Good evening. Welcome to Missouri Avenue Baptist Church and our Christmas concert this evening entitled A Savior Is Born. We're going to start with the song up here on the screen that maybe familiar to some of you and it isn't entitled Joy to the World. So, Amen. You may be seated.

Welcome again to our church. If you're visiting with us, we're glad to have you this evening with us. There's special service. We do this once a year, usually this Sunday night before Christmas. We have our concert or program tonight.

Once again, it's entitled A Savior Is Born. We have some groups to sing and some solos and duets and then some instrumental specials from our instruments behind me here and so we're looking forward to all of that this evening as we exalt the name of Jesus Christ, our savior. He is represented in front of me here as a baby in a manger but he isn't a baby in a manger anymore. He grew up. He died on the cross for our sins.

He rose again from the dead and he's seated at the right hand of the father where he ever lives to make intercession for us and to invite us to him to be saved through his sacrifice on the cross. And so we look forward to the day that we will be in his presence and the Bible says that we shall know him as he is because we shall be like him. We celebrate all of those things in our Christmas service this evening, not just the baby in a manger. In our bulletin, there are a few things I'd like to remind you of. Do keep Clay and Daniel Gibbons, our missionaries of the week in England in your prayers as they minister and celebrate Christmas there this week.

Also, we do not have Joy Club or our Thursday Bible study the next two weeks seeing they both land right around Christmas time but we'll start back up the beginning of the year and don't forget about friend and neighbor appreciation Sunday. So, on February 1, we'll have a special service in the morning. We are going to have dinner for everyone. After the service in our fellowship hall and our newly renovated part of our fellowship hall as well that Milton destroyed and God rebuilt and we appreciate those that God used in rebuilding that but there are flyers on the welcome tables for you to start inviting others out for our friend and neighbor appreciation Sunday on February 1. So, please remember those.

Announcements if you would. We also before we leave this evening, just in case I forget later, there's a special gift for everyone on the table in the back right in front of that window. Okay? So before you leave, grab your gift. Just say, well, I'll leave it for somebody else.

Don't do that. We have plenty of gifts and we would love for you to take just a small token of our appreciation for coming to join us in our celebration of Jesus Christ this evening. We are going to begin at this time with my son David playing on the trombone, I wonder as I wonder. If the choir can come on up at this time, we're gonna be singing a song entitled Above Every Name. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, And the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called wonderful, counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace, there shall be no end. On the throne of David and upon his kingdom. To order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel.

Thousands years ago, the prophet Isaiah spoke of a child who would be born to do what even David has himself could not do as he was just a man. This child would be more. While he would be a descendant of David, he would rightly be called by other titles such as wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of peace. He would unite Israel and the world in a manner of unlike even David and rule them in righteousness and peace forever. He would be born of a virgin unlike any other.

A clear indication of his identity, Emmanuel, God with us. If you look up on the screen and sing with me, now oh come, oh come. The time for the Messiah's birth had come. Emmanuel, God with us, was born. Jesus was his name, meaning the Lord saves.

He came into the world to rescue his people from their sins and redeem them from the tyranny of Satan, Eternal judgment of sin. In Matthew, we read, but while he, that is Joseph, thought on these things, behold the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary, thy wife. For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins. And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea under the city of David which is called Bethlehem.

To be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child, and so it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the end. The choir will now come up to sing, A Child Is Born. At this time, we're going to I'm gonna play Silent Night, and my family is gonna join in with me as we sing a few verses of silent night. Hold on just a second.

One more. There we go. It's that one. I forget. I know silent night.

Luke continues, and there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, fear not for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you.

You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. The instruments behind me now are going to play medley arranged by my daughter-in-law, Emily, entitled Holy, the Herald Angels Sing. Jules is coming up now. I'm not sure why.

No. I'm just kidding. We're supposed to sing angels we have heard on high. It's somewhere in here. Let me find the right tab.

Oh. There we go. Nice to know the words. Amen. Y'all make a good choir out there.

Alright. Glad you visitors joined us tonight to help out with the choir. Continuing in the book of Luke, 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 to Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the same which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things, which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told unto them. Abby is now going to come up to read a reading for us entitled A Shepherd's Watch, I believe.

So this was written by my mother, Doris Troop. Most of you know her. Unfortunately, she couldn't be here due to a stroke that happened at the beginning of December. So I have volunteered to read it for her. A Shepherd's Watch by Doris True.

Jacob, it's time to wake up. Supper is ready for you. I had been assigned the night watch after a day of shepherding the flocks of sheep through the fields of grass and leading them to water. We all had returned the sheep to their folds outside the village. Some had stayed for the evening watch while others went home for a rest to get washed up and eat.

This week, I was assigned the night watch. Now it was time to get ready to go back for the night watch. Elizabeth got my supper, which was good as usual. The children are already asleep, so you can have a quiet supper. I washed your clothes for tonight and for the morning, she told me.

I would work during the night and stay into the day shepherding the sheep in the same places. It was always the same day after day. Shalom, she said, and have a quiet night. I walked through the quiet village out to the folds where the sheep were kept for the night. It was a clear night with the sky filled with stars, so I had no trouble seeing my way.

There was a nice cool breeze. Shalom, Jacob, called Eli. Did you have a good rest? Shalom, everyone, I called out. As the evening watch left for home, they said, see you all in the morning.

Have a restful quiet night. Come, sit by the fire, Levi said. I think I'll check the sheep first, I replied. I walked around the fold inspecting all the sheep. They were quietly sleeping.

I returned to the fire. Ethan asked, how does everything look? Caleb's lamb had a bad cut on his front leg, so I put some more oil on it. And a few of the ewes look like they're ready to birth. I think we should watch them and send them for the full to the foaling pen soon.

