The True Hope of Christmas: Christ’s Incarnation and the Call to Faithful Practice

[00:06:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Let us pray.
[00:06:16] Let us pray.

[00:06:48] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let us pray.
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[00:07:37] In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
[00:08:00] Amen.
[00:08:06] In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
[00:08:26] Amen.
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[00:09:08] Let us pray.
[00:09:30] In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
[00:09:59] Amen.
[00:10:09] In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
[00:10:35] Amen.
[00:10:39] The Gospel of the Apostles
[00:11:03] The Gospel of the Apostles

[00:11:34] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Good evening and welcome to Trinity Baptist Church.
[00:11:36] Let's go ahead and continue our service with O Little Town of Bethlehem.
[00:11:40] Let's stand together as we join in singing.

[00:12:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
of Christ Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
[00:12:55] All morning stars together proclaim the Holy Word And grace the Savior, God the King, and His heaven on earth O sigh the reed, O sigh the pain, the wondrous pain
[00:13:33] In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
[00:13:53] Amen.
[00:14:07] of the Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit of the Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit of the Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit of the Holy Spirit,

[00:14:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Well, good evening.
[00:14:50] Merry Christmas.
[00:14:54] Come on, you can do better than that.
[00:14:56] Merry Christmas.
[00:14:59] It is great to see you here in the house of the Lord on this evening of Christmas Eve 2025 and are so thankful that you have chosen to be a part of this special service, a special time where we gather as the people of God here at Trinity and celebrate together
[00:15:15] The birthday of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords preparing our hearts for tonight and in the morning as families gather around and celebrate the glorious, glorious birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Lord.
[00:15:30] If you're visiting with us tonight,
[00:15:31] We want to bid you a warm welcome in the name of the Lord and on behalf of our Trinity Baptist family.
[00:15:36] We're glad that you've chosen to be a part of the service this evening and it's a special service.
[00:15:41] We call it a service of carols, communion, and candlelight.
[00:15:45] And all three of those are going to happen
[00:15:47] Before we are through this evening and I'm so grateful that you are a part of it and pray that the Lord will speak to your heart tonight and really that this is a service of preparation.
[00:15:58] Preparation for you to be able to get the most out of this Christmas season by really stopping and understanding and realizing the meaning of it all.
[00:16:08] If there's anything I wish I could get across to people around the world at this very hour on this very day
[00:16:16] It really would be the meaning of it all.
[00:16:19] What's this all about?
[00:16:21] Because it's so much more than trees, so much more than food, so much more than presents, so much more than routines and even family rituals.
[00:16:33] It's the birthday of the King.
[00:16:38] And we must never ever forget what that really means.
[00:16:45] to each and every one of us a savior and you will call his name Jesus tonight it's my prayer that God would prepare you in this hour and prepare you for the day tomorrow that it would be more meaningful than it's ever been in your life because of what you've experienced not just here
[00:17:14] What you've experienced with Christ himself and that relationship that you started or maybe will even start this evening by accepting him into your heart and into your life.
[00:17:29] I'm so excited Trevor and Sarah are going to come and they're going to open us up with the lighting, the very special lighting of the Christ candle right here on Christmas Eve.

[00:17:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
On this Christmas Eve we light the center candle which represents Jesus whose birth we celebrate.
[00:18:01] Jesus is the light of the world through whom all people may be released from the darkness of sin and have an eternal relationship with God.
[00:18:12] John 8 12 says this then Jesus spoke to them again saying I am the light of the world he who follows me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life

[00:18:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Would you join me in prayer?
[00:18:28] Lord Jesus, thank you for being the light of the world, coming down to dwell among us, Lord.
[00:18:34] Lord, I pray over this Advent season, for this Christmas season, Lord, that you would give us boldness to share that light with others.
[00:18:40] Lord, I pray that you would prepare our hearts and minds for this service.
[00:18:43] Lord, I pray that you would prepare our hearts and minds for your second Advent, for your second coming, Lord, because we know that is coming soon.
[00:18:49] Lord, we pray and ask these things in your name.
[00:18:51] Amen.

[00:18:57] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Welcome, brother.
[00:19:02] Good to see you.

[00:19:29] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let us pray.
[00:19:52] Let us pray.
[00:19:53] Let us pray.

