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The Greatest Gift · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Well, good morning and a very warm welcome to you all to our Christmas Club family service.
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It's good to see so many of our young people here together today at the front.
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It's great to have you with us and it was a great day yesterday at the holiday club.
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I hope you all enjoyed it, those who were there.
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And we're going to be following on with a theme from that today as well, thinking about
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the time of year it is and the gift.
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Gifts that we receive in Christmastime are special, but we're going to think today of
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the greatest gift of all.
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So we're going to come to that in a moment.
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But just for your information, there's a few things on the notice sheet to highlight.
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After the service this morning, the children are going to go out to the door to my left
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here, going through into the hall.
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And the hall is set up there for tea and coffee for everyone.
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And the children are then going to lead us in some of the songs that they were learning
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yesterday together.
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So everyone's very welcome.
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Please do stay behind for that.
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If you can, there'll also be a slideshow of some of the pictures taken yesterday.
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So you'll see pictures of some of the activities that they were involved in throughout the day.
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So do stay behind for that if you can.
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Just go through to the hall next door.
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This evening, the YF meets in the MA Hall.
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That's on this evening.
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Friday the Free is on this coming Friday.
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I'm just highlighting that as well because it's holiday time.
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There may be families with children who maybe want to come along to that as well on Friday
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between 12 and 3.
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I just want to say a big thank you to everyone who was involved in the Christmas Club.
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Not just yesterday, but in the days and months leading up to it, there was a lot of hard work
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put into it.
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Very practical ways.
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People were organizing online sign-up sheets, printing sheets, baking, preparing all the crafts
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and different things.
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And then yesterday, so many people involved.
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Too many people to mention, but just a thank you to everyone who was involved.
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And especially we thank God that we're able to pray and that everyone can join in in praying
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for it and continue to pray that everything that we do, the Lord would bless.
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So thank you to everyone who was involved in that.
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And today's service is a slightly different format to the usual.
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So all the children, you'll have these question sheets.
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There's some questions.
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There's some activities.
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There's all the singings we have and the readings are all in here as well.
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So everything's in this booklet for you just to use going through.
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There's some questions.
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So when we go through to the hall, I'll maybe ask a few of you to see what answers to the
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questions you put.
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Because there's some questions.
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I'm not sure what the answer is.
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So you might have to help me out with that.
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So I'll see what you put in the question sheet.
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So the format's going to be slightly different.
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And we'll be having readings and singings and a message at different points throughout
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the day.
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But we're going to begin by singing to God's praise.
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We're singing in Psalm 100.
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It's the Sing Psalms version.
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If you have the psalm books, it's page 131.
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Psalm 100.
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We're going to sing the whole of this psalm.
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The tune is Selma.
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And it's a psalm that reminds us that together we come to praise the Lord as we come today,
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not just here, but people throughout the world.
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We lift our voices together to praise God.
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So we'll stand to sing the whole of this psalm.
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And we'll sing the whole of this psalm.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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All new to earth belong
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Adore the Lord with joyful hearts
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And come to Him in song
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Of that the Lord is God
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He made us lost His own
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We are the sheep for whom He cares
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His people will follow
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And God is mixed with praise
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His courts with thankfulness
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Your praises gladly sing to Him
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His name forever bless
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What God the Lord is good
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His love is never true
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His constant truth and faithfulness
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Through every age and youth
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Well we bow our heads in a word of prayer
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Now let us pray
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Our Father in heaven
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We thank you for this day
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We thank you for Sunday
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As the Lord's day
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A day when we are able to come
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Together in this way of worship
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And praise to you
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We thank you Lord
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That you have given us so many good things
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We thank you for all the times of great joy
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We enjoy together
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As we think back even to yesterday
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To our time in the holiday club together
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We thank you for your peace and blessing upon us there
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And for all who came along
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And for all that was done
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And for all the enjoyment that we had
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And above all Lord
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We thank you that as we come together in these ways
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We come to hear of a precious Saviour
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One who we pray will become more and more precious
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To every one of us here
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Today and in all the days ahead
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That our love for our Lord Jesus
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Would grow and blossom in all our lives
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From the youngest to the oldest here
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For we thank you that as we come
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We come not looking to give praise to ourselves
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Or to anyone else
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But to come giving praise to you
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As we have sung
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We are to come and enter your presence
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With joy and thankfulness
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For all of the goodness that you have shown to us
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For all the great and wondrous things that you have done
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And so we pray today that as we turn to your word
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As we thank you for it
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As we thank you for the Bible
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And for all that it teaches us
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About who we are and who you are
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It teaches us about the gaps that exist in our lives
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And we don't know you
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But we thank you that it teaches us too
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For the way that that gap is filled
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When we come to put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ
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We thank you for this time of year
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And all the things that we enjoy
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When there is so much activity around us
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And in our own lives too
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As we think of the schools
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And all that is happening in them
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With concerts and school meals
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And pantomimes
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And all sorts of things going on just now
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We realise that it's a busy time of year
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And we just pray your blessing on the schools
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Upon the teachers and staff
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And all the pupils just now
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And as we look forward to the holidays this coming week
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We pray that you will bless them
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In their time off
