The Christmas play at church was probably the most unusual Nativity most of us have seen. As this blog post commented on 5th December, ‘Christmas is also an invasion. The kingdom of God striking at the heart of the kingdom of darkness with violent repercussions’, with the author (John Eldridge) also saying ‘I would pay good money to have a nativity scene with this included. Not only would it capture our imagination, I think, but it would also better prepare us to celebrate the holidays and to go on to live the story Christmas invites us into.’

Hopefully, ‘Cosmic Christmas’ did just that, for it looked at the Christmas story from the perspectives of both heaven and earth. The birth of Jesus was a truly momentous historical event, ushering in God’s plan of salvation to the visible arena of earth. It’s hardly surprising, then, that the devil did not want the Saviour to be born. As we heard in the song, ‘he knew that once the Light was born, his every hope was lost.’ (‘Spirit of the Age’, Michael Card) Rev 12:1-11 lifts the curtain on the hidden battle between the heavenly hosts and the devil (here personified as a dragon), reminding us that Christmas is a story played out on two levels: the natural and the supernatural; the visible and the invisible, just as the whole of life is actually played out on two levels.

What we see with our natural eyes is not the whole story. God’s plan of salvation was conceived even before the creation of the world (Rev 13:8), with a Saviour promised even as Adam and Eve committed that first sin which tainted the whole world. (Gen 3:15) The Massacre of the Innocents, a tragic but often ignored part of the Christmas story (Matt 2:13-18), reminds us that Satan tried his utmost to defeat Jesus at his birth and we live in an age where he continues to persecute the church and wreak havoc and destruction, but the truth is that God’s plans cannot be thwarted (see Acts 2:23-24).

Jesus reminded His disciples that though they would face much trouble in this world, He had overcome the world (John 16:33) and told them that He would never leave them or forsake them. (Matt 28:20, Hebrews 13:5) These promises allow us to see with unveiled eyes the hope to which God has called us and the ultimate victory He has gained. Because of this, we celebrate Christmas not simply because we like the idea of the Son of God becoming a baby but  because we know that that baby also came to be the Saviour of the world, something which is still relevant today as we receive Him by faith, for ‘where meek souls will receive Him, still the dear Christ enters in.’

Last night’s carol service started with carols and a birthday celebration:

It continued with a production called ‘Cosmic Christmas’, performed by the Sunday School and other church members. This used video clips and song as well as narration and action to tell the story of Christmas from the heavenly perspective as well as from the earthly perspective, looking at Revelation 12:1-11 as well as at more familiar gospel passages. It started with the war in heaven between the archangel Michael and his heavenly hosts and the dragon, another name for Satan, and showed how Satan has always tried to thwart God’s plans.

Some of the cast members after the show:

Stephen and Gemma also performed ‘A Hallelujah Christmas’  to conclude the service:

Nowadays, the name ‘Ebenezer’ is most probably associated with Dickens’ famous character, Ebenezer Scrooge, who features in the famous story ‘A Christmas Carol.’ Written in 1843, this story shows us how the skinflint, miserly, miserable Scrooge, with his ‘Bah! Humbug!‘ attitude to Christmas, is changed by visits from the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, to become a warm, giving, generous man.

There is irony in his name, for Scrooge is synonymous initially with all that is mean and miserly, but eventually, as he is changed, he does indeed become a ‘stone of help’ to others, supporting them through his wealth and finding the truth of Jesus’s words that it is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35)

Many thanks to all who have supported the food bank throughout this year. We will be helping the Salvation Army to pack up and distribute Christmas hampers to needy families tomorrow and are praying that God will bless all those in need at this time of year especially, that they might find the help and refuge only God provides.

Mark spoke this morning from 1 Samuel 7:1-17, highlighting 7 points from this narrative about how the Israelites responded to Philistine threats. This passage also goes some way to explaining the hymn ‘Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing’ with its line ‘here I raise my Ebenezer’, for this is the passage where Samuel builds a stone of remembrance to all that God has done (the meaning behind the word ‘Ebenezer’.)

