Savior of the world, as we gather today it is with the knowledge of what we celebrate, the coming of the Savior into the world. Be in our hearts as we come before you, transforming us into your likeness. (Requests prayed for)
Lord’s Prayer
Call to Worship (based on Psalm 126)
When the Lord came, it felt like a dream.
All of the years we waited disappeared into the past.
The tears we had sown in the dark times melted away.
It was as if they had watered the soil to bring forth new life.
Our mouths were filled with laughter, and our hearts with joy.
May all who serve the Lord find joy in knowing he will return.
(We light this candle as a symbol of the joy God brought to us at Christmas)
* Joy to the World 87/134 (J also stands for JOY)
Prayer of Confession (based on 1 Thessalonians)
Beloved Creator of the universe, we have failed you in thought, word, and deed. You have called upon us to pray without ceasing.
And we spend days without thinking or speaking of you.
You have called upon us to give thanks to you in all things.
And we forget that it is your hand that provides.
You call us to refrain from all kinds of evil
And we ask, “but is it OK if we ask forgiveness later?”
Forgive us Lord,
Restore and sanctify us that we might continue as your followers. Amen
Assurance of Forgiveness
Today we will explore the meaning of the Candy Cane – representing the ways and reasons that Jesus came to us. One of those ways was for our forgiveness. As the red stripe twists around the cane, his blood twists through our lives. Know that it is his blood that brings forgiveness and be at peace.
Gloria Patri
Prayer for Illumination/Reading of the Word:
Luke 2:8-20 (International Children’s Bible
8 -12That night, some shepherds were in the fields nearby watching their sheep. An angel of the Lord stood before them. The glory of the Lord was shining around them, and suddenly they became very frightened. The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, because I am bringing you some good news. It will be a joy to all the people. Today your Savior was born in David’s town. He is Christ, the Lord. This is how you will know him: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a feeding box.”
13 -14Then a very large group of angels from heaven joined the first angel. All the angels were praising God, saying: “Give glory to God in heaven, and on earth let there be peace to the people who please God.”
15-18Then the angels left the shepherds and went back to heaven. The shepherds said to each other, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened. We will see this thing the Lord told us about.”So the shepherds went quickly and found Mary and Joseph. And the shepherds saw the baby lying in a feeding box. Then they told what the angels had said about this child. Everyone was amazed when they heard what the shepherds said to them. Mary hid these things in her heart; she continued to think about them. Then the shepherds went back to their sheep, praising God and thanking him for everything that they had seen and heard. It was just as the angel had told them.
This is the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Children’s Program (Longwood)
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/candy_cane.html
The First Noel 91/147
Sermon: Why Shepherds?
In the children’s skit this morning we learned about the legend of the candy cane.
It forms a J which represents Jesus
Turned upside down, the J symbolizes the shepherd’s staff
It is hard to represent Jesus is the rock upon which we stand
It is white to represent the purity of Jesus
And the red stripe symbolizes the blood which is shed for our sins.
Peppermint tastes a bit like Hyssop which is in the mint family and is used for sacrifices.
Today our scriptures from our Biblical Character focus on the shepherds who were the first to hear the good news. And so to supplement our children’s program, I want to share a few verses about the shepherd’s staff part of the legend, Jesus as the good shepherd.
You see, the answer to the title of my sermon “Why Shepherds?” is that time and time again we find in Scripture that God is a shepherd to his people.
Our first mention this morning comes from the book of Genesis. It is at the end, when Jacob speaks blessings over his sons. This comes from his blessing to Joseph. (Gen 49:22-24)
“Joseph is a fruitful bough,
a fruitful bough by a spring;
his branches run over the wall.
The archers fiercely attacked him;
they shot at him and pressed him hard.
Yet his bow remained taut,
and his arms were made agile
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,
by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,”
This is the earliest reference to God as shepherd that I could find. Like other early passages, the story of Joseph carries much symbolism that will be played out in the life of Jesus.
He was cast aside by those who should have cherished him.
God sent him away from his home so that he might save his people.
He held fast to his faith in horrific circumstances.
In the end, he loved and did good for those who were responsible for his being cast aside.
And so Jacob blesses Joseph, and names God as the Shepherd of Israel, the one who saved Joseph will always save them.
The prophet Ezekiel speaks of God as the shepherd of Israel. He compares the bad leaders to bad shepherds who took advantage of his flock. He speaks of God as the good shepherd. Here is our Ezekiel passage. Ezekiel 34:11-15 (NRSV)
“For thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. \ I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God.”
Then jumping down a bit to Ezekiel 34:30-31
“They shall know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, says the Lord God. You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture and I am your God, says the Lord God.”
“I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep.” “You are my sheep, and I am your God.”
Ezekiel is a passage that is often used to remind church leaders that they are called as shepherds to the sheep that God has given them. But it is also a reminder that even in the presence of leaders who do not act properly, God is still shepherd to his people.