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And there will be a time to enjoy
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Enjoy together with family and friends
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But we realise too Lord
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That this time of year
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Is often a sad time of year for many
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Many will feel lonely
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Many will feel sad at this time of year
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Because of different things going on
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Or different things that have happened
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In the past year or in the past years
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And we do remember Lord
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That we are to look out for one another
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To encourage one another
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To help one another
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And we thank you that your word teaches us that too
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That we are to pray for and to encourage one another
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As often as we can
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And so we thank you Lord
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For the very fact that you are with us
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That that is above all what we remember
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At this time of year
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That you sent your son into this world
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You sent him as the greatest gift of all
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And we pray that in everything else
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That goes on in our lives just now
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That you will help us to remember you
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And to remember your great love towards us
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To remember your son Christ Jesus
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And to come and be able to call him
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Our Lord and our God
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Help us to trust in him
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With all our hearts
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So may you bless our time together here
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And also as we go through to the hall later
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We pray Lord that you will bless us
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As we continue to worship you
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And to praise you this day
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For all your goodness to us
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Remember us and all our families
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All who we love and care for
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And indeed even those we see as strangers around us
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Lord we pray for you to bless us
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And watch over us
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We give thanks to you for all of these things
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And ask it all in Jesus name
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With the forgiveness of our sins
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Amen
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Well it's a special time of year just now
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When there's so much activity going on around us
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And it's a busy time of year
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Hands up if you're feeling a little tired today
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For a busy day yesterday
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Most of the adults are putting up their hands
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And some of the children as well
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Because it is a busy time of year
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There's a lot going on
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There's a lot of activities going on
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Even around us in school
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There'll be busy things going on
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When you have your Christmas lunch
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You'll have your Christmas parties
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Christmas concert
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All of these things going on
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And then even when you're at home
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You're maybe sitting there
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Looking out the window
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To see if the postie or woodies
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Or DRs appearing at the door
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Seeing if they're bringing cards
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Or presents to you
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Because it's this time of year
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And we exchange presents
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And that's one of the most exciting things
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At this time of year
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Isn't it?
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As we were thinking about yesterday
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It's exciting when you see
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Maybe under the tree
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Lots of Christmas presents
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Appearing
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And you're beginning to wonder
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What's inside them
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Maybe you're starting to have a little peek
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Just starting to open up the presents
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Not just the young people
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I know some older people
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Who enjoy doing that as well
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They start shaking the partials
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Wondering what's in it
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Or start just ripping a little corner
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To see if they can see what's in it
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And you'll be looking at things like this
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Maybe there's these kinds of boxes
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Appearing in your house
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And under the tree
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And you start wiggling it around
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And wonder what's inside this
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But is this the greatest gift
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At this time of year?
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We think of how often
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We're asked that question
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What do you want for Christmas?
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Have you been asked that question?
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What do you want for Christmas?
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And do you have an answer for that question?
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Maybe you've asked mum or dad
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Or granny or grandpa
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Or one of your friends
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This is what I want for Christmas
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This is what you could get me for Christmas
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But is what do I want
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The most important question?
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Or is a more important question
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What do I need for Christmas?
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What do I really need in my life for Christmas?
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And maybe it's not the gifts
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That appear under the tree
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I hope that's not what we think
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Is the greatest gift of all
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Because today I want us to think
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About this special time of year
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But to remember
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It's not just about gifts
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That appear under the tree
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Or that come on the post
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Or in the partial service
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It's to remember
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What God has given to us
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The greatest gift of all
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And what has he given to us?
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Who has he given to us?
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Do you want to answer that question?
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Hands up if you want to answer that question
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You can just shout it out
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Go on then
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Who has he given us?
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Jesus
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Isn't it?
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Yeah?
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Jesus
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That's what we were looking at
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At the holiday club yesterday
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The greatest gift of all
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Given to us
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Is Jesus
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Because you see
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With all the other gifts
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We get at Christmas time
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And indeed any other time
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Maybe we get birthday gifts as well
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You see
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Jesus isn't just for Christmas
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He's for every day of the year
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But when we think of every gift
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That we get
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So often
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What will happen to them
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They will break after a time
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Or they will grow old
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And we lose interest in them
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We just put them away in a box
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Or very often
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They just end up
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Going into the scrap
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We put them away
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We forget all about them
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But that's not what we are to remember
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Or how we are to remember Jesus
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The greatest gift of all
