Candle Light Service 12-30-18
Just wondering just start off tonight. Everyone who's over 19 years old raise your hand. Let me know so I picked that number for a reason. I want you to think about for all those that raised your hand. Remember what Christmas was like when you were a kid? Do you remember I mean four weeks you couldn't sleep that you were so excited about Christmas morning. And the worst thing of all was when your parents said you got to go to bed on Christmas Eve. It's the longest night of the year. It's it's one of those things where the clock sometimes goes backwards and you're just waiting and waiting and waiting. I just remember waking up on Christmas morning and the excitement over what's under the tree? And you know when you're looking under the tree you are not looking for the little present. You're not looking for The Oblong present. You're looking for the big box cuz you know, it's something good. It can't be underwear and it can't be socks. So it's got to be good. But then something happened. Happens to all of us grow up. Get older and all the sudden. I don't know things kind of change. don't really have that excitement like you once did and I'm the kind of guy that would rather sleep in and get up early on Christmas day anyway. and presents in that
But you know. I'm going to ask you a personal question. When you become an adult. You see the gifts you yet. They just don't have the exact that they did when you were a kid, Don't you get skunked nothing that you wanted excitement. No flare, but I was hoping this year be different this year. No more getting skunked. I want surprise pizzazz. I stole this from under the tree. for me Let me one that says Christmas is not about presents your fibbing. Let's see there anything good that could possibly be in this wonderful package.
Rape my wife Karen. I'm so happy. Please be a trip to the Bahamas. Please be a trip to the Bahamas. Please be a trip to the Bahamas. Etsy
a gift certificate to Bed Bath & Beyond
Wait a minute. I just I think you for your birthday. You weren't gifted it.
skunk again
gets me everytime. What else I've been waiting for this kids.
Please be a trip to the Bahamas. Please be a trip to Bahamas. Please be a trip. I don't care much for three nights, please.
You can come to my house.
Come on candle of the Month Club.
Come on, wait a minute. I got to read this. You know, it's got to be good. Candle of the month club each month will deliver a new and different selection of handcrafted Artisan candles made from premium waxes and fragrant oils and guaranteed to the light. Even the most Discerning candle lover each shipment contains to high quality 19168 monthly delivery is covered by are unbeatable. They'll love it guarantee their what their guarantee.
Didn't love it. well one more
this one's kind of interesting.
Just God.
I'm not going to ask for the Bahamas. Wonder what's there?
The transfer on for to us a child is born the birth announcement. Great. I have to buy more presents next year for more kids great great great. No, wait a minute. The Virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him Emmanuel. Which means god with us.
What is the skip that God has given?
John 316 goes on to say for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life for God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through him. I think the problem for many of us today. We can be kind of selfish like me. We make it about the presents. We make it about the dinners. We make it about the functions. We do about the the time we get together. We wanted to be perfect. Then you had family to that and it messes everything up. but the truth is
I think a lot of us are a little cynical. What's a baby going to do? What what is it when you think about celebrating Christmas and you just think about a child being born? What can a child do besides disrupt lives make it hard on parents it exactly that any child can do.
She 2000 years ago in Bethlehem. This child was different. This child wasn't like you and I this was a child.
It was both God and man. Enable to do and accomplish more than we could ever imagine in your personal life. And sometimes Christmas loses focus of the gift from God because we've been skunked so many times by people. We don't shed or expectations very high Christmas to receive anything good. But God is giving to you and to me the greatest gift of all mankind and giving us his son Jesus Christ and you sit back and you go. How is your baby going to accomplish that? well
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this. While we were still sinners. Christ died for us
see the problem with Christmas sometimes is we're stuck with Jesus in the manger. That's the beginning of the story not the end doesn't end there. He goes on to grow he goes on to fulfill what you and I could never do. He came to fulfill the law that God said and it had to be but feel perfectly. Otherwise, there's judgment and I'm sorry to saying scripture say ancient every one of us has fallen short of the glory. Therefore. We're stuck on Christmas morning. God said, you're no longer stuck. I'm going to take care of this for you. I'm going to give you what you really need on the very first Christmas. My son my son. He came to set us free.
We see the scriptures aren't done yet. You see on Christmas. We like to think of the Jolly ho ho ho. But when you see the Christ child who was born with one purpose in mind and that was to go to the cross.
He bore he himself bore our sins in his body on the cross so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness by his wounds. We are healed.
In the greatest gift I could ever have is found at the cross. to wear our King wear this crown gave his life so that we can live not be punished, but be set free from sin and death and the promise of Eternity. all wound up in this
God has not skunked us. We just lost focus and maybe just tonight as we light our candles. We sing wonderful Christmas songs. We will be reminded of the gift of the Christ child. We're not going to leave them in the manger. We're going to claim him as Lord of all we are going to say Lord. May I follow you Lord? I Believe In You Lord. I trust you and Christmas will never be the same again.
Cuz you're forgiven. You're forgiven in Christ Jesus. temporary gift I guarantee that something you're not going to return come the next day after Christmas something you want to hold onto and treasure and so I asked if this Christmas Focus On Christ Focus also on the cross because they're all that's been settled and we are free and free indeed join me in a word of Prayer. Your heavenly father Lord, we give you thanks and praise for giving us your son. And I pray that you would grant us all Faith to trust in that gift. I also pray Lord that you would help us to keep focused especially during tonight and tomorrow of the true importance of Christmas. All those other things are fun. There's no doubt. May we remember the real reason for the season Jesus Christ? I pray this all in Jesus name. Amen.
