A Candlelight Service: Jesus The Light Has Come Printable Version
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A Candlelight Service: Jesus The Light Has Come
Text to be read is in this font style. Instructions are in this font style.
Before the service place all the candles on a rail in front of the sanctuary.
Candles needed: a big (tall and large diameter) candle in the center of the rail,
a candle in a metal lantern with small holes,
a candle in a lantern with glass sides,
a candle in a simple clay pot (about the same height as the pot),
a nice taper candle in a fancy holder,
a small simple candle in a small very plain holder,
a set of candles on a fancy multiple candle holder,
a votive candle in a regularr votive type of holder,
an advent wreath with the five candles in the front center
to the front and side a large table filled with candles, have a lighter or two at the table
One to five readers are needed, it has a good effect if they read from off stage
A person is needed to light the candles on cue.
Communion needs to be prepared, if you include that part of the service.
Please email me your feedback on this service will help me to evaluate and improve it. Thank you.
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society. (http://www.ibs.org/)
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Welcome
Prelude: darken the sanctuary
Have this reading done from a side room: (the sanctuary is dark!)
The Gospel of John introduces Jesus Christ this way: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.”{John 1:1 - 9} (light big center candle)
Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount: “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.”{Mathew 5:14 -16}
Unfortunately even though many Christians do hide their light under a bucket they are like a lantern with lots of solid metal and some holes to let the light out. The light shines but it is dim. (light candle in a metal lantern with small holes) Instead since the world is so dark and needs the light so badly Christians need to have their lives polished to reflect Christ's light and clean to let his light shine brightly through them guiding people to Christ without hindrance. (light candle in a lantern with glass sides).
Some Christians are like plain clay pots and the light of Christ shines from them. (the candle in a simple clay pot is lit.)
Some Christains are viewed as important because they are “special” and in fancy holders and the light of Christ shines from them. (the candle in the fancy holder is lit.)
Some Christans are not thought of as important and the light of Christ shines through them.(a small candle is lit.)
Some Christians are loud and outgoing and the light of Christ shines through them. (the candles on the fancy multiple candle holder are lit.)
Some Christians are quiet and shy and the light of Christ shines through them.(the votive candle is lit.)
The important thing is not our shape, vocation, age, or personality but the fact that the light of Christ shines through each of us. As a Christain each of you has the light of Christ within you and together our small individual lights form a bright light in this dark world.
Now bring up the sanctuary lights enough so that people can read the hymns. Keep it dim enough so that the various candles are still seen to light up the front of the sanctuary. This might take some experimenting ahead of time.
Sing: Silent Night, Holy Night
Tonight we remember that fact that in Jesus Christ, God the Son, light came and penetrated this world. Advent celebrates that fact with the lighting of each advent candle.
We light the Advent candle of Hope to remind us that all hope is dependent on Jesus Christ, the Messiah, Whose coming the Prophets looked forward to.
The Reading on Hope: (attachment)
Light the first Advent Candle (light the back right Candle)
Sing: To Us A Child of Hope Is Born
We light the advent candle of Peace to remind us that the only real peace comes from Jesus Christ!
The Reading on Peace: (attachment)
Light the second Advent Candle (light the front right Candle)
Sing: Hark, The Herald Angels Sing
We light the Advent Candle of Joy to remind us of the joy of our salvation in Jesus Christ.
The Reading on Joy: (attachment)
Light the third Advent Candle (light the back left Candle)
Sing: Good Christian Men Rejoice
We light the Advent Candle of Love to remind of God's great love in coming to us.
The Reading on Love: (attachment)
Light the fourth Advent candle (light the front left Candle)
Sing: Away In A Manger
We light the Christ Candle to remind us that Jesus Christ, God the Son, The Light of the world came into the world and through faith has come into our lives.
The Reading on the coming of Christ and light: (attachment)
Light the Christ Candle (light the center Candle)
Sing: Joy To The World
On the table are candles that represent the light of Christ you can bring into this world. During the Duet “Light a Candle” Light one of the candles on the table if you want to say yes I want my light to shine for Jesus. Please light them starting with the back row of candles. Note: you can substitute a similiar song if you wish
Duet: Light a Candle
If you have a Christmas tree with lights in the room this is a good moment to turn on its lights if you desire.
Jesus Christ, God the Son, came into this world out of love for you and me. He came to die for my sins and yours. He came that you and I might know the hope, peace, joy, and love of living a life in Him. He came that his light would shine in and through each one of us. Christmas looks forward to the cross and the empty tomb. Because of that it is imporatnt that we reflect on the whole story through celebrating the Eucharist together.
Communion
Sing: O Holy Night
Thank you all for sharing this special service. Have a joyful and blessed Christmas as you take the light of Christ into your corner of the world.
Benediction
Heavenly Father, You have made this a special holy night for us by the coming of Jesus Christ, God the Son, The Light into our world and our lives. Through him your hope, peace, joy and love have been made real in our lives not just for tonight but each moment we live with you. Cause his light to shine brightly in and through our lives. Enable our lives to shine for you into this dark world even more brightly than these candles shine in the darkness of this night. Bless and sanctify our celebration of Christmas and every day from this time on. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ A Men.
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Reading on Hope: Advent Candle #1
The Christmas story portrays our great hope: God’s presence and love with us! Reflect on the hope God stirred up as these portions of the Christmas story are read.
… God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”
“I am the Lord's servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her. {Luke 1:26 – 38}
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” which means, “God with us.”
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. {Matthew 1:18 – 25}
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. {Luke 2:1 – 20}
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Reading on Peace: Advent Candle #2
That first Christmas: …a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." {Luke 2:13 – 14}
Jesus told his Disciples and us: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I not give to you as the world gives. Do not your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” {John 14:27}
The Apostle Peter preached saying: “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.” {Acts 10:36}
The Apostle Paul writes: “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;” and “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” {Romans 8:6 and Galatians 5:22 – 23}
God tells us through the Prophet Isaiah: “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” {Isaiah 26:3 – 5}
Every Christian can have this indescribable gift of peace guard their hearts and minds, because Jesus Christ the Light came into this world.
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Reading on Joy: Advent Candle #3
The Magi responded with joy as they saw God guide them into the presence of Christ: “After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.” {Matthew 2:9 – 10}
Jesus told his Disciples and us: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in and that your joy may be complete.” … “Until now you have not asked for anything in name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy be complete.” … “I am coming to you now, but I say these while I am still in the world, so that they have the full measure of my joy within them.” {John 15:11; 16:24; 17:13}
The Apostle Peter writes about our joy: “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” {1 Peter 1:8 – 9}
Remember this joy is also a gift from God to each believer through Jesus Christ.
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Reading on Love: Advent Candle #4
The Old Testament tells us about God’s love, one example is: “The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” {Jeremiah 31:3}
Jesus tells us that Love is behind his coming: “For God so loved the world that he gave his and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world condemn the world, but to save the world him. {John 3:16 – 17}The Apostles John and Paul write of God’s love for us: “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. “ … “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. … “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” … “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.” {1 John 3:1; Romans 5:8, 8:35 – 39; 1 John 4:16}
Rejoice in the love God has for you and pass it on to others this Christmas.
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Reading on Light: The Christ Candle
The Prophet Isaiah says of this: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. {Isaiah 9:2}
The Apostle John introduces Jesus Christ this way: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. {John1:1 – 14}
Jesus says of himself: … “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” … “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” … “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” {John 8:12; 12:35 – 36, 46}
As Paul writes this light is now within every Christian. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. {2 Corinthians 4:6}
Written by Rev. Daniel B. Baker
Webmaster: Joseph I. Baker