Behold The Light (Candlelight)

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2100 words is 25min (Intro to Close)

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1700 words - 20MIN THIS WEEK!

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Yellow Highlighted Text - Content for screens and NOT notes.

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SERIES DESCRIPTION: In this series called Behold, Pastor Shawn invites us to slow down, focus our attention, and take in the wonder beholding. In Week 3, Behold the Light, we are reminded that Jesus is the Light of the world, reorienting us when life disorients us, rejuvenating us when we are weary, and reconciling us back to the Father.

Altar Instructions: Please come up when I ask the main question in point 2, “Where do you go for safe harbor” You will have about 4 min before the brief salvation altar call and then I will go straight into the Candlelight. Please play for salvation altar call part. THANK YOU!

Series | Behold

2 Songs

Scripture Reading (Eliana)

Song: Let Us Adore

Prayer - ****TRANSITION ONLY

The ushers are coming forward…. As we prepare to take communion today… anyone who did not receive the elements you can raise your hand and we will serve you.

Communion

Eli and I we’re driving to her friends house last night for a Christmas party

There were some really big BLACK speed bumps in the neighborhood & the speed limit was 30mph.

It was really dark and I hit the first one pretty hard…

I had to increase the LIGHT to see so I could SAFELY drive over the speed bumps.

Isn’t that what the LIGHT of Christ does for our life… IT LIGHTS the WAY - helps us clearly see the sin that is trying to derail our life… and guides us on the right path

Scripture say’s in

1 John 1:7 NIV

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Communion is about REMEMBERING where the LIGHT in our life comes from (It’s not our own goodness or our own deeds….

It’s through the sacrifice of his Son Jesus… it the payment that he made on the cross for our sin that PURIFIES us.

As we take communion today -Let’s thank him for the LIGHT

Let’s continue to worship the Lord through our generosity

Giving

At The Grace Place - we generously give…

Because its how we create space for others to meet Jesus.

If you’re a guest, you are under NO obligation to give– it’s our joy to serve you.

TO our TGP Family…thank you to each of you who are on the GENEROSITY JOURNEY

Wether your just learning to be generous… or your a committed tither and more

We are grateful for your generosity

And able to do significant things all aroud the world through your gifts.

POSSIBLY TIE A MISSIONS STORY

****Pray for offering - this will be the queue for them to start playing

****Walk off the stage

Song: Let there Be Light

Pre-Message Welcome

Grace Place family! Merry Christmas!

I’m Shawn, and along with my wife, we serve as the Co-Pastors of this incredible church.

If you new with us today… we know its a big deal to check out a New Church and we want you to know are honored that you are here.

At The Grace Place, it’s our hope that you find the Grace place to be a caring place,

To our Spanish speaking families…

****Spanish Welcome - 2nd Service ONLY!

A nuestra familia de habla hispana .... Bienvenidos… es-pera-mos que usted… y su familia.. se-sien-tan bien a-tend-idos también.

We are so glad to have our Spanish speaking families worshiping with us today.

Have you enjoyed the service so far… Well.. make sure to download the notes for the message today they are found in the church center app.

Transition: Today I want to share the last message in our series called…

Seriess | Behold

When the angel announced the arrival of Jesus He said… BEHOLD!

To behold means to give your full, undistracted attention

Today’s message is called…

Title | Behold the Light

I want to read two scriptures today…

Open your bible to both Isa 7:14 and Jn. 8:12.

Lets look at Isa. 7:14 it’s on the screen… this was written2000 years before the birth of Christ as God spoke through the Prophet and said…

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

God knew humanity would have a hard time beleiving… EVERYONE wants a SIGN - so they can SEE and BELIEVE - so he said… I will give you a sign. You will find a virgin girl… who is supernaturally pregnant - she will have a son and his name will be Immanuel.. which means God with us.

Thats who Jesus is… God with us - He will be THE SIGN to stir belief.