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We should never grow tired
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Of Jesus
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Or think that he's not important now
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He's not special now
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Because he's always important
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And he's always to be special for us
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Because he blesses us in so many ways
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He looks after us here
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And he promises us
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And all of us
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That if we put our trust in him
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It's not just for here and now
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But forever
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For eternity
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As the Bible says
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He sent us the greatest gift of all
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A saviour
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Who is Christ the Lord
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That's the verses
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That we're going to look at
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Together today
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Because when we read in the Gospel of Luke
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We hear about the angel
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And we're going to read this in a wee while
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That we hear the angel saying to the shepherds
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Fear not
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For behold
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Born to you unto this day
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In the city of David
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It's a saviour
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Who is Christ
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The Lord
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And that's what's important
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That's our greatest need
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Somebody put it like this
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If our greatest need
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Was information
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God would have sent us an educator
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If our greatest need
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Had been technology
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God would have sent us a scientist
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If our greatest need
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Had been money
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God would have sent us a banker
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If our greatest need
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Had been pleasure
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God would have sent us an entertainer
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But
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Our greatest need
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Was forgiveness
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Forgiveness from all our sins
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And so God sent us
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A saviour
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That's the greatest gift
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That we're going to think about today
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So we're going to read
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In the Gospel of Luke
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But before we do
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We're going to say
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The Lord's Prayer
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Together
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Now the Lord's Prayer
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You find it on
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The Order of Service
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We're going to say
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The Lord's Prayer
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Together
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Our Father
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Who art in heaven
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Hallowed be thy name
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Thy kingdom come
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Thy will be done on earth
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As it is in heaven
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Give us this day
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Our daily bread
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And forgive us our debts
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As we forgive our debtors
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And lead us not into temptation
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But deliver us from evil
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For thine is the kingdom
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And the power
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And the glory
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Forever
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Amen
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Well we're going to turn to read
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Our first reading
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Well all the readings are going to be
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From the Gospel of Luke
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But we're going to spread the readings out
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Into three parts
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So our first reading is in Luke
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Chapter 2
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We're going to read from verse 1
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Down to verse 12
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So you find this on your Order of Service
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Or in your Bible
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Around page 1032
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Luke chapter 2
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Reading from the beginning
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In those days
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A decree went out
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From Caesar Augustus
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That all the world
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Should be registered
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This was the first registration
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When Quirinius
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Was governor of Syria
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And all went
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To be registered
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Each to his own town
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And Joseph
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Also went up
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From Galilee
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From the town of Nazareth
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To Judea
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To the city of David
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Which is called Bethlehem
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Because he was of the house
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And lineage of David
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To be registered with Mary
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His betrothed
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Who was with child
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And while they were there
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The time came for her
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To give birth
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And she gave birth
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To her firstborn son
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And wrapped him
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In swaddling clothes
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And laid him in a manger
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Because there was no place
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For them in the inn
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And in the same region
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There were shepherds
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Out in the field
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Keeping watch
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Over their flock
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By night
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And an angel of the Lord
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Appeared to them
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And the glory of the Lord
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Shone around them
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And they were filled
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With fear
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And the angel said to them
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Fear not
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For behold
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I bring you good news
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Of great joy
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That will be for all the people
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For unto you
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Is born this day
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In the city of David
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A saviour
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Who is Christ
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The Lord
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And this will be
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A sign for you
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You will find a baby
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Wrapped in swaddling clothes
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And lying
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In a manger
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And so on
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And may God bless
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That reading
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From his word
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Well the first part
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Of our service
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Just now
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We're going to think
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About the gift
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That God has given us
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The gift
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Of a saviour
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When we look
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At these verses here
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Especially verse
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Verse 8
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Down to verse 12
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There we read
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We're reading about
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The shepherds
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Who were out in the field
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The night Jesus
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Was born
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And I'm sure
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This is a story
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You've all heard before
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Or many of you
