The Last Candle - The Birth of Christ
Today is the last Sunday of Advent, in which we recall the life we have in Christ. Again, we light the candles of hope, peace, joy and love .
(Each candle will be lit as the reader speaks)
With this First Candle, we speak of hope - because God keeps his promises to us.
With this Second Candle, we work for peace - because Jesus is the ‘Prince of Peace’ and he calls his children (us) to work for peace in his name.
With this Third Candle, we share joy - because the Holy Spirit fills our hearts and minds with the presence of God.
This Fourth Candle shows love - because Jesus gave everything for us and led us to know the forgiveness of God.
Now we light our last candle (the Christ Candle) to remember the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As the prophets promised so long ago, you have come to us once again; and with the shepherds, we are filled with wonder and amazement.
Luke 2:15-20
“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told to them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”
This is Christ's birthday. As we celebrate it with him, and with all his people everywhere, we hope that we may share in bringing his light into the lives of those around us.
Lord, you come as a tiny, fragile baby; yet we know that you are God and you are with us. May the flame of this candle remind us that you are the light of the world and that if we follow you, we will never walk in darkness, but will have the true light of life.
(Light the white Christ candle now.)
Let us Pray;
O God, we thank you for the wonderful gift of Jesus. Help us, like Mary, to think deeply about what his coming means for us, and like the shepherds, to sing praises because he has come into our world. Help us to spread light and joy and love in the world by the way we live and the things we do and say. Be with us always. Amen.
“Candles of the Lord”
On a snowy, dark, Christmas Eve, little Marie was out on the front porch. The young girl watched as the man came along, lighting each lamp; that hung high over the darkened streets. One by one the man lit the antique lamp-posts, one by one the street lights began to glow in a warm light that seem to fall on everything and everyone in its path.
“Come in, it’s getting cold!” cried mother.
“No, mom,” little Marie said. “Just one more minute.”
“What are you doing out there, looking for Santa?”
“No, Mom! I’m watching the man, poke holes, in the darkness.”
That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown
The baby Jesus came to poke holes in the darkness; for He was, is, and always will be a Candle of the Lord.
In the Scriptures, Light represents goodness, truth, life, love and wisdom; darkness is all, that is, in contrast (to the light) – including ignorance, sin and death.
Because Christ is the Light of all lights, we naturally and logically associate candles, with Christmas.
Through out the Advent Season, we lit 3 purple candles, representing hope, peace and joy. Last week, we lit the pink candle, to remind us of God’s great love, and today, we lit the white candle, to remember the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
All together, these candles make up the light of Christ, which is the Light of the world.
In John 8:12, Jesus says;
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me, will never walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of Life.”
Christ came to live among us, and He was born to a virgin mother, at Christmas Time. He was to be the light of the world.
Before He came, this sinful world was in complete darkness; unaware of how to live a life, worth living - unaware of the Light.
On that night in Bethlehem, the great eastern star shone its bright light down onto Baby Jesus; who then became the Light of all lights.
John 1:5 tells us just how powerful this light is;
“The Light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”
This is not a promise, but one of those absolute certainties. The darkness of evil has never, and will never, overcome God’s light; which is Jesus Christ.
Candles, especially at Christmas, represent and remind us of the Light of the World – the Light of Life.
Way back in Isaiah 49, the Lord’s Holy servant, Jesus, is commissioned.
In verse 6, God says to Jesus;
“You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.”
God commissioned Jesus to bring salvation to, not only the people of Israel, but also to (we) Gentiles. That salvation is the Light of the Gospel - Light of Life.
In John 12:36;
“Put your trust in the light…so that you may become Children of the Light.”
As Christians, we are Christ’s light-bearers, letting His light shine through us. We are the ones that walk the dark streets of this sinful world, lighting the lamp-posts as we go – poking holes in the darkness.
1 Thessalonians 5:5 says this about all of you;
“You are all children of the Light, and Children of the Day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.”
Ephesians 5:8-9 reminds us, of where we came from, and tells us what we should do;
“For you were once darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord. Live as Children of Light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth)…”
“For, though your hearts were once full of darkness, now you are full of Light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it. For this light within you produces only what is good, and right, and true.”
As people filled with Light, our actions should reflect our faith; not just at Christmas, but through out the entire year. You can be an example to follow, for someone, who still, stands, motionless and scared, amidst the darkness. You can help bring radiance to someone’s life.
Isaiah 9:2 tells of those who have been transformed by the Light;
“The people walking in the darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness, a light has dawned.”
That Light is Jesus Christ!
Every candle we see this Christmas, should remind us of those opportunities we are presented with, to share the Light of Christ. And every act of kindness, by you, pokes one more hole in the darkness, of this sinful world. For we - we are Candles of the Lord.
God’s message of hope, was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus, long ago, in that simple stable/manger. The Light that Christ brings is salvation and eternal life; and we, you and I, are Children of that Light – as we continue to poke holes in the darkness.
At this time:
In remembrance of what Christmas is all about, which is the birth of the Christ Child;
In recognition that Jesus is the Light of the World and the Light of Life;
And, as a show of commitment, to being Children of the Light;
I ask each and every one of you, to come forward and light a candle – for we are all Candles of the Lord, and, by our actions this Christmas (and through out the coming year) we will continue to poke holes in the darkness.
Of all the Christmas symbols, candles seems closest, to being of divine nature. A single white candle represents purity and oneness and wholeness.
“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a Holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of the darkness – into His wonderful light.”
All of you can light a white candle, to represent another hole in the darkness. And, you can also light a purple candle to represent that special someone, absent this Christmas.
I ask the adults to help the kids light their candles.
Please come…
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