Candlelight Service
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In your hands, there is a light. That light is practically helping you see though this room is dark. In reality, that light is piercing through the darkness of this room and making it possible for you to see.
“Light” is seen throughout the entirety of Scripture.
Gen. 1 documents the creation of the world. In it, we see the Bible tell us that “darkness was upon the face of the deep and the Spirit of God was hovering above the waters.”
Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
To remedy this, Yahweh God declares the famous utterance, “Let there be light.”
Light comes from God.
Yahweh God brought the first man and woman into the world to walk in this light with Him. In the Garden of Eden, there was a relationship betwen God and man that was full of love and light.
Yet, something changed. When tempted to sin and rebel against Yahweh God… man invited darkness into the otherwise lightened world.
On that day, man lost the light that he had been given by God. From there, man walked in darkness.
The Bible tells us that “…men love the darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil, and darkness conceals the wickedness they enjoy.”
Man was cursed by the darkness of sin, and the repercussions of that curse is death. Death in the body and death of the soul in an eternity in Hell.
From then, every man/woman ever born is born into darkness, and abides in that darkness without the ability to help themselves.
Yet, even on the day that the curse was pronounced… Yahweh promised that there would come one who would stomp out the darkness and bring light.
From there, the Law and Prophets foretold that there would come one who would restore the light that once shown on earth…
6 “I am the Lord. I have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will hold you by your hand. I will watch over you, and I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations,
6 he says, “It is not enough for you to be my servant raising up the tribes of Jacob and restoring the protected ones of Israel. I will also make you a light for the nations, to be my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— whom should I dread?
So who is this light? And how will we know Him when we see Him??
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 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.
Jesus Christ, the babe born in the manger, is the Light of men. God sent His Son, who knew no sin, no darkness, no wickedness… to live amongst the darkness and to pass the test that Adam failed all those centuries ago.
This Christ is the Light of the World
12 Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”
And His purpose in coming is summed up in John 12:46
46 I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me would not remain in darkness.
Every person who has ever lived has been born in the darkness. The darkness of sin permeates your life, and the punishment fro that sin is a eternity in Hell.
But God, in His rich mercy, sent His Son as a light in the darkness. And on Calvary’s hill, He died upon the cross for your sin and mine.
For a brief time, it appeared that the light had been destroyed and stomped out as Christ died, but three days later… The Light shone brighter than ever before when Christ rose from the dead victorious over darkness.
Now, He offers that same victory over darkness to all of those who trust in Him as their Savior. If you believe on Him and confess Him as Lord, He will save you today and bring you into the Light.
Then, and only then, will you have a true reason to celebrate Christmas.
Scripture goes on to teach that we as believers in the Light become bearers of the Light… Eph. 5:8-14
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light—9 for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth
Our light is designed to not be hidden or “private” but to be a light to the world around us. We are called to shine the Light of Christ to the dark world around us.
Finally, we will enjoy an eternity of light spent with the One who is the source of light. In fact, Rev. 21:23 tells us…
23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
Thanks be unto God, Light has come into this darkened world, and this Christmas the greatest thing we can celebrate is not Santa Claus, or Rudolph, or Frosty the Snowman… the greatest cause for celebration is that “He made Him who knew no sin, sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.”
Therefore, let us celebrate… stand to our feet and sing Silent Night.
