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Trinity Community Church
Trinity Community Church
Is He Worthy? - Christmas Eve Eve (Eve) At TCC
Join us at Trinity Community Church for our annual Christmas Eve Eve (Eve) celebration, a time of joyous gathering and meaningful reflection. This special event, invites you, your family, friends, and neighbors to come together in a festive atmosphere of worship and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Built for the whole family, it’s a time to build friendships, create wonderful memories, and remember that He is worthy!
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Well, as the band is coming up, we're getting ready to start our celebration tonight. I just want to take a minute to acknowledge that there are some of us in the midst of this evening of joy that maybe our joy is a little bit muted tonight because we've experienced a loss this year. And for those of us who are in that camp, I just want to just say a few words and pray for us. This time of year can be difficult for us, but these are the very pains that Christ came in the world to heal and in a sense it's a very real. Reason that we celebrate Christmas is that God himself stooped down and stepped into flesh and he entered our broken world and he did not look down from afar, but he took upon flesh and he came to be Emmanuel, god with us.
Mark Medley:My favorite poem is actually a Christmas poem and it's by Lucy Shaw. It's called Mary's Song. It's a beautiful poem that views the incarnation of Jesus through the eyes of Mary, his mother. So it's a mother's viewpoint. So if you can think of Mary looking down at her sleeping child as I read portion of this poem, quiet he lies, whose vigor hurled a universe. He sleeps whose eyelids have not closed before His breath, so slight it seems no breath at all. Once ruffled the dark deeps to sprout a world Older than eternity. Now he is new, now native to earth. As I am nailed to my poor planet, caught then I might be free, blind in my womb.
Mark Medley:Are you despised? So was he. Are you feeling searing pain of rejection? So did he. Are you a person of sorrows? So is he. In fact, the only wounds that we're going to see in heaven are the wounds of our man of sorrows, the suffering servant king, who chose in his glorified body to maintain those wounds as proof of his love, as proof of his fellowship of our sufferings.
Mark Medley:So the Jesus that we sing of tonight is the one who laid aside his glory and came to earth to feel our pangs of hunger and thirst and longing and emotional pain. And though he is high above the heavens, yet he stoops down to lift the needy. He's near to the brokenhearted. The Lord upholds all who are falling and he raises up all who are bowed down. And a bruised reed he will not break when we're lonely and vulnerable. He does not scorn. He lifts us and even now he's in work in our wounded hearts, expanding them to know him more, pouring in the balm of his presence and his love through his spirit and through his people. And Jesus said blessed are those who mourn, because they will be comforted. We who mourn will know God in ways we've never dreamed of, and from the soil of our sorrow will spring strength and praise from hearts that truly know their God. So be encouraged. Even now he's with us. Even now he's working inside of us. We're not abandoned, we're not orphans.
Mark Medley:Let me pray for you, father. I thank you for the promise of Jesus. I thank you for the heart that you have, from which this promise springs. I thank you that we have a Savior who is a man of sorrows and acquainted with suffering and grief, and tempted in every way, as we are yet without sin. So he's able to comfort those of us who are suffering, and I pray for every heart tonight that's breaking or suffering for any kind of loss, lord, loss that's loss of a loved one, or loss of a relationship, or loss of a dream, or loss of expectations that weren't met. Lord, all of these things that you have also felt.
Mark Medley:I pray, god, for all of our hearts who are feeling this point of emptiness, this point of pain.
Mark Medley:Lord, I thank you that you meet us in that point of pain and that there's a revelation of emptiness, this point of pain.
Mark Medley:Lord, I thank you that you meet us in that point of pain and that there's a revelation of yourself, lord, that you open our eyes to see you in fresh ways. And I pray, lord, what the psalmist says in Psalm 126. I pray that those who go forth weeping, bearing precious seed, will doubtless come again with joy, bringing the fruit with them. I thank you that fruit comes from this, lord, and I thank you that you gently shepherd our souls in the midst of our pain so that we can see the joy of walking with you and the joy that we're never alone. And I pray for that kind of joy to happen in this season. I ask you to protect and to comfort and to grant peace. Lord, your shalom, your presence in the hearts and the homes of those who've experienced loss this year, and we thank you for that. Father, thank you for the joy that comes out, the joy that comes in the morning. In Jesus' name, amen.
