We're turning to the hymn number 79. The hymn number 79, the page 207. O come all ye faithful, joyfully triumphant, to Bethlehem hasten now with glad accord. The hymn number 79 as we begin our carol service this evening. Let's worship God, let's sing well in the singing of this hymn. You find it on the page 207. Now stand this side. Oh God, holy, faithful, joyfully triumphant, to Bethlehem raise an our red O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord. Son of the Father, begotten of creation, O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord. ♪ Praise, praise, choirs of angels ♪ ♪ Songs of highest triumph to heaven's high arches ♪ ♪ We her praises pour ♪ ♪ Night with our glowing glory in the highest sky ♪ ♪ O come let us adore him ♪ ♪ O come let us adore him ♪ ♪ Christ the Lord ♪ ♪ Amen, Lord we bless thee ♪ ♪ Born for our salvation ♪ ♪ O Jesus, born for our salvation ♪ O come, let us adore him O come, let us adore him Now we'll seek the Lord together in prayer, and so let's bow our heads and our hearts before our God now in prayer together, please. Our Father in heaven, we come into thy presence. In the great and precious name of the one of whom we've been singing about, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we come, Lord, to acknowledge thee for who thou art, the living God, We bless thee, dear God, that thou had a purpose, a plan in place before the worlds were ever created, that thou would foreman, would then And because of man's sin, we provide for mankind a Savior in the person of Jesus Christ, the seed of the woman. We come, Lord, to worship our Savior tonight. We come to give Him the praise and the glory for all that He is and all that He has done on behalf of his people. How glad, Lord, we are for one who assumed humanity, who took human flesh to himself and yet never ceased to be God. We thank thee that he lived on our behalf. He lived, dear God, a life that we could never live. He gave complete and total obedience to the law of God, fulfilling it in its entirety on our behalf. We rejoice, dear God, in the Savior's both passive and active obedience. We rejoice in the one, dear God, who then laid down his life as a ransom for many. He went to the tree, and there his hands and feet were kneeled to that cruel cross. And he was crowned with a crown of thorns, spat and mocked. And, Lord, he was ridiculed by those who had passed by. And yet, Lord, we thank Thee that the Savior remained on that cross, becoming the great sin-bearer, the great substitute, the only substitute for man. We thank Thee that He bore in His own body our sins. He took to Himself the responsibility of discharging the debt of sin on our behalf. And Lord, we're so glad that he not only died for sin, but he rose again from the dead. We praise thee for a living Savior, one who's in the glory, one who we believe is coming back soon, as the signs of the time point us to his imminent return. Oh, we thank thee that the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. How thrilling that is for thy people, the end of sin and sorrow, the end of this old world, living in it, dear God. And yet, Lord, for those who know not Thee as Saviour, the coming of Christ should strike terror into their souls, for they are in this meeting an unprepared man, woman. They're an unprepared boy or girl. They're not ready for His coming, for sin still is to their account. They've never repented of sin. They've never confessed their sin. They've never even acknowledged that they're a sinner before God. O God, will you not open the eyes of the blind? Open the ears of the deaf, tonight we pray. May the Lord be the great revelation of God to the soul. Lord, that which only the Holy Spirit can do. Therefore, Lord, bless, we pray. And Lord, we pray that every heart will be taken off to our Lord and Saviour this evening. Oh, we thank thee for those who can sing. Thank you for those who can read the Word. But Lord, what is that? We want, Lord, only the Saviour to be magnified in this house tonight. And therefore, Lord, help every child, every young person, every adult who will participate in this service. And then in the going forth of the Gospel, may God be glorified. He was glorified when Christ was born. Glory to God in the highest, the angel sang. And he was glorified in his death, and he was glorified in the resurrection of the Christ. And we praise ye, dear God, that even as sinners are saved, God is glorified. Lord, save sinners, save the lost, restore the fallen, and work, Lord, wonders in this house, and we'll give thee all the praise and glory for it. We offer prayer in and through our Savior's precious, worthy, and lovely name. Amen and amen. Well we welcome you in our Savior's lovely and precious name. We want our minds to be focused on the Lord Jesus Christ, and the part and why he came into this world, why he took on flesh, in order that he might die for our sins. And we want to do that through the reading of scripture, through the singing of praise, and also through the preaching of God's word. And we're going to have our first reading this evening, and we're going to invite Grace and Bethany to come, and they're going to come to read from Matthew's gospel and the chapter number one. Thank you. The Bible says in Matthew 1, verse 18 to 25, Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on the wise, when, as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together, she was found with the child of the Holy Ghost. And Joseph, her husband, being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privately. But while he thought these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thy son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken of the Lord by the prophets, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with a child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which, being interpreted, is God with us. Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife, and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son, and called his name Jesus. Amen. Well, thank you, girls. They called his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sin. The boys and girls of our Sunday school and also the young people, they're going to come and they're going to sing a couple of pieces at this time. I can spell a lovely name and then that favorite carol, that favorite hymn, Away in a Manger, No Crib for a Bed. Thank you. chapter 1, verse 21. