2The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
On Christmas Eve we celebrate the light that has come into our world, Jesus Christ brings the light of God's love and grace
Darkness is universally understood. We sense it in war and fear. Even scary movies and our bumbling in the dark looking for a switch. As children we all had a fear of being lost in the dark, unable to make if home and we grow into adults and sometimes, that darkness and those fears are still present. Except now they are no longer child sized, they are adult sized and they are not imagined but real.
But this Jesus makes our lives wonderful, changing us from the inside out. Except we don;t always feel wonderful do we....
It's A Wonderful Life movie - 1947
Starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed
Jimmy Stewart is George Bailey
An average man in many ways who lives as each of us tries to live, reaching out and caring about others as we can.
Things are all well until he faces a crisis in his life.
He will lose his job, his family, end up in prison. Decides that he is worth more dead than alive. He wishes he had never been born
Goes out onto a bridge to end it all.
Is met by his guardian angel; Clarence who shows him all the good he has done in his life.
He saved his brothers life
He stuck up for the little people
Sign on wall - "All that you can take with you is that which you have given away."
Served the community
He was a good father and husband
Angel helps him see what the world would be like without him - the world is different and on one knows him He does not like this world.
Clarence says...Strange isn't it each mans life touches so many others lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole.
What a gift, you had a wonderful life...wouldn't it be a mistake to throw it away
Begs for his life back. His life where people know him and he gets to play a part. Begs for another chance. I want to live again.
Gets that chance, runs home embraces hie family. All of this friends come over and celebrate the gift of life...it's a wonderful ending.
Have you ever felt like life was not so wonderful?
Have you been feeling down-unneeded? Maybe you are here tonight and you as I have had times in your life when you wondered if it was worth it.
Let an angel come to you and stop and think of all those you have helped.
Transition One
What if they all came back, all those in whose lives you have invested come back to show their appreciation?
What if we lined them up right here and they could speak to you.
Can you see their smile, can you hear them say thank you?
If someone is here tonight that helped you, be sure to tell them thank you.
But I want to say thank you for them tonight for every person whom you have ever helped.
But Pastor, I never saved any one's life. I an not very involved in the community. Really I have not lived the wonderful generous life.
Do not let others rob you of your joy. You may not have done it exactly as others thought that you should,
just a little light is all that it takes - a spark of faith within your heart, small as a mustard seed
And suddenly we are standing on holy ground because one of the amazing things about light is that it dispels darkness. The smallest amount of light is infinitely more powerful than massive amounts of darkness. The smallest amount of light turns a dark place into holy ground.
- Have you visited someone in a hospital? Alli in the hospital.. Something else, something sacred, something more going on here. Something else is going on in that room that we only get glimpses of from time to time
- You are at a restaurant of grocery store visiting with a server that you have got the chance to know. They are telling you their story about how they don;t go to church anymore because they got tired of being judged and condemned. You look at them with the most sincere face and tell them the truth. Our church will not treat you this way. You will be welcomed and loved. They know immediately that it is true because the light always dispels the darkness.
- Maybe you went on a mission trip or spent time reaching out to the needy here locally in Kansas City.
- Maybe you have dome to a funeral visitation and stood by a friend in their hour of need. Something happened in such moments and the light goes forth.
- New church start "The Beacon" one little light becomes 5, 10, 25, 50, 75.......100
We have to learn to set aside the negative message and remember how to offer this message just as Children, unencumbered by the cares and worries of this life, are a great source of light - letter from Skylar to Luka
Dear Luca, I wanted to give this to you. This is a story that is so true.
And this is how it goes. A long, long time ago, Jesus was born.
He was born in a manger that was so warm.
Shepherds looked up in the sky, They saw a Angel flying high.
The angel said, "Peace on earth good will to men."
Jesus Christ will forgive our sins.
Three wise men from far and along came and hummed their favorite song.
They brought presents...myrrh, frankincense, and gold.
And that's why we celebrate Christmas. Love, Skylark - At Thanksgiving I asked Olivia what she wanted Santa to bring her. Her reply: "MOM, DID YOU KNOW that Christmas is not about Santa bringing gifts? It's about celebrating the birth of baby Jesus and giving gifts to poor people!" A week later, we were in Barnes and Noble looking for gifts for family members. she said, "Mom, we need to buy a gift just in case there weren't enough. Something that would work for a boy or a girl." She promptly picked out a children's Bible. "In case the needy person didn't know about Jesus."
Transition Two
If you still feel that you would not be missed, well then here is what I must tell you.
The message of the light comes to us and for us. You are forgiven and free. Tonight is your night. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life. You can make a change. Reach out. Help another. Make a difference. Receive and share the love of God and the world will never be the same.
Receive this light of Christ. Giving God's love and amazing grace. This is your chance to live a life of significance. A life filled withe meaning and purpose.
Never underestimate the power of one little light
When you do an act of kindness
You become a part of something bigger than one alone
Your influence goes out into the world for good, exponentially.
The light of Christ was not meant to be balled up in the hearts of Christians or held prisoner within the confines of a church.
It is out there, within you tonight as we speak.
We just have to learn to give it away.
Conclusion
You know that this is the time of the service when the pastor lights his candle and passes it to the ushers, and they pass it around. What if this year, something different happens, what if you have the light out there and you get it out of your pocket and the light begins from you, from places all over the congregation.
A spontaneous combustion of the light of Christ from within the congregation - because we just can't hold it back.
Jesus, the light of the world, can make our lives wonderful.
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