Brooke Medley:We're going to start with just a song of worship. You're welcome to stand up with us if you'd like to. We're singing about joy to the world. We all know this song, but I'd like for us to just remind ourselves that he is our joy, he is our hope, he is our peace in this season and in every season of our joy. He is our hope, he is our peace in this season and in every season of our lives. Thank you, jesus. Father, I pray that our focus is on you tonight, that we can just let all of our burdens go, that we can set them at your feet, that we can just focus in on the story of the gospel this evening as we worship together and bring you honor and praise.
Brooke Medley:Thank you, lord, amen. Joy to the world. The Lord is come. Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room In heaven and nature. Sing In heaven and nature sing in heaven and nature sing in heaven. Heaven, nature sing. Joy to the earth. The Savior reigns. Let men their songs employ While fields and flood, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy. Repeat the sound in joy. Repeat the sound in joy. Repeat, repeat the sound in joy. Oh yeah, oh no more. Let no more listening In sorrow's door, nor thorns infest the ground.
Brooke Medley:He comes to make His blessings flow, for as the curse is found, he comes to make his blessings known Far as the curse is found. Far as the curse is found, far as far as the curse is found, he rules the world. He rules the world. He makes the nations prove the glories Of his righteousness, wonders of his love, wonders of his love, wonders, wonders Of his love, of His love. He rules the world with truth and grace and makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love and wonders of His love and wonders, wonders of His love. Oh, wonders of His love, oh, wonders of His love. Let Him open up, let it open up, let it open up, Let Him open up To receive the King. Let it open up, let it open up, king, to receive the key. Oh, the reason is righteousness, glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His love, and wonders of His love, and wonders, wonders of His love. He's the Lord.
Tyler Lynde:So here we are this evening to answer one question Is he worthy? And if he is worthy, what of it? The age-old case of Christ versus my doubts, my shame, my disdain has he really earned my praise?
Hannah Silverberg:Advent is the time of year when earth holds its breath and waits. Advent is the time of year when earth holds its breath and waits. In the silence of a snow-fallen winter, you can almost hear the earth groaning, groaning under the weight of sin, of grief, of what is and what never should have been. Do you hear it? Do you feel it? Waiting is cold and empty. Waiting is Adam and Eve hiding in the garden, hagar in the desert, job deep in grief, moses in the basket, joseph in a prison, rahab in Jericho, daniel in the lion's den, jonah in the belly, hannah crying for a babe, ruth on the threshing floor, david hiding in a cave.
Hannah Silverberg:Waiting is a pregnant woman being turned away. When all seems lost in the deepest sorrow, when you wish to not wake up tomorrow, there is something all more precious here that doesn't shy away from fear. A hope, though frail, is hard to kill. And as the earth seems to still, let me join the angels, proclaim the news, good news, gospel of hope for me and you. Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men, because the Christ who came at Christmas is the God who wants to dwell, is the King who is coming again. You see, heaven loves the waiting. A countdown for the big event, when we are lost in the longing, is when angel choirs begin to sing O come.
Brooke Medley:O come, emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear. Rejoice, emmanuel, shall come to thee. O Israel. O come thou Dayspring. Come and cheer our spirits by thine advent here and rife away the shadows of night and pierce the clouds and bring us light. Rejoice, rejoice, emmanuel Shall come to thee. O Israel. Israel O come. Desire of nations, bind all peoples in one heart and mind. Bid thou our sad division cease and be thyself our King of peace. Rejoice, rejoice, emmanuel Shall come to thee. O Israel, rejoice, rejoice, emmanuel shall come to thee, o Israel. Shall come to thee, o Israel.
Tyler Lynde:Redeem, restore. We dare to question, second guess and even despise this. God does not shy away from our questioning, but he opens his whole filled hands to Thomas and invites us to come and see the man of sorrows acquainted with grief. Is he worthy of our time, our talent, our treasure? Let us look back, make our measure and be sure Is he worthy? He is everything the seed of a woman in Genesis 3, serpent crushing heel bitten for you and for me. He was despised and rejected by men. A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and as one from whom men hide their faces. He was despised and we esteemed him not. In Rome ruled Nazarethareth. An angel meets a girl. 10 generations of withheld waiting, 400 years of earth groaning, heaven comes down and meets a girl.
