Sermon

Carols by Candlelight

December 20, 2020 Buccleuch Free Church - Sermons

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Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare Him!
Hear heaven and nature sing! Hear heaven and nature sing!
Joy to the earth, the Savior brings! Let men their songs implore!
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains, repeat the sounding joy!
Repeat the sounding joy! Repeat, repeat the sounding joy!
No more let sins and sorrows grow! Nor thorns infest the ground!
He comes to make His blessings flow! Far as the curse is found!
Far as the curse is found! Far as, far as the curse is found!
He rules the world with truth and grace! And makes the nations prove!
The glories of His righteousness! And wonders of His love! And wonders of His love!
The glories of His love!
The glories of His love!
Welcome to a very different Carols by Candlelight here at Buclew.
I'm James the Minister. It's a pleasure to welcome you as part of our Advent season.
Advent, of course, is about waiting and about celebrating.
For us today, we look back on the first coming of Jesus into our world.
And we also look forward, anticipating His return.
Our theme this evening is Jesus, Light of the World.
Our hope is that after darkness, there would be light.
Light. To use the words of Madeleine Longley,
Maybe you have to know the darkness before you can appreciate the light.
This year, it would be true that we have all known darkness.
The darkness of pandemic. The darkness of fear and loneliness.
Of uncertainty.
There is a deep sense in all of us. A longing for hope.
We are weary.
And we want there to be light at the end of the tunnel.
And that, in a sense, takes us to the heart of Advent.
To the heart of Christmas.
It's what the birth of Jesus represents.
To borrow a lyric from one of our Advent hymns.
O come, O come, Emmanuel.
We have this.
O come, bright morning star.
And cheer our spirits.
By your advent here.
Dispel the long night's lingering gloom.
And pierce the shadows of the tomb.
So our hope, as we spend some time together,
is that we'd be encouraged and we'd find joy.
For a little while, we'd be able to push back the darkness.
That we would see Jesus as that true light that God promised,
who has come into the world to save us.
So, wherever you are, grab yourself a hot drink.
Sing out with your friends and your family, whoever you're with.
And enjoy some time of worship together.
Isaiah 9, verse 2 to 7 says,

Isaiah 9:2–7
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.
You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy.
They rejoice before you, as people rejoice at the harvest,
as men rejoice when dividing the plunder.
For as in the day of Midian's defeat,
you have shattered the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.
Every warrior's boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders,
and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness,
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel,
who mourns in lonely exile here,
until the Son of God draws near.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
O come, O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who long ago on Sinai's height,
gave Israel's tribes the holy love,
in cloud and majesty and all.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel
O come, bright morning star and jeep,
our spirits by your advent here,
and hear,
dispel the long night's lingering gloom,
and pierce the shadows of the tomb.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel
O come, strong ye of David, come,
and open wide our heavenly home,
make strength the way that leads on high,
and close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel
O Israel
O little town of Bethlehem
O little town of Bethlehem
O little town of Bethlehem
O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see you lie
Above your deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in your streets is shining
The everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in you tonight
How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heir
No ear may hear his coming
But in this world of sin
Where meek souls will receive him
Still the dear Christ enters in
For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep
The angels keep
Their watch of wandering love
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing
To God the King
And peace to all the earth
O holy child of Bethlehem
Descend to us we pray
Cast out our sin
And enter in
Be born in us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad-tiding stare
O come to us
O come to us
Abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel
Our Lord Emmanuel
Our next reading from Isaiah 49
From Isaiah 49

Isaiah 49:6–7
Verse 6 to 7
Verse 6
He says
It is too small
It is too small a thing for you
To be my servant
To restore the tribes of Jacob
And bring back those of Israel
I have kept
I will also make you a light
For the Gentiles
That you may bring my salvation
To the ends of the earth
This is what the Lord says
The Redeemer and Holy One of Israel
To him who was despised and abhorred by the nation
To the servant of rulers
Kings will see you and rise up
Princes will see and bow down
Because of the Lord who is faithful
The Holy One of Israel
Who has chosen you
Luke chapter 2 verses 28 to 32

