CHRISTMAS, A TIME FOR LIGHTS (1 OF 2)
by Jeff Strite
Scripture: John 1:6-9
This content is part of a series.
Christmas, A Time For Lights (1 of 2)
Series: God's Action Plan
Jeff Strite
John 1:6-9
OPEN: A Nashville grandfather took his four-year old grandson out in the woods to select a Christmas tree. They tramped all over, but the boy couldn't find a tree that suited him. Finally, it began to get dark and cold, and the grandfather shook his head and said: ''We'll HAVE to take the next tree.'' he said flatly.
The boy looked up in bewilderment: ''Even if it doesn't have any lights either?''
It's a little wonder that boy was confused… Christmas is a time of lights. It's said that about 500 years ago, Martin Luther lit the first ''Christmas tree''. Granted he used candles - which was a bit unsafe - but from that day on people lit candles in their homes to decorate for the season.
Then, in 1895, someone invented the first Electric Christmas tree lights.
Now, all thru December, the evenings will be lit up as homes, businesses, and city streets fill the night with beautiful colored lights and decorations. Some communities even have competitions to see who can put up the prettiest and most colorful light displays.
And that seems fitting - because the Birth of Christ was also decorated with lights.
· There were the Angels who lit up the night for the Shepherds.
· And the Star in the East which led the Wisemen to find Jesus.
Christmas is a time of lights. And that's only right… because Jesus is the light of the world.
That's what it tells us here in John 1.
John 1:4-5 ''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.''
In John 8:12 Jesus… said, ''I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.''
And again in John 12:46 Jesus declared ''I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.''
That's what the prophets had predicted about the coming Christ:
Malachi 4 ...
Series: God's Action Plan
Jeff Strite
John 1:6-9
OPEN: A Nashville grandfather took his four-year old grandson out in the woods to select a Christmas tree. They tramped all over, but the boy couldn't find a tree that suited him. Finally, it began to get dark and cold, and the grandfather shook his head and said: ''We'll HAVE to take the next tree.'' he said flatly.
The boy looked up in bewilderment: ''Even if it doesn't have any lights either?''
It's a little wonder that boy was confused… Christmas is a time of lights. It's said that about 500 years ago, Martin Luther lit the first ''Christmas tree''. Granted he used candles - which was a bit unsafe - but from that day on people lit candles in their homes to decorate for the season.
Then, in 1895, someone invented the first Electric Christmas tree lights.
Now, all thru December, the evenings will be lit up as homes, businesses, and city streets fill the night with beautiful colored lights and decorations. Some communities even have competitions to see who can put up the prettiest and most colorful light displays.
And that seems fitting - because the Birth of Christ was also decorated with lights.
· There were the Angels who lit up the night for the Shepherds.
· And the Star in the East which led the Wisemen to find Jesus.
Christmas is a time of lights. And that's only right… because Jesus is the light of the world.
That's what it tells us here in John 1.
John 1:4-5 ''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.''
In John 8:12 Jesus… said, ''I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.''
And again in John 12:46 Jesus declared ''I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.''
That's what the prophets had predicted about the coming Christ:
Malachi 4 ...
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