Tyler Lynde:That can't be right, but it is the upside down. Kingdom is coming at last. The king is coming, oh yes, at last. Surely he will be triumphant and militant, ruling. Oh no, he's coming, humbly, an infant cooing. Why would God, creator, sustainer, holy, righteous and crowned, take off his robes and let himself be held by his mother, mary, young unsure, and his father, joseph, frightened all the more? They must have found him worthy.
Tyler Lynde:Mary, maybe 15, suddenly gives up everything Her reputation, her future, her life. And Joseph, betrothed to Mary, feeling betrayed, sleeping alone. When suddenly he's met with an angelic dream from the God on high, he changes his plans. He gives Mary her life so that they could together raise the life Not the people I would choose, perhaps, but it was spoken before the king born of a virgin raised by David's son in a town called Bethlehem. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end On the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore, the seal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Brooke Medley:In the darkness. We were waiting, without hope, without light, till from heaven you came running. There was mercy in your eyes To fulfill the law and prophets. To a virgin came the Word From a throne of endless glory To a cradle in the dirt. Praise the Father, praise the Son, praise the Spirit. Three in one. God of glory, majesty, praise forever Son, praise the Spirit. Free in one. God of glory, majesty, praise forever to the King of kings. We sing Praise the Father, praise the Son, praise the Spirit, the one God of glory, majesty, praise forever to the King of kings.
Hannah Silverberg:Speaking of things that have been spoken before. What about Elizabeth? Asked to hope once more. Can you imagine her wide eyes when Zachariah came home and opened his mouth? But no words came out. A babe in her womb, once barren, now filled, jumped in recognition at his cousin, revealed. How could a child in the womb know what was held in another, prophesied long ago? But back to the baby. Fully God, fully man, here to live a perfect life, change the world without sin.
Hannah Silverberg:They traveled to Bethlehem and there he was lain in a manger owned by strangers, nothing to his name. He wasn't found worthy of room in the inn, but across the city, in a sky once dim, dozens of angels sing and proclaim to several cold shepherds of this glorious day. So the shepherds come running, stumbling, wondering if they'd become like sheep, him the shepherd, the babe in the hay. If I were to announce an arrival so fine, I'd proclaim it to people much more refined. And while I'm at it, I'd probably choose a castle, a mansion, some glorious clothes, though it'd pale in comparison to his heavenly robes. But now in the palace, king Herod, until he is paid a disturbing visit, wise men from the east searching the stars, a new one appears, abrams promised and sends them out far they come bearing gifts, seeking the one they have deemed deserving of honor, of treasure. All hail the newborn King Silent night, holy night.
Brooke Medley:All is calm, all is bright round yon. Virgin mother and child, holy infant, so tender and mild. Sleep in heavenly peace. Sleep in heavenly peace, silent night, holy night. Shepherds quake at the sight, glories stream from heaven afar. Heavenly hosts sing alleluia. Christ the Savior is born. Christ the Savior is born, silent night, holy night. Son of God, love's pure light, radiant beams from thy holy face with the dawn of redeeming grace. Jesus, lord at Thy birth. Jesus, lord at thy birth.
Tyler Lynde:Herod fakes a smile and lies through his teeth. Wise men are warned through a heavenly dream. Left alone, herod paces, fumes, hatred, seething. He will not submit to this kid they call king who cares about the stars. I hold the scepter and the crown, and now there will be weeping all over the town.
Tyler Lynde:But wait, why should Herod care? Why so disturbed by a foreigner's tale? There must be some truth to the story they told, or else he would have just let it unfold. Perhaps that's part of the evidence that you seek, when just hearing his name causes demons to shriek, just like Cain and Abel. Blood cries from the ground. Have you ever what heaven hears now? But God is not outsmarted, surprised or distraught. He is holy and righteous and one who fears not. The king of heaven's armies will not be dismayed. He is here to flip the script, change the ending, save the day Joseph met in another dream. Given direction, heaven sent Takes the girl and the babe away to Egypt, led here and there to and fro, till at last it is deemed Nazareth. They should go. As for us, we could just ignore him or hate him like Herod. But what about the temple? What about Anna and Simeon, who called him sacred?