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. I can't spell out ♪ Jesus came, J-E-S-U-S ♪ ♪ Precious Lord, whose name I spell ♪ ♪ His God's Son who loves me well ♪ ♪ Other children I must tell of J-E-S-U-S ♪ Saving sinners, Jesus came. J-e-s-h-e-n. Precious Lord, who's made my spell, His golden son who loves me well. Mother, children, I must tell. Away in a manger. no crib for a bed. The little Lord Jesus laid on his sweet head. The stars in the bright sky looked on where he lay. The little Lord Jesus asleep ♪ So hard a way that made me a waste ♪ But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes ♪ I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky ♪ And stay by my side Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay, close by me forever, and love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care, and let us forever to live with Thee there. Well, thank you to the Sunday School and those young people as well who have sung with the boys and girls. We appreciate it. What a precious name to be able to spell the name of Jesus Christ, and more importantly, to know him as your Savior and as your Lord. I trust that you do that and you do know him in that way. We're going to have another reading, this time from Luke's Gospel, Chapter 2, and Mrs. Naomi Junkin is going to come and read Luke's Gospel, Chapter 2. Luke Chapter 2. And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, onto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife being great with child. And so it was, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Amen. Well, thank you, Naomi. We're going to have the open-air team at this time. Now, our open-air team can be large, it can be small, but this is all who are involved in the open-air team from now and again. And we're going to sing together, Tell Me the Story of Jesus. It's the hymn number 91, if you've forgotten. And let's come to the platform and let's sing now here to the glory of God. Tell me the story of Jesus. you Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every word. Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard. Tell why the angels in chorus sang as they welcomed his birth. Glory to God in the highest, peace and good tidings to earth. Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every word. Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard. Passing alone in the desert, Veil of the days that he passed, Hide for her sins he was tempted, Yet was triumphant at last. Tell of the years of his labor, tell of the sorrows he bore. He was despised and rejected, homeless, afflicted, and poor. Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every word. Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard. Tell of the cross where they nailed him, tell of his anguish and pain. Tell of the grave where they laid him, tell how he liveth again. Love in that story so tender, clearer than ever I see. Glory to Jesus forever, He paid the ransom for me. Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every word. Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard. Well, we're very glad of the menfolk and then the rose among all the thorns. our sister Mrs. Gillespie, and let me say she can handle all us men. There'll be no problem with regard to that. So thank you for singing. We appreciate your ministry in the gospel. And that's what we simply do week after week or bi-weekly. We go down onto the main street simply to tell the story of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, because it has won our hearts And thank God we have experienced as what we have been singing about, about how Christ died for our sins upon the cross. We'll take the hymn book, we'll sing a few lines of another carol, the hymn number 83, the hymn number 83, As With Gladness. men of old. We're singing here about the wise men who came to worship the Savior. We'll sing the verses 1, 3, and 5 of the hymn number 83. The page is 209, and we'll stand again as we worship in song together. Let's stand and sing. ♪ Hearts with gladness may be filled ♪ Did the dying star behold, As with joy they hailed His might, Leading onward, giving right, So most precious Lord made we, Ever more given to Thee. As they offer gifts most rare, At thy cradle good and fair. So may we with holy joy, Pure and free from sins avoid, All our costless treasures bring, Christ, to Thee our heavenly King! ♪ In the heavenly country ride ♪ ♪ The angel-created light ♪ ♪ Thou is light, is joy, is pride ♪ ♪ Thou is sun, which rose not thine ♪ ♪ Here forever may we sing hallelujah ♪ My brother Caleb is going to come and take up the reading in Luke's gospel again and so we're in Luke's gospel chapter 2 and Caleb's going to read from the verse number 8. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were so afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you, ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angels a multitude of the heavenly hosts, praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see the thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe laying in a manger. We appreciate Caleb reading for us this evening. Our young people, we're going to come and we're going to sing. We, I'm including myself in this. But the young people, the youth fellowship, we're going to sing a carol. And many of our carols, they're written maybe the 18th century, the 17th century. But this was written in 1525 by the Protestant reformer Martin Luther. And so this carol is 499 years old. And we're going to sing this carol together. All praise to thee, eternal God. So let me invite the Youth Fellowship and the members of the Youth Fellowship to come now and sing at this time. Thank you. All praise to thee, eternal God, clothed in our human flesh and blood, thy chosen manger for thy bed, and night of strain our living head. On soulless skies Thy praises sang, In virgin arms Thy vict'ry clang, Thy mighty Word brought earth to life, And shepherds worshipped Thee aright. God came and stayed in the darks of night to make us children of the light. In thee we rise, our holy race, that all may know thy boundless grace. Lord Jesus Christ, long-promised One, All this for us Thy love has done. For this our joyful songs we raise, For this we sing Thy ceaseless praise. Thou camest in the darks and light to make us children of the light, in thee we rise, a holy race, that all may know thy boundless grace. May God give us a group of young people who are a holy race, a holy people, to live for the Lord Jesus Christ. We're gonna have another reading, this time from Matthew chapter two, one of our young people, and Mr. Samuel Laverty. Samuel's going to come and read from Matthew's gospel and the chapter two. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the King, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen a star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the King had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes, and all the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, in Bethlehem of Judea. For thus it was written by the prophet, and now Bethlehem and the land of Judah are not the least among the princes of Judah. For out of these shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had probably called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, go and search diligently for the young child. And when you have found him, bring me word again that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed, and lo, the star which they saw in the east went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary as mother, and fell down and worshipped him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Amen. Well this time we welcome you and thank you for joining with us. Can I thank all who have participated this evening, whether reading, whether singing, playing. We really appreciated our brother Danny playing the guitar and also Rhoda for playing the organ. We really appreciate all your help. And we trust that your hearts have been blessed and taken to Christ. That's our only desire, that all eyes will be fixed upon our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If you're visiting with us, you get a special word of welcome tonight. We're so glad to have you as our guests, and we trust you know the warmth of welcome. Now don't be going home, there's tea for everyone, plenty of food there, so don't be leaving. We want to see you enjoying our fellowship together. I see some people excited up there in the gallery, and so that's really good, and we're all excited about that. But we trust that you'll stay with us and that you'll enjoy our fellowship together in the gospel. Just to make the announcements very quickly, the week that we've now entered, not too many, meetings taking place, but we do meet as God's people tomorrow night for a Bible study and our prayer time between the hours of 8 and 9 tomorrow night. I trust you'll make that time. I know we're all busy, the schedules are busy, but we certainly want to give the Lord his place and give him his rightful place in our lives. So let's make the effort, be out tomorrow evening for a Bible study and prayer meeting. I'll open the word for a brief period of time and then we'll be getting down to season. of prayer. Wednesday is Christmas Day. We trust that you'll know God's presence in your family and His nearness in whatever you're doing, keeping the Savior at the very heart of all that you say and all that you do. And may God keep us from grieving Him or doing anything that would hurt his testimony, even in our lives. And let's remember why he came, the purpose of his coming, in order that he might die for our sins. Friday night, no children's meeting, no youth fellowship. We were glad to have the young people with us on Friday night there around at the manse. And I must say they were well behaved and we were glad to have them. Always a highlight, at least in our lives, to have the young people. What a blessing to have fellowship with them, even on Friday night. But no young people's meeting or children's meeting this Friday night. And then that brings us to next Lord's Day, the final Lord's Day of 2024. And there's no Sunday school or Bible class, but we'll meet for prayer at a quarter past 11. If you could come, that'll be a real encouragement to us. 12 noon will be our family worship service. I'll bring a concluding message for the year and the will of God, the open air. Our brother, Mr. William Brown, will be preaching 3.30 on the main street, 6.30. The gospel service, we're having the testimony of our brother, Mr. Alistair Brown, newly elected and ordained and installed as an elder in this congregation. So he'll be bringing his personal word of testimony, and I'll be bringing a closing word even at the close of that particular meeting. So come along, join with us for that service next, Lord's Day, 6.30. Can I thank all those who handed out calendars over the last week. Those who went out Monday, others went out Tuesday through the day, and then the group of people who went out on Tuesday night, we really appreciate that. There are about a thousand calendars now into this community, and we trust that the Lord will use those, that effort, even for the preaching and the reaching of others with the gospel. The road is for the children's meeting. They're available in the hallway. Notes there for those who are speaking the free will offering envelopes are available and you to pick up your set if you know your number and if you want the set then speak to our treasurer at the earliest convenience. There are books there in the hallway, the Reverend Park's book £10 and also the Reverend Barnes's book £6 if you want to avail yourself and then pay for them at a later date. Before we sing another carol we're going to have another reading and this time our brother Mr. Alistair Brown. is going to come and read from John's Gospel and the chapter number one. John chapter one, verse one. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God, All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God. even to them that believe on his name, which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory, and glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Amen. And those words, so sad, at the end of the verse number 10, and the verse number 11, it says, the world knew him not. And then it says in the verse number 11, his own received him not. Maybe you know him not, maybe you know about him, but maybe you do not know him personally. Well, I trust that this evening that you will be like those who have received him and that you will become a son, a daughter of God. We're singing another carol, the hymn number 78, Little Town of Bethlehem, How Still We See Thee Lie. Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by. We'll sing this hymn together, the page 207. We'll rise again as we sing God's praise. Little child of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie. Out of thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by. Yet in thy hearts we shine, the everlasting light. ♪ The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight ♪ ♪ For Christ is born of Mary and Galilee above ♪ ♪ While mortals sing, the angels keep their watch upon thee now ♪ For his hearts together proclaim the holy birth, And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth. ♪ Silently on silent leaf the wondrous gift is given ♪ ♪ So God imparts to human heart the blessings of his hand ♪ ♪ Though we're near his coming what in this world of sin ♪ Where meek souls now gracefully list'n, The dear Christ enters in. Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray. Cast thy dark sin and enter in, be born in us today. Returning to Luke's Gospel in the chapter number 2, Luke's Gospel chapter 2, just for The concluding part of the service, we want to take up the reading from the verse number 15. And so Luke's gospel in the chapter number two, and let's hear the word of God as it is before us. It says, and it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherd said one to another, let us not go, let us not go even on death. to Bethlehem, and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the bee, a blind, and a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the same which was told them concerning this child. And they came, and all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told unto them. And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus. which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. Amen, and we'll end our reading at verse number 21. We'll bow in prayer together and just ask help from the Lord this evening as we close out with the preaching of God's word this evening. Loving Father, we thank thee for the praise that has went from this place, the reading of Holy Scripture, The reading of these historical narratives concerning the coming of the Christ into this world. We rejoice, dear God, for his coming. We thank thee, Lord, that he came, Lord, to fulfill, Lord, that which was written of him in Old Testament scripture. And Lord, we rejoice, dear Father, that he came on that great mission. Lord, he came to seek and to see of that which was lost. We pray for those who are gathered among us this evening who are still lost in their sin. Oh, that tonight that Christ would find them wherever they are in this building or wherever they are listening in in this world. We pray, Lord, that thou wilt minister through the preaching of the Word. Come, Lord, and empty me of self and sin, and fill me now with the Spirit of God and with power. Lord, may we know, dear God, great help and, Lord, the ministry of the Spirit as the Word is preached. May God himself be glorified, that every name be forgotten but the name of our blessed Saviour, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Answer prayer, and Lord help us now as we minister the Word of God, for we offer prayer in and through the Saviour's great and precious and lovely name. Amen. Many and varied are the personalities that we come to meet when we come to read the historical gospel narratives that recount the events when the Son of God took on flesh and came into the world. Some of those personalities are named, while others, their identity is concealed to us. We're all aware of the name of the Savior's mother, Mary and we all know the name of that Roman emperor who ruled the Roman empire when the son of God was born in Bethlehem his name being of course Caesar Augustus but we do not know the names of the wise men who came from that distant land to worship the Christ child traveling all the way from the east And as they come they present to him their costly gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. Neither do we know the names of those shepherds that came and hurried from the shepherds' fields at the command of the angelic messenger. to verify the claim that a Savior, Christ the Lord, had been born in the city of David. Some of the personalities we meet within the historical narrative surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ, they were wealthy individuals, people of renown, individuals who were well known in society, while others were Poor in financial terms, they were really nobodies, non-entities when it came to their standing within Jewish society. Herod was a king who lived in the royal residence in the city of Jerusalem, while Joseph was a mere carpenter, scratching out a living in that notorious town there called Nazareth in the Northern Age of the Sea of Galilee. Some within these historical narratives, they were young. Others were much older. Many believe, many Bible commentators believe that Mary was a mere teenager when she gave birth to the Lord Jesus Christ. Some place her in the mid to her late teens. However, Anna, a dear lady that we come to meet, who rejoices whenever she meets the baby Jesus Christ in the temple, Luke tells us that she was of a great age. Some suggesting that she was about 100 years of age. It's very interesting to trace how these various personalities responded to the Son of God stepping into human history. We thought about that last year. However, I want us to return to that particular theme tonight, albeit looking at it from a different angle. I want us to consider together some of these personalities that we meet in the gospel narrative and their reaction to the news that a Savior had been born in Bethlehem. I'm really framing tonight's message around the human anatomy, the human body. We're going to come to consider how these people reacted in their bodies, as it were, to the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. One's to think firstly about a king. with a perplexed mind. A king with a perplexed mind. Made king of Judea by Augustus and Antonius, the chief rulers of the Roman state. Herod the Great found that his peace of mind was disturbed at the news that a king had been born in Israel. Matthew, in his account in Matthew chapter 2, recounts to us that the wise men asked, They asked Herod the question, where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and