Here is whats cool…

For the first time in Human History… we’re able to SEE GOD… as Mary gave birth to Jesus.

Then as you turn over to Jn. 8:12 which is our theme verse for today… Jesus eventually grows up and this is what he announces to the world….

John 8:12 ESV

…“I am the WHAT? The Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Here Jesus introduces himself by saying I AM the LIGHT of the world….

Through the birth of Jesus God is saying to the world…

Behold the Light

The LIGHT has ONE PURPOSE - to save you from darkness.

***Feel free to encourage people to listen to the Holy Spirit speak to them personally as the message is preached

LETS PRAY

Illustration: Lighthouses Are Built for Storms

***Clay-please put this pick up when I talk about LIGHT HOUSES

This is a picture of the Oldest Lighthouse in Main… the Portland Head Light  in Cape Elizabeth … its considered the 1st official Light lighthouse in the United States.

Lighthouses we’re built to protect the shores and guide those at sea.

Lighthouses are not built for calm seas. They are placed where ships are most likely to crash — rocky coastlines, near violent currents, and heavy fog.

Here is the interesting thing about a LIGHT HOUSE…

The light doesn’t calm the storm.

It doesn’t remove the waves.

It tells anxious sailors: There is a way home, and your close

Friends…

Jesus didn’t come to a PEACEFUL world — He came to a BROKEN one.

for every person in a storm…He says… There is a way home…

I am the way… the TRUTH and the LIFE…

and Today on this special CANDEL LIGHT SERVICE - Jesus invites us to…

Title | Behold the Light

Why… be cause he wants to bring light to the darkest places of your world…

For every person in a storm… who can’t see through the fog… Jesus is here to lead you home.

Here are a few things THE LIGHT of God will do for us…. IN YOUR NOTES is…

The Light will REORIENT us. Ps 119:105

Its there to reorient us… to guide us when we are disoriented from the storms of life…like

Family Turmoil, Job loss, Sudden loss of heath, addiction… or whatever else life may through at you…

Friends… we all NEED the Light to guide you back to to the right path… YOU We’re NOT DESIGNED FOR DARKNESS.

Science tells us… when someone is in a dark for too long… without exposure to the light… they lose sense of reality.

Without light….

We lose the ability to sleep

We’ll experiance - increased anxiety, fear and stress.

With prolonged exposure to darkness…

People will even experiance Hallucinations and severe psychological distress

God knows with out his light in your life… we are like a ship headed right into the rocky shores.

So he say’s to us.. BEHOLD… MY LIGHT…

God want to reorients you to reality…. he is saying I want to lead you to on the bath to a safe harbor.

Here is the question I believe scripture is inviting us to ask ourselves today…

Question: Where am I experiencing disorientation in my life?

Is there anything that is out of order… caught up in a storm today?

He is inviting you back to the light.

How do we do this?

Ps 119:105 gives us a clue… lets look at it on the the screen together… it says…

Psa. 119:105 NIV: Thy word is a LAMP unto my feet, and a LIGHT unto my path.

God has brought you here today - to invite you to the light … to hear the WORD of God through the preaching of his word… to SEE the word of God at work through the lives of others that we’re once disoriented by darkness.. and still storms.

He is SHINING his light BRIGHT today as the Spirit of God is directing you back to where you belong.

Transition: the title of our message today is...

Title | Behold the Light

*******Timer 10min*******

*******Timer 10min*******

What does THE LIGHT of God do for us….

the 2nd thing it will do for us… IN YOUR NOTES…

The Light will REJUVENATE us. Ps. 19:7-8

When a ship finally makes its way to a harbor safe from the storm… the ship is restocked, refueled, and ready to continue its journey.

When we quit trying to fight the storm and realize we aren’t getting anywhere… and make our way to the light… it REJUVENATES us.

It reminds me of Ps 19:7-8…. lets look at it on the the screen together… it says…

Psalm 19:7–8 NIV

The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.

This is exactly what the LIGHT of Gods word does for us… it refreshes us…

Lets continue reading… it says..