Hannah Silverberg:Now, when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said Rise, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child to destroy him. And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet Out of Egypt. I called my son, then Herod. When he saw he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.
Brooke Medley:Whom angels greet with anthems sweet.
Brooke Medley:While shepherds watch are keeping. This this is Christ the King Whom shepherds guard and angels sing.
Brooke Medley:Haste, haste to bring Him, Lord, the.
Brooke Medley:Babe, the Son of Mary.
Brooke Medley:So bring him incense golden. Come, peasant king, to own him. The king of kings salvation brings. Let loving hearts enthrone Him. Raise, raise a song on high. The Virgin sings her lullaby Joy, joy. For Christ is born, the babe, the son of Mary. Yes, this is Christ, the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing Haste, haste to break Him down, the faithful son of Mary.
Tyler Lynde:Let's turn the pages and skip ahead to a dove coming down from the sky, a heavenly spirit. Did you hear father say he is pleased with the son, the one his cousin proclaimed Now off to the woods For testing, Fasting Ongoing? Surely Satan himself Can trip up the king. I wonder why Satan bothered himself. He's the boss of a legion. Could have sent someone else. He must have known whom he was tempting. King never stumbled, wasn't caught in the snare, Just quoted the scriptures that Moses listed. Then the angels cared and Jesus said to him be gone, Satan, for it is written you shall worship the Lord, your God, and him only shall you serve. Then the devil left him and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Hannah Silverberg:The Savior sets out, it's time to go fishing, making disciples of men rough and messy. A dozen close friends, a dozen companions, including one with disdain in his heart. Bitterness steeped in. If he's really the king, if he knows everything, why would he let Judas dwell in the camp, handle the money, eat from his hand? What mercy. He showed compassion again by loving still Judas, knowing death was his plan. The king at a wedding, the wine ran dry. Mary came to her son, asked him to intervene. Jesus not convinced that was for him to be doing. But honor won out and the water ran red, a prophetic image of his blood to be shed. It was only the beginning. His power exploding. Lepers healed den men raised, his love overflowing. He broke all their rules and was abhorred for it. A sloppy, worthless campaign from where some sit, but enough took notice to make religious men tremble. Their power control, legalism made example. His parables taught, ripped apart, turned upside down. What the leaders had twisted came undone. Burdens lifted, yokes lightened.
Tyler Lynde:And on and on miracles. Lives changed until Jesus, in a garden alone and betrayed, blood, soaked, sweat, hitting the ground, knowing what he was awaiting but the King of heaven's armies, who let himself be bound, all so that you and I could be found. You see, they put him on trial, they accused him and abused him. They deemed him worthy of a sinner's death, of a mocking, piercing crown. They ripped the beard from his face, the skin peeled off of his back, nailed him to the cross. As the earth stops, the king of heaven takes a final breath and with the exhale, the earth erupts. As the earth, the worthy one, the, the only son, hangs dead upon the cross, the sky turns black and the ground shakes. The veil rips and hell celebrates. A roman soldier on his face says surely this was the son of god. They placed him in a borrowed tomb, rolled the stone and sealed it shut and all of a sudden, the light of heaven was in the dark.
Brooke Medley:The moon and stars. They wept the morning sun was dead, the Savior of the world was fallen, his body on the cross, his blood poured out for us the weight of every curse upon Him, upon him.
Brooke Medley:When final breath he gave. As heaven looked away, the Son of God was laid in darkness. A battle in the grave, a war on death was waged.
Tyler Lynde:The power of hell forever broken. Can you imagine the disciples' despair, mary's grief, peter's shame? All hope seemed lost. Darkness reigned, but the King is worthy of his name. Death was really just the waiting place. While they were all weeping and mourning and distraught and questioning everything that they had ever thought, heaven held its breath and counted to three. You see, the hope of Christmas, the hope of waiting is that the story isn't over. When all hope seemed lost, jesus fought and won the keys of death, hell and the grave.
Brooke Medley:The King of heaven, now gloriously raised. Now, death, where is your sting? Our resurrected King has rendered you defeated. Forever. He is glorified, forever. He is alive. He is alive. The ground began to shake. The stone was run away. His perfect love could not be overcome. Now, death, where is your sting? Our resurrected King has rendered you defeated. Our resurrected King has resurrected you to be Forever. He is alive, and mine Forever. He is alive. He is alive.