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At least have heard before
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And the danger
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Of hearing
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A story again
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And again
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Is that
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You can think
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Oh it's just the same
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Old story
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I've heard it all before
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And you can become
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Maybe bored of it
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You say
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I've heard all this
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I don't want to hear it
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But listen again
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To what
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Verse 10 to 12 says
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And the angel said to them
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Fear not
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For behold
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I bring you
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Good news
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Of great joy
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That will be
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For all the people
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For unto you
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Is born this day
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In the city of David
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A saviour
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Who is Christ
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The Lord
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And this will be
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A sign to you
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You will find
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A baby wrapped
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In swaddling clothes
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And lying
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In a manger
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These are really
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Special words
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For us
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This is a reminder
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To us
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Of such
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A special day
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When God
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Sent his son
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Into this world
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And he was born
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Into this world
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And he was born
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As a saviour
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To the world
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Somebody put it
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Like this
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We are to
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Hear this
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Clearly
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So we are to
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To listen
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To this
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Clearly
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Even if we have to
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Put our hand up
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To our ear
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And say
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What did you say
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Can you tell me again
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We are to listen
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To what he is saying
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Here
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And then somebody said
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We are to feel it
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Powerfully
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So we are to feel it
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In our heart
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To feel the power
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Of God's word
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To us
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To see
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Here is
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The greatest
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Thing that we need
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And God has
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Given us
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This gift
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The gift
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Of our saviour
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So we are to feel it
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Powerfully
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But as we come
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To this word
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We come prayerfully
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Asking God
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To speak to us
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In a powerful way
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And then they said
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We are to go away
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And ponder it
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Deeply
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So we are to go away
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And we are going to
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Think about
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What do these words mean
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This is a really
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Special word
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To us
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God remembered
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The world
20:14
God remembered me
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And he gave
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His son
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For me
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He sent him
20:20
Into this world
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And this is
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Good news
20:23
Of great joy
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What's the best news
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You've ever heard
20:28
I think Duncan Norman's
20:31
Best news
20:32
Yesterday was
20:32
Hearts won
20:33
They beat Celtic
20:34
That's the best news
20:35
That he'd heard
20:35
In a long long time
20:36
But other people
20:38
We hear good news
20:40
At different times
20:41
During the year
20:42
We maybe hear of
20:42
Somebody getting engaged
20:44
Or getting married
20:45
We hear of somebody
20:46
Having a baby
20:47
We hear of
20:48
Lots of different things
20:49
That make us happy
20:50
But what's the
20:52
Greatest news
20:53
You could hear
20:54
What's the best news
20:56
You could ever hear
20:57
Well the shepherds
20:58
Here
20:59
In Luke
20:59
They hear the
21:00
Greatest news
21:02
They could ever hear
21:03
Fear not
21:05
For behold
21:06
I bring you
21:07
Good news
21:07
Of great joy
21:09
A saviour
21:10
Is born
21:11
To you
21:12
Have you ever
21:14
Been afraid
21:15
Hands up
21:16
Have you ever
21:16
Been afraid
21:17
I'm sure
21:19
Lots of people
21:20
Have been afraid
21:21
I'm afraid
21:21
Of heights
21:22
Even up here
21:23
I'm looking down
21:24
I'm thinking
21:24
My knees are getting
21:25
A little bit wobbly
21:26
You're so
21:27
So far away from me
21:29
I'm so high up here
21:30
In so many ways
21:31
I'm really scared
21:33
Of heights
21:34
Some people are
21:35
Really scared
21:35
Of the dark
21:36
And you can imagine
21:38
What it was like
21:39
For the shepherds
21:39
Here when they were
21:40
Out in the field
21:41
At night
21:42
It was dark
21:43
And suddenly
21:44
There's this host
21:45
Of angels
21:46
All around them
21:47
There's all this singing
21:48
And light going on
21:49
Around them
21:50
And it's
21:50
They were afraid
21:51
And it was natural
21:53
For them to be afraid
21:55
We would all be afraid
21:56
If something like this
21:57
Happened to us
21:58
But look at what
22:00
They said to them
22:01
They said
22:02
The angel said
22:03
Fear not
22:04
Don't be afraid
22:06
I have good news
22:08
For you
22:09
A saviour
22:11
Is born
22:12
To you
22:13
And these words
22:15
A saviour
22:17
Christ
22:18
The Lord
22:19
There's three words
22:21
There that are
22:22
Really special
22:23
The first is
22:25
A saviour
22:26
He had a purpose
22:29
In coming
22:30
Remember yesterday
22:30
At the holiday club
22:31
There was a picture
22:32
Of a helicopter
22:33
Up on the screen
22:34
And there was this man
22:37
Coming down on the wire
22:38
To rescue someone
22:39
Because someone
22:40
Was in danger
22:41
Maybe they were
22:42
In trouble at sea
22:43
The boat was sinking
22:45
And they were
22:45
Needing rescuing
22:46
So this was like
22:47
A saviour
22:47
Coming for them
22:49
Well this is what
22:50
Jesus has done
22:52
For us
22:52
He's come down
22:54
From heaven
22:54
Come down
22:55
To earth
22:56
For us
22:56
For his people
22:57
To save us
22:58
So he's a saviour
23:00
He is Christ
23:02
It says here
23:04
The word Christ
23:05
Means he's been anointed
23:07
Earlier on this year
23:10
In May
23:10
We got a new king
23:12
King Charles
23:14
And there was a special
23:16
Ceremony for him
23:17
When he was crowned king
23:18
He was publicly made king
23:21
Over our nation
23:23
While Jesus
23:25
While Jesus
23:25
Was anointed
23:26
He was made king
23:27
Over all the world
23:29
Over all the people
23:30
He is the Christ
23:32
He is our king
23:33
And he is Christ
23:35
The Lord
23:36
He has authority
23:38
Over all things
23:41
He has power
23:41
Over all things
23:43
This is who we are to come
23:45
And see as our saviour
23:47
Not just anyone
23:49
In this world
23:49
But Jesus
23:51
He is the greatest gift
23:54
Of all to us
23:56
The gift
23:56
Of a saviour
23:57
There's another passage
23:59
In the Bible
24:00
In Ephesians chapter 2
24:02
And it speaks about
24:03
Our salvation there
24:05
It says
24:06
For it is by grace
24:07
You have been saved
24:08
Through faith
24:09
And this is not
24:11
From yourselves
24:12
It says
24:13
It is a gift
24:14
Of God
24:15
It is God's
24:17
Greatest gift
24:18
To us
24:19
A saviour
24:20
Who is Christ
24:22
The Lord
24:23
Well we're going to
24:25
To sing together
24:26
Now before we come
24:27
To our second part
24:28
We're singing
24:29
In Psalm 89
24:32
Psalm 89
24:36
We're going to sing
24:37
From verse 1 to 5
24:39
And the tune is
24:40
Done firm line
24:41
And again
24:42
It's a psalm
24:43
That reminds us
24:44
That we can ever sing
24:45
To God
24:45
For all his goodness
24:46
To us
24:47
God's mercies
24:48
I will ever sing
24:50
And with my mouth
24:51
I shall
24:51
Thy faithfulness
24:53
Make to be known
24:54
To generations
24:55
All
24:56
We'll sing
24:56
From verse 1 to 5
24:58
And we stand
24:59
To sing
25:00
To God's peace
25:01
Amen
25:02
God's mercies
25:07
I will ever sing
25:12
And with my mouth
25:16
I shall
25:19
Thy faithfulness
25:22
Make to be known
25:26
To generations
25:29
To generations
25:30
More
25:31
For mercy
25:35
For mercy
25:36
Shall be built
25:38
Said I
25:40
Forever
25:42
To endure
25:47
Thy faithfulness
25:51
To hear
25:53
Me
26:21
to David's born of high.
26:29
God, I see established shall
26:36
forever to remain.
26:43
I will to generations all
26:49
thy throne built and maintained.
26:57
The praises of thy wonders, Lord,
27:04
the heavens shall express,
27:09
and in the congregation
27:15
of saints thy faithfulness.
27:22
Amen.
27:27
We'll just read on some verses in Luke's Gospel,
27:30
chapter 2.
27:32
We're reading at verse 13.
27:34
Again, you'll find this on the order of service.
27:36
Just a few verses from verse 13 to verse 15
27:40
as we continue to see what happened with the shepherds.
27:43
So at verse 13 it says,
27:47
And suddenly there was with the angel
27:49
a multitude of the heavenly host
27:51
praising God and saying,
27:54
Glory to God in the highest,
27:56
and on earth peace among those
27:58
with whom he is pleased.
