Bible Study Notes for Lord’s Day,
Christmas Eve - December 24,2010
John 3:16-17
Joy to the World

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16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Introduction - We hear a lot about the Earth, planet Earth, save the Earth, Mother Earth, global economy, global climate change, world peace, globalization.

1. Jesus created the Earth

John 1
1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

2. Jesus came from Heaven to Earth

John 1
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

3. Jesus came to save the Earth - people and the planet itself

John 3
17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Romans8
19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;
21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.

ANGELS FROM THE REALMS OF GLORY
ANGELS, FROM THE REALMS OF GLORY,
WING YOUR FLIGHT O'ER ALL THE EARTH;
YE WHO SANG CREATION'S STORY,
NOW PROCLAIM MESSIAH'S BIRTH:  
COME AND WORSHIP, COME AND WORSHIP,
WORSHIP CHRIST, THE NEWBORN KING.

ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH
ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH
SWEETLY SINGING O'ER THE PLAINS,
AND THE MOUNTAINS, IN REPLY,
ECHOING THEIR JOYOUS STRAINS.

SEE HIM IN THE MANGER LAID,
JESUS, LORD OF HEAV'N AND EARTH;
MARY, JOSEPH, LEND YOUR AID,
WITH US SING OUR SAVIOR'S BIRTH.

THERE'S A SONG IN THE AIR!
THERE'S A TUMULT OF JOY
O'ER THE WONDERFUL BIRTH,
FOR THE VIRGIN'S SWEET BOY
IS THE LORD OF THE EARTH. 
AY! THE STAR RAINS ITS FIRE
WHILE THE BEAUTIFUL SING,
FOR THE MANGER OF BETHLEHEM
CRADLES A KING!

IN THE LIGHT OF THAT STAR
LIE THE AGES IMPEARLED
AND THAT SONG FROM AFAR
HAS SWEPT OVER THE WORLD. 
EV'RY HEARTH IS AFLAME
AND THE BEAUTIFUL SING
IN THE HOMES OF THE NATIONS
THAT JESUS IS KING!

IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR
IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR
THAT GLORIOUS SONG OF OLD 
FROM ANGELS BENDING NEAR THE EARTH
TO TOUCH THEIR HARPS OF GOLD: 
"PEACE ON THE EARTH,
GOOD WILL TO MEN,
FROM HEAV'N'S ALL GRACIOUS KING!" 
THE WORLD IN SOLEMN STILLNESS LAY
TO HEAR THE ANGELS SING.

STILL THRU THE CLOVEN SKIES THEY COME
WITH PEACEFUL WINGS UNFURLED,
AND STILL THEIR HEAV'NLY MUSIC FLOATS
O'ER ALL THE WEARY WORLD: 
ABOVE ITS SAD AND LOWLY PLAINS
THEY BEND ON HOV'RING WING,
AND EVER O'ER ITS BABEL SOUNDS
THE BLESSED ANGELS SING.

AND YE, BENEATH LIFE'S CRUSHING LOAD,
WHOSE FORMS ARE BENDING LOW,
WHO TOIL ALONG THE CLIMBING WAY
WITH PAINFUL STEPS AND SLOW,
LOOK NOW! FOR GLAD AND GOLDEN HOURS
COME SWIFTLY ON THE WING:
O REST BESIDE THE WEARY ROAD
AND HEAR THE ANGELS SING.

FOR LO THE DAYS ARE HAST'NING ON,
BY PROPHETS SEEN OF OLD,
WHEN WITH THE EVERCIRCLING YEARS
SHALL COME THE TIME FORE-TOLD;
WHEN THE NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH SHALL OWN
THE PRINCE OF PEACE THEIR KING
AND THE WHOLE WORLD SEND BACK THE SONG WHICH NOW THE ANGELS SING.

JOY TO THE WORLD
JOY TO THE WORLD THE LORD IS COME:
LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING
LET EVERY HEART PREPARE HIM ROOM
AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING,
AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING,
AND HEAV'N AND HEAV'N
AND NATURE SING

JOY TO THE WORLD THE SAVIOR REIGNS:
LET MEN THEIR SONGS EMPLOY;
WHILE FIELDS AND FLOODS
ROCKS HILLS AND PLAINS
REPEAT THE SOUNDING JOY
REPEAT THE SOUNDING JOY
REPEAT, REPEAT THE SOUNDING JOY!

NO MORE LET SINS AND SORROWS GROW,
NOR THORNS INFEST THE GROUND;
HE COMES TO MAKE HIS BLESSINGS FLOW
FAR AS THE CURSE IS FOUND,
FAR AS THE CURSE IS FOUND,
FAR AS, FAR AS THE CURSE IS FOUND.

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.

4. Jesus has an impact on the Earth, her inhabitants

Created in a beautiful, blessed and bountiful Garden.  Created in love in the image of God.  Created to love God and other people.

If we fail to love God and other people, there is atonement for our sins.

If we desire to love God and other people, there is enablement by the Holy Spirit -9

Jesus blesses us in body, soul and spirit

Body - Jesus wants your body to be beautiful, healthy and strong

Psalm 149
3 Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.
4 For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.

Soul - heart, emotions, relationships

Psalm 23:3
v3 He restores my soul

Spirit

Romans 8
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

5. Jesus promises to take over the World - New Heaven and New Earth

Isaiah 9:6-7
6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Daniel 7:13-14
13 “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.
14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.

Luke 2:31-33
31 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.
32 “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
33 “And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Rev 11
15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

Rev 21
21:1  Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
2 Then I, John , saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
4 “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”

6. Christmas is a symbol of the New Earth

a. Saint Nicholas - kind, compassionate, secret giver, many miracles - glory

b. Worship, singing Christmas carols, special programs - glory

c. Togetherness as congregations, families and friends - glory

d. Gift giving - God gave His Son, Wisemen gave gifts, Jesus gave His life, God gives salvation, xaris, Christian charities, Christmas gifts - glory

e. Celebration and joy - good food and drink - glory

f. Peace - Christian armies laid down their weapons, people try to get along

g. Decorations - glorious

h. Christmas tree - evergreen, tree of life, a reminder of the good earth, new earth.  That will be glorious.

This is the glory of Christmas.  It’s all about love, joy and peace - in the Spirit of Jesus, because Christ is in us, the hope of glory.  The glory of Christmas is a showcase of the Christian life, and foretells the glory of eternal life.