Luke’s Gospel Witness
of the Holy Birth
Christmas Festival of 5 Lessons and Music

 

 

[In the mid- to late- 90’s it was my privilege to be the part-time Chaplain at the Ridgewood Veterans’ Wing -- a Department of Veterans’ Affairs facility where I conducted Services on Tuesday evenings, assisted by members of the choir of the Church of the Good Shepherd in West Saint John.  The choristers led the men and their wives in the hymns while those Vets who were capable of reading did so as asked.]

 

A Bidding Prayer

Beloved in Christ, in this Christmastide, let it be our care and delight to hear again the message of the Angels, and in heart and mind to go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, and the Babe lying in a manger.

Let us read and mark in Holy Scripture the tale of the loving purposes of God and let us make this place glad with our carols of praise.

But first, let us pray fro the needs of his whole world, for peace and justice on earth, for the unity and mission of the Church for which he died, and especially for his Church in our country and in this community.

And because this of all things would rejoice his heart, let us at this time remember in his name the poor and helpless; the hungry and the oppressed, the sick and those who mourn; the lonely and unloved, the aged and the little children; as well as all those who do not know the love of the Lord Jesus, or who love him not, or who by sin have grieved his heart of love.

Lastly, let us remember before God his pure and lowly Mother, and all those who rejoice with us, but upon another shore and in a greater light, that multitude which no one can number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, and with whom, in this Lord Jesus, we for evermore are one.

These prayers and praises let us humbly offer up to the throne of heaven, in the words Christ himself has taught us:

Our Father…

The Almighty God bless us with his grace; Christ give us the joys of everlasting life; and to the fellowship of the citizens above may the King of Angels bring us all.  Amen.

Book of Occasional Services, 36

Introductory Response for the Incarnation

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
May all the earth be filled with his glory.

Light has sprung up for the righteous,
And joyful gladness for those who are true-hearted.

Glory to God in the highest,
And peace to his people on earth.

Book of Alternative Service, 96

All my Heart This Night Rejoices

All my heart this night rejoices,

As I hear,

Far and near,

Sweetest angel voices;

“Christ is born,” their choirs are singing,

Till the air

Everywhere

Now with joy is ringing.

 

Hark! A voice from yonder manger,

Soft and sweet,

Doth entreat,

“Flee from woe and danger!

Brethren, come! From all that grieves you,

You are freed;

All you need

I will surely give you.”

 

Come, then, let us hasten yonder!

Here let all,

Great and small,

Kneel in awe and wonder!

Love him who with love is yearning!

Hail the Star,

That from far

Bright with hope is burning!

 

Thee, dear Lord, with heed I’ll cherish,

Live to thee,

And with thee

Dying, shall not perish;

But shall dwell with thee for ever,

Far on high,

In the joy

That can alter never.

 

Collect for The Incarnation

      O God our Father,
Whose Word has come among us
In the Holy Child of Bethlehem,
May the light of faith
Illumine our hearts
And shine in our words and deeds;
Through him who is Christ our Lord,
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
One God, now and for ever.

Book of Alternative Service, 274

 The First Lesson

Reader          The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke

Response       Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ

Many people have tried to tell the story of what God has done among us.  They wrote what we had been told by the ones who were there in the beginning and saw what happened.  So I made a careful study of everything and then decided to write and tell you exactly what took place. Honorable Theophilus, I have done this to let you know the truth about what you have heard. 

When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest by the name of Zechariah from the priestly group of Abijah. His wife Elizabeth was from the family of Aaron.  Both of them were good people and pleased the LORD God by obeying all that he had commanded.  But they did not have children. Elizabeth could not have any, and both Zechariah and Elizabeth were already old. 

One day Zechariah's group of priests were on duty, and he was serving God as a priest. According to the custom of the priests, he had been chosen to go into the LORD'S temple that day and to burn incense,  while the people stood outside praying. 
All at once an angel from the LORD appeared to Zechariah at the right side of the altar.  Zechariah was confused and afraid when he saw the angel.  But the angel told him:

Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayers. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you must name him John.  

His birth will make you very happy, and many people will be glad.  Your son will be a great servant of the LORD. He must never drink wine or beer, and the power of the Holy Spirit will be with him from the time he is born.

John will lead many people in Israel to turn back to the LORD their God. 

He will go ahead of the LORD with the same power and spirit that Elijah had. And because of John, parents will be more thoughtful of their children. And people who now disobey God will begin to think as they ought to. That is how John will get people ready for the LORD.

Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this is going to happen? My wife and I are both very old.” 

The angel answered, “I am Gabriel, God’s servant, and I was sent to tell you this good news.   You have not believed what I have said. So you will not be able to say a thing until all this happens. But everything will take place when it is supposed to.” 

The crowd was waiting for Zechariah and kept wondering why he was staying so long in the temple.  When he did come out, he could not speak, and they knew he had seen a vision. He motioned to them with his hands, but did not say a thing. 

