December 5th

While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks

• Lyrics

  O little town of Bethlehem
  How still we see thee lie
  Above thy deep and dreamless sleep The silent stars go by
  Yet in thy dark streets shineth
  The everlasting Light
  The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee tonight

  For Christ is born of Mary
  And gathered all above
  While mortals sleep, the angels keep Their watch of wondering love
  O morning stars together
  Proclaim the holy birth
  And praises sing to God the King And Peace to men on earth

  How silently, how silently
  The wondrous gift is given!
  So God imparts to human hearts
  The blessings of His heaven.
  No ear may hear His coming,
  But in this world of sin,
  Where meek souls will receive him still, The dear Christ enters in.

  O holy Child of Bethlehem Descend to us, we pray Cast out our sin and enter in Be born to us today

  We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tidings tell
  O come to us, abide with us Our Lord Emmanuel

Scripture

“Now, daughter who is under attack,
you slash yourself in grief;
a siege is set against us!
They are striking the judge of Israel
on the cheek with a rod.
Bethlehem Ephrathah,
you are small among the clans of Judah;
one will come from you
to be ruler over Israel for me.
His origin is from antiquity,
from ancient times.
Therefore, Israel will be abandoned until the time
when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of the ruler’s brothers will return
to the people of Israel.
He will stand and shepherd them
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majestic name of the Lord his God.
They will live securely,
for then his greatness will extend
to the ends of the earth.
He will be their peace.
When Assyria invades our land,
when it marches against our fortresses,
we will raise against it seven shepherds,
even eight leaders of men.
They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,
the land of Nimrod with a drawn blade.
So he will rescue us from Assyria
when it invades our land,
when it marches against our territory.”

— Micah 5:1-6 (CSB)

Other Scripture reading:

Judges 7:1-9, 1 Corinthians 1:4-9; 26-31

Discussion Questions

1. What is the purpose that all Christians share?

2. How has God uniquely created you to fulfill that purpose in your everyday life?

3. What is a bold step you can take today to trust God’s promise in your purpose?