Eli asked how my evening had gone. I told him that I went to evening prayers at the synagogue. He prayed we prayed for peace of Jerusalem and deliverance from the Roman occupation and oppression. With the census order given by the emperor and enforced by Quirinius, so many people had come to Bethlehem that it was overcrowded. Some Roman soldiers were stationed there to supervise the census and keep the peace.

We've also prayed that God would soon send the Messiah to deliver us and make Israel a great nation again. With everything settled down and quiet, we rested. Some singing, some playing games, some quietly talking. The night passed slowly. Then the skies began to become lighter and lighter.

It was brighter than the noonday sun. We were terrified and fell to the ground. What was happening? Then a heavenly messenger who looked like the angelic beings designed in the temple in Jerusalem said to us, don't be afraid. I am bringing you great, wonderful news, which will bring great joy for everyone.

Today in Bethlehem was born the savior, the Christ, Messiah, the Lord. You will know who he is because you will find him wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Before we could even understand all of this, there were a great many more of the heavenly host praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth. Peace, goodwill toward men. Suddenly, they were all gone, and the skies were as they were before.

At first, we were not sure what to do, but something miraculous had happened, and we all needed to go check it out. What we about what we had heard. We ran into Bethlehem. A manger had to be where a stable was, so we went to a barn. There we found, just as the angel said, a newborn baby boy wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.

There beside him, his parents, Joseph and Mary resting. We told them everything that had happened, all the angels and their messages, and they were amazed. We bowed down and worship the promised Messiah. We did not want to leave. On our way out of the village, we told everyone we saw what had happened.

Hey, Jesse, guess what we saw? Nathaniel, did you hear what the angel said about this child? This baby? Joab, do you know we've seen the Messiah? Everyone was amazed by what we told them and wanted to see the baby for themselves.

It was not a quiet night anymore. When I got home, I told Elizabeth about everything. I was so excited that here in Bethlehem, just as a prophet Micah had said, the Messiah, God in the flesh with us had been born. This was not a usual everyday day. It was a special day for me.

Thank you, Abby. At this time, Emily is going to come to play, Oh Come All You Faithful on the Piano Force. Amen. Ladies are now going to come to sing a song entitled Christmas Bell. Keeping on the bell theme, Ian's coming to sing I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.

In Matthew chapter two we read another part of the story that took place a few months down the road. Now, when Jesus was in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there were wise men from the East came wise men from the East to Jerusalem saying, where is he that is born? The king of the Jews, for we have seen a star in the East and are come to worship him. When Herod, the king had heard these things, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him and when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, in Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet, and thou Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not thou the least among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel.

Then Herod, when he had privately called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, go and search diligently for the young child. And when you have found him, bring me word again that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed and low the star which they saw in the east went before them. Till it came and stood over where the young child was.

When they saw the star, they rejoice with exceeding great joy. When they were coming to the house, they saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and fell down and worshiped him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. The men are now gonna come and join me as we sing We Three Kings. I'm gonna sing a song entitled 10,000 holidays.

I'd like to read just a couple more verses and then we'll conclude with a a song in the choir once more but I'd like to read to you from Galatians chapter four. I think I consider this my favorite Christmas passage. You say, well, that's supposed to be in Matthew or Luke, not Galatians. But in Galatians chapter four, Paul reminds us that this was all foretold long ago before Christ came. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah, Daniel.

They all foretold of the coming of the Messiah. Who would deliver them. Deliver them and us from our sins. Galatians chapter four, Paul writes, but when the fullness of time was come, that is when the time was right. The appointed time.

God sent forth his son. That's Jesus, made of a woman made under the law. That was as a man. To redeem them that were under the law. That's us.

That we might receive the adoption of sons. When the time was right, God sent his son into the world. God became a man for us. He left he left heaven's glories. He grew up as a child.

He ministered to the throngs. He shared the message of hope, of redemption, of repentance, and then he died on the cross for the sins of the world. The Bible says, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. We were all on our way to perishing but Jesus intervened. He came into this world.

He died on the cross for our sins. He rose again from the grave and he ever lives to make intercession for us. And he pleads with us all. Tonight and every day, to those who live upon this Earth for whom he died, come to me and I will give you rest. The Bible tells us, he that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed the name of the only begotten son of God.

There is only one way to heaven and it is not a formula and it is not a good work. It is not a religion. It is not in the Baptist denomination or the Presbyterian or the Methodist. It is in the person of Jesus Christ. And only through faith in him can we be born again into God's family.

Be redeemed and bought back from sin and hell. And be given the gift of everlasting life. That is the message of Christmas, not the trees and the red and green and the ornaments and the gifts and the baby in a manger is about the person of Jesus Christ and what he did for humanity that we might be saved. And I hope and I do pray that that is true of you. The most important question we can ask this Christmas is what will I do?

What have I done with Jesus? And I'd like you, if you would, to sing with me up here on the screen. Have you any room for Jesus? If you would, please stand. Please, if you have any questions, if you have received the Lord Jesus tonight as your savior, I pray as we dismiss this evening.

Please come see me. I'd love to pray with you and help you in any way that I can. If the choir will come back up at this time, we're going to close out with the reprisal of Above Every Name. Once again, thank you for joining us this evening. I hope you all have a very merry Christmas.

I appreciate all those who participated and and practice and prepared for the service this evening. The singers, the instrumentalists, the sound people as well. Thank you very much for your part and your diligence in that. Please don't forget as you leave this evening. Oh, there's a basket on that back table and there's something a little token from us for you.

Please grab that on your way out and you're certainly welcome to come join us again anytime here at Missouri Avenue Baptist Church. God bless you.