Have you ever heard, or participated in a live performance of a segent of Handel's Messiah?

Have you ever heard, or participated in a live performance of a segent of Handel's Messiah? (All three sections are very rarely performed at once due to the length of the program and the virtuosity/energy required of the performers.) Why do you think that community, school, collegiate and church choirs are still performing parts of this Oratorio today? (Especially at Christmas.)In your listening examples from the text, were you able to identify specific ways and examples where the music supports and describes (text paints) the words?