Isaiah 9:1-7 “Light in the Darkness”

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

Our passion is to experience and express grace.

Join us.

Kids, we get to talk together this morning.

If you'll join me up here on the stairs, we're going to talk for just a couple of minutes.

Good morning.

Is anybody up here excited for Christmas?

Do you like Christmas?

Oh, y'all like Christmas, huh?

Is that fun?

I'm excited for Christmas.

I really like Christmas a lot.

Here's what we're going to do this Christmas, okay?

This is December the 1st.

Every Sunday in December, we're going to come up here on these stairs and talk about Christmas

together, okay?

And we're going to talk especially about one thing each week that kids love about Christmas.

So you're going to have to help me with some things that you love about Christmas.

I really am having a hard time thinking of anything.

But we're going to celebrate Christmas because when we celebrate Christmas, we're celebrating

Jesus' birth, aren't we?

Isn't that?

We're going to talk about how these things that we love about Christmas teach us about

Jesus.

What do you think we might should talk about today?

Hey, James, how are you?

Hey, man, you want to sit with us?

Will you sit with me?

Awesome.

Perfect.

I brought some of these things this year.

Do y'all know what these are?

What are they?

Lights.

Lights.

Does anybody see any other Christmas lights in this room anywhere?

Yeah, there are some on the trees.

That's good.

There's another kind over there.

You can't see it very well, but do you see the candles?

One of them has a little light at the top of it that Miss Allison lit earlier.

Candles are special kinds of Christmas lights.

There are even some fun Christmas lights on Pastor Will's socks.

That's exciting, huh?

Yeah, yeah.

Christmas lights everywhere.

Are there some up there on the screen?

Yeah.

Yeah.

All over the place, lots of Christmas lights.

Who likes to look at Christmas lights?

Me.

Yeah, me too.

Every year, my family either goes and drives around to look at them or sometimes walks through

to see Christmas lights.

And here's what I want you to think about.

When you see Christmas lights, I want you to remember that Jesus is the light of the world.

Did you hear Miss Lindsay just sing that?

The light of the world, glory to the light of the world.

Why is it so important that Jesus is the light of the world?

Because without light, it's dark.

Dark.

And if it's dark, we can't see anything, can we?

Well, except for very light things.

Well, that's true.

Only if there's light can we see in the dark, right?

Yeah.

And so Jesus comes.

Jesus comes to help us see God.

To help us know what God is like.

To know how much God loves us.

And those are really important things that we need, aren't they?

Isn't it awesome that Jesus comes to give us light so that we can know who God is and

how he loves us?

See, Jesus is a light that never goes out, isn't he?

So that when you trust him, you're never going to be completely in the dark.

You can talk to him anytime.

We call that praying, don't we?

You can ask for his help.

You can trust that he loves you all the time.

So when you see Christmas lights this year, you're going to remember that Jesus is the

light of the world.

Very good.

The light of the world.

Let's pray and then I'll let you go.

Jesus, we are so thankful that you are the light of the world.

We're thankful that you being light, you didn't keep all that light up in heaven with you,

but you came and at Christmas you were born.

You came into this world so that these kids could know light, could know God, and could

know how much you love them.

We're so thankful for that.

And so we pray that this Christmas we would know you more.

We would rejoice in you more and we would love your light.

In Jesus' name, amen.

All right.

Some of you are going to go out the back doors.

You see Miss Katie waving back there to go to kids worship with you, kindergarten and first

grade.

Go with Miss Katie and the rest of you can go back to your seats, okay?

Thank you so much.

Don't trip.

Thank you.

Yeah.

I do especially want to think about Christmas with our kids this year.

I really want for them to be able to understand the good news of Christmas in their own words

that they can follow along with.

But I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that kids are not the only ones here this morning

who get excited about some of these Christmas things like lights.

Anybody else like Christmas lights?

Okay.

See, some of us still love Christmas things.

So we're going to talk a little bit more too about these same themes.

We're actually now, and kids, you can listen along and still learn with us.

We're going to go beginning to end of the Bible's story this morning.

But at the heart of the good news about the light of the world is Isaiah chapter 9.

Isaiah 9 · chapter mention

That's where we're going to start.

We heard part of it read for us earlier.

And one of the reasons it's so helpful to us is that it makes the darkness of this world

very tangible.

And we're going to feel that because then the light's going to shine into that darkness

that we can understand a little bit more.

Follow with me as I read the first five verses of Isaiah 9.