we are come to worship him. Then Matthew goes on to relate to us the response of Herod. It says, when Herod the King heard these things, that he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. We're troubled. It means to cause one inward commotion that takes away the peace of mind or the calmness of mind, one that disturbs a person's tranquility or one that disturbs their composure. It speaks about a man who was deeply disturbed. Here it's peace of mind. is now shattered with the news that there was one born that is now designated by others as King of the Jews. Now why that troubled Herod so much was because in 40 BC, the Roman Senate had named him King of the Jews. Now here are wise men all the way from the East, from the Oriental East, and they were calling somebody else King of the Jews. Such a king had been born. Herod feared that the Jews would eventually rally in behind him, rise up against him, dethrone him, and to place this one, this king of the Jews, upon the throne of Israel. And so from this particular moment in time, Herod becomes paranoid. He becomes suspicious of any who would appear to rival him and his position as the king of the Jews, so much so that Herod will kill his own children, for he fears them. They fear that maybe they will take his position. So suspicious does Herod become that he sends out a decree, a decree that every child, every male child under the age of two must be slaughtered, not only in Bethlehem, but also in the surrounding districts. In doing so, Herod hoped that he would destroy this rival king of the Jews. So we find this man Herod, this king, with a troubled, with a perplexed mind as he was confronted with the news, confronted with the news that Jesus Christ had been born in Matthew chapter 2. In other words, when Herod heard the message, a message that centered on Christ, he became troubled in his mind. Maybe that's the state of your mind. Whenever you come to hear a message centered on the person and the work of Jesus Christ, maybe as you sit under gospel ministry, gospel preaching, your mind is troubled, disturbed when the preacher preaches the gospel. You're troubled about your sin. You're troubled about your past. You're troubled about your present spiritual state, with regard to the fact that you are not prepared, you're not ready to meet God. You're troubled that Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son, has a rightful claim to the throne of your heart, and you simply do not want Christ to reign in your life. And that's why you evade the Gospel. That's why you avoid the Gospel. That's why you never come to hear the gospel preached. You're quite happy to live a life without Jesus Christ. I can imagine Herod, he was quite a content man, living in Jerusalem with all that was around him, until the message of Christ came to his heart. And whenever that happened, he became troubled about spiritual things. And maybe you avoid the gospel, maybe you remain at a distance from the gospel, because you don't want Christ in your life at all. You don't want Christ to reign over you. You don't want Him as your Savior. You don't want Him as your Lord. You don't want Him as your Master. You don't want Him as your King. In actual fact, you're quite happy with the status quo in your life. in your social life, in your family life, in your married life, and so you avoid the gospel at all costs. And yet, and yet for all of your avoidance of Christ and the gospel, you come, maybe now and again, and hear the gospel preached. And whenever you do, you find yourself troubled, troubled about your sin, troubled about your standing with God. You go home and you lie upon your bed and you think about life and death. You think about God's great eternity. You think about scripture and what the word of God has to say. You think about coming judgment. You think about hell. It disturbs you, troubles you. that you're not at peace with God. It troubles you that hell awaits you at the end of life, that life of sin. It bothers you that despite all the things that you have accrued in life, a home, a car, children, finances, all of the things that you have accrued in life, you're still an unsatisfied, dissatisfied individual. Oh may God this evening begin to trouble you about this matter of sin. Did you know that you are a year closer to eternity since the last time I saw you? There's some people here tonight and the last time I saw you was this time last year. came to the carol service, maybe to see grandchildren, maybe you came to see young people sing, maybe you just came because you were invited in under the sound of God's word. But did you know that you are a year closer to eternity than the last time I saw you? I want you to think about that, sinner. You're closer to hell than you've ever been before. Oh, let that sink down into your heart and into your mind. Don't be worried about what's happening around you. Let it sink down into your heart. Let it be applied personally to your life. I am closer to hell than I've ever been before in my life. And so you are. And for this purpose, this meeting has been convened to see that you are ready for God's great eternity. You see, regardless of the money that Herod had around him, I think of a man who had many a pleasurable entertainment at his disposal. I'm sure there was plenty of pleasures in the royal palace. I think of the opulent living that Herod indulged in. I think of the position that he held within both Roman and within Jewish society. And yet none of these things was able to calm this man's troubled mind. It seems to be that this man was troubled for two years. It seems to be that he makes this declaration, every male child under the age of two. You see, he had it all worked out. He had all calculated. He understood, well, when did those wise men come? And they never returned. And I believe that this happened sometime afterwards. And so here's a man, he's not only troubled on one particular moment, but here's a man who, having heard the message of Christ, finds himself troubled for weeks, months, possibly even years. And maybe that's you. Despite all that you have accrued to yourself and all the things that you have around you and all the pleasurable entertainment that you've indulged in and all the things that you hold and the position that you have, yet none of these things are