The Light Has Come

Welcome

Singing of two songs:

Tonight What a Glorious Night

Emmanuel

Congregational Prayer

L: Please join in praying together.

P: Heavenly Father, on this blessed Christmas Eve, we gather with hearts full of joy and gratitude to celebrate the birth of Your Son, Jesus Christ—the Word made flesh who dwelt among us. We marvel at the great mystery of the Incarnation, reflecting on the divine light that shines in our darkness and is never overcome. We thank You, O God, for sending Your light and Your salvation into the world, offering hope and healing to all who receive Him. We rejoice in the gift of grace upon grace that You have bestowed upon us through Christ, welcoming us as Your children. As we bask in the warmth of this holy night, we humbly ask for Your forgiveness. Forgive us for the moments we have strayed from Your path, for the times we have allowed darkness to overshadow Your light in our lives. Cleanse us and renew us with Your mercy and love. We pray for the continued blessings of Your grace to fill our hearts and guide our actions, that we might reflect Your love and truth to others. Help us to be bearers of Your light, spreading peace, joy, and kindness in our communities and beyond. May this celebration of Christ's birth deepen our understanding of Your love and strengthen our commitment to live as faithful followers. In Christ Jesus' name, Amen.

L: Please join in singing “Oh Come All Ye Faithful.”

Lighting of the Advent Candle

L: As we gather to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, we light the Christ candle, representing the completion of our Advent journey—a journey of hope, peace, joy, and love.

(The Christ candle is lit.)

L: With the light from the Christ candle, we are reminded that Jesus is the light of the world, a light no darkness can extinguish. In Him, we find our salvation.

P: We rejoice in the light of Christ, shining brightly in our lives and in our world. May His light fill our hearts with joy and peace.

L: Just as the prophets promised, the Lord has come to us, and we are called to spread His light and love to others.

P: We give thanks for God’s greatest gift, His Son, and commit ourselves to living as bearers of His eternal light.

L: Let us pray together, giving thanks for this holy night, for the gift of Jesus, and for His light that guides us in our daily lives.

P: Almighty God, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, and we are filled with gratitude for His presence among us. Help us to shine His light in the world through our words and actions. Amen.

This script is a traditional structure focusing on the symbolism of light in Advent and Christmas, emphasizing the themes of joy, gratitude, and commitment to spreading light and love.

Readings and Songs

Reading One (read by Theresa or Tiffany): Once in a time, a long time ago, God determined to show LOVE to the world, in a way never before shown. The showing of God’s Love is called CHRISTMAS! It is a wonderful story! It is a mystery which unfolds before our eyes! Tonight we hear it told again, for us, here, in this place said to be Holy, because we are here and God is here, with us, as together we go to Bethlehem.

The story begins with the prophets. Prophets listen to God and are messengers for God. A long time ago, ISAIAH was a prophet who listened and spoke the word of God.This is what ISAIAH said: listen - THE PEOPLE WHO WALKED IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT; THOSE WHO DWELT IN A LAND OF DEEP DARKNESS, ON THEM HAS LIGHT SHINED…FOR TO US A CHILD IS BORN...

The prophets said that the Christ of God would be born to a young woman. His name would mean, GOD WITH US! And that all would take place in a little town called Bethlehem.

God uses other messengers too: they are called ANGELS. There was an angel, a messenger from God, called Gabriel. He carried a most important message…from God…to a young woman whose name was…Mary. Gabriel told Mary that she was very special to God. She was the woman who would give birth to a child. One day he would be called THE CHRIST OF GOD.

L: Please join in singing “Angles We Have Heard On High.”

Reading Two (read by Ed):

Mary, and Joseph, to whom she was engaged, are on their way to Bethlehem. They hold a great secret in their hearts. It is the secret of the angel, the one who came to Mary and said: DO NOT BE AFRAID MARY! BE JOYFUL! YOU WILL HAVE GOD’S SPECIAL SON. YOU WILL NAME HIM JESUS. That night, a long, long night ago, they were given shelter in an old barn. It was filled with the warmth of the animals and the smell of cattle feed and straw. It was there that Jesus was born.