Psalm 19:7–8 NIV

The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are WHAT…? They are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

The light of God is here right NOW… to rejuvenate us…. to brings JOY back to the heart… and LIGHT back to the EYES

This is why BEHOLDING the LIGHT is so important to our life…

Once we’re rejuvenated by the light… we are ready to get back to the next leg in our journey.

Without it… we will not be properly equipped for whats ahead.

I don’t know about you but I can tell when I need rejuvenation - you can see it in my EYES (Im easily irritable, I’m short, I lack resilience, etc…

Friends… God knows you well… one look into your eyes today - right where you are at

Here is the question I believe scripture is inviting us to ask ourselves today…

Question: Where do you go for safe harbor?

If the LIGHT of Christ is not one of them…. reorient your life around him.

Transition: the title of our message today is...

Title | Behold the Light

What does THE LIGHT of God do for us….

It REORIENTS us back to reality..

It REJUVENATES us back to life

For the 3rd and last thing it will for us… IN YOUR NOTES…

The Light will RECONCILE us. Rom. 5:10, Jn. 8:12

To Reconciles means to set right, to bring to a final peace to us.

Remember JESUS’S invitation in our opening Scripture lets look at it again… Jn. 8:12 its on the screen…

John 8:12 ESV

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

The oppisite is also true… who ever does NOT follow him WILL WALK IN DARKNESS and NOT have the LIGHT of life. (This is NOT his plan for you)

Friends the LIGHT…doesn’t just bring natural things to life… it brings people in spiritual darkness back to LIFE!

Every Human in Darkness needs a RECONCILIATION.

You might ask why?

Rom. 5:10 explains it like this… lets look at it on the screen together

Romans 5:10 NIV

For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

Becuase of the sinful orientation of humanity… every human starts off with a broken relationship with God.

Scripture described those in darkness…. an enemy of God.

So Christ say’s receive my light and be SAVED.

SO we see here that LIGHT of Christ reveals to us both bad news… and good news for us.

*******Timer 5min*******

*******Timer 5min*******

Let’s start with

The Bad News

It’s found in Rom. 3:23 and 6:23. It describes…

Everyone has been touched by sin and has fallen short of Gods plan

Everyone needs saving… there are no exceptions.

Why do we need saving from sin?

Because sin is destructive and everyone must pay for their sins… that payment is spiritual death and seperation from God.

This its called justice.

Here is…

The GOOD NEWS

It’s found in Rom. 5:8 and Rom. 10:9

It describes…. although deserve death.. but God stepped into humanity through Jesus.. lived a perfect life, and paid the price for our sin… through his death on the cross… so we would NOT have to die a sinners death.

This is called Mercy.

Mercy is when we don’t get… what we do deserve…

The Good News is NOT over..

Scripture describes… that who ever calls upon the Lord, and welcome in his LIGHT will be SAVED.

This is called the GRACE of God.

Grace is when we get…. what we don’t deserve: Thats forgiveness and Salvation

The last question I have for you is simple…

Question: Do you want to be reconciled today?

Friends I believe today that if you we’re to ask do you want to save me and reconcile me back to the father.. HIS ANSWER WOULD be an INFATIC YES!

SALVATION APPEAL

**** PRAYER is the queue to prepare for candles…

As we get ready to do the candle lighting:

If you didn’t get a candle… go ahead and raise your hand and the ushers will bring you one.

Candle lighting

SHAWN WALK DOWN TO THE FRONT LEFT ROW… and light the candle

Scripture says in…

Psa. 119:105: Thy word is a LAMP unto my feet, and a LIGHT unto my path.

Christ is the WORD of God… the LIGHT of God coming to the world. Today he lives in the lives of others… and his light is spread all throughout the world. As we spread his light.

