A Christmas Eve Message

 

[The following is the message of our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service of Sunday evening, the 24th of December and the 4th Sunday in Advent, 2023, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This celebration included much singing and the sharing of Holy Communion.  A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams.]

In the name of God our Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and His most Holy Spirit, let us worship our Lord.  Let us stand at the foot of His cross, and at the side of His manger cradle.  Let us bow down in humble adoration.  Amen.

14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

--Isaiah 7:14 (KJV)

God spoke to His prophet Isaiah and gave him these words nearly 700 years before the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ…

6 For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of His government and peace

There will be no end,

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,

To order it and establish it with judgment and justice

From that time forward, even forever.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

--Isaiah 9:6-7 (NKJV)

Tonight we celebrate the last day of Advent and the coming of our Lord Jesus by lighting the Christ candle:

Rejoice, you people of God!  Shout Halleluiah, all you believers!  For this day the Word becomes flesh and dwells among us.  In Him is life, and the life is the Light of men.  The Light shines in our darkness, showing us the way to eternal life.

Tonight, the candles of hope, love, joy, and peace all blend their light together to focus our gaze upon the one true Light:  Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Tonight, we celebrate the birth of Him in whom we place all our hopes, who loves us more than life and calls us to love, whose arrival brings great joy to all the world, and who promises a peace that will have no end.  Tonight, we light the candle of Christ to celebrate and honor His birth, and to light our way as we await His return.

Let us pray...  Savior Jesus, You bring hope, love, joy, and peace into this wretched world.  We await Your return when You will gather Your church to Your side and take us home to live with You in peace forever.  As we wait, let us be Your candle of hope, love, joy, and peace that shines throughout the world.  Come, thou long-awaited Jesus, come.  Amen.

From the 2nd verse of the 5th chapter of the prophet Micah’s book…

2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

--Micah 5:2 (NKJV)

The Apostle Luke tells of the birth of Jesus in the 2nd chapter of his Gospel account, verses 1 through 20…

1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

--Luke 2:1-20 (KJV)

Is it appropriate that we observe the last supper our Lord enjoyed on this earth at the same time that we celebrate His birth?  The Gospel of Matthew tells us of wise men who traveled from the east to visit and worship the young child Jesus.  They brought Him gifts of gold, fit for a king; of frankincense, worthy of God; and of myrrh, used to prepare the body of royalty for burial.  So even at Jesus’ birth, His death was recognized and acknowledged.  Just as now, as we celebrate His birth while we remember the great sacrifice He made for us.

Let us pray…  Father God, we come before the table of our Lord Jesus to commemorate His last supper on this earth with His friends.  Not all of us are able to join together physically, yet we are together in Your Spirit.  So Father, in the name of Your Son Jesus, I pray that You bless the elements that Your children have before them, no matter what physical content they might hold.  Bless them to be the body and blood of our Lord when we eat and drink.  Bless them to His remembrance so that we never forget His sacrifice.  And bless us to better service to our Lord.  This we pray in the glorious name of Jesus our Christ.  Amen.

The Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

Father in heaven, we thank You for this bread, not so much for the nourishment it might provide but for what it represents: our Savior’s body broken for us.  May we always remember Him when we eat.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

The body of Christ, broken for you.  Take and eat, in remembrance of Him

In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

Father, as we did for the bread, we thank You also for this juice for what it means to us: the blood of our Lord shed for us.  May we always remember Him when we drink.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

The blood of Christ, shed for you.  Take and drink, in remembrance of Him

Father, we stand in awe of the remarkable sacrifice Jesus made for us, just so we might be saved.  Sometimes we just can’t understand how You could love us so much that You would give us eternal life if we just believe in Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Father, for as often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, may we proclaim our Lord’s death till He comes.  In the glorious name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Just as the light from the Christ candle spreads throughout our sanctuary, the light that is Christ Jesus spreads from one person to the next, one follower to another, and someday, it will encompass the world.  Have no fear - the true Light that is Jesus can never be extinguished.

This is a holy night – the  night of our Savior’s birth.  As we prepare to return to our homes to spend time with our loved ones, let us keep the silence of the night and the peace of our heavenly Father in our hearts.

Go now in peace.  Amen.