Lessons for December 24, 2005 – Christmas Eve The first lesson Isaiah 9:2-7 The people who walk in darkness will see a great light—a light that will shine on all who live in the land where death casts its shadow. 3Israel will again be great, and its people will rejoice as people rejoice at harvest time. They will shout with joy like warriors dividing the plunder. 4For God will break the chains that bind his people and the whip that scourges them, just as he did when he destroyed the army of Midian with Gideon's little band. 5In that day of peace, battle gear will no longer be issued. Never again will uniforms be bloodstained by war. All such equipment will be burned. 6For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the Lord Almighty will guarantee this! (NLT) Psalm 96 L. Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! C. Sing to the Lord; bless his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. L. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. C. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be revered above all the gods. L. The gods of other nations are merely idols, but the Lord made the heavens! C. Honor and majesty surround him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. L. O nations of the world, recognize the Lord; recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong. C. Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! L. Bring your offering and come to worship him. C. Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before him. L. Tell all the nations that the Lord is king. C. The world is firmly established and cannot be shaken. He will judge all peoples fairly. L. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice! C. Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! L. Let the fields and their crops burst forth with joy! C. Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise before the Lord! L. For the Lord is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. C. He will judge the world with righteousness and all the nations with his truth. (NLT) The second lesson Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. 12And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God, 13while we look forward to that wonderful event when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing what is right. (NLT) The Gospel Lesson Luke 2:1-20 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2(This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3All returned to their own towns to register for this census. 4And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was obviously pregnant by this time. 6And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn. 8That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, 10but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! 11The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!" 13Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God: 14"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors." 15When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, 19but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said. (NLT)