Bullets for the Battle

Christmas

Opening
Lighting of the candles to the playing of The Light of the World is Jesus.

Meditation
The Light of the World

Jesus was born to a Jewish family who was of the “house and lineage” of David, the great king of Israel. He was Jewish, the King of the Jews, and came to the Jews as he said on several occasions. But he also came for the rest of us as the scripture we will look at today shows. Sometimes the magnitude of including gentiles as equal partners in the worship of God gets lost after so many years of Christian worship. The following story reminds us of how revolutionary the message of Jesus really is.

Sandra Edster tells of how her eldest daughter began a family tradition when she brought a very unusual element to the family nativity scene. When she was little, Regena had a favorite small ceramic pig. Sandra had carefully set out her handmade nativity and was surprised to find Regena’s pig sitting beside the manger looking at the baby. She thought, “What, a pig in a Jewish stable? You wouldn’t have found any pigs there!” She was going to remove the little pig when a wonderful insight from God spoke to her – “Aren’t we gentiles the pigs in that Jewish stable? I’m THAT pig!”

The Gospel, the Good News, came to all people but it came first to the Jews. It was to His people that Jesus, the Light of the World first shown. Let us consider the meaning of that Light as we celebrate Christmas.

In the Biblical account the light came to the shepherds at night, in the dark. In the history of Israel, the Light came in the dark of occupation by the pagan, gentile Romans. In the lives of sin darkened men the Light of the World still comes!

The Gospel of John opens with a great theological statement about the coming of the Light. As you listen to the scripture consider what it means to know the Light, to show the Light, to be one with the Light!

Scripture
John 1:1-18 (New King James)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.' " 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

Hymn
Join us as we sing (some good choices):
Good Christian Men Rejoice
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
One Day

Prayer
Please pray that each of us will walk in the Light of Jesus to the Glory of the Heavenly Father not only at Christmas but every day of the year.

Closing
The Candles remain lit until the end of the service when the person who lit them blows them out.

Blessings to you and yours this glad Christmas day from all of us at Ventures for Christ.