Christmas Eve

“THE GREAT ILLUMINATION”

Isaiah 9:1–7 ESV

1 But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. 3 You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. 4 For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. 5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Everything we believe hinges on this very truth: what actually took place on the first Christmas: The fulfilment of Is 9 seen in Matthew 1 & 2.

(sometimes you need to read your bible backwards!).

This is real Christmas: That the Almighty appeared on earth as a helpless human baby, needing to be fed and changed and taught to talk like any other child.

“Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as this truth of the Incarnation. The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. - JI Packer.

This is Christmas

The incarnation is…..… (two things)

……Historical - In nature - True in recorded history - We see that in the census but also confirmed worldwide. Jesus Christ was born into this world, not from it. He did not evolve out of history; He came INTO history from outside of it.

so its Historical - But thats not enough, its also

…………Miracoulous - In its effect. Isaiah 7:14 “14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Historical, but also Miracoulous - Quite the event when you think about it

and then you think about how this incarnation - This advent - This coming into the WORLD from OUTSIDE the world - HAS CHANGED THE WORLD.

We stop, all around the world - at this time of YEAR. and remember this incarnation.

But why?

You have to ask the question.. WHY>? did this happen? Why - and what was the point and i hope in the next ten minutes to tell you!

Two reasons why Christmas is so important!

1.A GREAT ILLUMINATION

Isaiah 9:2 ESV

2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

Christmas is about not just the lights… but THE LIGHT… We love to look at the lights dont we? We love the lights going up downt

But why?

Well there was a time, where there was as the bible says - GREAT DARKNESS.

Isaiah 9:1–2 ESV

1 But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

What does light do?

Light spreads

Light Attracts

Light overcomes any darkness thats present:

Christmas is about the great illumination of mankind - in Jesus - Because how did JEsus begin his ministry?

These might seem far off to you but they arent in our bibles:

Matthew 4:12–17 ESV

12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 16 the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

This is the LIGHT

Christmas is about illumination

The great light coming on!

And this is what God wants you to know TODAY: He is your light

God wants to light up your life - He doesn’t want you in darkness. You wee created for him to be with him and to be in HIM< in HIM if LIGHT - and in fact you were called to live as th light

Ephesians 5:8 ESV

8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

You were meant for the light… Called into the Light to become part of the LIGHT: Which means It doesn’t matter how hard, how difficult or how DARK it gets - God through JESUS stands and is READY to give you his light.

So what is God calling us to do? a few things…..…

Look at the light, (this christmas time) to consider JESUS

Take in the light (This christmas time) to rememver all that He has done for you

Be amazed by the LIGHT (This Christmas time) to behold the Majesty

Be grateful for the LIGHT (This Christmas time) to value all over again even more so the light IN YOU

an overwhelming sense of gratitude overwhelms us, as believers of what Christmas in knowing what truly this all represents, which is illumination of the darkness, spreading out from our hearts beyond our very souls and into the world around us and changing us forever more.

In a moment we are going to turn on some candleLIGHTS in this room and we will worship, sing songs and be together this Christmas time - But its NOT JUST EXTERNALLY there is light AMONG US, but INTERNALLY AS WELL.

****There was a time in my life that was very DARK. In fact I was so down in the dumps at that point that I used to get comfort listening to PAUL SIMONS music and specially for some reason that song “the sound of silence” seemed to resonate with me as a young man but I was at a pretty hopeless point in my life. I had been saved but I was alone.

“Hello DARKNESS, my old friend

Ive come to talk with you again”

‌My friend challenged my thinking at time and said why did you like that song? I said well I dont know I guess I just like it. He said you cant like that song your CHRISTIAN. You have the light?

Take in the light (This christmas time) to remember all that He has done for you

and of course my friend Marty was right. I did need to discard that song from my life and those lyrics from my very soul because my life is no longer attached to any darkness!

Jesus came to bring light

….…

Luke 1:79 “79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.””

he said it himself, about himself:

John 12:46 “46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”

Im telling you - Get excited because this is the gREAT LIGHT ILLUMINATES OUR WORLD.

So we renew our gaze on a great illumination this christmas time

2.CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION

Its the illumination that brings celebration: verse 3

Isaiah 9:3 ESV

3 You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.

This is covenant language here

This is the fulfilment of the ultimate harvest in righteousness

This is an example in much like the conquest narrative, the overcoming nature of Gods people that there will be a great gathering and a great overcoming and a great blessing - When CHRIST comes.

THIS IF YOU LIKE IS THE ANSWER FOR A WORLD DARKENED BY SIN - ITS LIGHT THAT COMES ON THAT CAUSES YOU TO REJOICE! GOD HAS DONE THIS!

and its such joy it causes you to celebrate!

Why is CHRISTMAS such a momentous, joy-ful occasion?

its because its a cause for CELEBRATION

WHY DO WE GIVE GIFTS? BECAUSE A SON IF GIVEN - John 3:16 makes a lot of sense when you read Is 9 as well!

God has given us his son

and his son is now our light

and now we don’t have to live in the darkness - seperated -alienated - but rather exposed to the light, and walk now in the light.

But this is a JOY for a REASON, its because the PURPOSE of CHRISTMAS is EASTER

The CHILD BORN, WOULD BE THE SON GIVEN.

From the Manger, to the CROSS.

This would be a GIFT. For everyone

BUT THERE IS SOMETHING THERE FOR THE GIFTS AS WELL> EVEN THE GIFTS HAVE PROPHETIC MEANING TO US WHO BELIEVE

What did the wise men bring? They brought the GOLD signifying his KINGSHIP

They brought the incense which was his divinity - his priestly connection to the divine

But they BROUGHT also… MYRRH…

I get the Gold. I kind of get the incense… but the myrrh?

It was used as a healing agent, but it was primarily used as a spice for burial. as a way for the BODYS DECAY to be overcome by the smell of the MYRR

and its

The gifts meant for HIM. Were to signify that while we celebrate now. We will really celebrate THEN, when the fulfillment of the Fathers will would be achieved when he would pass through Gethsemane on his way to Calvary and that old rugged cross.

And the MYRHH would be needed

that makes another mention in the story: Jesus would grow up and He would go to the cross. And He would die

And the Myrhh which was mentioned at His birth - would be there at his death

John 19:38–42 “After this, Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus (but secretly, because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission, so he went and took the body away. Nicodemus, the man who had previously come to Jesus at night, accompanied Joseph, carrying a mixture of myrrh and aloes weighing about seventy-five pounds. Then they took Jesus’ body and wrapped it, with the aromatic spices, in strips of linen cloth according to Jewish burial customs. Now at the place where Jesus was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden was a new tomb where no one had yet been buried. And so, because it was the Jewish day of preparation and the tomb was nearby, they placed Jesus’ body there.”

There has been a great illumination

Which is a cause for great celebration

Because GOD GIVEN US, HIM

Easter has happened - we live in the wake of his Glorious and ever sufficient grace

and the message is clear:

and anyone who believes in him - the Bible says, will be saved, Will recieve this GRACE, Will encounter this light - and the darkness will never be able to again cover you because you will now be his.

the great illumination

I Started with a quote id love to end with one:

The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity--hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory--because at the Father's will Jesus became poor, and was born in a stable so that thirty years later He might hang on a cross.