Candlelight Christmas Eve Service (2023)
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Welcome everyone.
Thank you for coming a joining us tonight.
Introduction
This is our very first candlelight service. My hope is that this service will help us prepare our hearts for Christmas, to separate us from the chaos of this world for a short time so we can focus on Christ.
I would like to begin by reading the Christmas story from the gospel of Luke:
Luke 2:1–7 “Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Have the kids come up to sing:
SONG 1: Away in a Manger
ADVENT
The four Sundays leading up to Christmas are called ADVENT which means: coming. Each Sunday a different candle is lit representing one of the themes of advent. Tonight we will light them all including the Christ candle which is to be lit on Christmas Day.
HOPE: The first candle we will light tonight is the candle which represents hope And is also called the prophecy candle. Woven throughout the OT was prophecy after prophecy about God ending a deliverer to His people. All hope is found in the promises of God, we cling to these as we walk throuhg this world. hope that God would send a deliver for His people.
Light the candle
Isaiah 8:22–9:1 “Then they will look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be driven away into darkness. But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.” The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them. You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; They will be glad in Your presence As with the gladness of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian. For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire. For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. “There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.”
SONG “King of Kings”
2) PEACE: The coming of Jesus was not just about hope, but it was also about peace. The second candle is also called the Bethlehem candle and represents the peace that Jesus brings. The prophet Micah said Jesus is our peace.
Light the Candle
⇒ It is the shed blood of Jesus on the cross that provides peace between God and humanity:
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ro. 5:1).
“For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us” (Ep. 2:14).
“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Col. 1:20).
⇒ Jesus instills peace in the heart, soul, and mind of every believer—a peace that Sue passes all understanding, a perfect peace that transcends the circumstances and sufferings of this life:
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (Jn. 14:27).
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33).
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Ph. 4:7).
⇒ Christ’s Spirit and the new life He gives to us establishes peace and unity between all who truly follow Him and become a part of His church:
“And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one” (Jn. 17:22).
“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another” (Ro. 12:5).
⇒ And we look forward to the day when Jesus’s rule will establish peace between all nations:
“He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire” (Ps. 46:9).
SONG “O Little Town of Bethlehem”
3) JOY: The third candle we will light is the candle that represents joy. this is also referred to as the shepherds candle.
Joy is not like happiness, for happiness depends upon our circumstances. Joy is something that only Christ can give and cannot be taken away by the things of this world.
Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” The same joy that Jesus has is available to every one of us.
Luke 2:8-11 “In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
SONG: O come all ye faithful
4) LOVE: The fourth candle that we will light is the Love candle also known as the angel’s candle. Love is very significant in scripture because the Bible tells us that God is love. But even more so, it was love that motivate God to send His only begotten Son to the world to die for our sins.
John 3:16–17 ““For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”
John 15:13 ““Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”
And the Lord tells us: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” (John 13:34)
SONG:
5) CHRIST CANDLE: The final candle we will light is the advent candle. Normally the candles would be different colors, and this final one would be the only white candle which represents the purity of Jesus the Christ. It is this candle that is in the center of the circle and represents the true light that Jesus brought into the world which enlightens every one who receives him.
John 1:8–17 “He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John *testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ ” For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”
Light a candle from the Christ candle and pass the light on
SONG: Silent Night
Closing Prayer