in fields as they lay in fields where they lay keeping their sheep on a cold winter night that was so deep so deep oh, so deep, so deep yes, it was they looked they looked up

shining bright in the east beyond them far, yeah and to the earth ohh it gave great light great light and so it continued both day and night both: noel, noel noel noel born is the king

noel noel noel noel born is the king of israel noel, noel ooh sweet noel noel noel noel born is the king of israel the king of israel yes he is, yes he is sing it, noel noel ohh, noel and i love him, i love him, i love him

noel do you love him? born is the king my, my lord of israel my lord sing it again noel noel noel noel oh, you see born is the king of israel both: sing it again noel noel noel noel born is the king born is the king

said born born is the king yes of israel he is the king yeah, he is ooh both: born is the king of israel [ applause ] before i begin my sermon, let me greet timothy, who has joined us in our service. [ applause ]

and welcome. m. scott peck wrote a book called "a different drum." and in that book, he recalls a story of a rabbi and an abbot. it is called "the rabbi's gift." the story concerns a monastery that had fallen on hard times. once it was a great order, but as a result of waves of anti-monastic persecution in the 17th and 18th centuries and secularism in the 19th century, all its branch houses were lost, and it had become decimated to the extent that there were only five monks left in the order,

in the deep woods surrounding the monastery, there was a little hut that a rabbi from a nearby town occasionally used for hermitage. well, through their many years of prayer and contemplation, the old monks had become a bit psychic, so they could always sense when the rabbi was in his hermitage. "the rabbi is in the woods. the rabbi is in the woods again," they would whisper to each other. as he agonized over the imminent death of his order, it occurred to the abbot at one such time to visit the hermitage and ask the rabbi if, by some possible chance, he could offer any advice that might save the monastery. well, the rabbi welcomed the abbot at his hut. but when the abbot explained the purpose of his visit, the rabbi could only commiserate with him.

"the spirit has gone out of the people. well, it's the same thing in my town. almost no one comes to the synagogue anymore." so the old abbot and the rabbi wept together. then, they read parts of the torah and quietly spoke of deep spiritual things. the time then came when the abbot had to leave. they embraced each other. "it has been a wonderful thing that we should meet after all these years," the abbot said. "but i still have failed in my purpose for coming here. is there nothing you can tell me, no piece of advice you can give me that would help me save my dying order?" "no. i'm sorry," the rabbi responded. "i have no advice to give. the only thing i can tell you is this -- the messiah is one of you." when the abbot returned to the monastery,

"well, what did the rabbi say?" "he couldn't help us," the abbot answered. "we just wept and read the torah together. the only thing he did say was -- just as i was leaving -- it was something cryptic. it was this -- that the messiah is one of us. i don't know what he meant." in the days and weeks and months that followed, the old monks pondered this and wondered whether there was any possible significance to the rabbi's words. "the messiah is one of us? could he possibly have meant one of us monks here at the monastery? if that's the case, which one? do you suppose he meant the abbot that visited him?" "yes, well, if he meant anyone, he probably meant father abbot.

"on the other hand, he might have meant brother thomas." "certainly, brother thomas. he's a holy man. everyone knows that thomas is a man of light." "certainly he couldn't have meant brother elred. elred gets crotchety at times -- cranky. but come to think of it, even though he's a thorn in everybody's side, when you look back on it, elred is virtually always right. often very right. maybe the rabbi did mean brother elred." "but surely not brother phillip. you see, phillip is so passive, a real nobody. but then, almost mysteriously, he has a gift for somehow always being there when you need him. he just magically appears by your side. maybe phillip is the messiah."

he couldn't possibly have meant me. i'm just an ordinary person. yet, suppose he did? suppose i am the messiah. oh, god, not me. [ laughter ] i couldn't be that much for you, could i, god?" as they contemplated in this manner, the old monks began to treat each other with a whole new level of extraordinary respect just on the chance that one them might be the messiah. because the forest which it was situated in was so beautiful, it happened that people still occasionally came to visit the monastery to picnic in its tiny lawn and to wander along some of its paths even now and then to go into the dilapidated chapel just to meditate a bit. but as they did so, without even being conscious of it,

that now began to surround the five old monks. and it seemed to radiate out from them and permeate the atmosphere of the place. there was something strangely attractive, even compelling about it. hardly knowing why, well, they began to come back to the monastery more frequently to picnic, to play, and even to pray. they began to bring their friends to show them this very special place. and their friends brought their friends. then, it happened that some of the younger men who came to visit the monastery started to talk more and more with the old monks. after a while, one asked if he could join them. then, another, and then another joined. so, within a few years, the monastery had once again become this thriving order -- and all thanks to the rabbi's gift --

well, of course, the question is what was the rabbi's gift? well, unbeknownst to the monks, he gave them the gift of community, the possibility that each one of them could be representing god. it changed the way they treated each other, the way they looked at each other, and this respect and joy of that possibility spread so widely that it changed the entire atmosphere. gifts come in many forms. but a gift is something that's willingly given without payment -- no strings attached. it's an expression of one's favor towards the receiver.

the impact that the gift is going to have on the one who would receive it. christmas is the celebration of the greatest gift. to put it in the words of the prophet isaiah, "unto us, a child is born. but unto us, a son is given." centuries later, the gospel of john affirmed these words -- "for god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believed on him would not perish but have everlasting life." for god didn't send his son into the world to condemn the world but that through him the world just might be saved. the greatest joy that god could experience in giving this gift is watching the impact the gift of christ would have on those who receive him.

