Weekly Bible Notes,

Christmas Day

Year C, Purple

Click here to see a copy of our Christmas Day Service

Introduction

Opening Verse of Scripture John 1:14

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Collect Prayer for the Day - Before we read we pray

Collect for Christmas Day

Almighty God, you have given us your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin: grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.   Common Worship, Methodist Worship

Lord Jesus Christ, your birth at Bethlehem, draws us to kneel in wonder at heaven touching earth: accept our heartfelt praise, as we worship you, our Saviour and our eternal God.  Common Worship Shorter Collect

Ever-living God, whose glory was revealed in the Word made flesh: may we, who have seen such splendour in the coming of your Son, be true witnesses to your self-giving love in the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.   Methodist Worship

For Christmas Day Night

God of light and hope, of stars and surprises: open our eyes to your glory and our hearts to your presence, that we may respond with joy to the angel song; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.  Methodist Worship

Eternal God, who made this most holy night to shine with the brightness of your one true light: bring us, who have known the revelation of that light on earth, to see the radiance of your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Methodist Worship

First Bible Reading  Isaiah 52:7-10

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the LORD returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes. Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.

(This is the word of the Lord -- Thanks be to God)
 

Second Reading  Hebrews 1:1-4

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

(This is the word of the Lord -Thanks be to God)

Gospel Reading  John 1:1-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

(This is the word of the Lord -- Thanks be to God)

Post Communion Prayer

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 the Lord.

Commentary

A Christmas Message

If I was giving advice to people reading the Bible I church, the two most important things which I would say are

1. Speak up

2. Slow down

Obviously it is important to be heard, but it is no use just being loud enough, you also have to be understood, and most people go too fast. In fact I am not sure how often I ever hear anybody read too slowly.

When we read a piece of text,  I was always told to pause at commas and take double pause at full stops!

If we read a piece without the commas and full stops, without the pauses, then the text just becomes a jumble of unintelligible jibberish. It is the pauses which give the text its meaning. We need to remember that it is sometimes the silences which speak louder than words.

It might be a case of the pot calling the kettle black, do as I preach and not as I do. But each one of us, we all have to take time to listen to the silences in life, to have moments of quiet.

Sometimes we can live life at double speed and instead of packing double in, we go so fast that we miss the meaning. It is the pauses which give life meaning.

Of course Christmas can be like that, like the shepherds we make haste to Bethlehem, but we must also take time to stop and worship.

The preparations for all of us for Christmas have probably been hectic. Even if today is the first time to stop and pause, do so now.

No sooner have the shops been shouting at us about Christmas presents than they will be barking about the January sales.

Coming here today we have taken time to draw spiritual breath, to put some full stops and commas into our Christmas, to remember the real message of Christmas. Its not about the Christmas traditions, the television programmes, not even the lovely presents.

Its about God's present to us, the greatest present of all, a future promised to each of us and shown to us in the birth of Jesus.  Amen. 
 

Meditation

In Hebrew thought, the word, 'Word' is a way of describing the behaviour of God, of how God acts. In the creation account in the Book of Genesis, God does not physically have to do actions, he simply utters his words, and it is as God speaks that things happen. The Word of God is such that when he says 'Let there be light,' then there is light. The prophets Isaiah records that God created the universe out of the breath which he expelled when he spoke.

So how is it that God, 'the Word', the behaviour of God,  becomes flesh - with all that means.   How can the divinity of God inhabit the frailty of humanity? It is a mystery beyond human understanding. yet we believe that God chose to make himself known to us by taking this human form.

Hymns

1. Good Christians all rejoice 104

2. Christmas bells

3. come and join the celebration 97

4. See him lying on a bed of straw

5. In the bleak mid winter 107

6. O Come all ye faithful 110
    

All hymns taken from Methodist Hymns and Psalms

Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead

God, in the name of the one who gave bread to the hungry, we remember all, who through our human ignorance, folly, and sin are condemned to live in want. Show us, who have so much, what we can do to help those who have so little; and bless the efforts of those who work to overcome poverty and hunger, that sufficient food may be found for all; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Church of Scotland

All-powerful God, let the splendour of your glory rise in our hearts like the dawn, that the darkness of the night may be scattered and the coming of your only Son may reveal us as children of the light. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen.

Drive from me, O King of Peace, all vain and idle thoughts. Let my soul dwell on your love. Grant me peace of heart and quietness of the mind. Grant me the grace of your presence. Having begun a great work in me let it continue to the end and, in the end, that I may pass at last into the glory of your kingdom; for your own name’s sake. Amen Henry Lunn, 1859-1939

Additional Resources