This is God's holy word.

But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish.

In the former time, he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali.

But in the latter time, he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan,

Galilee of the nations.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.

Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.

You have multiplied the nation.

You have increased its joy.

They rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the

spoil for the yoke of his burden and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor.

You have broken as on the day of Midian.

For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood

will be burned as fuel for the fire.

Thus far, God's holy word.

On the way out, it was terrible, terrible.

I screamed.

I just wanted to get out to see the light.

That's the way Mario Sepulveda described enduring darkness for 10 weeks as one of 33 Chilean miners

trapped 2,000 feet underground back in 2010.

You probably remember the news coverage.

Those 33 miners had emergency rations.

They had battery-operated headlamps.

But many were convinced they would never survive the darkness long enough to be rescued.

Thankfully, with the help of some experts from around the world, including many from NASA,

some of you may have helped, they were rescued.

Finally, light broke in to the darkness of the collapsed mine.

One by one, the miners were pulled up to safety,

to the cheers of family and people watching around the world at that point.

When you have been in darkness so complete and so oppressive for so long,

terrible, terrible,

you long for the light to break in.

And you rejoice when it does.

That's the story of Advent.

That's what we're celebrating in this season.

It's the story of Isaiah chapter 9.

Isaiah 9 · chapter mention

And what we can't afford to do at Christmastime or any other time

is to underestimate the darkness.

And therefore, as a result of underestimating the darkness,

not rejoice the way we should in the light.

Maybe you have to know the darkness before you can appreciate the light,

Madeline Lingle once wrote.

I think we have a tendency, most of us,

to ignore our need, our weakness, our darkness,

to focus on our strengths, on our resources,

on the great things about ourselves.

Notice how for God's people, they have to face darkness,

even as light is promised.

In several different ways, they have to deal with it.

The most prominent aspect of darkness for them and for us,

we have to acknowledge this.

It's our sin.

The context here in Isaiah 9 is that God's people have turned away from Him.

They have bowed down to idols.

They have looked for life in their own pursuits,

in their own priorities.

They have forsaken the Lord, Isaiah says.

They've rebelled against Him.

They are utterly estranged.

Those are Isaiah's words, kids.

That means they were far away from God.

Far, far away.

Now, there's two different ways to get far away from God,

at least two general ways.

Some of them have gotten far from God just by trusting themselves.

I mean, they were doing pretty well.

They looked pretty good.

They're very moral.

They're quite humanly successful.

Many of them probably would have been in church.

All the while disregarding God's laws.

Neglecting the poor, for example.

Worshiping their own power.

Others of them were also far from God,

but they've gotten there a different way.

They've gotten there by just running as fast as they could away from God.

Turning their backs on God.

Calling everything He said was good, evil.

Calling everything He said was evil, good.

And just mocking those who loved Yahweh and loved His Word.

Like their brothers and sisters, their hope was in man,

in their internal wisdom and resources.

It wasn't in God.

But at the end of the day, both kinds of sinners end up far from God,

don't they?

And don't we?

As a result, all around, Isaiah says,

as he concludes this right up to the verses we just read,

he says they're going to find distress and darkness,

the gloom of anguish.

They'll be thrust into thick darkness.

You understand why.

God is light.

In Him, there's no darkness at all.

So darkness is distance from God.

And so when you run far away from God,

sin separates us from God.

I really want us to face up to this reality.

Y'all, there is enough darkness in each of us

to keep us far, far away from God,

trapped deep underground forever.

There is plenty of that in each of us.

We're going to see that the story of the Bible

is not one of problem outside of me,

solution inside of me.

That's not the story of the Bible.

That's the good news of modern America.

That's what we like to think.

No, the story of the Bible,

the gospel of Jesus,

is problem inside of me,

solution from outside of me.

It is light breaking into darkness.

The Advent longing that we're feeling this morning,

that we're living in as we sing,

come, come, Emmanuel.

It's felt most by those who are most desperate

to be rescued.

People like me.

People like me who get to pick the people

that they'll love best

and still let them down

and hurt them

because I love myself better.

People who do things that look good

but do them just because they want to look good.

Who pridefully think that the best path forward

is typically,

and if I'm honest,

always,

for everyone just to listen to me

and do what I say,

wouldn't it all be better?

The darkness of our sin,

that I would think that's true.

That has me far from God, right?

The most terrible reality possible,

that I would be far from Him.

Don't overlook that darkness

in your own heart.