Brooke Medley:You are alive. You are the Lord. You are the Lord, you are the Lord. You are the Lord. We sing. We sing hallelujah, we sing hallelujah, we sing hallelujah, we sing hallelujah, we sing hallelujah, we sing hallelujah. The Lamb has overcome and we sing hallelujah, we sing hallelujah, we sing hallelujah, we sing hallelujah. The Lamb has overcome.
Hannah Silverberg:The women were the first, he told. And then it spread like wildfire. Now behold the Savior, lord and friend, with holes in his hands. He loved them, saved them, restored them and warned them that waiting was coming. But not to fret, there would be a helper. Heaven sent and with that and instructions to sow wide and far, he raised up his hands and they watched him ascend. But now what they must have wondered, waiting in the darkened cold of Jerusalem room. Beloved this God is always worth the wait because his gift is of himself. His Holy Spirit sets ablaze the hearts and tongues of the believers. The resurrection is made indwelling and the believers scatter, making disciples, saving lives, souls, the only thing that matter.
Hannah Silverberg:They multiplied quickly and encountered great trial. The price of his name ever growing Stephen, the first to his name, ever growing Stephen, the first to deem him worthy of all, cries out to heaven as they make him fall. And when the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Look, he said, I see heaven open and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God. At this, they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, stephen prayed Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Then he fell on his knees and cried out Lord, do not hold this sin against them. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Tyler Lynde:The call of Christ is a weighty thing. While the yoke is easy, the cost is high. Even now, holy Spirit indwells. God is with us, emmanuel In our new position. With him we rule and we reign. But there is still so much more for which we can hardly wait, but tarry we will and ache we do feel the whole earth continues to groan, groaning under the weight of sin, of grief, of what is and what never should have been. Do you hear it? Do you feel it? We are here, weary, waiting, worn, remembering when the Savior was born. Every day we must pick up the cross, thankful we are no longer lost in the hustle and bustle in Satan's biggest schemes. All of hell is screaming to distract us from the king, and so today we must answer this question is he worthy? Is he worthy of our time? Is he worthy of our treasure? Is he worthy of our life?
Hannah Silverberg:And what more shall I say For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, barak, samson, jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets who, through faith, conquered kingdoms, enforced justice. Prophets who, through faith, conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in the skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated, of whom the world was not worthy, wandering about in deserts and mountains and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that, apart from us, they should not be made perfect.
Tyler Lynde:Are you ready for the hope of Christmas? Catch your breath, listen in. The author of salvation hasn't yet put down his pen. The king is coming. The king, the worthy one, the only son. The king, once broken and bruised, now robed and seated at the right hand of the father. It's been his plan since the very beginning. The God born to die, to dwell, to deliver, is coming again to rule, to reign, to restore, to make all the wrong things right again and make all the bad things untrue, to break the seal and open the scroll and to make all things new. He is everything, as he said he would be. He fulfilled 400 prophecies, everything he said he would be. He fulfilled 400 prophecies the son of suffering, the prince of peace, the Lord of lords acquainted with grief. The king is coming, listener, he's coming for you and for me. I implore you, I beg of you, don't keep him waiting. Declare with full-throated tone he is worthy, he is worthy, he is worthy of all.
Brooke Medley:Do you feel the world is broken? We do. Do you feel the shadows deepen? We do. Do you know that all the dark won't stop the light from getting through? We do. Do you wish that you could see it all made new? We do. Is all creation groaning? It is, it is, it is, it is. Is it good that we remind ourselves of this? It is. Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole? Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll? The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave. He is David's root and the lamb who died to ransom the slave. Is he worthy? Is he worthy Of all blessing and honor and glory? Is he worthy of this? He is.
Brooke Medley:Does the Father truly love us. He does Does the.
Brooke Medley:Spirit move among us.
Brooke Medley:He does.
Brooke Medley:And is Jesus our Messiah forever. Those he loves, he does.
Brooke Medley:Does our?