Luke 2:28–32
Simeon took him in his arms
And praised God saying
Sovereign Lord as you have promised
You now dismiss your servant in peace
For my eyes have seen your salvation
Which you have prepared in the sight of all people
A light for revelation to the Gentiles
And for glory to your people Israel
Thanks be to God for his word
Silent night
Holy night
All is calm
All is bright
Round yon virgin
Mother and child
Holy infant
So tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night
Holy night
Holy night
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glory streams from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing
Alleluia
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born
Silent night
Holy night
Holy night
Son of God
Love's pure light
God loves pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Son of redeeming grace
Jesus Lord at thy birth
Jesus Lord at thy birth
Jesus Lord at thy birth
Son of God
So have you ever had the sunny southern Christmas?
It can be quite a slightly surreal experience
So we had a couple years ago
We were spending Christmas in the Philippines
So it was one of those moments where it's your 30 degrees every day
But there's inflatable snowmen everywhere
Christmas was spent by the beach eating barbecue food
One time we did do the traditional British Christmas dinner
That was really bizarre
But one of the great memories I have from those trips was
Of being in a group being taught how to make the traditional Filipino parole
And if you don't know what that is
It's the traditional paper star lantern
Actually a really nice family Christmas craft idea if you're so inclined
But it's designed to help folks remember Jesus as the light of the world
To remember from the Christmas story that star leading the wise men from the east towards God's newborn king
But that's not for most of us anyway
Our normal experience, our normal northern Christmas
Is one that takes place in the darkness
And every year about this time we begin to wage war against the darkness
We set our houses and our trees aglow, don't we?
With lights, with candles
And we've really needed that this year
To give us that sense of hope
We want to see light shining in the darkness
And our typical northern Christmas is actually really fitting
Because when we read those key Bible texts about the coming of Jesus
We find that Christmas comes in the darkness
A darkness deeper than the weather
A darkness that speaks to dark circumstances
That speaks of despair
That speaks of a people who are lost morally and spiritually
And needing to find hope
To find hope from God
So let's review just for a few moments
How often this theme of after darkness, light, features
So as John introduces his gospel
As he introduces us to Jesus
We have these words in John 1
In him was life
And that life was the light of all mankind
The light shines in the darkness
And the darkness has not overcome it
Jesus, the creator of all
He enters into his creation
As light in the darkness
And then we have Zechariah
Speaking about the birth of Jesus
Words of prophecy
Speaking of the tender mercy of our God
By which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
To shine on those living in darkness
And in the shadow of death
To guide our feet into the path of peace
So there again is the picture of Jesus coming
Like the sun bringing light and bringing peace
Or Isaiah
Speaking 700 years before the coming of Jesus
Words that we have already heard
The people walking in darkness
Have seen a great light
On those living in the land of deep darkness
A light has dawned
And this darkness for the people in Isaiah's day
Was deep indeed
They were facing exile
From their own country
They were facing the loss of home and place
And most of all
The loss of a living connection
Of relationship with their God
And into their social and moral and spiritual darkness
There is a promise
That a child would come
A child who would come and pierce the darkness
And what a child he would be
As Isaiah goes on in those famous words
For to us a child is born
To us a son is given
And the government will be on his shoulders
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor
Mighty God
Everlasting Father
Prince of Peace
Of the greatness of his government and peace
There will be no end
This child of course is Jesus
He will rule with the power and authority of God
As God
And his rule, his glory, his kingdom
Will grow and keeps on growing
In hearts and lives all around the world
And then again to go to another passage we heard
And we can think of the words of Simeon
Who saw this promised child
As an eight day old in the temple
And Simeon said
For my eyes have seen your salvation
Which you have prepared in the sight of all nations
A light for revelation to the Gentiles
And the glory of your people Israel
Let's think for a moment about the faith involved
In Simeon's life here
Looking at this tiny vulnerable child
And seeing in the baby Jesus
God's Saviour
God's glory
Jesus is the light
As Simeon says
He shines to reveal God's truth to us
He shines to reveal God's glory to us
So that we see the glory of God
In the life of Jesus
We see God's saving love
That love not just for some
But for all who will see and believe
That Jesus is Son of God
And Saviour of the world
Here is Jesus
God's light shining in the world
He created as the eternal Son of God
Who became one of us
He isn't God at a distance
But He's God with us in our tears
