Here on Earth: Christmas Eve

In this sermon series, we will be looking at different stories of Jesus to learn how God has come to earth and is among us.Today we focus on the following scripture passages from Luke 2:8-18 & Mark 2:1-12 (NIV) 8) And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9) An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10) But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11) Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12) This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13) Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14) “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”15) When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”16) So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17) When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18) and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 1) A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2) They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3) Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4) Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5) When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”6) Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7) “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”8) Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9) Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10) But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. ”So he said to the man, 11) “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”12) He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”