able to calm the troubled mind. And none of these things will be able to calm your troubled mind until you find yourself at peace with God. And that can only take place through coming to know Christ, who is the Prince of Peace, the One who brought peace, the One who preached peace to those of our own, the One who secured peace through the blood of His cross, a King with a troubled mind. But I want you to think secondly with me about some shepherds with purposeful feet and with praising mouths. Appearing in the night sky, an angel announced to some shepherds the news that the Savior had been born in Bethlehem, the city of David. How fitting, from that very city, young David, that king, that much-loved king of Israel, was born. He was a shepherd, and now there comes David's greater son, the Lord Jesus Christ, born into that very city that King David was born into. Well, having communicated the message, the angel is joined by the angelic hosts who praise God by saying, glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace. Goodwill toward man. Look, he comes to take up the narrative in his gospel, the verses 15 and 16, it says, and it came to pass when the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, let us now, let us now go even on to Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger. with swift and with purposeful feet. The shepherds left their sheep, and they came with haste to Bethlehem to see all that had taken place in that particular setting. You see, their interest had been stirred, their curiosity had been awakened, their attention had been captured at the news that the Savior had been born for them. for them in the city of David. For unto you, the message was, unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord. So stirred were they that they left everything behind and they made haste to get to Jesus Christ. Think of that now. They left everything behind and with haste they got themselves to Jesus Christ. As I thought of the response of these shepherds with these purposeful feet, I thought, wouldn't it be a wonderful thing tonight, if like the Bethlehem shepherds, that your interest was stirred, and that your curiosity was awakened, and that your attention was captured with the news that the Savior Christ the Lord was not only born for you, but that he died for you. Not only born for you, but that he died for you. You think of that. Who do you know in your circle of friends? Who do you know in your family? Who do you know would die for you? But Jesus Christ, the Son of God, would die for you. Someone that he never met. Someone that he never spoke to, someone that he never communicated to, that he would die for you. that He would bear in His body your sins, that He would be crucified for you, that His hands and His feet would be kneeled to the cross for you, that a crown of thorns would be placed about His brow for you, that He would suffer in His body and His soul for you, that He would become the very object of the Father's wrath for you. He was born for you, but He also died. For you would not be a wonderful thing if your feet, like the Bethlehem shepherds' feet, those feet that have taken you far from God, those feet that have taken you far from your mother's Saviour, those feet that have taken you far from your Father's God, that those feet tonight would bring you not to the manger, but to the cross. The Son of God suffered and bled and died for your sins. Would it not be a wonderful thing tonight to see you making your way to Jesus Christ? I am to do so with haste, for that's what we read. They came with haste. They came with urgency. There was something about this. There was speed. There was resolve. Oh, that tonight that you would come with haste rather than this reluctant foot dragging that has marked your life when it comes to the Savior and his salvation. Sinner, drag your feet no more. Make haste. Run to Christ. Receive Christ. Rest your soul on Christ. With haste, get to Christ. Why, preacher? because death is coming, because eternity is coming, because the judgment is coming. Oh, how sad to know that there are those whose feet have purposely taken them further and further away from God and closer and closer to hell. Oh, make haste to Christ. It's interesting to note in the verse number 9 that we're told that the shepherds were, first of all, they were sort of afraid when the angel of the Lord appeared onto them. However, that initial fear was to be replaced with praise when they personally met the Savior. You see, it all changes when they met the Savior. I'm sure they were still fearful whenever they left the Bethlehem fields, the shepherds' fields. I'm sure they were so fearful as they made their way into the town of Bethlehem, still fearful whenever they got to the door of the inn and then eventually to the place where the Lord Jesus Christ was. I'm sure their hearts were filled with fear as they made their way to Jesus Christ. But whenever they met Christ, it all changed. Their hearts were changed. And so we find them, what, returning, verse 20, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told unto them. And so their faith is replaced with praise. Oh, how many have known that in their lives. Fear abounded when they first came to hear the gospel, and all that God required of them in the gospel. And what does God require of you, sinner? He requires your repentance, your forsaking of sin, and your exclusive trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. This is what He requires of you. And all the fear that comes whenever the sinner hears that, that I must give up my sin, yes. I must follow Christ for the rest of my life, yes. But then those fears, as the hymn writer said, my fears all vanished before his sweet name. And how true that is, those fears vanish whenever we trusted in Christ for salvation. And what did we find? We found that our minds were now filled with God's praise as we considered and as we thought and as we dwelt upon the blessings that are ours through faith in Jesus Christ. I say unsaved individual in this house, you'll find that too. I say to you tonight, those fears that you have, maybe fears that God would never receive someone like you, you and all your sin. And that fear that you might have that you would never be able to live the Christian life because of the high bar that you have already set for Christians