Brooke Medley:God intend to dwell again with us? He does. Is anyone worthy? Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole? Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll? The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave he saved his root and the lamb who died To ransom the slave From every people and tribe, from every nation and tongue. He has made us a kingdom and praise to God To reign with his son. Is he worthy? Is he worthy? Is he worthy of all blessing and honor and glory? Is he worthy? Is he worthy of all blessing and honor and glory? Is here. Oh, yes, he is, he is. He's worthy, he's worthy, he is worthy, he is worthy, he is, he is, he is worthy, he is worthy. Is anyone worthy? Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole? Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
Brooke Medley:The lion of Judah who conquered the grave he saved his fruit. And the lamb who died To ransom the slave From every people and tribe, from every nation and tongue. He has made us a kingdom of grace and God to reign with the Son. Is he worthy? Is he worthy? Is he worthy of all blessing and honor and glory? Is he worthy of this? He is, he is. He is worthy, he is worthy, he is, he is, he is worthy, he is worthy, he is, he is, he is worthy, he is worthy, he is, he is, he is worthy, he is worthy, he is worthy, he is worthy.
Derrick Overholt:Is is, is, is, is is is is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is.
Derrick Overholt:A question was asked Is he worthy of your life? You know, christmas is not just some nice story. It's not just something that we do with our family once a year to gather us together. Church is not just some place we come on Easter and Christmas. There's a reason why we're here. The Son of God came as a baby, a gift that we don't deserve, and he lived a life that he didn't deserve. And he died. But that wasn't it. He proved he was God by coming out of the grave. Oh, but that's just a story, derek. It's not.
Derrick Overholt:History proves it. It's not a question of did Jesus actually come to earth? Come on, we count time by His life. Every piece of science that's found, every piece of archaeological digs that's found, proves the Bible over and over and over again. It's not a question of was there a man named Jesus that come to the earth? That's been proven many times as human history. And when he died, how can you prove he lived again? Because hundreds of people have seen him and the things that you heard tonight were written letters from people who spent time with him. Every other religion in the world talks about him. They just don't know who he is. Talks about him. They just don't know who he is. But we do because, like you heard, 700 years before Jesus entered this life as a baby, it was prophesied In Isaiah and in Malachi over 400 different things was said about this man how he would come, how he would live, how he would die. Every single piece happened. He is the Messiah. That's not a question of if it's true. Jesus said I and the Father are one. He called Himself God. Now he's either a lunatic or he's who he said he is. You take your pick. He can't be a good prophet and call Himself God.
Derrick Overholt:So tonight we see and understand that the truth is is Jesus Christ is the Messiah. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, and today he's sitting on the right hand of the Father. And now we have a choice. Is he worthy of your life? He gave us salvation. It is a free gift, but it's a new life. It's not one given with sprinkles of your old life. The old one has to die for the new one to live.
Derrick Overholt:So to be here tonight and say I said a prayer one time when I was a kid and I've lived like hell. Afterward You're going to hell. Listen, there's one way to heaven and that's Jesus Christ. You accept his gift of salvation and you let him change your life To call yourself a Christian and live like you did before you called yourself a Christian. You're a liar. The truth is not in you Because God is not in you. For Christ to be in your life, your life must change because you've been given new life. The old one wasn't working for you. That's why you seeked after the new.
Derrick Overholt:Why would we want to continue sprinkling in the old Tonight? It's time. It's time to turn your life over to God. I would say for some of you, you need to return to God. But I want to ask the question did you ever go to Him to begin with, or did you just say a prayer one time? That is not in scripture say this prayer after me and you're good for eternity. No, that is not in the Bible.
Derrick Overholt:We come to Jesus. We believe who he is. We turn our life over to Him. He enters us a gift that we do not deserve. We turn our life over to him. He enters us, a gift that we do not deserve. He enters us and he gives us new life, new life Tonight. Give your life to him, life Tonight. Give your life to Him because he is worthy of your life. He is worthy of your life. You're only here because he allowed you to breathe this morning. So if you don't know Him and you're like, well, I don't really want to turn to life, be thankful to him anyway, because he's the only reason you're breathing. He's the author of life, he's the reason why you have breath in your lungs and at any moment he could say your time is finished Before it's too late. Give your life to him. This life on earth is not really life if he's not in it.
Derrick Overholt:So right now, if you feel like you know what, it's time, I need to give my life to Jesus. I'm tired of living this way. I need to give my life to Jesus. I'm tired of living this way. I want to give my life to you, jesus, and I want to live for you the rest of my days. Come now. Come now.