28:01
When the angels went away from them into heaven,
28:04
the shepherds said to one another,
28:06
Let us go over to Bethlehem
28:08
and see this thing that has happened,
28:10
which the Lord has made known to us.
28:14
And they went with haste
28:15
and found Mary and Joseph
28:17
and the baby lying in a manger.
28:23
So we're continuing to see
28:25
what's happening with the shepherds here.
28:27
They'd been afraid.
28:28
They'd heard these angels singing,
28:30
and now they're singing
28:31
a whole host of them together.
28:33
Glory to God in the highest,
28:35
and on earth peace among those
28:37
with whom he is pleased.
28:40
And here we see another gift
28:42
that God has given to us.
28:44
If we see Jesus as the greatest gift of all,
28:48
the gift of a Savior,
28:50
we see secondly here the gift of peace,
28:53
that peace that Jesus is able to give to us.
28:57
So I hope you're beginning to realize
29:01
that the greatest gift
29:02
isn't a gift found in a box like this one.
29:07
The greatest gift
29:08
is a gift we find spoken of
29:11
in the Bible,
29:13
the Word of God.
29:15
When God is speaking to us here,
29:18
he is reminding us
29:19
of all that he is able to give to us,
29:21
not just to the shepherds back in this day,
29:24
but to all God's people
29:26
down through all the generations,
29:28
he's able to give peace.
29:32
God's Word,
29:33
someone described it like a treasure chest.
29:37
A treasure chest is like a big box,
29:39
but it's usually locked, isn't it?
29:42
And you need a key
29:43
to get into the treasure box.
29:46
So how do we get into God's Word
29:48
if we think of it as a treasure chest
29:50
that is locked?
29:53
Well, the key to get into it
29:54
is faith,
29:56
to believe in what we are reading here
29:59
in God's Word.
30:01
Because it is through faith
30:02
we will begin to realize
30:04
that everything that God says to us
30:06
in His Word is true.
30:08
And that even when we live in a world
30:10
that so many sad things happen,
30:13
day after day we hear
30:15
of sad news
30:16
around us here
30:18
or in our country
30:19
or even in the world,
30:21
we are always hearing
30:22
of sad news,
30:23
sad things that are going on.
30:25
But the gift
30:26
that God has given to us
30:28
through Jesus
30:29
is the hope of peace.
30:32
Something that can often seem
30:34
so far away
30:35
for so many people
30:36
in this world.
30:37
And yet it's something
30:38
that God is promising us
30:40
through His Son,
30:42
Christ Jesus.
30:44
For example,
30:45
in another part of the Bible,
30:46
in a book called Romans,
30:47
it says this,
30:49
May the God of hope
30:50
fill you with all joy
30:52
and peace
30:53
as you trust in Him.
30:56
May He fill you
30:57
with all joy
30:58
and peace.
30:59
And that's what we were seeing
31:00
here,
31:01
the angels singing
31:02
to the shepherds,
31:03
Glory to God
31:04
in the highest
31:05
and on earth,
31:06
peace among those
31:07
with whom He is pleased.
31:10
God gives us
31:11
so many wonderful promises
31:13
in His Word
31:14
that are able
31:16
to give us peace
31:17
even when
31:18
there are sad things
31:20
going on.
31:22
Do you remember
31:22
a song that we were
31:23
learning yesterday?
31:25
We're going to sing it
31:26
through in the hall,
31:27
the song,
31:27
The Blessing.
31:29
Well, in that song
31:30
as we sang it,
31:31
it's actually singing
31:32
words from the Bible,
31:33
from the book of Numbers,
31:35
chapter 6.
31:36
The Lord bless you
31:38
and keep you.
31:39
The Lord make His face
31:41
to shine upon you
31:42
and be gracious to you.
31:43
The Lord lift up
31:44
His countenance upon you
31:46
and give you what?
31:47
What's the missing word
31:49
at the end there?
31:50
Give you,
31:50
anybody want to answer
31:51
that question for me?
31:54
The Lord give you peace.
31:59
Peace is what is in that song.
32:02
And that's the peace
32:03
that we look for.
32:04
Long before Jesus was born,
32:06
hundreds of years
32:07
before Jesus was born,
32:09
there was a man called Isaiah
32:10
who told us all about
32:13
the coming of Jesus.
32:15
Isaiah said,
32:17
For to you,
32:18
for to us,
32:19
a child is born.
32:20
To us,
32:20
a son is given.
32:22
And the government
32:23
will be on his shoulders
32:24
and he will be called
32:26
Wonderful Counselor,
32:28
Mighty God,
32:29
Everlasting Father,
32:31
Prince of Peace.
32:34
That is what he would give
32:36
to his people,
32:37
the Prince of Peace.
32:39
Jesus is the king
32:41
who came into this world
32:43
to give us peace.
32:46
Many years ago,
32:48
there was a king
32:49
in a place called Persia.
32:52
If you look it up on your maps now,
32:54
you won't find the place
32:55
called Persia.
32:56
But where it was,
32:58
you would see Iran now.
33:00
So it's in the Middle East.
33:02
And this king,
33:03
he was a good king.
33:05
And he was a wise king.
33:06
And he loved his people.
33:09
And very often,
33:10
he wanted to know
33:11
what was happening
33:12
in the lives of his people.
33:13
So what he would do was,
33:15
he couldn't go out
33:15
dressed as a king.
33:17
If he did,
33:18
everybody would see him
33:19
and know exactly who he was.
33:21
So what he used to do
33:22
was dress up as a beggar.
33:25
So he had dirty clothes,
33:27
torn clothes on.