Don't try to pretend it's okay

or you're actually a lot better than Will.

I know you are,

but it doesn't actually make you perfect either.

It's important to acknowledge, though,

that sometimes darkness is not from our sin,

but it's from our suffering,

perhaps from the sin of others,

maybe from injustice,

from the attacks of the powers of darkness

in this world.

Look at verse 4.

They're dealing with this.

For the yoke of His burden,

the staff for His shoulder,

the rod of His oppressor,

you have broken.

This is true of every single person

in this room.

You're a sinner.

And others have sinned against you.

Those are true for every one of us.

You may feel darkness in this world

like Job.

Not because you're horrible,

but because you're human.

Satan and his minions

and other sinners

fight against you.

And the darkness of confusion

and depression

and despair

is real.

It's terrible.

And you long for the light.

Finally,

there's a third category of darkness.

I think it's the darkness of death.

Verse 5.

For every boot of the tramping warrior

in battle tumult,

every garment rolled in blood

will be burned.

God's people have faced here

the trauma of war.

It's awful.

Terrible.

As a result,

the fear of death,

the grief of loved ones lost,

as Assyrians have carried them

into exile.

There's not much in this world

that feels darker,

more terrible,

is there?

Some of us feel that

especially right now.

Especially around the holidays.

We know that darkness.

I hope that you're starting

to identify

some of the ways

that you personally

are presently

experiencing darkness.

darkness.

But I thought it'd be helpful

as we struggle to do that

to take a step back,

look from 30,000 feet

at the story

of light and darkness

in the Bible.

We're just going to hit

a few highlights.

But it's one of the best lenses

through which to read

the Christmas story

is this lens of darkness

and light.

You know plenty of books

and movies

that develop this theme

as the centerpiece

of great masterpieces.

But the reason

that darkness and light,

good and evil,

resonate so deeply with us

is that it is

the great story

of all of history.

Notice some important patterns

from the very beginning

of the Bible story.

First, that light

must break through

into the darkness.

It's always that way.

Darkness was over

the face of the deep

when God said what?

Let there be light.

Light breaking into the darkness

as God speaks

His perfect world

into existence.

Of course, it's not long

into the story

till the powers

of darkness invade.

Our rebellion against God

breaks His perfect creation.

Sin starts to cast

its shadow over this world.

Darkness is palpable.

It's spreading

as we are driven out where?

From God's presence

far from Him

into the darkness

away from the one

who's light.

I want you to see something

in Exodus 10

because I want you to know

that God knows

how awful darkness is.

He sends darkness

as one of the plagues

on Egypt

over the whole land

while He spares

His beloved people

from a darkness

that He calls

a darkness

to be felt.

Some of you know

that weight,

that discouragement,

the chains

of emotional darkness,

felt,

heavy,

overwhelming

darkness.

Some of you,

we've talked about

this together.

You've told me

you liken yourself

in many ways

to Job.

If you had to guess

the book in the Bible

where the word dark

appears the most times,

would you have guessed

the book of Job?

Over 40 times.

It's often the darkness

of suffering,

evil happening

to you,

that confusion

part of darkness

where there's a sovereign God

that you love,

but you don't understand Him.

You can't figure Him out.

I don't know

what He's doing.

That darkness

just keeps getting worse.

It grows through the story

as Proverbs highlights

the darkness

that the wicked experience

because they stumble

and don't even know

what tripped them.

That's how dark it is.

They couldn't even see

what they're falling over.

It's deep darkness.

That's where sinners live

apart from God, right?

Without His light.

So dark we can't even see

what we're tripping on.

It's where God's people are,

far from Him

in the darkness of exile

for years and years.

Oh come,

oh come Emmanuel,

disperse the gloomy

clouds of night

and death's dark shadows

put to flight.

That's where they are.

That's the longing

that they have

when God sends

prophet

after prophet

after prophet

to tell them what?

to tell them

where to look for light.

They are 2,000 feet

underground

so to speak.

But He wants them

to see glimmers

of hope

to know light

is coming.

He wants to say to them

don't be foolish

and just settle

for darkness.

Just give up

and decide

there's no hope

and just settle

for the darkness.

But He also doesn't

want them to look

for light

from their own

battery operated headlamps.

He knows they won't

give you life

for long

if you just look

to yourself

and what you have

there underground

in your darkness

and it won't last.

It might look like light

for a few moments

or days

but you need

real light

He says.