In our darkness
Bringing His hope
And bringing His light
But here's a question
How does the light of Jesus
Shine in the darkness?
Well let me encourage you
Perhaps over the holidays
To read one of the Gospels
Matthew, Mark or Luke or John
And there you will discover
The light of the beautiful life of Jesus
You see it in His perfect love
His incredible compassion and mercy
To a whole variety of people that He met
You will hear it in His wisdom
In His truth
You will see it in His servant leadership
And in His self-giving sacrificial love
But we also see the light of Jesus
Shining at the cross
And at the empty tomb
As we come to the cross
We discover that Jesus dies in the darkness
Here is Jesus bearing sin
And shame
And experiencing the judgment of God
For us
For us
Not for Himself
And then we go to Easter Sunday
And we discover Jesus rises in the light
There is victory
And there is new life
On Easter Sunday
To borrow from one of our carols
Light and life to all He brings
Risen with healing in His wings
The great darkness
Is the darkness of sin
That leads to death
And eternal separation from God
And that darkness has been defeated
By Jesus
The light of the world
So that by coming to Him in faith
We can live in His life
And His light
And His love
And His joy
So why does all this still matter today?
Well it matters because we know darkness
We know the darkness of our circumstances
And for some of you I'm quite sure
There is that sense that the darkness
Just will not lift
And there's a sense of despair
There's the deeper darkness
Of living in God's world
Without knowing God
And the hope that He brings
And in response to the darkness
Of our sin and our circumstances
Jesus said
I am the light of the world
Whoever follows me
Will never walk in darkness
But will have the light of life
Maybe for some of us
What Madeline Longley said is true
Maybe we have to know the darkness
Before we can appreciate the light
The light who is Jesus Christ
The Son of God
And the Saviour of the world
Okay, let's pray briefly
Father God
We recognise there is so much darkness
In our world
This has been a difficult year
For so many
We pray for those in our families
Those in our workplaces
And in our community
Who have experienced suffering and loss
Where that darkness will not lift
Lord, we pray for the darkness of despair
And loneliness and fear
That we know in our own hearts
We acknowledge that
And at the same time
We would look to you
For hope and for healing
And for light
And we thank you for Jesus
Your Son who entered into our darkness
Who knew suffering
Who knew what it was to weep and to mourn
To mourn
We thank you that he came
To be our Saviour
To bring light
To bring the love of God
To a hurting world
And we pray that you would help us
To look to him
And to trust in him
And to know life and hope from him
And we pray this in Jesus' powerful name
Amen
So thank you everyone for tuning in
Thanks to everyone who's made it possible
Our musicians
Our reader
Our tech team
And if you want to know more
About Christianity
If you want to know more about the light
That Jesus offers
Please be in touch with us
Through Facebook
Or on our website
And now let's sing
One more time
And again, thanks for joining us
God rest you, Mary, gentlemen
God rest you, Mary, gentlemen
Nothing you dismay
For Jesus Christ our Saviour
Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
From God our Heavenly Father
A holy angel came
The shepherds saw the glory
The shepherds saw the glory
And heard the voice proclaim
That Christ was born in Bethlehem
And Jesus is his name
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Fear not
Fear not, then said the angel
Let nothing cause you fright
Fear not, then said the angel
Let nothing cause you fright
To you is born a Saviour
In David's town tonight
To free all those who trust in him
From Satan's power and might
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
The shepherds at these tidings
Rejoiced in heart and mind
The shepherds at these tidings
Rejoiced in heart and mind
And on the darkened hillside
They left their flocks behind
And went to Bethlehem straightway
This precious babe to find
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
And when to Bethlehem they came
Where Christ the infant lay
They found him in a manger
Where oxen feed on hay
And there beside her newborn child
His mother knelt to pray
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Now to the Lord sing praises
All people in this place
With Christian love and fellowship
And fellowship each other
Now to the Lord sing for the Lord
And let the Christmas festival
And let the Christmas festival
All bitterness displace
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
With joy and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold him, born the King of angels.
O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of Heber.
Glory to God, all glory in the highest, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
Child, for us sinners, poor and in the manger,
We would embrace thee with love and awe.
Who would not love thee, loving us so dearly, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born that happy morning, Jesus, to thee be all glory given.
The Lord.
For us sinners, O come, let us smash, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us bless him, Christ the Lord.
Come with us, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.
the Lord.