Topical - Cmas Eve Candlelight Service(a)
Christmas Eve Candle Light Service
December 24, 1997
Fun Time: Christmas Quiz
Time of Worship:
Reading #122 The Advent of our Lord
Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Hymn #123-1,2 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Mt 1:23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us."
Hymn #134-twice Emmanuel
Mt 1:21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
Hymn #126-twice A Nativity Prayer
Isa 61:1 ¶ The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
Hymn #124 Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
Jer 23:5 "The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.
Hymn #162 The Birthday of a King
Ps 96:9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.
Hymn #165 Adoration
Re 12:5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.
Hymn #164 One Small Child
2Co 8:5 And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.
Hymn #154-twice What Can I Give Him?
1Co 8:6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
Hymn #149-round Jesus Is Born
Time of Reflection:
With the coming of Christ, God made a statement to all mankind. What was this statement? Let us look at the words of Christ about Himself. Just who is this Christ?
I Am (Ex. 3:14, “I am who I am.”)
Mt 8:3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.
Mt 9:28 When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" "Yes, Lord," they replied.
Mt 11:29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Mt 28:20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Mr 14:62 "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."
Lu 22:70 They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?" He replied, "You are right in saying I am."
Joh 6:35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
Joh 6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
Joh 8:12 ¶ When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Joh 8:18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me."
Joh 8:23 But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
Joh 8:24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins."
Joh 8:28 So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.
Joh 8:58 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"
Joh 9:5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
Joh 10:7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.
Joh 10:9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.
Joh 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Joh 10:14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--
Joh 10:36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'?
Joh 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
Joh 13:13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am.
Joh 13:19 "I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He.
Joh 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Joh 14:10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
Joh 14:11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.
Joh 14:20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
Joh 15:1 ¶ "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
Joh 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Joh 16:32 "But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.
Joh 17:21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
Joh 18:37 "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."
Re 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
Re 1:17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.
Re 1:18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
Re 2:23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
Re 3:11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
Re 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
Re 21:5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
Re 21:6 He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.
Re 22:7 "Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book."
Re 22:12 "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.
Re 22:20 ¶ He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Re 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
Re 22:16 "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."
As Christ was born in the world, He is also born in me. He dared to say, “I Am,” and therefore I also “am” in Him, and may dare to say so.
Light
What Christ had to say about himself had much to do with light.
A. Christ is Light (Amistad - “See, the sun follows Him wherever He goes.”)
Mt 4:16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."
Mt 17:2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.
Lu 2:32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
Joh 1:4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
Joh 1:5¶ The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
Joh 1:7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.
Joh 1:8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
Joh 1:9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
Joh 3:19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
Joh 3:21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
Joh 8:12¶ When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Joh 9:5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
Joh 12:35 Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.
Joh 12:36 Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light." When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
Joh 12:46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
Ac 13:47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: "'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"
Ac 26:18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
2Co 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
2Co 4:6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
B. We are Light
Mt 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
Lu 16:8 "The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.
Joh 5:35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.
2Co 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
C. The Purpose of Light
Light activates and enables sight. It is power that comes from a source. It is a channel of truth from a source of truth to reveal truth. It is how God makes himself known. He has chosen us to be vessels of light.
Mt 5:15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
Mt 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Mt 6:22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.
Mt 6:23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
Lu 8:16 "No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.
Lu 11:33 "No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.
Lu 11:34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness.
Lu 11:35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.
Lu 11:36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you."
Joh 11:9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world's light.
Joh 11:10 It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light."
Ac 26:23 that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles."
Ro 13:12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
1Co 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
1Co 3:13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.
Time of Radiance:
The lighting of each family’s candle:
The Lord’s Candle is already burning. Notice the source of light that He is. His light becomes our light. The candle we bring represents our heart, soul, and body - all that we are - inflamed from Him, through Him, and for Him.
The first family coming forward will light their candle from the Lord’s Candle. We will proceed from oldest to youngest. Each family following will light their candle from the candle of the family before them.
Notice the passing of light from one family or generation to the next.
Notice the difference in brightness from one candle verses many.
This is the Church triumphant of which Christ is the Head. He burned with passion for you that your light might shine. Let your little light shine. Fan it into flame. It was for this time that you were born again, to carry the torch of truth unto the next generation of man. All that have gone before you carrying the flame will have been in vain if you let yours go out. They existed so that your fire might be fueled. In the same way might your flame be a beacon drawing others to the Christ-child, the King, so that the generations that follow will not be in darkness.
So 8:6 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.
Christmas Eve Candle Light Service
December 24, 1997
Fun Time: Christmas Quiz
Time of Worship:
Reading #122 The Advent of our Lord
Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Hymn #123-1,2 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Mt 1:23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us."
Hymn #134-twice Emmanuel
Mt 1:21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
Hymn #126-twice A Nativity Prayer
Isa 61:1 ¶ The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
Hymn #124 Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
Jer 23:5 "The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.
Hymn #162 The Birthday of a King
Ps 96:9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.
Hymn #165 Adoration
Re 12:5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.
Hymn #164 One Small Child
2Co 8:5 And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.
Hymn #154-twice What Can I Give Him?
1Co 8:6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
Hymn #149-round Jesus Is Born
Time of Reflection:
Time of Radiance: The lighting of each family’s candle:
So 8:6 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.