Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
December 24, 2006
The Properties of Light
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” John 3:19-21
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
I John 1:7
Tonight, I want to tell you about the properties of light. Most of these you will agree are plain common sense. My hope is you will leave with a better understanding of the light in scripture.
First, light reveals what was hidden in the dark. The carpet and furniture in my house looks really good until you turn the light on. The light will show the spots in the carpet and it will show the dust and flaws in my furniture and will, in general, show me where I need to clean.
A prominent pastor in the Valley shared his past one day in Bible study. He referred to the passage in John 3:19-21. Before he came to Jesus as Lord he would visit bars in the area to drink his troubles away.
One bar in particular was his favorite because it was cool, dark, and generally very quiet. Along with the alcohol he could get a cheese burger. It was cooked on a griddle that gave it a special flavoring. The grease combined with a thick slice of cheese on a butter bun made it a fantastic lunch. After he came to Christ he would frequent the same bar and get that burger, but instead of alcohol he would get a coke. He would visit with some of the people he knew a share with them his new found relationship in Christ.
One Saturday he decided to take his wife to get one of the famous hamburgers. When they arrived he noticed that the normally darkened windows were cleaned of the dark shading. They walked in and discovered the inside well lit. He asked the owner and the owner explained they were doing some remodeling. He also asked if he and his wife would like two cheese burgers and two cokes. Pastor said yes and went to his usual table.
As they sat and visited he began to notice the condition of the bar. He could now see the dirt and grime on the floor. He also noticed that the tables were not particularly clean. In the light he could see the cook’s area and noticed that the grill had not been cleaned of anything for what looked like months. He saw dead cock roaches on the floor. The place literally was disgusting in the light. In the darkness he had noticed nothing but the light revealed all of the filth in the place. When the burgers arrived he was no longer hungry and as he lifted the glass to his lips he noticed that the bottom had not been cleaned. It had what looked like a crusted milk ring at the bottom. Needless to say he politely paid his bill, said goodbye. He left never to return.
Had anything changed from all those years before? Not really, but the light revealed a filthy, sticky, cock roach infested, disgusting place. The light revealed all of the filth. The light found in Jesus came into the world so we might see our filth.
Light is also used as a standard of measure. Light travels at 186,000 miles per second. A light year is the distance light travels in a year. It is use on sci-fi movies but also used in astronomy to measure the immense distances of the universe. From what I understand light is a very accurate unit of measure.
When I spent those weeks in rehab to recover from the stroke I could only watch a small TV in the room next to the bed. The small 9" set would only get 4 channels.
Every afternoon I would be physically and mentally exhausted from therapy and side effects of the stroke. I couldn’t move any part of my left side. It was as though someone took a marker and drew a line down the middle of my body from top to bottom. Everything on the right was great, everything on the left no longer existed.
I fell into a routine that consisted of 2-4 p.m. being TV time. I would watch one program; Jerry Springer. This was before he had gotten pornographic. I would watch these individuals argue, fight, backstab, betray, and those were the immediate family members. I took great satisfaction thanking God that I had not grown up that way or experienced those behaviors I witnessed on TV. I guess you could say I was using them as a measuring stick that was so low it helped me feel better even though I had suffered a stroke.
We all have a tendency to look at our behavior this way. But the light of the World shows us we are not even close to perfect. We are all sinners in need of the savior.
There is a third property of light. Light can show you the way. One summer as a kid I went into the woods with my cousins. One was older and one was younger. Stevie Joe was 2 years younger and Jerry was already in his teens, about 6 years older. Jerry decided to keep out after dark and then slip away leaving us alone in the pitch black woods.
Well he did. There we were, unable to see our hand in front of our faces and no one looking for us. We were terrified. Every sound became deadly; the rustle of leaves was a copperhead or water moccasin and any step, even our own echo enough that we thought we were being follow by a bear or a madman.
After we had stopped crying, we finally looked around. Off in the distance there was a faint glow of a light. We didn’t know where it was or how we would survive to get there but we started walking. Finally after what seemed like hours we came out of the edge of the woods to see our grandpa’s house.
We didn’t walk we ran to the house to find Jerry, sitting by the pot bellied stove laughing with the uncles that were there. When we told on him, with streams of tears coming down our faces, he got a whoopin. No a spanking, a good ole fashion whoopin with a stripped down tree branch he had to cut himself. Justice was done swiftly and harshly. We felt much better after that.
We would have never found our way in the dark had it not been for that ever so small light. Amazing, in the midst of all that darkness that one lamp in the window of the house led the way. The light Jesus does the same for us today. Jesus said,
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
Through Jesus Christ, the light of the world, we have a path to follow. He is our Light. Like Tom in the bar, let the Light, Jesus, show you the way. If you have not accepted\or followed Jesus as Lord of your life and would like to tonight, follow me in this simple prayer.
Sinners Prayer
For those of you who know Jesus Christ as Lord, whether for years or just now, allow Him to lead our lives every step of the way like that light did me in the woods. He desires to lead you in such a way that your life will begin to resemble His. You become the light to the world as you follow Him.
We are going to light every candle in this entire church from this one large candle that we have selected to represent Jesus. I am gong to light my candle. I am then going to light one deacon candle. He is then going to share the light with another. They are going to come to one end of your aisle and light that person’s candle.
Share your light one at a time until all of the candles are lit. This entire room will be dark except for this one candle representing Jesus, the Light of the world.
At the end my hope is you will see how we as believers are to carry the message of salvation, of the Light that came into the world to every. Tonight each one will reach one with the light. We as a church are to go to our homes, our jobs and our neighborhoods with gospel in order that the light might be spread.
Lights off, Wait, Then Light Candle From Christ Candle
Look around the room at the beautiful glow on everyone’s face. This represents so beautifully what happens when Jesus comes into your life. Before there was darkness now there is light.
We would be remiss if we kept the light in this building. Our task is to let our Light shine before others. We are going to sing He Is Lord and slowly walk out side to the parking lot. Everyone in the neighborhood and driving past will see our lights shining. May your life and light so shine before others that they see your good works and glorify God.
He is Lord
Proceed to the parking lot and sing "Happy Birthday to Jesus"