as a religious skeptic. And you've set a high bar for Christians, haven't you? And now you're thinking, well, if I became a Christian, you see that high bar, I'm going to have to try and reach it in my life. Now, you'll not be able to do it yourself, but God will give you grace. What about those fears that you have? Well, maybe my friends, they might disown me. My family, they might laugh at me. But then you'll find that those fears are all irrational fears. For whenever God saves a person from their sin, He takes a fearing sinner and He makes them into a praising saint. He makes you as He made these shepherds. not only praising saints, but he also makes them publishing saints, because we're told that they went and told the gospel message. Verse 17, it says, that they made known abroad the same, that which was told them concerning this child. And what did they say? What did they tell them? What did they spread about? They told the gospel message. And what is the gospel message? A savior has been born, and his name is Jesus. Well, do you know the Savior that we're speaking about? And so we have shepherds here with purposeful feet and praising mouths. We have a king with a perplexed mind. Thirdly, we've got some wise men with perceptive eyes. Rather than looking at things that are on earth and things that are below, we read in the historical narratives that there are wise men that had eyes directed heavenward. I say that because whenever they come to speak to Herod, they spoke about how they had seen the star of the king of the Jews in the east and they were come to worship him. Now you know that stars, they're celestial bodies. They're placed in the night sky, held there by the power and by the word of God in their orbit and their place. And so these were individuals. This star, this new star, had caught the attention of the perceptive eyes of these men. These eyes of these men, they were now open to heavenly things. Did you know that man, because of sin, is born spiritually blind? Sinners are blind to their own sin. Can't see their own sin. I'm a good person, I'm a good father, and so you are. I have no doubt about that. You say I'm a good neighbor, I'm a good citizen of this country, but yet you cannot see your sin, your transgression of God's law. You'll not admit that you're a liar. You'll not admit that you're an adulterer or an idolater. You love your football more than Jesus Christ, don't you? Yes, you'll not admit that you're covetous, and so you're blind to your own sin, and you're also blind to the beauty that there is in Jesus Christ. There is no beauty in Jesus Christ that you would desire in tonight. Isn't that right? Because you're blind. You're blind to it all. It takes the work of the Spirit of God to open the eyes of the blind and to shine light, light, spiritual light into the darkened soul. I wonder have your eyes ever been opened to heavenly things? Or do you sit in this meeting with an understanding that's still darkened because of sin? Has the light of the glorious gospel ever shone into your heart and into your life? Or tonight, are you still held by the power of darkness? Oh, that tonight God would turn you from darkness to light. You have been enabled. Have your eyes turned away from earthly things, and have them transfixed on heavenly things, that your vision would be taken up with the risen, and the glorified, and the exalted Son of God, who suffered, and bled, and died for sin on the cross. Oh, that tonight God would say to you, sinner, now listen what he would say to you. This is what God would say to you tonight, look on to me. Be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else. Having been directed to make their way to Bethlehem by Herod, in the advice of the chief priest and the scribes, these wise men, they renewed their pursuit of the star until it came and stood over the place where the young child was. What a sight their perceptive eyes feasted on, Whenever they entered into the house of that much sought after king. Matthew tells us whenever they came into the house, in Matthew 2 verse 11, when they came into the house they saw the young child with Mary his mother and fell down and worshipped him. Faith now gives way to sight. As with adoring wonder they fixed their eyes on the incarnate Son of God. No greater, no more glorious sight could they have seen than the one they did that particular day. God manifest in flesh. So perceptive were these men with regard to the one that they were now standing before, and that now their eyes were gazing upon, that they now fall down and they worship him, and they willingly present unto him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh, the greatest of gifts for the greatest of persons, for the greatest of people. Well, what about your eyes? Have they been opened? By the eye of faith have you ever gazed upon the Lord Jesus Christ? Oh, that your eyes would be opened, that you would see a beauty in Christ tonight, and that in seeing a beauty in him, that you would come before him and give him your best, your all, as these wise men did. A king. With a perplexed mind, shepherds with purposeful feet and praising mouths, wise men with perceptive eyes, I close with a final thought on a mother with a pondering heart. Mind, eyes, feet, mouth, now to the heart, because that's where it all begins. The heart, the heart, after the arrival of the Bethlehem shepherds. Look in his gospel in the chapter 2 verse 19, it says that Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. While the shepherds wondered, Mary pondered. Mary meditated upon the supernatural happenings that had accompanied now the birth of her firstborn son and her savior. Like most women, nothing was lost in Mary. You know, woman, what I'm talking about, nothing's lost in you. Well, so it was with the Lord, with this dear woman, nothing was lost in her. She thought deeply, deeply upon the things that had just taken place. She was storing them up in her heart. She weighed them up in her mind. That's what the word pondered means, weighing it all up. She weighed it all up. I wonder tonight, are you weighing it all up? Are you weighing it all up? Weighing it up if I live my life for myself? Is it worth it if I come to die without a saving interest in Jesus Christ? Are you weighing it all up? Are you weighing it all up that God sent His Son into this world to