Tribe Christmas Eve Service - Town Square

In one paragraph

Tribe fam gathered on Town Square on a rainy Christmas Eve for an outdoor service open to the whole community. Pastor Brian walked through the story of Christmas from its roots in the garden all the way to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, and closed with a prayer of blessing over everyone present. Pastor Brian opened by saying the story of Christmas does not begin with Saint Nicholas or even with...

Read together

1. Isaiah 9 read aloud as a prophecy about the coming messiah, including the virgin birth and names of the child
2. Luke 2 read aloud as the nativity account, from Mary giving birth through the shepherds visiting the feeding trough
3. John 3:16 quoted without chapter and verse attribution as 'the bible tells us that God so loved the world' to explain the gift of salvation for all

What was said

• If you heard the Christmas story tonight and want to know more, pick up one of the free Bibles that were available at the service.
• Take a few minutes this week to actually read the words of 'Silent Night' and think about what they mean rather than just singing along.
• If you are carrying something heavy right now, find someone you trust and ask them to pray with you about it.
• If you are in Jackson and looking for more of this, visit tribejh.com and come to the Sunday service at 10AM this week.
• Ask Jesus to forgive your sin, invite him into your life, and make him the leader of it, which is the gift Pastor Brian said is available to anyone who will receive it.

Talk about it

1. Brian traced the story of Christmas all the way back to the garden, saying God gave mankind the gift of free will and that mankind used it to eat from the tree of independence apart from God. What does it mean to you personally that the Christmas story starts there rather than in Bethlehem?
2. Brian read from Isaiah 9 and described generations of people who 'only caught a glimpse of the coming savior.' What do you think it would have felt like to live in that long season of waiting, and where do you see that kind of waiting in your own life?
3. Brian said God 'always goes one step further than what you expect,' pointing to the gift of a savior being given not just to Israel but to the whole world. When have you experienced God doing more than you expected?
4. Brian described the present God offers as ongoing, saying Jesus came once to redeem us and will come again to establish justice, righteousness, and peace. How does that future hope shape the way you live right now?
5. Brian closed by walking out into the rain to pray with people, and the whole service happened outdoors on a wet Christmas Eve. What does it say about the Christmas story that it was told that way, and what does it stir up in you?