So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.

He went there to register with Mary who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave

birth to her first born, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger

because there was no guest room available for them.

And Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks for God.

Yeah, have a seat. Emmanuel. I know that you are among us now, Lord Jesus.

And yet, Lord Jesus, the subtle tragedy hidden in the glory of this night is that most of those who might have

been witnesses did not notice your coming in their midst.

And so I pray right now, Lord, that you would make us those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.

I pray that we would behold you and therefore be filled with the joy that you bring.

I pray, Lord Jesus, that all that might distract us and all that might withhold us and all that we carry from the years that we have lived up to this point

that might stall us or keep us stuck or get in the way that you would come and appear in my story,

and the story of my brother, and the story of my sister tonight,

in a way that we would fall to our knees

and say, Emmanuel, for the first time or all over again.

In Jesus name, I'm in.

So as a kid every year on Christmas night, my family would always go to the movies.

That was like our family tradition.

And so I always knew that on Christmas Day, yeah? Okay. Yeah?

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