[00:20:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
In Jesus' name we pray.
[00:20:29] Amen.
[00:20:40] Christ the Lord, the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King.
[00:21:13] Christ, the Godhead See, Hail, Incarnate Deity, Pleased and Star-lit, Cantor-file, Jesus, our Emmanuel.
[00:21:36] Hark!
[00:21:36] the herald angels sing, Glory to thee!
[00:21:43] In the hand of Prince of Peace There the Son of Righteousness Light and Light will all be green Rift when healing in its wings While He lays His glory by On that
[00:22:09] of Christ Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
[00:22:48] Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy,
[00:23:20] of the Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit of God, Holy Spirit of God,
[00:23:57] of the Holy Spirit.
[00:24:27] Mary, Joseph, where do you reign?
[00:24:48] With us sing our Savior's Word Gloria in excelsis Deo
[00:24:53] Alleluia, in excelsis Deo

[00:25:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
A way in a manger, no crib or a bed, Thou faithful Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
[00:25:30] The stars in the

[00:25:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
of Jesus, Asclepius,
[00:25:47] The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes.
[00:26:10] But there, O Lord Jesus, no crying awaits.
[00:26:10] I love Thee, Lord Jesus, who came from the stars.

[00:26:23] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
[00:26:38] Amen.

[00:26:52] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
We may be seated.

[00:27:25] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Child in a manger, Infant of Mary, Outcast and stranger, Lord of all, Child who in heaven
[00:27:56] All our transgressions, all our demerits, on Him fall.
[00:28:14] Once the most holy child of salvation
[00:28:27] The Lord of all, now as our glorious mighty Redeemer, see him victorious.
[00:28:59] Prophets foretold him infant of wonder Angels behold him on his
[00:29:33] Worthy our Savior, of all our praises, Happy forever, all His own.

[00:30:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Good evening.
[00:30:19] It is so wonderful to see you here this evening on this evening of celebration.
[00:30:25] And during this time of year, we decorate with lights, with candles, decorate our yards and our houses.
[00:30:32] But let us never forget that the light of this world is Jesus Christ.
[00:30:39] Let's go to the Lord in prayer.
[00:30:45] Holy and gracious God,
[00:30:47] On this sacred night, we remember your great gift, Jesus Christ, the light of the world, born in humility, given in love, for the salvation of all.
[00:31:01] As we bring our offerings, receive them as signs of grateful hearts.
[00:31:05] Use these gifts to shine your light into places of need, to carry hope to the weary and peace to a waiting world.
[00:31:14] As we come to your table, we prepare our hearts to receive again the bread of life and the cup of salvation.
[00:31:21] May we meet Christ here and be renewed by his grace.
[00:31:25] And as we share the candlelight, remind us that the light of Christ cannot be overcome by darkness.
[00:31:32] Send us from this place, bearing his light in our lives, until all the world knows that Emmanuel has come, God with us.
[00:31:42] We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Light.
[00:31:47] Amen.

[00:33:50] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
The Gospel of the Apostles
[00:34:48] The Gospel of the Lord
[00:35:19] The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ

[00:35:57] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
and we're glad to have our handbells as they lead us in worship tonight and so thankful it's not a better time to celebrate with the handbells than right here
[00:36:08] I want you to turn your Bibles tonight to a couple of passages with me if you will.
[00:36:16] I want you to go back for just a moment to Isaiah chapter 9 where I understand we had a special guest this past Sunday named Gabriel that made an appearance here and in fact I think the passage that
[00:36:30] Brother Robert read to you was from this Isaiah chapter 9 passage that reminded us of verse 2 and then particularly I want to call your attention to verse 6 through and 7 as well.
[00:36:48] It says, The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.
[00:36:54] Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them
[00:37:00] A light has shined.
[00:37:03] He goes on in verse 6 to say, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
[00:37:22] The increase of his government and peace, there will be no end.
[00:37:27] upon the throne of David and over his kingdom to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward even forever.
[00:37:40] The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
[00:37:48] And then you flip over, if you will, to Luke chapter two.
[00:37:53] In Luke chapter 2, go down to verse 8 if you will.
[00:37:57] Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
[00:38:10] And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were greatly afraid.
[00:38:19] Then the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people.
[00:38:29] For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
[00:38:36] And this will be the sign to you.
[00:38:38] You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
[00:38:45] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill toward men.
[00:38:58] And so it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.
[00:39:12] And they came with haste.
[00:39:14] Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger and when they had seen him they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this child and all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds but Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart
[00:39:45] Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen as it was told them.
[00:39:59] Would you pray with me?
[00:40:02] Father, we do just stop right now in the midst of everything that we've been about this Christmas season.
[00:40:13] And we just come into your presence asking, Father, that in these moments that you might truly speak to our hearts and that we would listen with attentive hearts and that we would listen with open hearts to receive and hear that which you
[00:40:40] have done and are yet to do.
[00:40:45] Lord, I pray for each man and woman, I pray for each family that has made their way here into the house of the Lord on this Christmas Eve.
[00:40:52] And no doubt there's a sense of anticipation, there's a sense of excitement, there's a sense of being with family and friends, and there's a sense of gathering around the table, and there's a sense of gathering around the Christmas tree, all of those things that we do this time of year.
[00:41:07] But Father, in these moments,
[00:41:09] In these moments leading up to this most sacred time, may you just captivate our minds and hearts as we stop and truly reflect about what this blessed hope that is ours in Jesus Christ is really all about.
[00:41:34] And I pray personally that you let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, Lord, let it be pleasing in your sight.
[00:41:41] In Jesus' name I pray.
[00:41:44] Amen.
[00:41:47] You know, when you look at these passages, one from the Old Testament as you listen to the prophet Isaiah talking about a savior that was going to come, it's fascinating because he promises us two very important things.
[00:42:04] One, he reminds us in Isaiah 9, 6 that unto us a child is born.
[00:42:12] That's speaking of his humanity.
[00:42:14] He's coming as human flesh, God wrapped in skin, if you will, to come to earth, to walk among humanity.
[00:42:24] But not only does it say unto us a child is born, it also tells us that there's a son.
[00:42:35] who is given.
[00:42:37] And that, ladies and gentlemen, reminds us of his deity, the Son of God given to us.
[00:42:48] And then when Isaiah dared to remind us of all of the titles that he would have, he calls him Wonderful Counselor.
[00:42:57] He calls him Mighty God.
[00:42:59] He calls him Everlasting Father.
[00:43:01] He calls him Prince of Peace.
[00:43:04] In fact, he goes on to say of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end upon the throne of David and over his kingdom to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward even forever.
[00:43:19] The zeal of the Lord of hosts, he said, will perform this, reminding us that we have
[00:43:27] In this Jesus, a wonderful counselor who we can come to with the biggest issues we would ever face in our life.
[00:43:37] We come to Him with issues that we may struggle with in our families.
[00:43:41] We come to Him with issues that we may face in our own neighborhoods.
[00:43:46] We come to Him with issues that we may face in our work life and the people that we interact with day in and day out.
[00:43:54] It means we come to Him as the wonderful counselor for whatever life throws at us.
[00:44:08] Hope.
[00:44:12] We find answers.
[00:44:16] We find reality.
[00:44:20] And I sometimes fear with each Christmas season that if we're not careful, we may very well miss the most powerful and reflective
[00:44:37] nature of it all and that my friend is the reality of Jesus Christ the reality of his birth the reality of his death and what it all says to you
[00:45:07] Honestly, all afternoon I've been struck by something I learned about just this morning.
[00:45:17] Many of you may have heard of a gentleman by the name of Ben Sasse.
[00:45:21] Ben Sasse was a United States Senator from Nebraska.
[00:45:25] I had an opportunity to be in Ben's presence twice, not any time recently, but several years ago when he was serving in the United States Senate.
[00:45:37] I had an opportunity to meet him on two occasions.
[00:45:40] I found him to be a very, very decent and caring individual.
[00:45:43] He left the United States Senate to go and be the president of the University of Florida, and there he served until just last year when he stepped down.
[00:45:54] And he stepped down because of some serious health problems that his wife has been dealing with.