Isaiah chapter 60

Isaiah 60 · chapter mention

darkness shall cover

the earth

thick darkness

to peoples

where's the hope?

But the Lord

Yahweh

will arise

upon you.

His glory

will be seen

upon you.

That's the hope

isn't it?

It's rooted

in what God

is like.

The prophet Ezekiel

compares Him

to a shepherd.

Look at this.

As a shepherd

seeks out his flock

when he's among

his sheep

that have been scattered

so will I

seek out my sheep

and I will

rescue them

from all the places

where they've been scattered

on a day of clouds

and thick darkness.

You notice

this side of the stage

for today

is far from God.

Okay?

Far from God.

He's over there

somewhere

just for the purpose

of this sermon.

There ain't no darkness

strong enough

God is saying

that could tear you

out from my heart.

That's our hope

that He would insist

that He breaks

into our darkness.

The prophet Micah

reminds us

that when I fall

I shall rise.

When I sit

in darkness

the Lord

Yahweh

will be a light

to me.

Light

breaking in

because the shepherd

plunges into the darkness

to rescue His sheep

because the glory

of the Lord

is coming

because God is light

and in Him

is no darkness

at all

and He will not

have us stay

far from Him

will He?

He

and His glory

are coming

and they are coming

how?

In a child

Isaiah 9 says.

They're coming

in a child.

Are you feeling

at this point

in the story

the back and forth

battle between

darkness and light

in the Bible story?

You see how that

unfolds?

Darkness lands

some punches early

looking strong

but then something

happens

right in the middle

of the story

right at the heart

of it

what we're celebrating

in this season

the light shines

in the darkness

and the darkness

has not overcome it.

That's Christmas

that in the dark streets

of the little town

of Bethlehem

shines what?

The everlasting light

amen

that keeps shining

light really breaks

through in the person

of the Christ child

in the manger

and His light

will not be snuffed out.

