03/01/ CHRISTMAS IS... ADORATION & EXHILARATION Scripture Reading Luke 1:46-55

The Christmas Story 03/01/ What is Christmas?  A Celebration  Food – A Feast Day  Holiday … or Holy Day?  Music – Carolling  Shopping and Presents

The Christmas Story 03/01/ The Beginning of the End  Something sinister  King Herod the Great’s massacre of the babies at Bethlehem  Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt  The Magi “departed into their own country another way”(Matt. 2:12) through the dangerous and hostile desert

The Christmas Story 03/01/ Many wonderful things  Two birth miracles – John the Baptist and Jesus  The STAR “the East” (Matt 2:2) and the Wise Men (Magi)  The Shepherds  The Heavenly Hosts  Mary, Elizabeth, Zacharias, Simeon, Anna

The Christmas Story 03/01/ Focus on Adoration  Exuberance – outbursts of joy (exhilaration)  Silence  Contemplation  Prophecies fulfilled

The Christmas Message 03/01/ MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS  Hail … Mary – Lk 1:28, 40  Zacharia and Mary – Lk 1:29  Mary’s favour with God and Jesus’ greatness – Lk 1:30-33

The Christmas Message 03/01/ MARY (continued)  Mary’s response - “How shall this be?” – Lk 1:34  She became pregnant – Lk 1:35  She was reassured – Lk 1:36-37  Her response was simple & sublime – Lk 1:38  She left “in haste” – Lk 1:39 & Matt 1:18-25

The Christmas Message 03/01/ MARY (continued)  Elizabeth’s baby – Lk 1:40-41

The Christmas Message 03/01/ MARY (continued)  Elizabeth’s Song – Lk 1:42-45 She recognized Mary’s baby She displayed an amazing understanding of Mary’s baby Elizabeth speaking on behalf of her baby? Blessings on Mary

The Christmas Message 03/01/ MARY (continued)  Mary’s baby

The Christmas Message 03/01/ MARY (continued)  Mary’s Song - The “Magnificat” (Lk 1:46-55) First Stanza - MARY Second Stanza - ADORATION Third Stanza - PITY Fourth Stanza - GRATITUDE

The Christmas Message 03/01/ MARY (continued)  Our Response Joy in what we can understand Joy also in what we cannot understand The Greatness and Sovereignty of God in our life. Humility

The Christmas Message 03/01/ THE WISE MEN (MAGI) 

The Christmas Message 03/01/ THE WISE MEN (MAGI) 

The Christmas Message 03/01/ THE WISE MEN (MAGI) 

The Christmas Message 03/01/ THE WISE MEN (MAGI) 

The Christmas Message 03/01/ THE WISE MEN (MAGI) 

The Christmas Message 03/01/ SHEPHERDS “abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock by night (Lk 2:8) 

The Christmas Message 03/01/ SHEPHERDS

The Christmas Message 03/01/ SHEPHERDS

The Christmas Message 03/01/ SHEPHERDS

The Christmas Message 03/01/ SHEPHERDS

The Christmas Message 03/01/ SHEPHERDS

The Christmas Message 03/01/ SHEPHERDS

The Christmas Message 03/01/ SHEPHERDS

The Christmas Message 03/01/ SIMEON, a godly man in Jerusalem  “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace” (Lk 2:29)  He was an elderly man from Jerusalem.  He was alone – his wife, if he had any, was no longer.  He was a righteous and devout person.  He had a close relationship with God.

The Christmas Message 03/01/ SIMEON (continued)  Twice it is mentioned that the Holy Spirit re- vealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah.  He was waiting patiently, probably for a very long time, for that moment to happen. The Holy Spirit guided him to identify that of all the couples who were bringing their children to be circumcised, the child that Joseph and Mary were carrying was that the child.

The Christmas Message 03/01/ SIMEON (continued)  How did he recognise the baby Jesus?  Let’s understand what happened in the Temple at Jerusalem.

03/01/ Court of the Women – 233 sq ft, room for 6,000 worshippers.

Court of the Gentiles There is a barrier warning non-Jews not to cross over into the Holy Place 03/01/

Solomon’s Porch. Jesus years later taught and preached here. 03/01/

Mary and Joseph Despite their royal ancestry from the line of King David and also despite the expensive presents given to Jesus by the Wise Men, Mary and Joseph were poor – they offered two young pigeons for sacrifice at the circumcision of the Baby Jesus. 03/01/

Mary and Joseph Both Mary and Joseph, like Mary’s cousin Elizabeth and her husband Zacharias (Lk 1:59), were godly persons who faithfully obeyed and practised the regulations pertaining to various aspects of their lives (See Lev. 12:1-3, 6-8). 03/01/

The Christmas Message 03/01/ SIMEON (continued) Lk 2:25-32

The Christmas Message 03/01/ CLOSING THOUGHTS  How is our worship of Jesus at Christmas?  Exuberant worship  Silent Worship  Contemplation with prayer and praise