33:28
And he'd go out
33:29
into the streets
33:30
and go and visit people
33:31
in their homes.
33:34
And this way,
33:34
he found out
33:35
what was going on
33:36
in their lives.
33:38
And one day,
33:39
he visited this poor man.
33:41
This poor man lived
33:43
in a cellar.
33:44
And he didn't have much food.
33:45
And all the food
33:46
that he had
33:47
was just little bits
33:48
of scraps
33:49
that he'd managed
33:50
to pick up.
33:52
But the king,
33:52
dressed as a beggar,
33:54
sat with him
33:54
for a time.
33:56
He ate a little bit
33:57
of his food with him,
33:58
the scraps that he had.
34:00
He spoke to him
34:01
in a cheerful way.
34:03
He tried to encourage him.
34:05
He spoke kind words to him.
34:06
And then,
34:07
after a time,
34:08
he left.
34:10
Well,
34:10
a few weeks later,
34:12
he went to visit
34:13
this man again.
34:14
But this time,
34:15
he decided
34:16
he was going to let him know
34:17
who he was.
34:20
So he said
34:20
to this man
34:22
sitting in the cellar,
34:23
Do you know who I am?
34:25
And the man said,
34:26
No, I don't.
34:28
He said,
34:28
Well,
34:28
I'm your king.
34:31
And the man was astonished
34:32
that this was the king
34:34
who was sitting with him.
34:35
And the king thought
34:37
as he spoke to him,
34:38
Well,
34:38
this man's now going to ask me
34:40
for some kind of gift.
34:42
Because the king
34:43
had everything.
34:45
So he was expecting
34:46
to ask for some kind of gift
34:47
or some kind of favor.
34:50
But what the man,
34:51
the poor man,
34:52
said to him was,
34:54
You left your palace.
34:57
You left all your nice clothes.
35:00
You left all your good food behind.
35:03
And you came here
35:04
into my home,
35:05
this dark cellar of a place.
35:08
And you ate my scraps
35:09
of food with me.
35:10
He said,
35:12
That is enough for me.
35:15
Because to me,
35:17
you have given yourself.
35:20
You gave yourself to me.
35:24
Well, that's what Jesus
35:25
has done for us.
35:28
He left heaven.
35:29
He left his father's side.
35:31
He left all of that glory behind.
35:34
The Bible says
35:34
he made himself nothing.
35:36
And he came to his people.
35:40
God sent his son
35:42
into this world.
35:43
And they would call him
35:44
Emmanuel,
35:45
is one word name given to him.
35:47
Which means,
35:48
God with us.
35:51
Just imagine that.
35:53
The king of glory,
35:55
the king of all,
35:56
has come to us.
35:59
To be alongside us.
36:01
To be with us.
36:02
Jesus himself
36:04
reminded his disciples
36:06
just before
36:07
he was going to be put to death.
36:09
He said in John 16,
36:11
I have said these things to you
36:13
that you may,
36:15
that in me
36:16
you may have peace.
36:19
Because in the world
36:20
you will have troubles.
36:22
But take heart,
36:23
he said,
36:24
for I have overcome
36:25
the world.
36:28
You see,
36:29
peace with Jesus
36:29
isn't that all our troubles
36:31
are going to go away.
36:34
But peace with Jesus
36:36
is that we know
36:37
that he is with us.
36:39
And again,
36:40
that's one of the greatest gifts
36:42
we can experience.
36:44
To know
36:44
God
36:46
with
36:47
us.
36:49
But that's the wonder
36:50
of his gift
36:51
to us.
36:52
That he has come
36:54
to be
36:55
with us.
36:57
And that is what we are to remember.
36:59
So we have the gift
37:00
of a saviour.
37:02
We have the gift
37:03
of peace.
37:05
And now thirdly,
37:06
we are just going to read
37:06
a few more verses
37:07
in Luke chapter 2
37:09
and see a third gift
37:11
that he gives to us.
37:13
So we think of
37:13
the gift here
37:15
in Luke 2.
37:16
We are going to read
37:16
from verse 17
37:18
down to verse 20.
37:22
Again,
37:22
it's the shepherds
37:23
and their experience
37:25
here.
37:25
Here.
37:29
And when they saw it,
37:30
they made known
37:31
the saying
37:32
that had been told them
37:33
concerning this child.
37:35
And all who heard it
37:37
wondered
37:37
at what the shepherds
37:39
told them.
37:40
But Mary treasured up
37:41
all these things,
37:43
pondering them
37:43
in her heart.
37:45
And the shepherds
37:46
returned,
37:48
glorifying
37:49
and praising God
37:50
for all that they
37:52
had heard
37:52
and seen
37:53
as it had
37:54
been told them.
37:56
Well,
37:58
there's a third thing
37:59
I want us to see here.
38:00
A third gift.
38:02
And it's the gift
38:03
of praise.
38:06
We have the gift
38:07
of a saviour
38:08
and we have the gift
38:10
of peace.
38:12
And if we enjoy
38:13
these things,
38:14
what does that make us?
38:16
What should that make us?
38:18
It should make us
38:19
thankful
38:19
and giving thanks
38:21
to God
38:22
and praising
38:23
his name.
38:25
And that's what we see
38:26
the shepherds
38:27
did here.
38:28
They went
38:28
to see for themselves
38:30
what they had been told
38:31
by the angels
38:32
and they saw
38:33
Jesus
38:34
in the manger.
38:37
They saw him
38:37
just as they had been told.
38:41
And now
38:41
it says
38:42
they returned.
