Christmas Eve Communion Service

Order of Service

• Call to Worship — Hebrews 1:5-12
• Hymn — Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery
• Prayer of Invocation
• Scripture Reading — Luke 2:1-20
• Hymn — See Amid the Winter's Snow
• Pastoral Prayer
• Sermon
• Prayer of Thanksgiving
• Hymn — In the Bleak Midwinter
• Communion
• Closing Hymn — Silent Night
• Benediction

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Sermon Title: The Glory of God's Humility in the Incarnation

Scripture: Luke 2:13-14

I. The Glory of God's Creation

A. The angelic multitude singing praises at the announcement of Christ's birth is a unique occasion in Scripture

1. In the Old Testament, angels are active as messengers and servants, but a gathered angelic choir is rare
2. Job 38:1-7 provides the closest parallel: at the original creation, the "sons of God" (the heavenly court; cf. Job 1:6) shouted and sang for joy

B. The angels' song at Christ's birth mirrors their song at the original creation

1. Just as the angels sang at God's first creation, they sing again at God's New Creation in his Son
2. The Spirit who hovered over the waters in the beginning now hovers over the womb of the Virgin Mary
3. The angels cannot help but burst forth in praise to the God of their salvation and of creation

II. The Glory of God's Humility

A. Psalm 8 declares that God made man "a little lower than the heavenly beings"

B. The writer of Hebrews applies this psalm to Jesus with a significant change

1. Hebrews 2:7 says God made Jesus for a little while lower than the heavenly beings
2. By taking on human nature, God himself becomes, for a time, lower than the angels

C. It is Christ's condescension — not his exaltation — that causes the angels to sing

1. We tend to associate power with grand, majestic displays — armies, cosmic events, vast wealth
2. But the angels are in awe of a humility no man could have fathomed: God born in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes
3. The angels burst forth in praise at the announcement of his humiliation, not waiting for his resurrection or exaltation

D. Ezekiel Hopkins: the manger and the cross were not places of glorious appearance to carnal reason, yet they display a greater glory than all the armies of heaven standing ready to do God's will

E. The Apostle Paul calls the Incarnation the mystery of godliness — an event neither man nor angels could have predicted

1. That God would become man, be subject to kings and rulers, say "yes sir" and "yes ma'am," and still be sustaining all things by his power is both awesome and bewildering
2. This mystery calls us to join the heavenly anthem and praise the God-man, Jesus Christ