At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11; NLT).
1. May your light shine, Lord God,
In every mind,
Then Christ will guide the steps
Of humankind.
2. May your truth reign, Lord God,
In every heart,
Then Christ will be our lantern
In the dark.
3. May your love dwell, Lord God,
In every soul,
Then Christ will be the grace
That makes us whole.
4. May your peace rule, Lord God,
Throughout the earth,
Then Christ will lead us all
From death to birth.
References
1. God is light (1 John 1:5; NLT).
I am the way the truth and the life (John 14:6; NIV).
2. The Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6; NKJV).
I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life (John 8:12; NLT).
3. God is love (1 John 4:16; NLT).
You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 8:9; NLT).
4. The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NLT).
Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins (Ephesians 2:1; NLT).
He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and a new life through the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5; NLT).
1. Lord,
You’re the Father of Jesus,
The Christ:
And also our Father within.
2. Mary,
Christ’s Mother, the Lady of Grace:
You’re our Mother;
Your children: our kin.
3. Immanuel,
Brother, born here on the earth:
You share in our frail flesh
And blood.
4. Comforter,
Spirit in all humankind:
You make us all one
In your love.
References
1. All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3; NLT).
You are the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16; NLT).
2. God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings favoured woman!” […] You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:28,31-2; NLT).
When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home (John 19:26-7; NLT).
3. She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us’ (Matthew 1:23; NLT).
Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother (Mark 3:35; NIV).
It was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters (Hebrews 2:17; NLT).
4. The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and remind you of all things I said to you (John 14:26; YLT).
“In the last days,” God says, “I will pour out my Spirit upon all people” (Acts 2:17; NLT).
The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you (Romans 8:11; NLT).
I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one(John 17:22; NLT).
1. Sparks fly up throughout the night;
In the morning: blinding light.
2. At mid-day, the sun descends;
Three o’clock: your torment ends.
3. Then, as night falls, you are laid
In a tomb our hands have made.
4. When the Sabbath day is done,
Women haste to mourn God’s Son,
5. But death can’t keep you in its thrall,
For you are Christ, who saves us all.
References
1. Peter followed him [Jesus] at a distance and went right into the high priest’s courtyard. There he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire (Mark 14:54; NLT).
Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said, “Look, here is the man!” (John 19:5; NLT).
As the crowds gathered before Pilate’s house that morning, he asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you – Barabbas, or Jesus?” (Matthew 27:17; NLT).
2. By this time it was about noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. The light from the sun was gone (Luke 23:44-5; NLT).
Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last (Luke 23:46; NLT).
3. [Joseph] took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock (Luke 23:53; NLT).
Because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the time was close at hand, they laid Jesus there (John 19:42; NLT).
4. Very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared (Luke 24:1; NLT).
5. God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip (Acts 2:24; NLT).
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15; NLT).
1. Jesus Christ, the Son of Man,
I love you.
May I bear my cross
Without complaint,
Rejoicing in your presence
Day and night, Lord,
And loving all I meet
Without restraint.
2. Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace,
I love you.
May I bear my cross
Without reproach,
Thanking you for all,
Both good and bad, Lord,
And bringing those who suffer
Your fresh hope.
3. Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
I love you.
May I bear my cross
Without lament,
Praying for the world, Lord,
Without ceasing,
And praising you,
The Saviour God has sent.
References
1. Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24; NLT).
Rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:16; NIV).
Be kind to everyone (2 Timothy 2:24; NLT).
2. Give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18; NIV).
Should we accept only good from the hand of God, and never anything bad? (Job 2:10; NLT).
3. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word (Isaiah 53:7; NLT).
Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NIV).
God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16; NLT).
A little child will lead them all (Isaiah 11:6; NLT).
Lord God,
1. You sent a little boy
To flood us with your Spirit’s joy,
2. To sacrifice his flesh and blood
For us, and fill our hearts with love.
3. For he, Lord, is your only Son,
The Christ, who came to make us one
4. With him, with you, and all the earth –
Lord, thank you for our Saviour’s birth.
References
1. The baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35; NLT).
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-3; NRSV).
2. He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me. In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:19-20; NIV).
We have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ (Romans 5:9; NLT).
3. God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16; NLT).
I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one (John 17:22; NLT).
4. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him (Philippians 3:9; NLT).
You are the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16; NLT).
Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other (Romans 12:4-5; NLT).
There is […] one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:5-6; NLT).
The Saviour – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born in Bethlehem, the city of David! (Luke 2:11; NLT).
