I was trying to figure
out a way to explain our Christmas service to some very young children. I realized that what we do in church to
celebrate our Faith in Jesus is the same as what we do at a child’s birthday
party. We invite their friends and family to gather for a meal and celebrate
the child’s birth. Christ’s Mass – the first Mass or Holy Communion service of
Christmas has all the same elements:
1.
We invite
friends and family to gather
2.
We talk about
the person
3.
We renew
relationships, sing, pray have special food
4.
We go home
with a special gift
1. We invite our friends and family to gather
A birthday party is a
celebration of our relationship with each other and the birthday person. Anyone
who has a relationship or wants to develop a relationship is included. We are
all at different places in our relationship with Jesus and with each other so
it is important that we meet and spend time together to learn about each other
and about Jesus.
2. We talk about the person
In the church we call
this fellowship, teaching, worship, and baptism preparation. As people read the
Bible, listen to teachings and have worship experiences of Jesus, He becomes a
real person to them. This personal relationship – a love relationship is a
spiritual experience. It is intuitive and emotional not just intellectual head
knowledge.
·
Christ’s Mass
begins with a song and special prayer or “collect” to focus our attention on
Jesus
·
Old Testament
Reading (Isaiah 9.2-7) Reminds us of the ancient prophecy that God would send a
saviour to save people from the consequences of sin (spiritual death) and to restore
them to a holy or right relationship with God
·
Jesus would
be like a light shining in the darkness of their despair – their fear of
abandonment by God
·
They would see
divine intervention - not be alone
·
God would
send a saviour to remove the yoke, the bar and the rod (fear of sin guilt,
separation from God and death) of their oppressor (Satan)
·
Gives us hope
as authenticated prophecy - was given 500 years before the birth of Jesus
·
Titus Reading
(60 years after birth of Jesus confirms the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in
saving us
·
Luke’s (2.1-21)
birth account is the hinge of human history and stunning in its power and
authenticity:
o First person account see V19 “Mary treasured”
o Set in Roman history of governors and census
o Why would Mary ride 90 miles on a donkey / no room
in inn (unmarried & avoid stoning)?
o God tells the shepherds first? (has to be true)
3. We renew relationships, sing, pray and have
special food
Talking about Jesus helps
us get to know Him. We want to renew our relationship with Jesus and those
around us. What we hear and experience in these relationships connects us at a
deeper level - spiritually:
·
Confession gives
us forgiveness, healing and peace
·
Eucharistic
Prayer re-connects us to the family of Jesus
·
Bread and
wine nourishes and heals us spiritually
·
Sing the
Lord’s Prayer to affirm our relationship
·
Offering the
bread and wine to God mean the bread and wine is God’s and part of God
·
Prayer asking
the Holy Spirit to come into the bread and wine means those who consume it have
the Holy Spirit living in them
4. We go home with the gift of new hope – The Holy
Spirit of Jesus is with us!
I was trying to figure
out a way to explain our Christmas service to some very young children. I realized that what we do in church to
celebrate our Faith in Jesus is the same as what we do at a child’s birthday
party. We invite their friends and family to gather for a meal and celebrate
the child’s birth. Christ’s Mass – the first Mass or Holy Communion service of
Christmas has all the same elements:
1.
We invite
friends and family to gather
2.
We talk about
the person
3.
We renew
relationships, sing, pray have special food
4.
We go home
with a special gift
1. We invite our friends and family to gather
A birthday party is a
celebration of our relationship with each other and the birthday person. Anyone
who has a relationship or wants to develop a relationship is included. We are
all at different places in our relationship with Jesus and with each other so
it is important that we meet and spend time together to learn about each other
and about Jesus.
2. We talk about the person
In the church we call
this fellowship, teaching, worship, and baptism preparation. As people read the
Bible, listen to teachings and have worship experiences of Jesus, He becomes a
real person to them. This personal relationship – a love relationship is a
spiritual experience. It is intuitive and emotional not just intellectual head
knowledge.
·
Christ’s Mass
begins with a song and special prayer or “collect” to focus our attention on
Jesus
·
Old Testament
Reading (Isaiah 9.2-7) Reminds us of the ancient prophecy that God would send a
saviour to save people from the consequences of sin (spiritual death) and to restore
them to a holy or right relationship with God
·
Jesus would
be like a light shining in the darkness of their despair – their fear of
abandonment by God
·
They would see
divine intervention - not be alone
·
God would
send a saviour to remove the yoke, the bar and the rod (fear of sin guilt,
separation from God and death) of their oppressor (Satan)
·
Gives us hope
as authenticated prophecy - was given 500 years before the birth of Jesus
·
Titus Reading
(60 years after birth of Jesus confirms the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in
saving us
·
Luke’s (2.1-21)
birth account is the hinge of human history and stunning in its power and
authenticity:
o First person account see V19 “Mary treasured”
o Set in Roman history of governors and census
o Why would Mary ride 90 miles on a donkey / no room
in inn (unmarried & avoid stoning)?
o God tells the shepherds first? (has to be true)
3. We renew relationships, sing, pray and have
special food
Talking about Jesus helps
us get to know Him. We want to renew our relationship with Jesus and those
around us. What we hear and experience in these relationships connects us at a
deeper level - spiritually:
·
Confession gives
us forgiveness, healing and peace
·
Eucharistic
Prayer re-connects us to the family of Jesus
·
Bread and
wine nourishes and heals us spiritually
·
Sing the
Lord’s Prayer to affirm our relationship
·
Offering the
bread and wine to God mean the bread and wine is God’s and part of God
·
Prayer asking
the Holy Spirit to come into the bread and wine means those who consume it have
the Holy Spirit living in them
4. We go home with the gift of new hope – The Holy
Spirit of Jesus is with us!
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