When Zechariah's time of service in the temple was over, he went home.  Soon after that, his wife was expecting a baby, and for five months she did not leave the house. She said to herself,  ”What the LORD has done for me will keep people from looking down on me.”

Reader           The Gospel of Christ

Response       Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

Away In The Manger

      Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.

      The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle til morning is nigh.

      Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And take us to heaven, to live with Thee there.

 The Second Lesson

Reader          The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke

Response       Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ

One month later God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee with a message for a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to Joseph from the family of King David.  The angel greeted Mary and said, “You are truly blessed! The LORD is with you.” 

Mary was confused by the angel’s words and wondered what they meant.  Then the angel told Mary, “Don’t be afraid! God is pleased with you, and you will have a son. His name will be Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High. The LORD God will make him king, as his ancestor David was. He will rule the people of Israel forever, and his kingdom will never end.” 

Mary asked the angel, “How can this happen? I am not married!” 

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come down to you, and God's power will come over you. So your child will be called the holy Son of God.  Your relative Elizabeth is also going to have a son, even though she is old. No one thought she could ever have a baby, but in three months she will have a son.  Nothing is impossible for God!” 

Mary said, “I am the LORD'S servant! Let it happen as you have said.” And the angel left her. 

A short time later Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea.   She went into Zechariah's home, where she greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, her baby moved within her.
The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth.  Then in a loud voice she said to Mary:

God has blessed you more than any other woman! He has also blessed the child you will have.  

Why should the mother of my LORD come to me?  As soon as I heard your greeting, my baby became happy and moved within me.   The LORD has blessed you because you believed that he will keep his promise.   

Reader           The Gospel of Christ

Response       Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

 

O Come, All Ye Faithful

O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels!

Refrain
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.4

Sing, alleluia,
All ye choirs of angels;
O sing, all ye blissful ones of heav’n above.
Glory to God -
In the highest glory!
Refrain

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be the glory giv’n;
Word of the Father,
Now in the flesh appearing,
Refrain

Reader           The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke

Response       Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ

Mary said:
With all my heart  
I praise the LORD,
and I am glad because of God my Savior.
God cares for me, his humble servant.
From now on, all people will say
God has blessed me.
God All-Powerful has done great things for me,
and his name is holy.
He always shows mercy
to everyone who worships him.
The LORD has used his powerful arm
to scatter those who are proud.
God drags strong rulers from their thrones
and puts humble people in places of power.
God gives the hungry good things to eat,
and sends the rich away
with nothing.
God helps his servant Israel
and is always merciful to his people.
The LORD made this promise to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his family forever! 

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Then she went back home. 

When Elizabeth's son was born,  her neighbors and relatives heard how kind the LORD had been to her, and they too were glad. 

Eight days later they did for the child what the Law of Moses commands. They were going to name him Zechariah, after his father.  But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John.” 

The people argued, “No one in your family has ever been named John.”  So they motioned to Zechariah to find out what he wanted to name his son. 

Zechariah asked for a writing tablet. Then he wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed.   Right away, Zechariah started speaking and praising God. 

All the neighbors were frightened because of what had happened, and everywhere in the hill country people kept talking about these things.  Everyone who heard about this wondered what this child would grow up to be. They knew that the LORD was with him. 

The Holy Spirit came upon Zechariah, and he began to speak:

   Praise the LORD, the God of Israel!
He has come to save his people.
Our God has given us a mighty Savior
from the family of David his servant.
Long ago the LORD promised
by the words of his holy prophets
to save us from our enemies
and from everyone who hates us.
God said he would be kind to our people
and keep his sacred promise.
He told our ancestor Abraham
that he would rescue us from our enemies.
Then we could serve him without fear,
by being holy and good as long as we live.
You, my son, will be called
a prophet of God in heaven above.
You will go ahead of the LORD
to get everything ready for him.
You will tell his people
that they can be saved when their sins are forgiven.
God's love and kindness will shine upon us
like the sun that rises in the sky.
On us who live in the dark shadow of death
this light will shine
to guide us into a life of peace. 

As John grew up, God's Spirit gave him great power. John lived in the desert until the time he was sent to the people of Israel 

Reader           The Gospel of Christ

Response       Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

 

Responsory for the Incarnation

His salvation is near to those who fear him:
His glory shall dwell in our land.
His salvation is near to those who fear him:
His glory shall dwell in our land.

I will listen to what the Lord God is saying, for he is speaking peace to his faithful people and to those who turn their hearts to him.
His glory shall dwell in our land.

Mercy and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
His glory shall dwell in our land.

Truth shall spring up from the earth,
And righteousness shall look down from heave.
His glory shall dwell in our land.

Righteousness shall go before him,
And peace shall be a pathway for his feet.
His glory shall dwell in our land.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
His salvation is near to those who fear him:
His glory shall dwell in our land.

Book of Alternative Service, 105

 

Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem

      Oh little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by
Yet in they dark streets shineth, the everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

      For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above
While mortals sleep the angels keep their watch of wondering love
Oh morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth.
And praises sing to God the king, and peace to men on earth.

