Carols of Christmas
Christmas 2023
O Little Town of Bethlehem - Micah 5:2; Luke 2:9-11; Matt 1:18-21
December 24, 2023 • Mike Burt • Micah 5:2, Luke 2:9–11, Matthew 1:18–21
The story of the long-time favorite Carol - O Little Town of Bethlehem - is a great reminder that the best-loved things are often also the simplest of things. Phillips Brooks spent Christmas of 1865 in Bethlehem just soaking up the atmosphere of the village. Unchanged in many ways for centuries, Brooks reflected on the history and heritage of this insignificant town that welcomed the greatest gift of Heaven. He wrote this poem a few years later and then asked his Worship Leader to compose a simple tune to carry his poem - done at the last minute - both expected the song to be used that Christmas Sunday for the children’s choir and likely never again - they were wrong! This is one of the best-loved and best-known carols in the collection of Nativity songs. The verses that support this carol are just as well known. Well-known verses from Isaiah and the Gospels but also verses from Micah, the Psalms. Sunday I will take us through a few of each - giving us the background of the Carol and the promises of God kept in the baby of Bethlehem - Jesus! Remember - a Christmas Eve service at 10am and repeated at 4pm. Bring your family - bring your friends - worship with us as we celebrate the original gift of Heaven-born in a stable - laid in a manger - crucified on a cross - risen to life - ascended to Heaven! Full circle! See you Sunday, Pastor Mike
Glory to God in the Highest! - Luke 2:1-20
December 17, 2023 • Mike Burt • Luke 2:1–20
I read an article a few years back – Angels we ignore on high! They are truly sharing but are we listening? Angels are a big part of the Christmas story – first with Zechariah and the birth of John then to Mary to assure her that all that was going on is according to God’s plans. Three times to Joseph! Once to tell him to proceed with Mary as planned – then to take a trip to Egypt and then when it was safe to go back to Israel. Our Angels for Sunday are the group that visited the shepherds in the fields of Boaz just east of Bethlehem. There are several fascinating things about this account – I will try to cover just four. I have always been struck with how many unlikely things happen on this night – these I will share with Grace on Sunday – come and listen! Join with us as we sing ‘Angels we have heard on high’ and not be the congregation that might sing ‘Angels we ignore on high’ – see you Sunday! Pastor Mike PS – Christmas is more than a Wonderful Life – it is Eternal Life! And don’t look for Clarence when God offers clarity in His Word!
Joy To The World - Psalm 98 - Greenhouse Children's Choir Christmas 2023 - (Second Service)
December 10, 2023 • Jake McFadden • Psalm 98
Joy to the World – Psalm 98 Joy to the World is by far the number one, most popular Christmas hymn of all time (http://hymnary.org/). This is no shock, because the birth of baby Jesus has brought Joy to the World! BUT… did you know Joy to the World was not originally written to be a song - it was a poem! Further, did you know Joy to the World was not even about the birth of Jesus!?? And, one of the most powerful verses of the song, verse 3, “Far as the Curse is Found,” has been all but omitted from modern renditions. How did this old poem, authored back in 1719, evolve to be the most popular Christian, Christmas song of all time? Come Sunday to find out! ;-) If you want a hint, read Psalm 98, of which Joy to the World was originally written as a paraphrased poem. Our goal, in looking at the joyous roots of this hymn, is to experience an even deeper-rooted source of Jesus’ joy in our hearts and lives this Christmas season and beyond – Growing in Christ to Grow Others, Together!! See you this Sunday! Pastor Jake
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus! - Luke & Isaiah (2nd Service)
December 3, 2023 • Mike Burt
“We are surprised by God only when we did not believe!” Christmas can be a time of great joy but it is also too often a season of disappointments – we ask too much! Christmas lists are too long, patience with family is too short – engagements are too many and time is too short! Days have more tasks and less hours and frustrations seem to be the only thing we have in surplus – where does this come from? Our expectations. Expectations are the foundations of hope and the edges of disappointments. It is unrealistic to think that all our expectations can be met – yet there is a place where our every expectation will be satisfied – but only in Christ! We will revisit the hopes of Simeon and Anna and walk beside the men from Emmaus and listen to the prophecy of Isaiah – all to remind us of the Expectations promised by God who cannot disappoint! I am inviting you to bring your hopes and disappointments – your expectations and frustrations. Bring them and hear the Scriptures and sing the songs about true hope that cannot let you down! Pastor Mike
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus! - Luke & Isaiah (1st Service)
December 3, 2023 • Mike Burt
“We are surprised by God only when we did not believe!” Christmas can be a time of great joy but it is also too often a season of disappointments – we ask too much! Christmas lists are too long, patience with family is too short – engagements are too many and time is too short! Days have more tasks and less hours and frustrations seem to be the only thing we have in surplus – where does this come from? Our expectations. Expectations are the foundations of hope and the edges of disappointments. It is unrealistic to think that all our expectations can be met – yet there is a place where our every expectation will be satisfied – but only in Christ! We will revisit the hopes of Simeon and Anna and walk beside the men from Emmaus and listen to the prophecy of Isaiah – all to remind us of the Expectations promised by God who cannot disappoint! I am inviting you to bring your hopes and disappointments – your expectations and frustrations. Bring them and hear the Scriptures and sing the songs about true hope that cannot let you down! Pastor Mike
O Come, O Come Emmanuel - Isaiah 7:14; Matt 1:22,23
November 26, 2023 • Mike Burt • Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:22, Matthew 1:23
This is the first of our 5 Carols of Christmas that have deep Biblical backgrounds from which they were written. The danger in any celebration is that we might repeat the common songs without knowing the origins or savoring the words as they were intended. This carol is maybe the oldest of all – late Latin around 800AD. The verses reflect deep roots in both Old and New Testaments – I will go to both. We will begin in Isaiah where a frightened people cried out to God for Him to come and deliver them from their enemies. Centuries later the same people crying out again under the cruel rule of a new enemy raise the same prayer. All along God is keeping His word to His people – I will be with you! Psalm 46:7 “The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. “ Join us this Sunday for the beginning of our Christmas season with celebrations of the coming of the Messiah to save His people! Not just the Jews in the days of Isaiah nor just the Jews in the days of the Romans – but the God who loved them loves us! He is here – now – for us! Pastor Mike