no matter how far out of reach they seem to be, when they receive this gift, their lives would be changed forever. they would become part of a new community of love, life, and light. merry christmas. [ applause ] what is a gift? is it something you give when no else is around? what is a gift? is it something you take from someone you feel you found? i need a love that goes beyond just the seasons

i need a love that sheds your light on the reason why, in this time, we all care it's called the real thing and you are that thing to me it's more than a holiday you are the real thing what is a gift? is it something you dream of when what you earn goes away? what is a gift is it something you hope for when you couldn't possibly pay?

that gives right when you need it? it's always there by your side do you need a gift that opens right when you ask it? if you seek it, you will find that he is the real thing and you are that it's more than a holiday you are the real thing singletary: joy to the world every boy and girl have a wonderful day and when the day is done and out goes all the fun what can we do to make the love we feel stay?

is it something you give to those who mean the more? and how can you give when all that you have has been taken by those you've given to before? you need the real thing you need the real thing and not just a holiday not just a holiday a gift that gives always both: he is the real thi-i-i-i-ng he is the real thing he is the real thing ohh mm-mm-mm, hm-mm

both: the real thing [ applause ] reid: great sermon, pastor bernard. wasn't it great, timothy? it's great. it sure gave me a lot to think about. so, timothy, let me ask you this -- if your christmas list had to include the entire world, what would be your idea of the perfect gift? uh... peace -- peace among us all. there's so many problems in the world. you know what, i'd say, next to god's gift of salvation through christ, peace is a perfect gift. [ sighing ] yeah. what's the matter now? do you think we'll ever have peace? i mean, if people aren't willing, then -- well, i know one thing for sure.

and just as the wise men had enough faith to follow that star all the way to the manger in bethlehem, well, let's all have enough faith to know that one day all men are going to follow the example of our savior and love and peace. i'm a.r. bernard. and i'm jacque reid, signing off with timothy, wishing you and yours... all: a merry christmas! [ applause ] ooh, ooh my, my, my ah i've walked many a night without a place to rest not knowing where the north is or the east and west but give me one star

and i'll never walk alone again at night mm many times, it seemed like i would never find my way lose sight on being free, in bondage i would stay but give me one star just one simple light and i'll never walk alone again at night hey, give me a star give me one star to clear the mist and fog away said give me a star give me one star to light the world in dark today just one simple light give me a star oh, lord just one simple light and i'll never i'll never walk alone again at night ohh

ooh a star of joy a star to purify a star of days old days of old a star of days days of old and a star that's filled with gold ooh a star to rain and storm on desert now, strong winds are beating me with stormy winds and rain my limbs are hurting from the weights of heavy chains now, now but give me one star just one simple light and i'll never walk alone again at night so give me a star give me one star to clear the mist and fog away clear the mist just give me one star give me one star to light the world in dark today yeah said just one simple light give me a star oh, lord just one simple light

i'll never walk alone alone again at night hey, said give me a star give me one star yeah to clear the mist and fog away all i want is a star give me one star to light the world in dark today just one simple star said the world needs a little more light, lord give me a star just one simple light and i'll never i'll never walk alone said i'll never i'll never walk alone yes, i'll never walk i'll never walk alone alone again again at night hey give me a star give me one star to clear the mist and fog away said all i want is a star give me one star to light the world in dark today yes, i do hey, one simple light give me a star one simple light just one simple light and i'll never i'll never walk alone again at night i'll never walk alone again hey, said give me a star

all i want is a star give me one star to light the world in dark today said the world is in dark today give me a star, just one simple light come on and give it to me and i'll never i'll never walk alone again at night alone again say it again, said give me a star give me one star to clear the mist and fog away ooh, just give me a star give me one star to light the world in dark today let them light your world today give me a star, just one simple light oh, lord and i'll never i'll never walk alone again at night you'll never walk alone again at night oh, he'll give you everything you need the world is dark today he'll give you joy and peace of mind and turn around today he's the gift you're looking for

and you'll never walk alone again at night hey, you'll never walk alone again you'll never walk alone again you'll never walk, you'll never talk you'll never be alone again just give him your heart and he'll give you your light and you'll never walk alone again at night yeah said you'll never walk alone said you'll never walk alone how many understand? with jesus, you'll never walk alone he'll be there in the good times the bad times and every time you call him, you'll never you'll realize he's the light of the world never walk alone

you're trying to make me but i love him, i love him do you love him? do you love him? do you love him? do you love him? i love him, i love him, i love him never walk alone again at ni-i-i-i-i-i-ght yeah hey [ applause ] never walk alone [ applause ]

kareem was already charged with providing the guns used in the texas attack. 36 years after their capture, the americans taken hostage in tehran in 1979 are set to receive millions of dollars in compensation. it's news that brought tears to the eyes of the former hostages. abc's tom llamas has the details. >> more than 30 years after the hostages were paraded before the the 53 americans seized by an angry mob that stormed the u.s. embassy in tehran in 1979. >> spend at least another night imprisons in the american embassy. >> they became pawns. their ordeal dragging on more than a year.

carolina as a security guard at the embassy. >> being held hostage was 444 days of a bads nightmare where each day we woke up and thought we were dead. >> reporter: finally on the day ronald reagan was sworn -- >> day one of freedom for 52 americans. >> reporter: in all the years since, the former hostages fought for compensation. now it's finally come buried in a budget bill president obama signed last friday. they will each receive up to $4.4 million. that's $10,000 for every one of the 444 days they spent in captivity. he calls it justice. >> tom llamas, abc news, new york. the pope sounding a somber mass, noting the simplicity of jesus christ's birth. pope francis condemned what he called society's intoxication with consumerism, pleasure, he says an jesus calls on christians to act in a way that is simple, balanced, consistent, is essential. the upsurge of violence in the holy land brought more tension to christmas