Contemporary Christmas Eve Candlelight Service (3)

December 24, 2014

Scripture referenced 10 passages

The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.

Isaiah 7:14 prophecy read aloud: the virgin will conceive and bear a son called 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

prophecy read aloud: a child is born, wonderful counselor, prince of peace, ruling on David's throne

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

prophecy read aloud: Bethlehem small among Judah yet a ruler of Israel will come from it

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 1:18-23

narrative of Mary and Joseph, angel's announcement, Emmanuel fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy

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.”

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Luke 2:1-20

census, journey to Bethlehem, birth of Jesus, 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 2:1-11

wise men seeking the newborn king, Herod's inquiry, star leading to Bethlehem, gifts presented

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.

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John 3:16

cited to explain why giving follows God's generous example

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

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John 8:12

Jesus declares he is the light of the world and followers will not walk in darkness

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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John 1:5

the light shines in darkness and darkness can never extinguish it

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, let your light shine so others glorify the Father

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.

This Christmas Eve service at First B Jackson centered on the arrival of Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, and what that presence means for the people who receive it. Pastor led the congregation through the birth narratives from Isaiah, Micah, Matthew, and Luke, weaving together Scripture readings, congregational singing, and a candle lighting to make the point personal and immediate. The invitation was straightforward: the light that came into the world at Bethlehem is available to anyone who puts their faith and trust in Jesus.

What was said

The service opened by letting the prophecies speak for themselves. The words from Isaiah and Micah were read aloud, names and all: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. A ruler whose origins are in the distant past would come from a small village. The point was that none of this was improvised. What happened in Bethlehem had been announced long before it occurred.

The birth narrative from Matthew came next, with its focus on Joseph. Joseph was a good man in a hard situation, and he was moving toward a quiet, merciful exit when an angel stopped him in a dream. The angel told him the child's name and its meaning before the child was even born. Pastor let the text do the work: this child would save his people from their sins, and his name, Emmanuel, meant God is with us.

The reading from Luke brought the shepherds in, ordinary working people in a field at night who were terrified and then reassured. The angel's announcement, that the Savior, the Messiah, the Lord, had been born, was followed immediately by a vast host of heaven praising God. The shepherds went to see for themselves, found exactly what they had been told, and went back to their flocks glorifying God. Mary kept all of it in her heart.

When the offering was received, Pastor was direct about where the money goes. First B keeps a discretionary fund for people who come in with a need, gas, food, whatever the situation is. That very morning someone had passed through town needing help getting from one place to another, and the fund made it possible to say yes. Giving, the preacher said, is following God's lead, because God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.

From there the sermon moved to John 8:12, where Jesus calls Himself the light of the world and promises that anyone who follows Him will not walk in darkness but will have the light that leads to life. Pastor was clear that this is spiritual darkness and spiritual light, and that because of Jesus, people do not have to stay in the dark. That is the good news, and the candle lighting was designed to make it visible and physical.

The candle lighting carried its own argument. The elders lit their candles from the Christ candle, the one the congregation had been building toward all month, and then passed the flame to every person in the room. The preacher explained what it represented: receiving Jesus and then passing Him to one another. John 1:5 was quoted, that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it, and the congregation was reminded that no darkness in this world can put out the light of Christ that lives in those who trust Him.

The service closed with Matthew 5:14-16, where Jesus tells His followers that they are the light of the world. Pastor connected it back to everything that had just happened: Jesus called Himself the light, and then He passes that to us. A lamp does not go under a bowl. It goes on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. The goal, the preacher said, is to make Jesus known, to let that light shine so that others see it and glorify God.

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 Isaiah reading lists several names for the coming child: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Which of those names means the most to you right now, and why?
Joseph found out Mary was pregnant in a way he could not yet understand, and his first instinct was to protect her quietly rather than expose her. What does his response tell us about what it looks like to be a good person when a situation is confusing or painful?

and 3 more questions in the guide

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0:09 Sure to the world. The Lord has come. Let more than

2:11 Y'all can have a seat.

2:14 Reading from the prophets Isaiah and Micah. Alright then. The Lord himself will give you the sign. Look, the virgin will conceive a child. She will give birth to a son and will call him Emmanuel, which means God is with us.

2:32 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders, and he will be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of heaven's armies will make this happen.

3:02 But you, oh Bethlehem, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel whose origins are in the distant past will come from you on my behalf.

3:16 You can stay seated, but the words will be on the screen. I just invite you to sing with us. Okay?

5:27 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother Mary was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiance, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, So he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream.

5:52 Joseph, son of David, the angel said, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord's message through his prophet. Look, the virgin will conceive a child. She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel, which means God is with us.

6:21 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. At that time, the Roman emperor Augustus decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. This was the first census when Quinerius was governor of Syria. All returned to their ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home.

6:51 He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancee, who is now obviously pregnant. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger because there was no lodging available for them.

7:12 Again, you can stay seated, but just invite you to sing with. Right? We're familiar with a lot of these songs. Let's sing.

9:20 It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old, from angels banding near the earth to touch their hearts of gold. Peace on the earth, goodwill to man from halves, all gracious king. The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing. Still through the woven skies they come with peaceful wings unfurled, and still their heavy music floats o'er all the weary world. Above its sad and lowly plains, they band on hovering wing.

10:50 Look now for glad and golden hours comes withly on the wing. Oh, rest beside the weary road when with the ever circling years shall come the time foretold, when peace shall over all the

11:53 That night, there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the radiance of God's glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. Don't be afraid, he said. I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.

