[Introduction by Bishopric]
1. Pre-Mortal Existence
Narrator A: And there stood one among them that was like
unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for
there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make
an earth whereon these may dwell; And we will prove them herewith, to see
if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;
And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep
not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those
who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall
have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever. And the Lord said: Whom
shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send
me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said:
I will send the first. (Abraham 3:24-27)
Narrator B: Since the days of Adam, prophets in
all ages and places were given the vision of the creation and purpose of
the earth.
A: And it came to pass that the Lord showed unto
Enoch all the inhabitants of the earth. (Moses 7:21) <short pause>
And when the Lord had said these words, he showed unto the brother of Jared
all the inhabitants of the earth which had been, and also all that would
be; and he withheld them not from his sight, even unto the ends of the earth.
(Ether 3:25) <short pause> And it came to pass, as the voice was still
speaking, Moses cast his eyes and beheld the earth, yea, even all of it;
and there was not a particle of it which he did not behold, discerning it
by the spirit of God. And he beheld also the inhabitants thereof, and there
was not a soul which he beheld not; and he discerned them by the Spirit of
God; and their numbers were great, even numberless as the sand upon the sea
shore. (Moses 1:27-28)
B: Central to this common
vision given to the prophets was the view of the mortal ministry of the
Savior.
A: And after [the angel] had said these words,
he said unto me: [Nephi,] Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Son of God
going forth among the children of men; and I saw many fall down at his feet
and worship him. (1 Nephi 11:24)
B: After seeing in vision, and understanding in
their hearts the pivotal role of the Messiah in the salvation of all creation,
these prophets could not help but long for the meridian of time, when the
Savior would live among men.
A: And after [the Jaredite King Emer] had anointed
[his son] to reign in his stead he lived four years, and he saw peace in
the land; yea, and [Emer] even saw the Son of Righteousness, and did rejoice
and glory in his day; (Ether 9:22). <short pause> Abraham rejoiced
to see [Christ's] day: and he saw it, and was glad. (John 8:56)
B: Isaiah gave expression to the longing of all
the ancient righteous peoples, when he pleaded for Immanuel to come (Isaiah
8:5-8). <pause, then speak slowly> O come, O come! Emmanuel!
[Choir Song, 'O Come, O Come, Emmanuel']
2. Annunciation
B: Therefore the Lord himself shall give
you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call
his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
A: And it came to pass that I saw the heavens
open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi,
what beholdest thou? And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair
above all other virgins. And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension
of God? And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless,
I do not know the meaning of all things. And he said unto me: Behold, the
virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner
of the flesh. And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away
in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the
space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld
the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms. And the angel said unto me:
Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! (1 Nephi
11:14)
B: And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent
from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to
a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name
was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly
favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she
saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner
of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary:
for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in
thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall
be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall
give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the
house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said
Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the
angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and
the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy
thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke
1:26-35)
A: <short pause> Isaiah declares
the Messiah to be a descendant of King David's father, Jesse, by calling
the Messiah the 'stem of Jesse.' (Isaiah 11:1; D&C 113:1,2). A medieval
German lyricist used poetic license to refer to the coming of the Savior
as rose--growing then blooming--on the stem of Jesse.
B: Lo, how a rose e'er blooming,
from tender stem hath sprung
Of Jesse's lineage coming, as men of old have sung
It came a floweret bright, amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night
Isaiah 'twas foretold it, the rose I have in mind
With Mary we behold it, the virgin mother kind
To show God's love a-right, she bore to men a Savoir
When half spent was the night
[Clarinet Solo, 'Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming']
3. Bethlehem
A: And it came to pass in those days, that there went
out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And
this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all
went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from
Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David,
which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. (Luke 2:1)
[Girls' Chorus, 'When Joseph Went to Bethlehem']
4. Shepherds
B: And there were in the same country shepherds abiding
in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel
of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them:
and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold,
I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For
unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ
the Lord. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone
away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now
go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the
Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and
Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. (Luke 2:8-16)
[Vocal Solo, 'O Holy Night']
5. Birth
A: What child is this, who laid to rest, on Mary's lap
is sleeping?
Whom angels greet, with anthems sweet, while shepherds which are keeping?
Why lies He in, such mean estate, where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear for sinners here, the silent word is pleading.
So bring him incense, gold and myrrh; come, peasant king to own Him.
The King of Kings salvation brings; let loving hearts enthrone Him.
This, this is Christ the King, whom shephards guard and angels sing.
Haste, haste to bring Him laud, the Babe, the Son of Mary.
[Oboe Solo, 'What Child is This']
6. Savior's Mission
B: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince
of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end,
upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish
it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal
of the LORD of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)
A: And why do we call his name Wonderful? It is
"That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created."
(D&C 76:24) Moreover, as the author of Acts says, "for there is none
other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts
4.:12) Nephi tells us, "For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice
upon all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered
from that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil, and the lake of fire
and brimstone, which is endless torment; and they are restored to that God
who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel." (2 Nephi 9:26)
B: Let the mountains shout for joy, and all ye valleys
cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal
King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let
the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks
weep for joy! And let the sun, moon, and the morning stars sing together,
and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations
declare his name forever and ever! And again I say, how glorious is the voice
we hear from heaven, proclaiming in our ears, glory, and salvation, and honor,
and immortality, and eternal life; kingdoms, principalities, and powers!
(D&C 128:23; cf Job 38:4-7) Halleluja!
[Choir Song, 'Alleluia'] then [Bishop's Remarks]