      How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven
No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin
Where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Christ enters in.

      Oh holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today
We hear the Christmas angels, the great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us, our lord Emanuel.

The Fourth Lesson

Reader           The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke

Response       Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ

About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books.  These first records were made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.   

Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed.  So Joseph had to leave Nazareth in Galilee and go to Bethlehem in Judea. Long ago Bethlehem had been King David’s hometown, and Joseph went there because he was from David's family. 

Mary was engaged to Joseph and traveled with him to Bethlehem. She was soon going to have a baby, and while they were there, she gave birth to her first-born son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn. 

That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep.  All at once an angel came down to them from the LORD, and the brightness of the LORD'S glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened.  But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy.  This very day in King David’s hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the LORD.  You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay.”

Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God. They said:

“Praise God in heaven!
      Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God.” 

After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what the LORD has told us about.” They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and they saw the baby lying on a bed of hay. 

When the shepherds saw Jesus, they told his parents what the angel had said about him.   Everyone listened and was surprised.  But Mary kept thinking about all this and wondering what it meant. 

As the shepherds returned to their sheep, they were praising God and saying wonderful things about him. Everything they had seen and heard was just as the angel had said. 

Eight days later Jesus’ parents did for him what the Law of Moses commands. And they named him Jesus, just as the angel had told Mary when he promised she would have a baby. 

Reader           The Gospel of Christ

Response       Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

 

Angels We Have Heard on High

Angels we have heard on high,
Singing sweetly through the night,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their brave delight.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why these songs of happy cheer?
What great brightness did you see?
What glad tiding did you hear?
Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ, the Lord, the new-born King.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.

See him in a manger laid
Whom the angels praise above;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While we raise our hearts in love.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.

The Fifth Lesson 

Reader          The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke

Response      Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ

The time came for Mary and Joseph to do what the Law of Moses says a mother is supposed to do after her baby is born. They took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem and presented him to the LORD,  just as the Law of the LORD says, “Each first-born baby boy belongs to the LORD.”  The Law of the LORD also says that parents have to offer a sacrifice, giving at least a pair of doves or two young pigeons. So that is what Mary and Joseph did. 

At this time a man named Simeon was living in Jerusalem. Simeon was a good man. He loved God and was waiting for God to save the people of Israel. God’s Spirit came to him and told him that he would not die until he had seen Christ the LORD. 
When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to do what the Law of Moses says should be done for a new baby, the Spirit told Simeon to go into the temple.  Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God,

“LORD, I am your servant,
and now I can die in peace,
because you have kept your promise to me.
With my own eyes I have seen
what you have done to save your people,
and foreign nations will also see this.
Your mighty power is a light for all nations,
and it will bring honor to your people Israel.” 

Jesus’ parents were surprised at what Simeon had said.   Then he blessed them and told Mary, “This child of yours will cause many people in Israel to fall and others to stand. The child will be like a warning sign. Many people will reject him,   and you, Mary, will suffer as though you had been stabbed by a dagger. But all this will show what people are really thinking.”

The prophet Anna was also there in the temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. In her youth she had been married for seven years, but her husband died.  And now she was eighty-four years old. Night and day she served God in the temple by praying and often going without eating. 
At that time Anna came in and praised God. She spoke about the child Jesus to everyone who hoped for Jerusalem to be set free. 

After Joseph and Mary had done everything that the Law of the LORD commands, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee.  The child Jesus grew. He became strong and wise, and God blessed him. 

Reader           The Gospel of Christ

Response       Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

 

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Hark! the herald angels sing
Glory to the new-born King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With the angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem!
Hark! the herald angels sing
Glory to the new-born King!

Christ, by highest heaven adored;
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of the Virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail the incarnate Deity,
Pleased as man with man to dwell;
Jesus, our Emmanuel!

Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Risen with healing in his wings,
Light and life to all he brings,
Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!
Hail, the heaven-born Prince of Peace!

 

Litany for the Incarnation

By the good news of our salvation brought to Mary by the angel, hear us, O Lord.
Lord, grant us peace.

By the mystery of the Word made flesh, hear us, O Lord.
Lord, grant us peace.

By the birth in time of the timeless Son of God, hear us, O Lord.
Lord, grant us peace.

By the manifestation of the King of glory to the shepherds and magi, hear us, O Lord.
Lord, grant us peace.

By the submission of the maker of the world to Mary and Joseph of Nazareth, hear us, O Lord.
Lord, grant us peace.

By the baptism of the Son of God in the river Jordan, hear us, O Lord.
Lord, grant us peace.

Grant that the kingdom of this world may become the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; hear us, O Lord.
Lord, grant us peace.

Book of Alternative Services, 120

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all.

 

Joy To The World

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods,
Rocks, hills and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessing flow,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
The wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders of His love

Festivals of Light

Selections read from
Contemporary English Version
Copyright © 1999 American Bible Society