Christmas Candlelight Service
Luke • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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The Promise
The Promise
Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.
Such a beautiful passage, the entire chapter speaks of the Promised Messiah! Right here in V1 we have the lineage - from Jesse - the Father of King David!
Bethlehem Ephrathah,
you are small among the clans of Judah;
one will come from you
to be ruler over Israel for me.
His origin is from antiquity,
from ancient times.
The city of David, Bethlehem, small, unexpecting that the Messiah would come from the least of these.
The ruler from the Ancient of Days - from Antiquity -
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
From the Very beginning!
Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.
Sometimes God uses the unexpected - but now, the IMPOSSIBLE! But as we have learned this year:
For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Oh our great Promise Keeper!
Today, on this most beautiful Christmas Eve - We Celebrate the Birth of our Savior Jesus, the Messiah!
Christmas - the Celebration of Christ!
The Birth of Jesus
The Birth of Jesus
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.
Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. Then she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Song - OH little town of Bethlehem
And the Light of the World came to earth - fully God, fully man!
The Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, the Alpha and the Omega, the God of the Universe - YAHWAY
Came as a lowly as can be. A precious baby.
Shepherds Told
Shepherds Told
In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:
Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to people he favors!
Song - Hark the Herald angels sing
How great that the message came to Shepherds, not Prophets, not kings, not royalty or well to do; but to shepherds. To those on the outskirts. To outsiders. To you and to me. TO the every day people.
And the message hasn’t changed!
And these Shepherds do exactly what you and I would do if an Angel made a heavenly declaration, and the curtain of heaven was ripped open and a HOST, a SYMPHONY from Heaven rang out in beautiful song!
We must go and see!
Shepherds Go and See
Shepherds Go and See
When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger.
Song - away in a manger
Deacons Come up while singing Away in a Manger and light their candle using the Christ Candle.
Shepherds Go and Tell
Shepherds Go and Tell
After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
Light the Candles
Song - Go Light your World
Explain the lighting of the candles!
As the shepherds went and spread the message, all heard. The word spread from person to person.
It is this same way that we are to spread the Good News about Jesus now! And as your candle is lit, you pass that information to someone new, someone beside you. Listen, if your candle is lit, and you don’t turn to the person next to you, their candle won’t be lit. But if you do, just turn, light their candle. Watch the beauty of this room illuminate!
It is the same with the Gospel!
Mary Treasured These Things
Mary Treasured These Things
But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them.
Song - Silent Night
Mary would reflect on all that has occured. She treasured these things in her heart.
The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless.
The Word of the Angel came true. This Baby, is the son of the Most High. He IS THE PROMISE!
He will have the Throne of David FOREVER! His Kingdom will not end! THIS BABY IS THE PROMISED KING!
But what about the rest of what should might know of the promised Messiah?
What about Isaiah 53?
But all of this: Elizabeth Just as the Angel said!
And baby John leaping in the womb!
And now Shepherds appear and rejoiced speaking of Angels and heaven singing!
The Shepherds Rejoice
The Shepherds Rejoice
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told.
Often a Candle Light Service closes somberly with Silent Night. And we could. But there was not much silent about this night.
Heaven was Rejoicing!
Shepherds were Praising! Telling. Shouting!
Spreading the word and causing a scene! Telling all that they could about the marvelous thing they were told, and what they had found!
Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”
Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to people he favors!
Close Prayer
Let’s lift out voice and REJOICE!
Song - Joy to the World
!