Derrick Overholt:I know your heart's beating out of your chest, but it's because everything that's within you wants Jesus. Maybe you're here tonight and you're saying well, I once followed Jesus, but I let the things of the world overtake my mind and my thoughts and I started to look like the world again. Come to Jesus. That's what Christmas is about. It's not for you to get gifts. It's not for you to stress out with everything that's in you to give gifts. It's not about that. It's about Jesus, who came to earth to save your soul, because if you don't know Jesus, you're going to die and go to hell. That's not my words, that's what's in the word of God that has stood the test of time for thousands of years, thousands, thousands. So now, right now, give your life to him. We want to pray with you.
Derrick Overholt:So, father, god, right now I pray across this room. I know there's some here, lord. I know that their heart is beating out of their chest right now, saying I need this Jesus that he talks about. I know it Because I feel your Holy Spirit calling them God. I feel you in this room and God, whenever you're in the room, you are light, and darkness can't exist in a room where light is. So that's why they're squirming in their seat and they're just wanting me to shut up so they don't have to hear anymore. But, god, right now, I pray for your Holy Spirit to move in this room. Draw your people to you, lord, god, for their lives to be saved. Never be the same, god.
Derrick Overholt:I pray for those who, right now, lord God, have been lied to for all the years of their life, since they said a prayer one time when they were a kid. God, I pray right now that you would show them they need to turn their life over to you, that they haven't begun a new life, that their life hasn't been changed because they just said a prayer one time and they were promised something that man can't promise. And so I just pray over their souls right now, in the name of Jesus. Right now, you can be saved.
Derrick Overholt:Right now, the word of God says believe that Jesus Christ was risen from the grave, that he is the Messiah. Believe, ask him to be the Lord of your life and let him give you new life. God, don't let us be conformed to the ways of the world any longer, but let us be transformed by the renewing of your mind that's given to us in Christ Jesus. Right now, right now, if your heart's beating out of your chest, you want to give your life to Jesus. We want to pray with you. Come now, and no, this is not how we typically do things, but I just feel like the Lord's wanting you to come. He's going to make a public proclamation right now that you're coming to follow Jesus as His Savior.
Hannah Silverberg:Father You're worthy of our life.
Derrick Overholt:Lord, you're worthy of the strength and the steps it takes to go forward in front of a lot of people. You're worthy.
Brooke Medley:Father, have your way tonight. He is worthy, he is worthy, he is worthy, he is.
Derrick Overholt:He is. He is worthy. Pray for the lost right now. Pray for the lost right now. Each and every person who knows Jesus right now begin to pray that the lost in this room would give their life to Him, that the lost in this room would give their life to Him, that the lost in your family would give their life to Him. Pray right now. You know, if you're feeling a call tonight to give your life to Jesus, that can only be given by Him and you're saying, well, if God's real, he would reveal Himself to me. He is right now. The fact that you feel that is given by the Holy Spirit, because the Word says we can't even come to Him and acknowledge that we have sinned unless he gave us the understanding of that. So the Holy Spirit is speaking to you. That is God in Spirit speaking to you. Don't ignore Him. Don't ignore Him. He's calling you.
Derrick Overholt:Father, we know your calling. I'm here, lord Jesus. Father, we know your calling and God, I pray that you'd continue to move in their hearts. God and I pray, lord. God, as we go out into this week and we begin to celebrate with our family your birth, god, we begin to celebrate how you came and made a way for us, god. I pray, lord Jesus, that we would not keep our mouth shut when we're around unbelievers. God, that we would take every opportunity to talk about how amazing you are. God, that we would not keep our mouths shut because if they go home and they get in a car accident and they die, our friends, our family, will not be in heaven with us. God, I pray right now that you would give us boldness to go and speak the name of Jesus out in this dark world, god. I pray, lord Jesus, that even when we're sitting around those tables and it's so hard, but you don't know my family, you don't know how much is around that table and some believe that they're this and they're that, but none of that matters because you have the hope of heaven and you need to share that hope. I need to share that hope. I don't want to get to heaven and look around and see family members that I was too afraid to talk to not be there.
Derrick Overholt:Father, use us this beautiful service tonight, lord, with beautiful words, but, god, if we don't apply it, and we don't apply it and we don't teach it to others, god, it will never leave these full walls. God, use each and every one of us to share your gospel with our family, with our friends, with our neighbors. God, use us. Use us, lord.