12:13 The savior, yes, the Messiah, the Lord, has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David. And you will recognize him by this sign. You'll find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth lying in a manger. Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others, the armies of heaven, praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those whom with whom God is pleased. When the angel had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, let's go to Bethlehem.

12:48 Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherd's story were astonished.

13:08 But Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as an as the angel had told them.

13:24 Let me say we stand out. We're gonna sing some more. Amen. That means glory in the highest. I think he's deserving of that,

19:38 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the reign of king Herod. About that time, some wise men from Eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem asking, where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him. King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of the religious law and asked, where is the Messiah supposed to be born?

20:08 In Bethlehem and Judea, they said, for this is what the prophet wrote. And you, oh, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, For a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel. Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him too.

20:41 After this interview, the wise men went their way, and the star they had seen in the East guided them to Bethlehem. They went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chest and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

21:09 Just as the the wise men joyfully gave gifts to the Lord tonight, we too have an opportunity to be joyful givers, and, I'd like to invite the ushers to come forward. While they're coming forward, I want you to know that you are not obligated to give, especially if you're a first time visitor. We're just we're glad that you're here, and if you're checking us out, great. But if anyone does feel compelled to give, I want you to know what you're giving to. At first b, we have a a discretionary fund.

21:33 And so when people come in and they have a need, whatever it is, gas, food, whatever, when it when we're able to say, yeah, we can help you, it is such a blessing. Just this morning, I had an opportunity to do that. Someone was passing through town. They need to get from this point to another. They just need a little help, and I was able to say, yes.

21:53 Yes. We can help you with that. And so that's that's what you would be giving to. If that sounds something like that you would like to do, please feel free. Know that we encourage giving because God has generously given to us.

22:09 We're we're following his lead. That's really what we're doing. John three sixteen says that, God so loved the world that he gave his only son. And, that whoever believes in him won't perish but will have eternal life. Can we pray together?

22:28 Lord, I I do thank you tonight for for loving us and, loving us so much that you would give your only son, Emmanuel, to be with us. That whoever, and that means really, whoever believes in him will not die but have eternal life. We thank you for that. Amen. As, Jesus grew and he became a man in John eight twelve, listen to what he said.

26:39 He said, I'm the light of the world. And if you follow me, you won't walk in darkness because you'll have the light that leads to life. He's talking about eternal life. He's talking about spiritual darkness and spiritual light. We don't have to walk in spiritual darkness anymore because of Jesus.

26:55 We can walk in the light, in spiritual light, and have eternal life. This is good news, friends. And tonight, I want you to hear that very real invitation to you. To put your faith and trust in the one that God has sent, and to have the light that leads to eternal life. So in response to this invitation, we're gonna close in a candle lighting.

27:16 And so I want you to, invite you to stand up, when, in fact, can stand up right now. I'll ask a couple of elders. They're gonna light their candle from the the Christ candle there. That one in the middle. That's the one we've been anticipating all this month.

27:33 Building up to, the Christ candle. And they light their candle from that Christ candle, and then they're gonna pass that light to each one of you, and we pass that light to each other. You seeing what this means? Having Jesus and then passing that, passing Jesus to one another. That's what this represents, and this is what this is about.

27:53 So when your candles lit, would you be sure to hold it straight up? Okay. A lot of folks have been burned by candles and they have a bad experience. So when your candle is lit, you be the one to hold it straight up and the unlit candle, they tip theirs toward you. Does that make sense?

28:11 So that wax doesn't spill on anybody. And then once these candles are all lit, we're gonna sing a very familiar song called Silent Night. How's that sound? Let's sing this together, shall Yeah. That is indeed true.

33:00 You're Lord from the time you were born always, and you will be forever. And, God, I thank you for that very real invitation to come to you, to know you. Thank you God for grace. Boy, how we need it. We recognize it.

33:16 We fall short, but I thank you for the righteousness of Jesus, perfect life that he lived, perfect death that he died, and resurrection that he rose. And, God, I do pray that if if you're you're knocking on the the door of our heart here tonight, that we would answer and believe on you because you truly are good and get to know you, the creator of the universe and the maker of us. Amen. You can, you can blow out your candles now. I think it's getting a little hot in here.

33:54 But here's here's what I want you to know tonight, that there is nothing that can extinguish the true light of Christ that lives in those who put their faith and trust in him. There's nothing that can extinguish that at all. First John or John one five, it says, the light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish that. Never. So be encouraged by that that the darkness of this world and there is darkness in this world.

34:21 Yes? It cannot extinguish the light of Christ. Therefore, you and I have the privilege of letting that light of Jesus shine through us. Do we not? We do.

34:32 Matthew five fourteen through 16. Check out this verse. It'll be on the screen. You are the light of the world. Remember Jesus said, he was the light of the world, then he's passing that to us.

34:43 A town about built on a hill can't be hidden, neither do people put a light or light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand and it gives light to everybody in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven. That's the goal here, isn't it friends? That's what we're after, to make Jesus known.

35:05 Really, he's a good good God. Should we sing of it? Go tell it on the mountain. This is gonna be our closer. I want you to sing out and sing loud.

37:47 Amen. Amen. Literally. Go tell it on the mountain. Tell it in this neighborhood.

37:51 Tell it everywhere you go. As you go, be making disciples. Praise God and glad you're here and if you would like, there's another service that's happening at six. It's gonna be very different from this one But it'll be a choir presentation, and y'all are invited to that if you would like. But praise God wherever you go this week.

38:07 Amen.

Topics

Christmas Eternal Life Giving Jesus Born Light Of The World

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