Christmas Eve Candlelight
Candles needed
Joseph – red
Mary – blue
Jesus – gold
Two shepherds – green
Three angels – white
Three Magi (Wisemen) – silver
----Only the 1st and last stanzas of the hymns are to be sung----
Prelude – Instrumentalist plays Christmas music
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. 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. John 1:1,2,14
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this. Isaiah 9: 6-7
The birth of Jesus was like this:
1. Joseph
Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph (Light Joseph candle), but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:18-21
2. Mary
In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary (Light Mary’s candle). The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored!
The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Luke 1:26-38
3. Congregational Hymn - Joy to the World
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son (Light Jesus’ candle). She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:1-7
4. Solo - What Child is This?
And there were shepherds (Light shepherds’ candles) living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
5. Congregational Hymn – While Shepherds Watch their Flocks
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host (Light angels’ candles) appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
6. Congregational Hymn – Angels we have heard on High
When the angels had left them (Extinguish angels’ candles) and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. Luke 2:8-16 (Extinguish shepherds’ candles)
7. Magi (Wisemen)
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi (Light Magi’s candles) from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him… [Then] the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. Matthew 2:1-12
8. Congregational Hymn – We Three Kings
9. Extinguish all but Jesus’ candle
The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.
10. From Jesus’ candle, the congregation will light their candles one by one.
11. Congregational Hymn - Silent Night, Holy Night
12. At the conclusion of the hymn, the congregation will silently exit the sanctuary with the candles lit.
