, brighter than any other.

c. Must have been told what it meant

1. Didn’t question, wonder why, debate whether to go or not.

d. Left families, homes, lifestyles, took off on journey to follow star.

e. Journey of 500-1,000 miles.

1. How long???, “entered house” when they got there.

2. Traveled at night. Had to to see star. Dangerous. Can you imagine having to pass through checkpoints & explain why you were traveling & to where?

9. Song “We Three Kings”

10. Read Ephesians 1:3-10

11. “And Still, the Journey Continues…”

a. Christmas is about journeys

1. Mary & Joseph – Nazareth to Bethlehem

2. Shepherds – fields to manger

3. Wisemen – distant land, following star

b. Other journeys

1. Jesus – heaven to earth

2. Angels – heaven to fields

3. Us

a. We journey to parties, stores, grandma’s house, family & friend’s homes

b. Some of you journeyed here from where you now live, home to family.

c. We all journeyed here tonight.

c. Life is a journey.

1. We are always journeying from here to there, from one place to another.

2. Where are we traveling to?

3. Mary & Joseph, shepherds, wisemen, angels. All had destination in mind. Focused on where they were going.

4. Where are we traveling to?

a. We are children of God, adopted through Jesus Christ.

b. We have been “blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.”

c. We have “redemption through his blood.”

d. We have forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.”

5. Where are we traveling to?

6. John 3:16

7. That is the reason for the season. That is why the Mary & Joseph, the shepherds, wisemen, angels journeyed. To worship Jesus. That’s why we journeyed here tonight. To worship Jesus. And if we continue our journey, worshiping Jesus, then we can keep our eyes upon our destination of heaven.