Derrick Overholt:We pray for salvation for the lost in our family right now, in the name of Jesus. God. We pray for returning of the prodigal son. In the name of Jesus, god, would you bring them back home? God?
Derrick Overholt:We pray for all those in our family that are so confused they don't even know what gender they are. I pray right now, in the name of Jesus, that you would give them strength, right now, lord God, and you would help them to see that you are the way, the truth and the life. God, for those who have continued in sin so far that they don't even know what right and wrong is, I pray right now, in the name of Jesus, that you'd awaken their soul, you'd break the hardened hearts, lord, god, that you'd just shatter the stone and make it soft again. And, god, I pray for each and every single one of us, lord, god, that you would reveal any wicked way within us. Lord, god, that we would repent and turn to you in every area of our life. God, so that, lord, when we walk out into this world, all the world will see is you. We want to reflect you this season, lord. We want to reflect you next season, lord. We want to reflect you in every season, lord.
Brooke Medley:Thank you.
Derrick Overholt:Lord Jesus.
Brooke Medley:Thank you, lord Jesus, I exalt thee, I exalt, exalt me, I exalt thee, I exalt Thee, me, I exalt me, you O.
Derrick Overholt:Lord, we exalt, we exalt me. We give you praise tonight, lord Jesus. We exalt Thee. We give you praise tonight, lord Jesus. We exalt Thee Name above all names, we exalt.
Brooke Medley:Thee, we exalt Thee.
Derrick Overholt:Oh Lord, king of kings and Lord of lords.
Brooke Medley:We exalt Thee, we exalt Thee, oh your grace and mercy.
Derrick Overholt:We give you praise, lord, we exalt Thee.
Brooke Medley:Oh Lord.
Derrick Overholt:Thank you, jesus, jesus Christ, the name above all names, Emmanuel. God is with us. Father, we thank you, we give you praise. We give you praise. You, lord, are worthy of every moment that we can spend with you. God, again, I just pray tonight with heavy burden in my heart for the lost in this room. Lord, right now, in the name of Jesus, come to him. Come to him. We will be here to pray for you. It's not too late. If there's someone still in this building, we will pray for you. Maybe, just maybe, tonight.
Derrick Overholt:You gave your life to Jesus, right where you stood. If that's true, please tell somebody. You need to proclaim His name to the rooftops from the rooftops. God, I just pray you bless each and every person here, god, that You'd fill them with your Holy Spirit. Lord To the Lord, god, that you would move in and through every family this season. Lord, god, we pray for a spiritual awakening, not only in our families, but in America. Lord, god, we pray, lord Jesus, that you would wake people up from the darkness that they are in Right now. Lord Jesus, wake them up, god. God, I love you, jesus. God, I pray that you would bless them and keep them safe, that you'd let your face shine upon them. You would be gracious to them, lord, god, that you'd give them peace. Peace in Jesus' name. Thank you, lord.
Derrick Overholt:I want to thank each and every one of you. I could keep on going all night. I really feel the Spirit of the Lord doing something amazing here tonight, but while we're together, where two or three are gathered in His name, he is in the midst. So he's here and I don't know about you, but I've really felt him. I want to thank Hannah for really putting that whole thing together. Wherever she went, hannah wrote that.
Derrick Overholt:Thank you for the band doing such an amazing job in the choir. You know everything that they did was to give praise to God. They weren't doing that so that you could see them. They would much rather be over in the room with microphones and just not be seen, maybe just have a picture of Jesus up here or something they would, because they want to do it to praise God.
Derrick Overholt:So tonight we're going to go have some time of community together. We're going to have some hot chocolate and some cookies. Again, we are praying for you up here to get hot chocolate and cookies. We're going through this lobby restroom door just like you would normally go to get your coffee on Sunday morning and then you can kind of circle back around, hang out in here if you'd like, but let's just keep it a little quiet in here so that if anybody needs a prayer, that we're going to pray for them. All right, and so we love you guys so much, want to say Merry Christmas and we will see you next Sunday morning. If you don't have a church to be at, please be here on Sunday morning, and if you do, I pray that you be there on Sunday morning. All right, merry Christmas, guys.
