Audlem Baptist Church Online Service for the 22^nd December 2024 The Fourth Sunday in Advent.
Surprise Guests at Christmas
	Introduction and First Carol: We Three Kings of Orient Are This Sunday is the fourth week of Advent, which traditionally has a theme of LOVE. In some traditions the fourth candle is the Angels’ Candle. But our theme for today is the ‘Magi’ following the star and finding the baby Jesus in the manger. Click here to play the video.
	A Meditation for Today We knew it would be worth it, the moment we saw the star, worth the hassle, worth the effort, worth the sacrifice. But there were times we wondered, I can tell you. As we laboured over those dusty barren tracks, as we watch fearfully for bandits in the mountains, as the sun beat down without a break, we wondered, all too often. We asked ourselves whether we’d got it wrong, misread the signs. We argued whether we’d taken the wrong turning somewhere along the way. We questioned the wisdom of carrying on as the days dragged by. And finally when we got to Jerusalem only to find its own people had no idea what was going on, then we really became worried. Quite astonishing – the biggest event in their nation’s history, and they didn’t even realise it was happening! Thankfully, they looked it up, eventually, somewhere in one of their old prophets, and we knew where to go then. It was all there in writing, if only they’d taken the trouble to look – God knows why they couldn’t see it. Anyway, we made it at last, tired, sore and hungry, but we made it. And it was worth it, more than we had ever imagined for in that child was a different sort of king, a different sort of kingdom from any we’d ever encountered before. As much our ruler as theirs, as much our kingdom as anyone’s. So we didn’t just present our gifts to him, we didn’t just make the customary gestures of acknowledgement. We fell down and worshipped him. Can you imagine that? Grown men respected, wealthy, important kneeling before a toddler. Yet it seemed so natural, the most natural response we could make, the only response that would do!
	Carol: The First Noel the Angel Did Say This carol is still centred on Bethlehem and Jesus birth, but involves both the shepherds and the Magi, which may not be strictly chronologically correct, but – it’s a carol service! Click here to play the video.
	Bible Reading If you have a Bible or Bible App to hand, I can tell you that our reading today comes from Matthew chapter 2 verses 1-11.
	The Message: Surprise Guests at Christmas René Schlaepfer brings the message again today. The video starts with several children answering questions about Christmas and it ends with each person in the congregation lighting a candle. If you have a candle nearby you might like to join in with them. This service was actually on Christmas Eve last year and it ends with everyone singing ‘Silent Night’. We can sing along with that too. Click here to watch the video. You can adjust the YouTube settings using the controls at the bottom right of the screen. The gear wheel on the left adjusts the quality (480 may be enough) and the box frame on the right shows the video full screen.
	Silent Prayer Take a moment for reflection and a Silent Prayer of your own.
	Carol: O Come All Ye Faithful We can’t really have a carol service without including this one. And, yes, it does include the verse for Christmas morning. Click here to watch the video.
	A Benediction to Close Loving God you have given us and all the world Good News in Christ. Help us to hear that news afresh each day, recognising it as good news for us. Help us to receive it with both our minds and our hearts, always looking to understand more of what it continues to say. And help us to share what Christ has done for us so that others in turn may celebrate what he has done for them. Amen. On behalf of Audlem Baptist Church we wish you a Joyous Christmas, everyone.