Nine Lessons and Carols

Nine Lessons and Carols

The Inner Light            Jay Chattaway

Niki Juarez-Cummings, flute

First Lesson – Genesis 3:8:14

During that day's cool evening breeze, they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden; and the man and his wife hid themselves from the LORD God in the middle of the garden's trees. The LORD God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?" The man replied, "I heard your sound in the garden; I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself."

He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree, which I commanded you not to eat?" The man said, "The woman you gave me, she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.

The LORD God said to the woman, "What have you done?!" And the woman said, "The snake tricked me, and I ate." The LORD God said to the snake, "Because you did this, you are the one cursed out of all the farm animals, out of all the wild animals. On your belly you will crawl, and dust you will eat every day of your life.

Read by Janet Whitson Markus

Carol of the Birds      Traditional Catalan Carol

Etesian Wind Ensemble

Second Lesson – Genesis 22:12,15-18

The messenger said, "Don't stretch out your hand against the young man, and don't do anything to him. I now know that you revere God and didn't hold back your son, your only son, from me." The LORD 's messenger called out to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, "I give my word as the LORD that because you did this and didn't hold back your son, your only son, I will bless you richly and I will give you countless descendants, as many as the stars in the sky and as the grains of sand on the seashore. They will conquer their enemies' cities. All the nations of the earth will be blessed because of your descendants, because you obeyed me." After Abraham returned to the young men, they got up and went to Beer-sheba where Abraham lived.

Read by Toyosi Becky Oladipo

Hymn                O Come, O Come Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel.

That mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, thou Wisdom from on high, and order things from far and nigh;

to us the path of knowledge show and cause us in her ways to go.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, thou root of Jesse’s tree, an ensign of they people be;

Before thee rulers silent fall; all people on thy mercy call.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Third Lesson – Isaiah 9:2-7

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. On those living in a pitch-dark land, light has dawned. You have made the nation great; you have increased its joy. They rejoiced before you as with joy at the harvest, as those who divide plunder rejoice.

As on the day of Midian, you’ve shattered the yoke that burdened them, the staff on their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor. Because every boot of the thundering warriors, and every garment rolled in blood will be burned, fuel for the fire.

A child is born to us, a son is given to us, and authority will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be vast authority and endless peace for David’s throne and for his kingdom, establishing and sustaining it with justice and righteousness now and forever.

The zeal of the LORD of heavenly forces will do this.

Read by Rick Wasney

Hymn                Let There Be Peace on Earth

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me;

Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be.

With God our creator, children all are we.

Let us walk with each other in perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me; let this be the moment now.

With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow:

To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally.

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.

Fourth Lesson – Micah 5:2-5

As for you, Bethlehem of Ephrathah, though you are the least significant of Judah’s forces, one who is to be a ruler in Israel on my behalf will come out from you. His origin is from remote times, from ancient days.

Therefore, he will give them up until the time when she who is in labor gives birth. The rest of his kin will return to the people of Israel.

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. They will dwell secure, because he will surely become great throughout the earth; he will become one of peace.

Read by Jessica Kunkel

Hymn                O Little Town of Bethlehem

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie;

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.

Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light;

the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given;

So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven.

No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,

where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;

cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels, the great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!

Fifth Lesson – Luke 1:26-38

When Elizabeth was six months pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee, to a virgin who was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. When the angel came to her, he said, “Rejoice, favored one! The Lord is with you!” She was confused by these words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Mary. God is honoring you. Look! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and he will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. He will rule over Jacob’s house forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom.”

Then Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen since I haven’t had sexual relations with a man?” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come over you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the one who is to be born will be holy. He will be called God’s Son. Look, even in her old age, your relative Elizabeth has conceived a son. This woman who was labeled ‘unable to conceive’ is now six months pregnant. 37Nothing is impossible for God.”

Then Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be with me just as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Read by Alice Wasney

Still, Still, Still             arr. Jamey Ray

Voices of Grace Choir

Still, still, still, one can hear the falling snow.