That's what it means

the darkness

will not overcome it

it will not be snuffed out

not even

when the sun

stops shining

in the middle

of the day

while Jesus

hangs on the cross

when for all the world

it appears

that darkness

has finally won

no

the light

still shines again

because the darker

the night gets

the brighter

the light shines

don't forget that

especially those of you

who are feeling

dark right now

the light is

especially coming

it will be

especially bright

He is coming

to rescue

and that

in many ways

that's for all of us

because see

the Bible says

we love darkness

not maybe all the time

maybe it's scary to us

but we love darkness

because we love our sin

and we love ourselves

it's rebels like us

who love darkness

who need rescuing

and what does Jesus

say to people

like that

I am

the light

of the world

He explains

what that means

He's saying

He's going to

forgive the sins

of desperate

sin addicts

like you

and me

He'll show the way

to God

for lost

confused

hurting

wanderers

in the dark

He'll even bring

life in the face

of death

for the fearfully

hopelessly condemned

glory

to the light

of the world

we should sing that

over and over

Jesus comes

and delivers us

from the domain

of darkness

the dark world

in which we live

that's Colossians 1

and brings us where

into

His

kingdom

and so we are

to declare

the praises

of Him

who called us

out of darkness

into His

marvelous light

breaking into

our darkness

so no more

hiding in the dark

as Derek reminded us

that's from 1 John

live in the light

that is broken in

to rescue you

reflect it

shine it

live honestly

hopefully

because the light

has come

and the light

will never leave

Jesus the judge

in Revelation

sets all things

right

all the unjust

oppression

and suffering

that are a part

of the darkness

of this world

will somehow

be corrected

once and for all

as He makes

all things new

glory comes

and death

will be no more

as everlasting life

reigns

glory comes

and God Himself

will be the light

of the heavenly city

forever

so that darkness

is banished

to hell forever

and we are always

near the light

of life forever

glory

to the light

of the world

He does that

He makes that reality

something that we know

and look forward to

that's the Cliff Notes

version

of the battle

of darkness

and light

I hope it gets you

excited for Christmas

I hope you see

in that

the hope

that we celebrate

at least

get you excited

for seeing Christmas

lights sometime soon

and realizing

that they are

piercing

the darkness

of your neighborhood

or your city

the way that

Jesus in this story

pierces the darkness

of this world

as the light

of the world

His breaking in

as the light

of the world

is the highlight

of that story

so let's finish

by going back

to Isaiah 9

we stopped

just short

of the best part

hang with me

and follow

the line of thought

for just a minute

what he's saying

is that light

is going to break

into darkness

joy is coming

in the place

of anguish

and now he's going

to say why

that's what starts

at verse 4

for

first reason

the unjust

suffering

and oppression

will be over

yay

for

war and death

will be defeated

finally

yay

and then this

is the way

the Hebrew works

it builds

to a third

four

that is at

the foundation

of those

first two

all of those

things ultimately

happen

for

enlightened

people

will finally

figure out

how to build

an economically

sustainable

world

to live in

no

for

a strong

leader

will arise

to set things

straight for a few

years with all the

right policies

no

not really

don't forget

as

as our hearts

do go in those

directions

that those are

human options

they're

they're like

battery operated

headlamps

to those

in underground

darkness

those are the

things we're

drawn to

and you can

understand it

can't you

because it's

really really

dark over here

and when we get

any glimmer

we think

that's the thing

that's what I

need

that's going

to give me

life

that's going

to rescue

me

and it

won't

the light

has to break

in from

outside

darkness

can't drive

out darkness

only light

can do that

Martin Luther

King Jr

side note

on that

as we think

about sitting

over here

in the

darkness

as you

think about

talking to

your friends

and your

neighbors

because we

all feel

this darkness

at some

level

and in

different

ways

we realize

that our

lights

that we're

attracted to

have batteries

that are

going to run

out

that are

already

maybe running

dim

or flickering

a little

bit

and we

all know

that

so do

our friends

and our

neighbors

so it's

actually a

great way

in conversation

into the

hope

of the

light

of the

world

to be

honest

to ask

where do

you feel

darkness

despair

discouragement

if you're

willing to

get honest

maybe then

the two

of you

can be

honest

enough

with one

another

that it

gets dark

enough

that you'll

both long

for the

real light

for the

light of

the world

together

what a

beautiful

opportunity

anyway

back to the

last four

and the real

thing that it

says in

verse six

four

at the root

of all of

it

where's the

light coming

from

a child

is born

a son

is given

this is the

part you

know there's

a reason

it's memorable

the ruler

of all

the light

of the

world

that's where

the light's

coming from

see he is

the wonderful

counselor

I hope these

names will make

sense to you

now

that you'll

understand

who Jesus

is being

identified as

in this

story of

light and

dark

literally

he's a

wonder

of a

counselor

full of

supernatural

wisdom

so when we

feel that

we're wandering

in the

darkness

groping around

for the best

path forward

where we're

confused

we're searching

desperately for

hope

the child

king breaks

in as a

brilliant light

and what does

he say

he says

follow me

trust me

order your

entire life

to know me

to know my

way of life

when you know

so little else

for sure

I will bring

you home to

God

you just have

to know me

and he's

also

the mighty

God

it's a title

used for

Yahweh himself

even in the

next chapter

it's perhaps

the clearest

of these four

titles in

highlighting

the divinity

of this

promised

child

king

he's doing

God stuff

isn't he

what's the

God stuff

that he's

doing in

our story

light

