Candlelight Service Christmas eve 2005
Candlelight Service –Christmas Eve 2005
Welcome- introduce our service-
A. a time of cleansing to prepare us to worship almighty God tonight
B. this evening, though short in duration, is a reverent time –a commemoration.
C. It should and can be a time of heartfelt praise and genuine worship of almighty God.
D. It should be a time of personal thanksgiving –dear friends- of the true Christmas gift from God- our savior Jesus the Christ-whereby we can be cleansed from our sins and made right with God himself forever!
E. It is as well a time of personal mediation on this things-let not yourself be distracted.
Cleansing Prayer time- (on our knees) this is a time to clear your hearts of any known sin- of clearing your minds of distracting thoughts for the next little time while we turn our hearts and minds to worship God.
Pastor finishes with oral prayer offering our selves this night to God.
The reading of the Christmas story- Luke 2 (brother Tom McCrary)
Prayer of thanks for coming to the earth to die for us- call on men of the church.
Communion [men come automatically to the front after the prayer]
I Corinthians 11- Communion served
Light Ceremony
I. Pastor lights The Lord’s Servants candles
II. The Lord’s Servants distribute light to each row & Return
III. Each person lights the candle next to them
IV. After all are lit- pastor continues
MESSAGE - recall the story of the Philippian jailer – who had received Paul and Silas the magistrates in Philippi beat them thoroughly because of their testifying in that city- handed them over to the jailer –who cast them in the inner prison to keep them secure. He left them In chains. Let us take up the story there in verse 25…..
Acts 16:25-34 -25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
Notice the first light he called for- he used it to see his way to the everlasting light- in a sense –that light represents us as believers –we are used as an earthly light to light the way to Christ. The unsaved will use us in this fashion- it is God’s plan to lead the unsaved to him.-by fellow saved ones.
Christ is the Light of this world –the work he did in us has made us the light to guide others to Christ. He is still the light- but we are the eathly lights that lead those in darkness to Christ –the everlasting light-so they too will have the everlasting light that we have in Christ Jesus. He has made us his lights for a purpose- to lead others in this dark place to Him!
John 1:6-10 -6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
John 8:12 12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
2 Corinthians 4:4 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Ephesians 5:8-8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Luke 8:16 - 16 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.
Matthew 5:14 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Matthew 5:16 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
[prayer of dedication]-extinguish all candles- Men collect them