For all is hushed, the world is sleeping,

Holy Star its vigil keeping.

Still, still, still, one can hear the falling snow.

Sleep, sleep, sleep, 'tis the eve of our Savior's birth.

The night is peaceful all around you,

close your eyes, let sleep surround you.

Sleep, sleep, sleep, 'tis the eve of our Savior's birth.

Dream, dream, dream of the joyous day to come.

While guardian angels without number,

watch you as you sweetly slumber.

Dream, dream, dream of the joyous day to come.

Sixth Lesson – Luke 2:1-7B

In those days Caesar Augustus declared that everyone throughout the empire should be enrolled in the tax lists. This first enrollment occurred when Quirinius governed Syria. 

Everyone went to their own cities to be enrolled. Since Joseph belonged to David’s house and family line, he went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to David’s city, called Bethlehem, in Judea. He went to be enrolled together with Mary, who was promised to him in marriage and who was pregnant. 

While they were there, the time came for Mary to have her baby. She gave birth to her firstborn child, a son, wrapped him snugly, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the guestroom.

Read by Sue Dukes

A Child is Born            Thad Jones

Grace of God Jazz Ensemble

Seventh Lesson – Luke 2:8-20

Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night. The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people. Your savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord. This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger.” 

Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God. They said, “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.”

When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go right now to Bethlehem and see what’s happened. Let’s confirm what the Lord has revealed to us.” They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw this, they reported what they had been told about this child. Everyone who heard it was amazed at what the shepherds told them. Mary committed these things to memory and considered them carefully. The shepherds returned home, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. Everything happened just as they had been told.

Read by Brian Cummings

Hymn                Angels We Have Heard on High

Angels we have heard on high sweetly singing o'er the plains,

And the mountains in reply echoing their joyous strains.

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong?

What the gladsome tidings be which inspire your heavenly song?

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see Christ whose birth the angels sing;

Come, adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Eighth Lesson – Matthew 2:1-12

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the territory of Judea during the rule of King Herod, magi came from the east to Jerusalem. They asked, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We’ve seen his star in the east, and we’ve come to honor him.”

When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and everyone in Jerusalem was troubled with him. He gathered all the chief priests and the legal experts and asked them where the Christ was to be born. They said, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what the prophet wrote:

You, Bethlehem, land of Judah,

by no means are you least among the rulers of Judah,

because from you will come one who governs,

who will shepherd my people Israel. 

Then Herod secretly called for the magi and found out from them the time when the star had first appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you’ve found him, report to me so that I too may go and honor him.” When they heard the king, they went; and look, the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the child was. 

When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. They entered the house and saw the child with Mary his mother. Falling to their knees, they honored him. Then they opened their treasure chests and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Because they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by another route.

Read by Niki Juarez-Cummings

La Nanita Nana          Traditional Spanish Carol

Brilliant Etesian Ensemble

Ninth Lesson – John 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was with God in the beginning.

Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word nothing came into being. What came into being through the Word was life, and the life was the light for all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light.

A man named John was sent from God. He came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that through him everyone would believe in the light. He himself wasn’t the light, but his mission was to testify concerning the light.

The true light that shines on all people was coming into the world. The light was in the world, and the world came into being through the light, but the world didn’t recognize the light. The light came to his own people, and his own people didn’t welcome him.

But those who did welcome him, those who believed in his name, he authorized to become God’s children, born not from blood nor from human desire or passion, but born from God.

The Word became flesh and made his home among us. We have seen his glory, glory like that of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

John testified about him, crying out, “This is the one of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than me because he existed before me.’”

From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace; as the Law was given through Moses, so grace and truth came into being through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made God known.

Dear friends, let us love each other, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born from God and knows God. The person who doesn’t love does not know God, because God is love.

This is how the love of God is revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we can live through him. This is love: it is not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Read by Pastor Amos Oladipo