The Lights
That's Christmas to Me • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 5 viewsNotes
Transcript
That’s Christmas to me: The Lights
I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas lights. I hate putting them up and taking them down. I hate when they don’t work.
There are many reasons to put up Christmas lights around your house, and one of the most common is to feel merry and festive. The light shows and flickering Christmas trees can release dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is responsible for happiness. A British study showed that people who put up Christmas lights in their homes were happier than those who didn’t.
(Bulletin)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
(Slides)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He (Jesus) was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
The First Light: Connect the light of Creation (Genesis 1) to the light of the Incarnation (John 1).
The Incarnation of Jesus is the central Christian belief that God the Son, the second person of the Trinity, took on human flesh and became fully human while remaining fully divine in the person of Jesus Christ, uniting God's nature with humanity in one being.
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
The same God who spoke light into the void spoke light into Mary’s womb.
When God is speaking, Jesus was speaking. Because Jesus in the Word of God.
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
Malachi: Last book of the old testament / God stops speaking for 400 years.
400 yrs of silence / That first Christmas broke the silence and God spoke and said let there be Love.
Love was born as a small and defenseless child in a simple stable in the little town of Bethlehem.
Jesus is the Word of God and more than ever he is speaking and we need to listen to his voice.
He speaks to us through the scriptures, he speaks to us through the Holy Spirit, He speaks to us through love.
He even speaks to us through our trials and when we feel as if no one cares and that no one notices us. He whispers to us I see you.
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
Life is a key theme in John’s Gospel; it is used thirty-six times.
What are the essentials for human life? There are at least four: light (if the sun went out, everything would die), air, water, and food.
Jesus is all of these!
By His Holy Spirit, He gives us the “breath of life”. - Air
Jesus is the Bread of Life that came down from heaven. - Food
Water of life John 4:10 - Gives living water.
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
He is the Light of life and the Light of the world.
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.”
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Light and darkness are recurring themes in John’s Gospel.
In Scripture, “light” and “darkness” are very familiar symbols.
Intellectually, “light” refers to biblical truth while “darkness” refers to error or falsehood.
Morally, “light” refers to holiness or purity while “darkness” refers to sin or wrongdoing.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Darkness is not able to overcome or conquer the light.
Just as a single candle can overcome a room filled with darkness, so also the powers of darkness are overcome by the person and work of the Son through His death on the cross.
Satan blinds so people can’t see the light the light of the gospel.
3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Old Christmas lights when one bulb is out the whole string of lights would not work. Sometimes new lights have a short in them.
Just as the first Creation began with “Let there be light!” so the New Creation begins with the entrance of light into the heart of the believer.
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 God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
But when we except Jesus, he replaces the old bulb or short.
Like the earth of Genesis 1:2, the lost sinner is formless and empty; but when he trusts Christ, he becomes a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). God then begins to form and fill the life of the person who trusts Christ, and he begins to be fruitful for the Lord. God’s, “Let there be light!” makes everything new.
This is what is called a limited time offer.
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. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going.
Imagine you are a pilot in World War II, in the north Atlantic. Your aircraft carrier is in danger from enemy submarines. The captain orders you and four other of his best pilots to scout out and to see if you can spot the enemy submarines.
Night falls and the captain of that aircraft carrier then realizes that his ship and the entire crew where in grave danger of being spotted, so he gave this command. He said every light on this ship is to be extinguished. There's to be a total blackout.
You and the other four pilots had gone out searching for the enemy submarines with no success. Returning in the dark you radio to the aircraft carrier.
We're coming home, give us some light so we can find the ship and land. The radio operator replies “I’m sorry the captain has ordered a total blackout. We cannot give you light”.
One of the other pilots radios in next and said; just give us some light and we will land. Again the order came back. The order is total blackout, we cannot give you some light.
In desperation, one of the other pilots radioed in and said; then give us just one light to help us find our way home.
The radio dispatcher aboard that aircraft carrier with a broken heart said. I can give you no light and then turned off the radio switch. - Silence and darkness.
You and four other brave American pilots, five of America’s best, go down in the blackness to the chilly waters of the north Atlantic. Forever lost.
Land your spiritual plane now. Before it is to late.
36 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
Those who believe on Christ are the “children of light”
36 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
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.”
31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Accept this most wonderful Christmas gift.
Never forget where you came from and what you used to be.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
Christmas lights are meant to be seen. You are as well.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
Stop hiding your faith and be the "Christmas lights" in your home, school, workplace and neighborhood.