be your Savior, to die for your sins, to take your place and your judgment and your hell? Are you weighing it all up, man? You need to. You need to weigh it all up. You need to think about these things. Oh, is there someone here tonight, and maybe you've got a pondering heart, Maybe an individual and you're thinking deeply, you're thinking seriously, maybe you're thinking privately about these matters, these spiritual matters, these eternal matters. Maybe you're an individual who's been turning over and over in your mind the issues of life and death and heaven and hell and God's salvation. Maybe you're weighing it up as what you should do with the Son of God. What should I do with Jesus Christ tonight? Are you weighing it up? Your soul hangs in the balance. Your eternal destiny is determined with what you do with this one that we're speaking and singing about tonight, Jesus Christ. Now you need to weigh it up. Is it worth a life of fleeting pleasure for an eternity lost in hell? Is it worth it? I and mother weigh it up in your mind, because you have children coming behind you. And father, weigh it up in your mind, for you've got children coming up behind you. And what about their souls? And what about their lives? And what about their eternity? Have you thought about that? You need to weigh it up. Here's a woman who ponders these things. or that you would ponder them. May that pondering heart of yours may become a trusting heart. Yes, tonight I'm going to trust in Jesus Christ. I'm going to trust And what he did in his life and what he did in his death is sufficient to see me safely to heaven. And if tonight you come and put your trust in Jesus Christ as Savior, then you'll be able to say, as Mary said, my soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. You know, for some people, the news of the Savior's birth, it terrified them, terrified them. For others, that same news, it didn't terrify them. No, no, it thrilled them. It thrilled them. A Savior born for me. Yes, for me. I wonder which of those two responses best sums up your response as you think about the coming of the Son of God into this world. Does it terrify you because you still do not know Him savingly? Or does it thrill you to think that He would come from highest heaven to be nailed to a cross of deepest woe? in order that he might redeem and reconcile you to God. I pray that it is the latter. And if it's not, that you will be like these shepherds in Luke chapter 2, that with purposeful feet, you will make your way to the cross. And there, repent of sin and receive Christ as your Savior, your Lord, and your King. May God bring you to himself just at this moment of time. Let's bow our heads in prayer together. Thank you for listening. You've been very patient. We're going to sing a final carol. It'll help the ladies get prepared. But we'll close out in prayer, and before we do that, I'm here, I'll be about the place. If you're concerned about spiritual things, then make your need known. We'll be delighted to speak to you. I'm not really much interested in the food, but I'm glad that I could speak with you about these things. We'll go somewhere private. We'll speak about these matters. May God bring you even to Himself just now for Christ's sake. Loving Father and gracious God, we come now to Thee. We thank Thee, Lord, again for the Gospel. We rejoice, dear God, in those that found the Saviour. And yet, Lord, we wonder how many were in Bethlehem, how many were in that vicinity, and they missed the Saviour. how many miss the Savior, and many get distracted by other things, trivial things, and they never get to meet Christ in the gospel. Well, may that not be said of any individual in this place tonight, but may tonight there be a running to Christ, a making of haste, a guarding up, Lord, and a rallying to Christ, even tonight. Our thanks for this meeting and bless us now as we sing this final praise to thee. We offer prayer in and through Jesus Christ's precious name. Amen and amen. We're going to sing three verses of the carol. We cannot have a carol service without singing Charles Wesley's great hymn, Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Glory to. the newborn King. We're singing the verses 1, 2, and 3. We'll stand for prayer afterwards and we'll give thanks for the food that has been provided. The verses 1, 2, and 3 of the carol, the hymn number 76 on the page 206. Let's stand to sing. ♪ Hark the herald angels singing ♪ ♪ Glory to the newborn King ♪ ♪ Peace on earth and mercy mild ♪ ♪ God and sinners reconciled ♪ ♪ Joyful all ye nations rise ♪ Join the triumph of the skies, With angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem! Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King! Christ, thy highest love adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, Late in time behold him come, Walls spring of a virgin's womb. ♪ Heaven bless the Godhead see ♪ Hail the incarnate Deity ♪ Pleased as man with man to dwell ♪ Jesus our Emmanuel ♪ Hark the herald angels sing ♪ Glory to the newborn King Hail the Heav'n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Son of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, Rich with healing in His wings. ♪ Mind relays its glory by ♪ ♪ Born that man no more may die ♪ ♪ Born to raise the sons of earth ♪ ♪ Born to give the second birth ♪ ♪ Hark the herald angels sing ♪ ♪ Glory to the newborn king ♪ Our loving Father, we thank thee for the coming of the Saviour born, Lord, into this world to give to men the second birth. And Lord, we pray that there will be those who will be born again of thy spirit, not because of human, Lord, rationale, not because of human oratory, not because of human persuasion, but Lord, brought to the new birth by the Spirit of God himself. Lord, do it to the glory of thy name. Take of our thanks for this service, the gathering in of family and friends and loved ones and neighbours. We pray now, Lord, that thou wilt bless our fellowship, continued fellowship around these good things. We thank thee for every lady who has provided for us tonight. Bless them in their own souls. And we pray, dear God, that thou wilt, as we make our way to Christmas Day, that we'll remember the Saviour, He came to die for our sins upon the cruel cross. Take up our thanks, we pray, for all thy blessings towards us. We offer prayer in and through the Savior.