Bright Bulbs
Notes
Transcript
A new Address
A new Address
The Word became flesh and dwelt 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, and while it may not look like any other Christmas Eve in our memories, it is no less true, in fact I would suggest that the Hope that is intrinsic to this night is more important today than it has been on Christmas Eve’s past.
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.
The word became flesh and lived among us.
Who’s that now?
Who’s that now?
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.
Immanuel God with us… Jesus God in the Flesh. Creator, sustainer of life, the one thing that can truly dispel the darkness, the bleakness, the fear and anxiety and death. Philippians tells us what we are supposed to do and remember, something that should inform our celebration of the Birth of Christ.
Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,
who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God
as something to be exploited.
Instead he emptied himself
by assuming the form of a servant,
taking on the likeness of humanity.
And when he had come as a man,
he humbled himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.
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.
Bright Bulbs
Bright Bulbs
“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. 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. In the same way, let your light shine before others, 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.
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.