There are shepherds in this story. That long ago night, they were just doing what shepherds do…KEEPING WATCH OVER THEIR SHEEP, PROTECTING AND CARING FOR THEM. The shepherds have good news to tell. Another angel, another messenger from God, came to them, out there, in the fields and said: DO NOT BE AFRAID! BE JOYFUL! TODAY, A SAVIOR, GOD’S SPECIAL CHILD, IS BORN IN BETHLEHEM. YOU WILL FIND HIM LYING IN A MANGER, IN A CATTLE FEED-BOX, ALL TUCKED IN WITH CLOTHS TO KEEP HIM WARM AND SAFE.

Tonight we come to the manger’s side, offering our gifts; our time; our service, even our very lives. But the promise of Christmas has never been the gifts we bring, even the gifts we give to God. The promise of Christmas is God’s gift to us; The gift of HOPE AND JOY, PEACE AND LOVE, JUSTICE AND MERCY. When the child grew up and became all that God intended him to be, he said: I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME WILL NOT WALK IN DARKNESS, BUT WILL HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE.

L: Please join in singing “Joy To The World.”

Opening Prayer

Father God bless and edify today’s message. Bless our gathering this evening to celebrate the birth of your son and the light that He brought into this world. Help us see and grow in this light and be continually sanctified through the work of the Holy Spirit so that we can, in turn, return glory to you, oh God. We ask this in your son, Jesus’ name. Amen

Before we read today’s scripture lesson, let me lead with a brief introduction:

As we celebrate Christmas, let us turn our hearts and minds towards the profound mystery of the “Incarnation”—God becoming flesh. The Gospel of John presents this with eloquence and depth, and it is a powerful narrative that invites us to reflect on the significance of Christ's birth this evening.

Scripture Lesson: John 1:1-18

New American Standard Bible - NASB 2020 (Chapter 1)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind. 5 And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it.

6 A man came, one sent from God, and his name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

9 This was the true Light that, coming into the world, enlightens every person. 10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, and yet the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own people did not accept Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified about Him and called out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who is coming after me has proved to be my superior, because He existed before me.’ ” 16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the arms of the Father, He has explained Him.

L: This is the word of the Lord.

P: Thanks be to God.

Sermon

Good evening and God’s peace to you all on this most Holy Night.

It may not be as traditional to use the Gospel of John for a Christmas Eve’s service, but I hope you will all see that John introduces to us that Jesus came into the world as the “light has come.” We could have used the Gospel of Mathew tonight, reading portions of chapters 1 and 2, since from Mathew’s perspective we would read the traditional Jewish Christian Christmas story and his position that Jesus not only had the legal authority to be the Christ, but he also came to fulfill the prophecies and the law. Jesus plainly said in the Beatitudes, Matthew 5:17, "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” And that is exactly what Jesus did! The genealogy in Matthew 1 is traced through Joseph, his stepfather, beginning with Abraham and ending with Jesus. This genealogy is Jesus’ direct lineage through Joseph, emphasizing Jesus' legal claim to be the Messiah and heir to King David's throne. In the Gospel of Matthew, the genealogy of Jesus consists of 42 generations that emphasize significant eras in Jewish history, highlighting Jesus' royal lineage as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah.

‌Likewise, we could have used the Gospel of Luke – reading from chapters 2 and 3. Luke’s Christology emphasizes Jesus' connection to humanity and is a traditional gentile Christian Christmas story. We see this in Luke’s accounting of Jesus’ genealogy through Mary, His mother, beginning with Jesus and concluding with Adam. This genealogy, found in Luke 3:23-38, includes 76 generations. Unlike Matthew, who starts with Abraham, Luke traces Jesus’ lineage through David and further back to the very beginning with Adam, showing Jesus' connection to all humanity. This approach documents the universal scope of Jesus' mission and His role as the Savior for all people.

