Jump to Home Page
Lessons and Carols
December 4, 2005
"A place to call home."
Updated Dec. 28, 2005
LESSONS and CAROLS
Sunday December 4, 2005
  • The Audio links on this page are saved as mp3 files. Left-Click to play with your
    default mp3 player.  A high-speed Internet connection works best.
  • "Podcast-ready"?: Right-click to download and save an mp3 file for other devices.
  • The video links are wmv files and require a suitable media player to see them.  A
    high-speed Internet connection is required as these are large files, 6 MB and greater.
    Note:  The mp3 audio files and the individual video files listed below have a
    higher quality sound.
    The First Lesson, Genesis 3:8-15

    8 They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden at the time of the
    evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the
    LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, and
    said to him, "Where are you?" 10 He said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and
    I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." 11 He said, "Who told you that you
    were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" 12
    The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the
    tree, and I ate." 13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this that you have
    done?" The woman said,  "The serpent tricked me, and I ate." 14 The LORD God said
    to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and
    among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the
    days of your life. 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your
    offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel."

Click on this thumbnail to play the video.
    God promises to faithful Abraham that in his seed shall the nations of the earth be
    blessed.

    15 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said,
    "By myself I have sworn, says the LORD: Because you have done this, and have not
    withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you, and I will make your
    offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore.
    And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, 18 and by your offspring
    shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have
    obeyed my voice." 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and
    went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham lived at Beer-sheba.
    The Third Lesson, Isaiah 9:6-7
    Christ's birth and kingdom are foretold by Isaiah.
    and he is namedshoulders; Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and he is named

    7 His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne
    of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with
    righteousness from this time onward and forevermore.  The zeal of the LORD of hosts
    will do this.
Click on this thumbnail to play the video.
    The Fourth Lesson, Isaiah 11:1-2, 6-9
    Christ's birth and kingdom are foretold by Isaiah.

    1 A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his
    roots.  2 The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and
    understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of
    the LORD.

    6 The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and
    the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the
    bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like
    the ox.  
    8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put
    its hand on the adder's den.  
    9 They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain;
    for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.


Click on this thumbnail to play the video.
    The Fifth Lesson, Luke 1:26-35, 38
    The Angel Gabriel Salutes the Blessed Virgin Mary.

    favored one! The Lord is with you." 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and
    favored one! The Lord is with you." 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and
    pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, "Do not be
    afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your
    womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be
    called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his
    ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom
    there will be no end." 34 Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"
    35 The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the
    Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be
    called Son of God.  38 Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be   
    38 Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to
    your word." Then the angel departed from her.
    with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.


    The Sixth Lesson, Luke 2:1, 3- 7
    St. Luke tells of the birth of Jesus.

    1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be
    registered.  3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the
    town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he
    was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with
    Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were
    there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn
    son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was
    no place for them in the inn.

    The shepherds go to the manger.

    8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock
    by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord
    shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be
    afraid; for see — I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you
    is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will
    be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger."
    13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising
    God and saying,

    14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven,
          and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"

    15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one
    another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which
    the Lord has made known to us." 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and
    Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.

    The Wise Men are led by the star to Jesus.

    1 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from
    the East came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of
    the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." 3
    When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and
    calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them
    where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it
    has been written by the prophet:

    6 'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
       are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
       for from you shall come a ruler
       who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"

    7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time
    when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and
    search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I
    may also go and pay him homage." 9 When they had heard the king, they set out; and
    there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over
    the place where the child was. 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were
    overwhelmed with joy. 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his
    mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure
    chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

    The Ninth Lesson, John 1:1- 14
    St. John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation.



    10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did
    not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.
    12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become
    children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of
    man, but of God.

    14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the
    glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified to him and
    cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me
    because he was before me.'") 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon
    grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through
    Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the
    Father's heart, who has made him known.

    The Offering
Click on this thumbnail to play the video.
    Pianist
    Mary Lynn Darden
    Soloists
    Melissa Steele
    Trumpet
    Andy Gregori
    Flute
    Kerrie Bernardo
Audio and Video
    Rodney Lewis
Top of page
If you have comments or questions regarding this service, please
CLICK HERE to send an email to the Pastor.
Copyright 2004-05,
Norcross
Presbyterian Church
and its licensors. All
Rights Reserved
Please use the scroll bar.
Please
scroll
down