38:44
They come back
38:45
from seeing this
38:46
and it's changed them.
38:48
It's made such a difference
38:49
in their lives.
38:50
They're full of joy.
38:52
The fear that they'd had
38:53
when they first saw
38:54
the angel
38:54
that is gone.
38:56
Now they are praising
38:57
and glorifying God,
39:00
loving the Lord
39:01
for what he has done
39:02
for them.
39:04
You know,
39:05
it would have been easy
39:05
for the shepherds
39:07
out in the fields
39:08
to just stay
39:09
where they were.
39:11
To think to themselves,
39:13
we can't go
39:14
and see
39:15
this baby
39:16
that they're talking about,
39:17
this saviour
39:18
of the world
39:19
that God has promised.
39:20
we can't go
39:21
and see him.
39:23
You must have
39:24
to be really important
39:25
to go and see
39:26
this king.
39:28
You must have
39:28
to be really special.
39:30
We'd probably
39:30
just stay
39:31
where we are.
39:34
But that's not
39:35
what they did.
39:37
Imagine yourself
39:38
and it's Christmas
39:40
morning
39:41
and you're thinking,
39:43
I wonder if there's
39:44
presents
39:44
under the tree
39:46
for me.
39:46
Are you just going
39:49
to stay in your bed
39:50
and think,
39:51
oh, there's probably
39:51
nothing there for me?
39:54
Are you just going
39:55
to stay away
39:55
or are you really desperate
39:57
to see something?
39:59
To see what there is
40:00
for you?
40:01
If you're really desperate,
40:02
what are you going to do?
40:03
You're not going
40:04
to stay in bed.
40:05
You're going to get up.
40:06
You're going to rush down.
40:07
You're going to get
40:08
to the tree
40:09
and you're going
40:09
to pick up the box
40:10
and you're going
40:10
to open it
40:11
and see
40:12
what there is
40:13
for you.
40:13
Well, the shepherds
40:16
were so excited
40:18
by what they heard
40:19
that that's exactly
40:20
what they did as well.
40:22
They didn't hang about.
40:24
They didn't wait
40:24
to get a special invitation.
40:26
They were already told
40:27
that this gift
40:29
had been given
40:30
for them.
40:31
And so what they did,
40:32
they went
40:32
to see for themselves.
40:35
They did three things.
40:37
They responded.
40:39
Again, that is what
40:40
we have to do as well.
40:42
When we hear this message
40:43
of a Savior,
40:44
it's not just to ignore it
40:46
and to push it away.
40:47
That's not for me.
40:49
It is.
40:50
This is the gift
40:52
of a Savior
40:52
given to the world,
40:54
to all who would
40:55
believe in Him.
40:57
So we are to respond.
41:00
The second thing
41:01
they did was
41:02
they rejoiced.
41:05
They gave praise
41:06
to God
41:07
for what He had done
41:08
for them,
41:09
all that they were seeing.
41:12
And then it says
41:13
they returned.
41:16
They went back
41:17
to their homes,
41:18
to their work,
41:19
but in a different way.
41:21
They were full
41:22
of rejoicing
41:23
in God.
41:25
They were full
41:26
of the joy
41:27
of the Lord.
41:28
Their hearts
41:29
were changed.
41:30
And that is what
41:31
we want
41:32
as we come
41:32
to see Jesus,
41:34
to see Him
41:35
as a Savior,
41:36
to see Him
41:37
as the one
41:37
who is able
41:38
to give peace,
41:39
that we would
41:40
see Him
41:40
as the one
41:41
who we can
41:42
give all our
41:43
praise to.
41:46
Yesterday
41:46
in the club
41:47
I asked a question.
41:50
What does God
41:51
want us
41:51
to give
41:52
to Him?
41:54
And one of the
41:54
answers that was
41:55
given
41:55
was a great
41:56
answer.
41:57
It was singing
41:58
that we are
42:00
to praise Him
42:01
in song.
42:03
And that's
42:04
what the shepherds
42:05
did here.
42:06
They went away
42:06
praising God.
42:09
The shepherds
42:10
returned glorifying
42:11
and praising God
42:12
for all that
42:13
they had heard
42:14
and seen
42:14
as it had been
42:16
told them.
42:18
Well, as we
42:19
come to hear
42:19
of the greatest
42:21
gift of all,
42:23
a Savior
42:23
who is able
42:24
to give us
42:25
peace,
42:26
today let us
42:27
all go away
42:29
from here.
42:29
Let us all
42:30
return to our
42:31
homes,
42:31
to our workplaces,
42:32
to our schools
42:33
this week,
42:34
to go to all
42:35
the concerts
42:36
or whatever
42:36
else you'll
42:37
be doing
42:37
this week,
42:38
hearing the
42:38
Christmas story
42:39
in different
42:40
ways,
42:41
but praising
42:42
God for His
42:43
gift of a
42:44
Savior to
42:45
us.
42:48
There's that
42:48
Christmas carol
42:49
in the bleak
42:51
midwinter.
42:51
We had it in
42:52
the club
42:53
yesterday.
42:54
I just want to
42:54
share these
42:55
verses again
42:56
because it
42:56
asks us,
42:57
what are we
42:58
giving to
42:59
God for all
43:00
that He has
43:01
done for us?
43:03
He doesn't
43:03
want us to
43:04
just give
43:05
money or
43:06
our time
43:07
to Him.
43:07
These are all
43:08
important things,
43:09
but listen to
43:09
what this verse
43:10
says.
43:11
What can I
43:12
give Him?
43:13
Poor as I
43:14
am.
