Title: Let's Celebrate the Birth of Christ
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Old Testament R>
2 Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are of ancient times and everlasting.
3 Therefore he will keep them until the woman gives birth, and after that the remnant of his brethren will return to the children of Israel.
4 In the power of the LORD, and in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God, he stands and herds, and they dwell; and now he shall be great and extend to the ends of the earth.
new testament
9 When the wise men heard the king's words, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east suddenly led them ahead and stood still over the place where the child was.
10 And when they saw the stars, they rejoiced very greatly and rejoiced.
11 And when he entered the house, he saw the child and Mary his mother with him, and fell down and worshiped the child, and opened the treasure chest, and offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 They were instructed in a dream not to return to Herod, so they returned to their homeland by a different route.
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sermon
Christmas with Henry Nouwen
Nevertheless, in all of this, I could see - even if I couldn't feel it with my skin - that today could eventually be a blessing. He realized that singing, music, pleasant moods, beautiful worship services, wonderful gifts, grand meals, and countless sweet words do not make Christmas. Christmas is foreshadowing something that transcends all moods and feelings. Christmas is anticipating some hope based on God's initiative, regardless of what I think or feel. Christmas is the belief that the salvation of the world is the work of God, not mine.
What Christmas demands is indeed pure faith, naked faith.
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