Many years ago I was ordained as an Elder in the Presbyterian Church and was given my very first copy of the Book of Order. I saw the opening section, at that time called “Form of Government” and thought, “Way cool! Now I get to find out how the Presbyterian church works!”
When we developed the new Book of Order a few years ago we changed the name of this section and but it remains the primary section of the Book of Order. F1.02 says the same thing that blew me away so many years ago. Under head of the church it states: “Jesus Christ is Head of the Church.”
Later it talks about all of the others involved, pastors, elders, deacons, members … but it remains true and consistent. The Head of the church and shepherd of the church is Jesus Christ. No matter what happens, all of us can look to God as our leader.
When I looked up “Scriptures with God as Shepherd” on Duck, Duck, Go, my preferred search engine, I found a page that had 43 separate scriptures. I wanted to pick three and I really struggled with which one to end with.
However, with our deep losses the last two weeks, I want to share the 23rd Psalm as my third passage. I am reading it from the Revised Standard Version, the one I learned as a child.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want;
he makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil; for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
The shepherds were the first to hear, but not the last. We, like the people of Israel are the sheep of God’s flock, the work of God’s own hands.
In the good times, we can see God in the blessings we receive. Green pastures, still waters, restored souls.
But when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, God is there too.
Here at Christmas, we stand at a manger and see a newborn innocent infant. But Jesus did not remain an infant, he grew and faced every trouble that we face. There is a reason Joseph isn’t mentioned past the childhood of Jesus. Jesus knows what it is to lose the one who cared for you and protected you, he lost the earthly father God gave him. His mother Mary knew what it was to lose a husband.
Jesus would be betrayed by one of his own inner circle. In the end, every friend would leave him, alone on the cross with only his mother and the other women to be with him.
And Jesus would also go ahead of us to prepare a way for us. Like a shepherd building a safe place for the sheep, Jesus would prepare a place for us to be in heaven with him.
So, in our sadness, we need to remember the story of Joseph, where God used evil to create God. Ezekiel, where God himself is the shepherd of the sheep. And the 23rd Psalm, promising that we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
There is one final passage that I learned as a teen. Since it is short, I am going to add it in. It is in Luke, right after the passage on the Lilies of the Field (Luke 12:32)
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
This is my parting shepherd message for you today. Do not be afraid. The Lord is your shepherd, there is no reason to fear.
Apostles Creed
Dedication of Offerings/Doxology
* O Little Town of Bethlehem 92/101
* Benediction/Passing the Peace
Just as the candy cane represents Christmas, you also are called to bear the message of Jesus to the world. Go forth, tell the world that He is coming, he is coming for all of us.
May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And also with you
Pastor: Rev. Bobbie Karchner
Ministers: The Congregation
Lord’s Prayer
Call to Worship (based on Psalm 126)
When the Lord came, it felt like a dream.
All of the years we waited disappeared into the past.
The tears we had sown in the dark times melted away.
It was as if they had watered the soil to bring forth new life.
Our mouths were filled with laughter, and our hearts with joy.
May all who serve the Lord find joy in knowing he will return.
(We light this candle as a symbol of the joy God brought to us at Christmas)
* Joy to the World 87/134 (J also stands for JOY)
Prayer of Confession (based on 1 Thessalonians)
Beloved Creator of the universe, we have failed you in thought, word, and deed. You have called upon us to pray without ceasing.
And we spend days without thinking or speaking of you.
You have called upon us to give thanks to you in all things.
And we forget that it is your hand that provides.
You call us to refrain from all kinds of evil
And we ask, “but is it OK if we ask forgiveness later?”
Forgive us Lord,
Restore and sanctify us that we might continue as your followers. Amen
Assurance of Forgiveness
Today we will explore the meaning of the Candy Cane – representing the ways and reasons that Jesus came to us. One of those ways was for our forgiveness. As the red stripe twists around the cane, his blood twists through our lives. Know that it is his blood that brings forgiveness and be at peace.
Gloria Patri
Prayer for Illumination/Reading of the Word:
Luke 2:8-20 (International Children’s Bible
8 -12That night, some shepherds were in the fields nearby watching their sheep. An angel of the Lord stood before them. The glory of the Lord was shining around them, and suddenly they became very frightened. The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, because I am bringing you some good news. It will be a joy to all the people. Today your Savior was born in David’s town. He is Christ, the Lord. This is how you will know him: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a feeding box.”
13 -14Then a very large group of angels from heaven joined the first angel. All the angels were praising God, saying: “Give glory to God in heaven, and on earth let there be peace to the people who please God.”
15-18Then the angels left the shepherds and went back to heaven. The shepherds said to each other, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened. We will see this thing the Lord told us about.”So the shepherds went quickly and found Mary and Joseph. And the shepherds saw the baby lying in a feeding box. Then they told what the angels had said about this child. Everyone was amazed when they heard what the shepherds said to them. Mary hid these things in her heart; she continued to think about them. Then the shepherds went back to their sheep, praising God and thanking him for everything that they had seen and heard. It was just as the angel had told them.
This is the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Children’s Program (Longwood)
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/candy_cane.html
The First Noel 91/147
Sermon: Why Shepherds?