[00:46:01] He stepped down with two children in college and a child that was 13 years old.
[00:46:08] Well, the reason I've had him on my mind all day today is because what I read this morning was something he put out last night.
[00:46:19] And what I read that he put out
[00:46:22] says far better than I could and says it with a sense of understanding maybe far better than anyone else of us in this room could say tonight.
[00:46:37] But it simply says, this is a tough note to write, but since a bunch of you have started to suspect something, I'll cut to the chase.
[00:46:49] Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized stage 4 pancreatic cancer and am going to die.
[00:46:59] Advanced pancreatic cancer is nasty stuff.
[00:47:04] It's a death sentence.
[00:47:06] But I already had a death sentence before last week too.
[00:47:11] We all do, he continued.
[00:47:15] Sass, who's just 53 years old,
[00:47:20] Noted, I've got less time than I would prefer.
[00:47:24] But he expressed his eternal hope, noting that he is a Christian.
[00:47:30] And this is what he wrote.
[00:47:33] As a Christian, the weeks running up to Christmas are time to orient our hearts toward the hope of what's to come, he wrote.
[00:47:41] Now listen to these words.
[00:47:44] Not an abstract hope.
[00:47:47] in fanciful human goodness.
[00:47:51] Not hope in a vague, hallmark, sappy spirituality.
[00:47:58] Not a bootstrapped hope in our own strength.
[00:48:02] For any of you that's always said you brought yourself up by your own bootstraps.
[00:48:09] What foolishness is the evaporating muscle I once prided myself in.
[00:48:16] Ben wrote,
[00:48:18] Oftenly we lazily say hope when what we actually mean is optimism.
[00:48:26] To be clear, optimism is great and it's absolutely necessary, but it's insufficient.
[00:48:35] It's not the kind of thing that holds up when you tell your daughters you're not going to walk them down the aisle, nor telling your mom and pop they're going to bury their son.
[00:48:50] Those who know ourselves to need a physician should dang well look forward to enduring beauty and eventual fulfillment.
[00:49:00] That is, we hope in a real deliverer, a real rescuing God, born at a real time in a real place.
[00:49:12] But the eternal city with foundations and without cancer
[00:49:19] is not yet, he wrote.
[00:49:24] He goes on to say, I'll have more to say in the coming days.
[00:49:32] I'm not going down without a fight.
[00:49:35] One sub-part of God's grace is found in the jaw-dropping advances science has made in the past few years through immunotherapy and more.
[00:49:45] Death and dying are not the same.
[00:49:48] The process of dying is still something to be lived.
[00:49:53] We're zealously embracing a lot of gallows, humor in our house, and I pledge to do my part to run through the irreverent tape.
[00:50:04] But for now, as our family faces the reality of treatments, but more importantly, as we celebrate Christmas, we wish you peace.
[00:50:16] In his closing statement,
[00:50:19] The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.
[00:50:24] On those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
[00:50:31] For to us a son is given, he wrote.
[00:50:43] I guess the question that's been weighing on my mind all day
[00:50:50] Since I read those words that Ben Sasse posted, is how real is Christmas to you?
[00:51:10] How real is Christmas to me?
[00:51:18] When you really think
[00:51:22] about the meaning of it all.
[00:51:25] When you're really brought face to face with the reality of life and death of this body, what does Christmas really mean to you?
[00:51:45] I loved how he stated he was born in a real place.
[00:51:51] at a real time for real people.
[00:51:58] That's you.
[00:52:01] And that's me.
[00:52:05] And I wonder, how many Christmases will some people go through before they ever come to terms
[00:52:20] of what it really means and what it's all about.
[00:52:28] For unto us a child is born.
[00:52:35] Unto us a son is given.
[00:52:45] Given so much.
[00:52:49] When he gathered with his disciples on the night before he would go to the cross, he was still teaching and still reminding them of the meaning of it all.
[00:53:07] When he said, this is my body, as he held up the bread, which is broken for you.
[00:53:15] And then when he held up the cup and said, this is my blood,
[00:53:20] which is shed for many for the remission of their sins.
[00:53:27] When He did that that night, it happened at a real time and a real place for real people.
[00:53:41] The Son had been given for this moment.
[00:53:50] Would you bow your heads right where you are please?
[00:53:53] Heads are bowed and eyes are closed all over the sanctuary.
[00:53:59] I just ask you if you would to take a moment and would you in these moments as we prepare to receive the bread and the cup just take a few moments right now in the silence of this moment
[00:54:20] To say, Lord, show me once more the meaning of it all.
[00:54:32] Help me once more to really see and to understand this hour and this moment.
[00:54:47] Help me to really grasp
[00:54:51] On this Christmas Eve evening that in His humanity a child was born but in His deity the Son of God is given to die on a cross that we might know
[00:55:21] The forgiveness of our sin and the very hope of glory.
[00:55:30] For it's in Jesus' name I pray.
[00:55:35] Amen.
[00:56:16] Matthew's Gospel records for us in the 26th chapter, down in the 26th verse.
[00:56:25] They had gathered for the Passover meal in the upper room there in Jerusalem, and it said as they were eating, speaking of the Passover meal, Jesus took bread, He blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat, this is My body.
[00:56:45] Then He took the cup,
[00:56:47] And he gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of their sins.
[00:57:07] Father, tonight, as we prepare our hearts to take this bread
[00:57:17] And then to take this cup, we ask your blessings upon it.
[00:57:23] Use this time by the simple movement of your Holy Spirit to penetrate our hearts.
[00:57:33] Whatever darkness is there, God, pierce it tonight with the light, the light of Jesus.
[00:57:43] For it's in Jesus' name we pray.
[00:57:47] Amen.

[00:58:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand.
[00:58:37] Under nothing earthly minded, for with blessing in His hand, Christ our God to earth,
[00:58:55] Descendeth our full homage to demand
[00:59:10] King of kings yet born of Mary As of old on earth he stood Lord of lords in human vesture In the body of the blood
[00:59:40] He will give to all the faithful His own self for heavenly food.