Scripture referenced 10 passages
The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.
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John 8:12 quoted twice: Jesus declaring himself the light of the world, used at candle lighting and earlier in the service
12 Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
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Keep this verse
Isaiah 7:14
read as prophecy of the virgin birth and Emmanuel
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
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Isaiah 9:6-7
read as prophecy of the child born, wonderful counselor, prince of peace, whose government will never end
6 For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on David’s throne, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from that time on, even forever. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this.
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Micah 5:2
read as prophecy that a ruler of Israel would come from Bethlehem
2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.
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Matthew 1:18-25
narration of Joseph learning of Mary's pregnancy and the angel's instruction to name the child Jesus
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
19 Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.
20 But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
21 She shall give birth to a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”
22 Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel”; which is, being interpreted, “God with us.”
24 Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself;
25 and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.
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Luke 2:1-20
narration of the census, the birth in Bethlehem, and the shepherds and angels
1 Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
2 This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3 All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city.
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David;
5 to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.
6 While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth.
7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.
9 Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.
11 For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.”
13 Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.”
15 When the angels went away from them into the sky, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16 They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough.
17 When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child.
18 All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.
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Matthew 2:1-12
reading of the wise men visiting Jesus and evading Herod
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,
2 “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born.
5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet,
6 ‘You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah: for out of you shall come a governor, who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’”
7 Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.
8 He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”
9 They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
11 They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 Being warned in a dream that they shouldn’t return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.
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Matthew 25:34-40
the king telling the righteous that serving the least of these was serving him, used to introduce the benevolence offering
34 Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;
35 for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in.
36 I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink?
38 When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you?
39 When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?’
40 “The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
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John 1:5
the light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it, said at candle extinguishing
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it.
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Matthew 5:14-16
you are the light of the world, a town on a hill, let your light shine before others
14 You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden.
15 Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house.
16 Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
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Recap
The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.
The Christmas Eve service at First B Jackson centered on the arrival of Jesus as the light of the world, tracing the nativity from prophecy through the wise men, and closing with a candlelight reflection on what that light means for those who carry it. Pastor led the congregation through scripture, song, and a giving opportunity for local families in need. The evening was built around the simple claim that Jesus is the greatest gift Christmas offers, and that the invitation to follow him is as open now as it was to the shepherds and the wise men.
What was said
The service opened with the lighting of the Christ candle on the Advent wreath, marking the end of the Advent journey. The words from John 8:12 were read aloud: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." That verse became the thread the whole evening was woven around.
The nativity was read in order, moving from the prophecies in Isaiah and Micah through the accounts in Matthew and Luke. The point of reading the prophets first was to show that Jesus's arrival was not a surprise. God had been announcing it for a long time.
When the reading reached Matthew 2 and the wise men, Pastor paused. He noted that these were pagan men from the Far East who did not know God, yet God was communicating with them in a language they could understand, the star, drawing them toward Jesus. "That's what God does," he said.
From there he moved to Matthew 25 and the Olivet discourse, connecting the gifts the wise men brought to the command Jesus gave near the end of his life. He pointed out that the gold, frankincense, and myrrh the wise men offered likely became the traveling money that got Mary, Joseph, and Jesus safely to Egypt when Herod wanted the child dead. God provides. That same impulse, giving to those in need as an act of worship toward Jesus, was the reason the Christmas Eve offering goes entirely to the local benevolence fund.
He described what had happened that week in the community. Roughly fourteen or fifteen families on the angel tree had been provided for, and when ten more families with needs were identified the day before the service, people from the church and the broader community came in and covered those too. He tied it directly back to Matthew 25: "As much as you have done it to the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it to me."
The service closed with the candlelight portion. The flame was passed from the Christ candle on the Advent wreath through the congregation during "Silent Night." After the candles were blown out, the preacher quoted John 1:5, that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it, and reminded the congregation that carrying that light into the world is both a privilege and a calling, citing Matthew 5 on being the light of the world.
Doing a Bible study?
Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.
- The narrator read from John 8:12 where Jesus said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.' What does it actually look like in your daily life to follow that light rather than walk in darkness?
- The preacher pointed out that the wise men were pagan men from the Far East who did not know God, yet God communicated with them in a language they understood and drew them to Jesus. Has there been a time in your life when God reached out to you in a way that met you where you were? What did that look like?
and 3 more questions in the guide
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