‌What then does the Gospel of John teach us?

John, the son of Zebedee, was in Christ Jesus’s inner circle of three disciples - which included Peter, John’s brother James, and John himself. Suffice it to say, John really knew Jesus! He heard every word and prayer Jesus said during his ministry; he witnessed every miracle Jesus performed. He witnessed these things firsthand. In addition, he was the disciple “in whom Jesus loved.” The Gospel of John focuses on the divine nature and pre-existence of Jesus. There are several key points featured in John and one of these points is Divine Logos.

Divine Logos

Incarnation

Reveal-er of the Father

Signs and “I Am” Statements

Eternal Life

‌Let’s talk about this a little - Jesus is the Divine Logos – “Logos” being the Greek for “Word”. John begins with the declaration that "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). This establishes Jesus as the Logos, pre-existent and divine, integral to creation and in intimate relationship with God, the Father, because He was God, the Son.

‌What does John exactly mean here?

‌Let’s look more closely at John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” By introducing his account of the life and ministry of Jesus in this way, John echoes the opening words of the biblical cannon: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” This underscores the momentous significance of Jesus’s coming. He was the Word who was in the beginning.[1] This directly connects Christ Jesus back to the creation where God spoke the words, and this was “Good.” Why was it good? It was good because it was made through Jesus. Remember the parable of the rich man in Mark 10:17-18 - He ran up to Jesus and asked “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life”. “Why do you call me good?”, Jesus asked, “only God is good.” Jesus is God, and He is good! So when you read John 1:1, try replacing “the Word” with “Jesus” – In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God.

‌John’s Gospel “presents Jesus as the Word sent by God to accomplish His mission on earth, and to return to his sender once the mission is completed.”[2] And moreover, “John’s Gospel is an invitation for you and me, and all who read it, to believe in Jesus, the Word-become-flesh, the Messiah and Son of God!”[3]

‌Regarding genealogy, John does not provide a traditional genealogy of Jesus as found in Matthew or Luke. Instead, John's approach is more God centered, presenting Jesus’ origin as Divine rather than tracing His human lineage. The focus is on the pre-existence of Jesus and His divine nature, rather than a human ancestry that links Him to historical figures. Therefore, “not merely is Jesus the ‘son of Abraham’ and ‘son of David’ as Matthew tells us, or even the ‘son of Adam’ as Luke contends; Jesus’s roots go back all the way to eternity past, when ‘in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.’”[4].

‌So - the final question for us to ask is “how do we read today’s Gospel reading for Christmas?”

‌To answer can be found in two themes:

The Word Became Flesh

The Light of the World

1. Lets start with “The Word Became Flesh” (John 1:1-5):

In the opening verses, John introduces us to 'The Word'—Logos, the divine reason and creative order. This Word was not only with God but was God. In the grand opening, we see the etern-ality and divinity of Jesus, present at the creation of the world. This asserts that the baby born in Bethlehem was not just a child but the eternal Word that spoke the universe into existence.

‌As the Word becomes flesh, we witness the greatest act of humility and love. God did not send an envoy; He came Himself. The Creator stepped into His creation, taking on human vulnerability and experiencing life as we do. This mystery of the incarnation is central to our faith - our celebration today - and represents God's ultimate expression of love. This moment signifies that God chose to enter human history, taking on our struggles, joys, and experiences. I encourage you to consider how you can embody that love in your own life during the Christmas season and beyond.

‌Concerning the Love mentioned:

‌As Elder Bob stressed in his sermon this past Sunday, the special type of ‘Love’ that God wants for our relationship with Him and our relationship between each other as fellow Christians is the Greek verb Agapao (Aug Ah Pow) or Agape (Aug Gah Pay). This verb means “to take pleasure in a thing, prize it above all other things, be unwilling to abandon it or do without it. In John 21: 15-17 Jesus and Peter have the following discussion: Now when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” He said to him again, a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was hurt because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.