In the children’s skit this morning we learned about the legend of the candy cane.
It forms a J which represents Jesus
Turned upside down, the J symbolizes the shepherd’s staff
It is hard to represent Jesus is the rock upon which we stand
It is white to represent the purity of Jesus
And the red stripe symbolizes the blood which is shed for our sins.
Peppermint tastes a bit like Hyssop which is in the mint family and is used for sacrifices.
Today our scriptures from our Biblical Character focus on the shepherds who were the first to hear the good news. And so to supplement our children’s program, I want to share a few verses about the shepherd’s staff part of the legend, Jesus as the good shepherd.
You see, the answer to the title of my sermon “Why Shepherds?” is that time and time again we find in Scripture that God is a shepherd to his people.
Our first mention this morning comes from the book of Genesis. It is at the end, when Jacob speaks blessings over his sons. This comes from his blessing to Joseph. (Gen 49:22-24)
“Joseph is a fruitful bough,
a fruitful bough by a spring;
his branches run over the wall.
The archers fiercely attacked him;
they shot at him and pressed him hard.
Yet his bow remained taut,
and his arms were made agile
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,
by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,”
This is the earliest reference to God as shepherd that I could find. Like other early passages, the story of Joseph carries much symbolism that will be played out in the life of Jesus.
He was cast aside by those who should have cherished him.
God sent him away from his home so that he might save his people.
He held fast to his faith in horrific circumstances.
In the end, he loved and did good for those who were responsible for his being cast aside.
And so Jacob blesses Joseph, and names God as the Shepherd of Israel, the one who saved Joseph will always save them.
The prophet Ezekiel speaks of God as the shepherd of Israel. He compares the bad leaders to bad shepherds who took advantage of his flock. He speaks of God as the good shepherd. Here is our Ezekiel passage. Ezekiel 34:11-15 (NRSV)
“For thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. \ I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God.”
Then jumping down a bit to Ezekiel 34:30-31
“They shall know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, says the Lord God. You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture and I am your God, says the Lord God.”
“I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep.” “You are my sheep, and I am your God.”
Ezekiel is a passage that is often used to remind church leaders that they are called as shepherds to the sheep that God has given them. But it is also a reminder that even in the presence of leaders who do not act properly, God is still shepherd to his people.
Many years ago I was ordained as an Elder in the Presbyterian Church and was given my very first copy of the Book of Order. I saw the opening section, at that time called “Form of Government” and thought, “Way cool! Now I get to find out how the Presbyterian church works!”
When we developed the new Book of Order a few years ago we changed the name of this section and but it remains the primary section of the Book of Order. F1.02 says the same thing that blew me away so many years ago. Under head of the church it states: “Jesus Christ is Head of the Church.”
Later it talks about all of the others involved, pastors, elders, deacons, members … but it remains true and consistent. The Head of the church and shepherd of the church is Jesus Christ. No matter what happens, all of us can look to God as our leader.
When I looked up “Scriptures with God as Shepherd” on Duck, Duck, Go, my preferred search engine, I found a page that had 43 separate scriptures. I wanted to pick three and I really struggled with which one to end with.
However, with our deep losses the last two weeks, I want to share the 23rd Psalm as my third passage. I am reading it from the Revised Standard Version, the one I learned as a child.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want;
he makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil; for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
The shepherds were the first to hear, but not the last. We, like the people of Israel are the sheep of God’s flock, the work of God’s own hands.
In the good times, we can see God in the blessings we receive. Green pastures, still waters, restored souls.
But when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, God is there too.
Here at Christmas, we stand at a manger and see a newborn innocent infant. But Jesus did not remain an infant, he grew and faced every trouble that we face. There is a reason Joseph isn’t mentioned past the childhood of Jesus. Jesus knows what it is to lose the one who cared for you and protected you, he lost the earthly father God gave him. His mother Mary knew what it was to lose a husband.
Jesus would be betrayed by one of his own inner circle. In the end, every friend would leave him, alone on the cross with only his mother and the other women to be with him.
And Jesus would also go ahead of us to prepare a way for us. Like a shepherd building a safe place for the sheep, Jesus would prepare a place for us to be in heaven with him.
So, in our sadness, we need to remember the story of Joseph, where God used evil to create God. Ezekiel, where God himself is the shepherd of the sheep. And the 23rd Psalm, promising that we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
There is one final passage that I learned as a teen. Since it is short, I am going to add it in. It is in Luke, right after the passage on the Lilies of the Field (Luke 12:32)
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
This is my parting shepherd message for you today. Do not be afraid. The Lord is your shepherd, there is no reason to fear.
Apostles Creed
Dedication of Offerings/Doxology
* O Little Town of Bethlehem 92/101
* Benediction/Passing the Peace
Just as the candy cane represents Christmas, you also are called to bear the message of Jesus to the world. Go forth, tell the world that He is coming, he is coming for all of us.
May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And also with you
Pastor: Rev. Bobbie Karchner
Ministers: The Congregation