The Light Has Come!

I've heard about this baby boy Who's come to earth to bring us joy And I just want to sing this song to you It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth The minor fall, the major lift With every breath I'm singing Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah

(HCSB) — 14 The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

I've heard about this baby boy Who's come to earth to bring us joy And I just want to sing this song to you It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth The minor fall, the major lift With every breath I'm singing Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah

A couple came to Bethlehem Expecting child, they searched the inn To find a place for You were coming soon There was no room for them to stay So in a manger filled with hay God's only Son was born, oh Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah

The shepherds left their flocks by night To see this baby wrapped in light A host of angels led them all to You It was just as the angels said You'll find Him in a manger bed Immanuel and Savior, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah

A star shown bright up in the east To Bethlehem, the wisemen three Came many miles and journeyed long for You And to the place at which You were Their frankincense and gold and myrrh They gave to You and cried out Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah

I know You came to rescue me This baby boy would grow to be A man and one day die for me and you My sins would drive the nails in You That rugged cross was my cross, too Still every breath You drew was Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah

John 1:14 HCSB

The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Tonight across the world Christians are celebrating the birth of Christ.  They are doing so with carols and pageants, candles, and communion.  They are taking time as are we to sit quietly during a busy season and remember the meaning of Christmas.

Tonight across the world Christians are celebrating the birth of Christ.  They are doing so with carols and pagents, candles, and communion.  They are taking time as are we to sit quietly during a busy season and remember the meaning of Christmas.

When I was in school there was a big push to Keep Christ in Christmas, the dreaded, one dare not write Merry Xmas to save space, because that meant you were somehow denying Christ.  Every year there was a poster contest, students across the state would draw, paint, color, posters separated by grade with one rule.  They had to say Keep Christ in Christmas.  If your poster was chosen it was displayed at the local mall.   One year my poster was chosen, we made the trek to the mall to see it and get a picture of me standing beside my poster.  Warm and fuzzy right.  But like so many things that happen in the world of Christianity we missed the point.  No one seemed to bother doing the research about Xmas in the first place, no one took time to find out that it was first used in the 1500’s that X is the Greek letter Chi and the first letter in Xpiotos or Christ, the mas was the old English word for mass, Xpian and Xtian have been used in place of the formal word Christian as well. 

Christians lose focus so easily, it’s easier at times to be offended than to attempt to understand, it’s easier to make noise than to sit quietly and listen, easier to get caught up in the business of Christmas and the busyness of all that has to be done in life especially at this time of year that we forget the purpose.  

Who is the word?

(HCSB) — 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

Immanuel God with us… Jesus God in the Flesh.    Philippians tells us what we are supposed to do and remember, something that should inform our celebration of the Birth of Christ.  

(HCSB) — 5 Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. 7 Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, 8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross. 

(Sing Mary Did you Know)

Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water? Mary did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters? Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new? This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you

Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man? Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand? Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod? When you kiss your little baby, you kiss the face of God

Mary did you know? Mary did you know? Mary did you know? Mary did you know? Mary did you know? Mary did you know? The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation? Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations? Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect lamb? That sleeping child you're holding is the great I am

Mary did you know? Mary did you know? Mary did you know? Mary did you know? Mary did you know? Mary did you know? Oh Mary did you know?

This is what we celebrate tonight.  God wanting to be in relationship with us so much that he was willing to set aside all of the perks and powers that come with being God.  Stepping out of eternity, into a finite human existence( expand on this)

I talk about us being Jesus with Skin to people.  Of living like Jesus,  seeing people with the eyes of Christ, and meeting needs the way Jesus did. This is always intentional.  As we sit here this night, remembering his love and grace and mercy we have an opportunity.  

Tonight we light the candles in our advent wreath and we remember,  We remember the Hope we have in Christ, the Joy that comes from him, giving us strength for the day, the peace that comes when from a mind and heart that focuses on Him, and the Love that caused the gift that we celebrate this night, the love applied to whosoever.  Tonight we light on last candle, the candle the symbolizes the reason we are here.  Tonight we light the Christ Candle, and in doing so symbolically bring the Light of Christ into this space… In a moment we will all light our candles from this candle, a very powerful reminder of the charge we have been given.

(HCSB) — 14 “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. 

As we light our candles we need to go a step beyond accepting what Matthew says 

(HCSB) — 23 See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.” 

Tonight I want us to make this a bit more personal.  As we light our candle and prepare to sing, I want us to realize that God is with Me… God is with Aaron… He is with me throughout may day, when things are great and when things are not, when I do everything right, and when I make mistakes, and fail to be like him.