December 24th Christmas Eve Candlight - 4:30pm

In one paragraph

The Christmas Eve service at First Baptist Jackson walked through the full nativity story, from the Old Testament prophecies through the visit of the Magi, with Pastor Nick reading the narrative and weaving in his own commentary along the way. The thread running through it all was the invitation to respond to Jesus the way the characters in the story did: with trust and immediate action. He opened...

Read together

1. John 8:12 Jesus declares himself the light of the world, quoted twice during the service
2. Isaiah 7:14 prophecy of the virgin bearing a son named Emmanuel, read as Old Testament lesson
3. Isaiah 9:6-7 child born to us, son given, government on his shoulders, names including Prince of Peace
4. Micah 5:2 Bethlehem too little among clans of Judah, one will go forth to be ruler in Israel
5. Matthew 1:18-25 Joseph's betrothal to Mary, angel's announcement, naming of Jesus as Emmanuel
6. Luke 2:1-20 census, journey to Bethlehem, birth of Jesus, shepherds and the angels
7. Matthew 2:1-11 Magi arrive seeking the king of the Jews, Herod's reaction, gifts of gold frankincense and myrrh
8. Micah 5:2 quoted by chief priests to Herod identifying Bethlehem as birthplace of the Messiah
9. John 1:5 the light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot extinguish it
10. John 1:12 all who believe and receive him he gives the right to become children of God
11. Matthew 5:14-16 you are the light of the world, let your light shine before others that they may glorify your Father

Talk about it

1. Pastor Nick talked about 400 years of intertestamental silence before God spoke again, and how people used that time to quibble over details and form factions. Where do you see that same tendency showing up in the church today, and what do you think it costs us?
2. When the angel spoke to Joseph and when the angels appeared to the shepherds, both Joseph and the shepherds heard a word from God and acted on it immediately. What makes that kind of immediate obedience hard for us, and what would it look like in your own life right now?
3. Pastor Nick pointed out that the chief priests and scribes knew exactly where the Messiah was to be born, yet they did not go with the Magi to find him. What do you think kept them back, and what kinds of things keep us from acting on what we already know to be true?
4. The candle lighting was built around John 1, that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it. Where in your life right now do you most need to hold onto that promise?
5. Pastor Nick connected Jesus saying 'I am the light of the world' in John 8 with his words in Matthew 5, 'you are the light of the world.' What does it mean to you personally to be described that way, and what does it look like practically to let that light shine before others?