43:15
If I were a
43:15
shepherd,
43:16
I would give
43:17
a lamb.
43:18
If I were a
43:19
wise man,
43:20
I would do
43:21
my part.
43:23
But what can I
43:24
give Him?
43:25
Give Him
43:26
my heart.
43:28
That is what
43:29
Jesus asks
43:30
of us.
43:32
That as we
43:32
hear about the
43:33
greatest gift
43:34
of all,
43:35
a Savior
43:36
given,
43:37
the one who
43:37
is able to
43:38
give peace,
43:39
the one who
43:39
we can go
43:40
away from
43:40
here today,
43:42
praising Him
43:42
for all His
43:43
goodness to
43:44
us,
43:45
we can give
43:46
Him our
43:47
heart.
43:49
And that
43:49
means believing
43:51
in Him
43:51
and trusting
43:53
in Him
43:53
and all
43:54
that His
43:55
word says,
43:56
every promise
43:57
that we have.
43:59
Because we
44:00
are told,
44:01
just as the
44:02
angel said to
44:03
the shepherds,
44:04
fear not,
44:05
for behold,
44:06
I bring you
44:06
good news
44:07
of great joy
44:09
that will be
44:10
for all the
44:11
people.
44:11
For unto you
44:12
is born this
44:14
day in the
44:14
city of David
44:15
a Savior
44:16
who is Christ
44:18
the Lord.
44:21
Here it
44:21
says,
44:22
a Savior.
44:24
Our prayer
44:25
is that you
44:26
will be able
44:26
to say,
44:28
He is my
44:28
Savior
44:29
and my
44:30
Lord.
44:32
Let us
44:32
pray.
44:36
Our
44:36
Father in
44:37
heaven,
44:37
we thank
44:38
you for
44:38
all the
44:39
special,
44:40
precious
44:40
gifts that
44:41
you have
44:41
given to
44:42
us.
44:43
There are
44:43
so many
44:44
things that
44:44
we take
44:45
for granted.
44:46
There are
44:46
so many
44:47
things that
44:47
we maybe
44:48
even choose
44:48
to ignore.
44:50
But we
44:50
pray that
44:51
as we
44:51
hear of
44:52
the greatest
44:52
gift of
44:53
all,
44:54
a Savior
44:54
born to
44:55
us,
44:56
a Savior
44:57
who is
44:57
Christ the
44:58
Lord.
44:59
We pray
45:00
that we
45:00
will hear
45:01
and receive
45:02
that word
45:02
and delight
45:03
and praise
45:04
in it
45:04
and rejoice
45:06
in your
45:06
goodness to
45:07
us and
45:08
that we
45:08
would come
45:09
to give
45:09
your heart
45:10
to put
45:11
our trust
45:12
in you
45:12
for we
45:13
ask it
45:13
all in
45:14
Jesus'
45:14
name and
45:15
for his
45:16
sake.
45:17
Amen.
45:20
We're
45:21
going to
45:22
conclude by
45:23
singing once
45:24
more,
45:25
praising God.
45:25
we're
45:27
going to
45:27
sing in
45:28
Psalm 122
45:29
verse 6
45:32
to 9,
45:32
three stanzas.
45:36
It's a
45:37
Scottish
45:37
Psalter
45:38
version.
45:40
Psalm 122,
45:41
the tuner's
45:42
St.
45:43
Paul.
45:44
Again,
45:44
this is a
45:45
wonderful
45:45
psalm that
45:47
we can sing
45:48
together just
45:49
now and
45:50
make it a
45:50
prayer for
45:51
ourselves as
45:52
well.
45:53
For the
45:53
peace of
45:54
God to
45:55
reign,
45:55
around us.
45:57
Pray that
45:57
Jerusalem may
45:58
have peace
45:59
and felicity.
46:01
Let them
46:01
that love
46:01
thee and
46:02
thy peace
46:03
have still
46:04
prosperity.
46:05
We'll sing
46:06
these three
46:06
verses.
46:07
We stand
46:07
to sing
46:08
to God's
46:09
praise.
46:09
Amen.
46:09
Amen.
46:10
Amen.
46:11
Amen.
46:12
Amen.
46:13
Amen.
46:14
Amen.
46:15
Amen.
46:17
Amen.
46:19
Amen.
46:20
Amen.
46:21
Amen.
46:22
Amen.
46:23
Amen.
46:24
Amen.
46:25
Amen.
46:46
Amen.
46:53
Amen.
46:55
Amen.
46:55
And let thy maid, thy palaces, cross-veved, dear retain.
47:08
Bound for my friends and brethren, saints, peace be in thee, I'll stay.
47:22
And for the house of God our Lord, I'll seek thy good always.
47:38
We're going to close in a minute with a benediction.
47:40
And after that, I'll go to the main door.
47:43
And the children, you'll be going out the door to my left here, going through to the hall.
47:48
And get yourselves ready and organized.
47:50
We look forward to hearing the songs that you were learning yesterday and seeing the pictures.
47:54
And everybody, again, is very welcome to come through to the hall for that.
47:59
We'll close with a benediction.
48:02
Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore.
48:12
Amen.
48:12
Amen.
48:20
Amen.
48:20
Amen.
48:21
Amen.
48:22
Amen.
48:23
Amen.
48:23
Amen.
48:24
Amen.
48:24
Amen.
48:25
Amen.
48:26
Amen.
48:33
Amen.
48:34
Amen.
48:35
Amen.
48:35
Amen.
48:35
Amen.
48:37
Amen.
48:47
Amen.
48:47
Amen.