Most people scratch their heads at this and wonder why Peter was really hurt in this passage – was it because he was asked three times, or was it something else. These verses are a great example of the weakness of the English language to capture the original Greek. In the first two instances when Jesus asks the question to Peter, he uses the Greek “agapao” and Peter answers Jesus using the Greek word “pheloe” (Phee Low) or “as a dear friend”. The third time Jesus asks and Peter responds using the Greek word “pheloe” (Phee Low). And at that point Peter realizes that his love for Jesus is not the correct type of Love that Jesus was asking for- the type of Love that Jesus wants all of us to have for Him – Agapao/Agape Love.

New American Standard Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 2020), Jn 21:15–17.

2. The second theme is that Jesus is “The Light of the World” (John 1:4-9):

John describes Jesus as the light that shines in the darkness. This light illuminates, guides, and reveals truth. In our world that is often overshadowed by despair and uncertainty, the birth of Christ brings hope. During this season, we are reminded that no darkness can extinguish His light. Further, we are called to reflect this light in our lives. Just as John the Baptist bore witness to the light, we too are invited to testify to the transformative power of Christ's presence in our world and in our hearts.

‌The idea of Jesus as the "light of the world" (John 8:12) is a strong reminder that His presence brings hope and transformation. Even in the darkest moments in our lives, His light guides us toward truth and peace. As the Psalmist sings in Psalm 43:3 – “Send out Your light and Your truth, let these guide me.” I invite each of you to reflect on areas in your life that could be illuminated by His light and how you can be vessels of that light to others. Maybe through acts of kindness, service, and sharing the message of hope. Maybe you can join a community outreach to lend a helping hand, maybe you can find other ways to support those in need, or maybe just simply being a comforting presence to someone who is struggling.

‌The coming of Christ transcends barriers and invites everyone into a relationship with God. We must recognize the importance of creating a welcoming and inclusive community that reflects the diversity and love of Christ, and this holds especially true during the Christmas season.

‌As we celebrate Christmas, may we embrace the wonder of the Word becoming flesh. Let us open our hearts to the light of Christ, allowing it to dispel the darkness in our lives and in the world around us. Let us receive with gratitude the gift of grace, becoming God’s children and reflecting His love to others.

‌On this Christmas Eve, let us remember and rejoice in the profound truth that the light has come, and His name is Jesus. Amen.

Benediction

‌‌I hope this sermon inspires reflection and joy as you celebrate the birth of Christ this Christmas. The lighting of candles at the end of a Christmas Eve service holds profound symbolic and communal significance.

‌For one, the act of lighting candles often symbolizes the arrival of light into the world with the birth of Jesus Christ. It represents hope, purity, and the triumph of light over darkness, which is a central theme in our Christmas service today.

‌Secondly, the process of passing the flame from one candle to another symbolizes the spreading of Christ's light and love throughout the congregation and beyond. It reinforces the idea of community and interconnectedness among all of us.

‌Thirdly, candlelight creates a peaceful and reflective atmosphere, encouraging us to contemplate the spiritual meaning of Christmas. It provides a moment of quiet meditation amidst the often-hectic holiday season.

‌Finally, and for many, this candlelight ceremony is a cherished tradition that fosters a sense of continuity and belonging. It connects participants to past generations and reinforces their connection to the church community.

Let’s now conclude by rejoicing the birth of Jesus, “the light has come”, by lighting of the candles and singing “Silent Night.” After the song concludes, please extinguish your candles and exit in silent reverence.

[1]Andreas J. Köstenberger, The Jesus of the Gospels: An Introduction (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2020), 363-364.

[2]Andreas J. Köstenberger, The Jesus of the Gospels: An Introduction (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2020), 364.

[3] Andreas J. Köstenberger, The Jesus of the Gospels: An Introduction (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2020), 368–369.

[4] Andreas J. Köstenberger, The Jesus of the Gospels: An Introduction (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2020), 367.