1. Repentance is key to our restored relationship with God. The Israelites had abandoned true worship and followed false gods, hence the loss of the Ark of the Covenant to the Philistines and the fact that even when it was returned to their land, they were not ready to receive it fully. Only when they truly repented and turned back to God could they be restored to God.

2. Prayer and fasting was the response of the Israelites to the work God was doing in their lives. It has to be our response too. There has to be a spiritual, practical response to demonstrate the reality of our repentance.

3. Samuel led the way to restored relationships through prayer and sacrifice. God saw the people’s sincerity and responded.

4. 1 Sam 7:9 reminds us that God hears and answers prayer.

5. ‘The Lord thundered’. God’s response to our heartfelt repentance and prayer, fasting and sacrifice is to speak into our situation and to work in ways which are truly awesome. God can thunder on our behalf, changing situations around. The Israelites did not even have to fight against the Philistines. No plan of the enemy can stand against us (Is 54:17); we are more than conquerors through Christ. (Rom 8:37)

6. When God steps into our situations and changes things around, we need to remember and declare what God has done. Samuel took a stone and set it up as a memorial (1 Sam 7:12) as a visual reminder of God’s help. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Ps 46:1) He is able to work in awesome ways on our behalf and we need to remind ourselves of how God intervenes for us out of His grace and favour.

7. God brings restoration and peace to the land and to our situations.

We were encouraged to take small stones from the box Mark provided so that we could hold on in faith to the promise that God is going to work in our situations and to remind ourselves that He is our ‘stone of help’ at all times.

Today we have two songs, one from Mary’s perspective and one from Joseph’s.

I have travelled many moonless nights
Cold and weary with a babe inside
And I wonder what I’ve done.
Holy Father, You have come
And chosen me now to carry Your Son

I am waiting in a silent prayer
I am frightened by the load I bear
In a world as cold as stone
Must I walk this path alone?
Be with me now, be with me now

Breath of Heaven, hold me together
Be forever near me, breath of Heaven
Breath of Heaven, lighten my darkness
Pour over me Your holiness for You are holy
Breath of Heaven

Do you wonder as you watch my face
If a wiser one should have had my place?
But I offer all I am
For the mercy of Your plan
Help me be strong, help me be, help me.’ (‘Breath of Heaven’, Amy Grant)

Joseph is often the silent character in the Nativity, but this song looks at how he perhaps felt as he cradled Jesus in his arms:

‘How could it be, this baby in my arms
Sleeping now, so peacefully
The Son of God, the angel said
How could it be?
Lord, I know He’s not my own,
Not of my flesh, not of my bone
Still, Father, let this baby be
The son of my love.

Father show me where I fit into this plan of Yours
How can a man be father to the Son of God?
Lord, for all my life I’ve been a simple carpenter
How can I raise a king? How can I raise a king?
He looks so small, His face and hands so fair
And when He cries the sun just seems to disappear
But when He laughs it shines again
How could it be?’ (‘Joseph’s Song’, Michael Card)

Most of you who read this regularly know that my favourite Christmas album is Michael Card’s ‘The Final Word’, which strictly speaking is not a ‘Christmas’ album at all, but a masterly exposition of the Incarnation of Christ. Today’s song ‘Immanuel‘ comes from this (being re-recorded on Card’s more traditional Christmas album ‘The Promise’), reminding us of Romans 8:31 and Isaiah 9:6-7. It also includes one of my favourite lyric descriptions of Jesus: ‘a human baby bearing undiminished deity.’ Enjoy!

‘A sign shall be given
A virgin will conceive
A human baby bearing
Undiminished deity
The glory of the nations
A light for all to see
That hope for all who will embrace
His warm reality

Immanuel
Our God is with us
And if God is with us
Who could stand against us?
Our God is with us
Immanuel.

For all those who live in the shadow of death
A glorious light has dawned
For all those who stumble in the darkness
Behold your light has come

So what will be your answer?
Will you hear the call?
Of Him who did not spare His son
But gave him for us all
On earth there is no power
There is no depth or height
That could ever separate us
From the love of God in Christ.’ (‘Immanuel’, Michael Card)