*****When I light your candle please light those next to you and if your at the end of the row… light those behind you

Next ROW

Today as we light this Candle… this is a visual reminder of how God lights up the darkest skies… to signal our way home to him…

He does not want anyone to be shipwrecked by life… and lights the way back to him

He leaves no one stranded at sea in darkness - the are only those who chose to ignore the light.

Last ROW

When Christ was born…. BEHOLD…. the LIGHT of God entered the world…

and Becuase we have Jesus in our life.. we too can bring the LIGHT of Christ to others in the world…

WOULD YOU STAND and sing with us… as we BEHOLD the LIGHT…

CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Connect Card + Next Steps

Speach

Midweek

No Midweek on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31

Enjoy the Holiday’s with your famaily.

We are doing something very special this next week. We are calling it…

Sabbath Sunday

Next week is Sabbath Sunday.

We will not be having normal services, but we will be equipping you, your friends and families to share Sabbath Sunday together

You will notice a downloadable sabbath guide & Video link in the Church Center app - its also on the backside of this weeks notes.

We’re also inviting you to take communion with your family as a part of Sabath Sunday so feel free to grab the communion elements on the way out.

If your single, and you don’t want to celebrate alone… gather some friends for breakfast or lunch and Sabath together.

January 4

Will be our 1st service of the year…

We will only be having one service at 10AM that day.

Lastly.. as you head out today…

You can, put the candles in the buckets…on your way out.

Be sure to enjoy our Hot Cocoa Bar

God Bless and… have a very merry Christmas…

So today… if you do NOT know Jesus as your Lord and Savior today is your day…

Salvation Altar Call

I believe Jesus is here today, and He wants to save you. Salvation simply means to deliver or to free. It’s not just about delivering you…

It’s about believing

Believing in Jesus means trusting what He say’s—about sin, and eternal punishment, thats the bad news.

The good news is this… that His death on the cross paid the penalty for our sins, making us right with God.

Ephesians 2:8 reminds us: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Salvation requires two things:

1. God’s Grace—His undeserved gift of forgiveness and life because of His love for you.

2. Faith—placing your trust in Him for salvation.

If you’ve never asked Jesus to save you, today is your day. If you’d like ask him… , raise your hand.

I want to invite you to Repeat a prayer after me

· There is nothing magical in this prayer.. it simply is a way of declaring to Jesus what has taken place in your heart.

Here is how I would like to end the service for everyone else….

Call to Action Altar Call

We’re going to end the service with A question as we do nearly every week.

ALL ACROSS THE ROOM – HAS THE HOLY SPIRIT spoken to you in anyway today?

Going Deeper

What stuck out to you the in these verses? Isa 7:14, Jn 8:12

Where am I experiencing disorientation in my life? Ps 119:105

Where do you go for safe harbor Ps 19:7-8

Do you want to be reconciled today? Jn 8:12, Rm 3:23, Rm 6:23, Rm 10:9

What might the Holy Spirit be saying to you in light of this teaching?

How might the Holy Spirit want to transform you in light of this teaching?

What actions might the Holy Spirit want to take in light of this teaching?

Tongues & Interpretation

1. To STRENGTHEN the Church (1 Cor14:5)

For prophecy is greater than SPEAKING in TONGUES, unless someone interprets what you are saying so that the whole church will be STRENGTHENED.

Believers, God has operated through this gift today to strengthen you today. Let your faith be strengthened and know that God is in control and using supernatural measures to speak to us.

2. Is a SIGN for unbelievers. (1Cor. 14: 21a, 22)

1 Corinthians 14:21–22 (ESV)

In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers.

22 -  So you see that speaking in tongues is a SIGN, not for believers, but for UNBELIEVERS.

The Bible explains to us God has chosen to use this gift to be a sign for you. A sign for what? It is a sign of his realness for those of you who have been doubting or questioning the existence of God. He wants you to know he is REAL and he wants to bring you spiritual life and health. If you're in here today and you don't know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior... he wants you to know he has gone to great lengths to show you his love today. (Great opportunity for a salvation altar call if it fits).