powerfully

breaking

into darkness

that's what

God does

he doesn't

just have

wise plans

he can make

them happen

he can deliver

the weak

and the

oppressed

he can break

our bonds

of sin

and addiction

and self

obsession

in fact

his strength

never wearies

so nothing

is impossible

for him

the darkness

will not

overcome

the mighty

God

and he's

the everlasting

father

a name

speaking to

his kind

protection

of his

people

maybe you

don't think

of light

that way

but this

is what

light

is

all of us

who've been

entrusted

to his

faithful

care

all of a

sudden

those of

us who

maybe your

darkness

feels like

no one

ever stands

up for

you

speaks up

to defend

you

argues

your cause

against

the bully

ever brings

relief

in the attack

that you're

facing

maybe you

feel that

way

listen

this child

king

most certainly

will do

those things

he is the

everlasting

father

who holds

you in

his arms

and never

lets you

go

who defeats

all of

his and

our enemies

including

the powers

of darkness

that you don't

even know

or understand

that he drives

out by his

light

and he welcomes

you home

again

when you've

sinned

again

when you've

gone away

from God

because his

love and

commitment to

you never

fail and

never end

he's your

everlasting

father

finally he's

the prince

of peace

he makes

wars cease

to the ends

of the earth

he breaks

the bow

and shatters

the spear

death

himself

our

last

enemy

is defeated

as his

light

shines

into our

world

and in the

place

of the

darkness

the reign

of this

child

king

brings

a restoration

of life

the way

that it

was meant

to be

in God's

good creation

wrongs

are now

made right

sad things

come untrue

hope

springing

eternal

when the

prince

of peace

is on

the throne

that's

the light

of the world

that's

who he

is

Jesus

the light

of the world

come

so that we

will not

walk

in

terrible

darkness

that

will not

remain

in bondage

to our

sin

far

from

God

that's

why he

came

so that

we will

not

remain

hopeless

and discouraged

in our

suffering

and warfare

against evil

so that

we will

not remain

fearful

of death

darkness

is driven

out

because

light

breaks in

and shines

and keeps

shining

so listen

don't

look

for that

light

anywhere

else

don't

think

this

Christmas

light

will come

from

just some

good

holiday

feelings

it doesn't

last

you know

that

don't

think

Christmas

light

is going

to come

when you

get the

gift

that you've

been asking

for

and it's

finally

the thing

you wanted

under the

tree

and if you

just could

have afforded

to make

it a little

bit bigger

or better

it would

have been

an even

brighter

light

and that

would have

satisfied

you

don't

think it's

going to

come

when world

leaders

finally get

it together

sort out

their differences

stop fighting

for global

supremacy

and decide

to have

peace on

earth

that way

don't

think it's

going to

come

when your

family

is finally

Christmas

miracle

completely

kind to

one another

for an

entire

day

no

no

those are

glimmers

of light

the light

of the

world

is the

light

that we

need

the light

we need

because it's

still pretty

dark down

here isn't

it

right

it's easy

to get

discouraged

to give

up hope

as we wait

for the light

God's people

did it

often

sometimes they

gave up

waiting

that's where

some of you

are living

right now

I get

that

it's so

hard

it can

feel

so dark

and

what I

want you

to do

is to

imagine

for me

being one

of those

last

33

miners

to be

rescued

especially

if you're

feeling

darkness

heavy

this morning

can you

put

yourself

in their

shoes

you're

one of

the last

ones

being

rescued

you're

there

underground

in the

dark

see

they had

to wait

a while

they could

only

bring up

the miners

in this

rescue

capsule

one man

at a

time

very slowly

and very

carefully

and there

were 33

of them

this was

a multi

day

operation

it wasn't

an immediate

rescue

what gave

them hope

think about

that

what would

give you

hope

as you

waited

you're

number

32

waiting

underground

what gives

you hope

well

the light

had broken

in once

which meant

it could

do so

again

it was

no longer

utter

darkness

around

them

now

shafts

of light

could

break

in

here

and there

and they

were confident

that that

rescue

capsule

that came

once

would come

again

for every

one of

them

because

they knew

there were

people up

there

that were

going to

say

we're

not

leaving

him

down

there

you

can't

leave

him

I

love

him

I'm

coming

back

for him

that

rescue

capsule

was

going

to come

back

till

every

last

one

of them

had

right

listen

friends

especially

friends

feeling

the

darkness

the

light

of the

world

has

broken

into

this

dark

world

once

and we

can

still

see

some

of the

shafts

of light

breaking

in

bits

of his

glory

some

of them

in you

and me

in this

glorious

creation

as we

reflect

his

image

in this

world

bits

of his

love

and

righteousness

and grace

let your

life

shine

his

light

but

mostly

mostly

we see

it in

glimpses

of his

restoration

of our

relationship

with him

moments

that he

comforts

us with

the presence

of his

spirit

moments

he lifts

our heart

and worship

together

moments

he shines

the good

news

of the

gospel

into

our

lives

and

through

our lips

to

others

see

the

light

of the

world

has

come

and

has

left

us

with

so

many

reasons

to

believe

that

he

will

break

in

again

for

every

single

one

of

us

to

rescue

us

to

bring

us

home

if

you

can't

see

any

of

those

lights

even

as

I

talk

about

them

it

still

feels

dark

to

you

see

a

Christmas

light

there

will

be

a lot

of

them

this

year

you

won't

be

able

to

miss

them

they're

brightest

at

night

when

it's

dark

when

you

see

a

Christmas

light

this

year

kids

what

are

we

remembering

when

we

see

a

Christmas

light

Jesus

is

the

light

of

the

world

very

good

it's

harder

to

say

out

there

remember

that

the

light

of

the

world

came

and

so

is

coming

back

thank

him

for

that

hope

even

if

it's

all

you've

got

reset

your

heart

to

find

light

and

life

there

in

Jesus

the

wonderful

counselor

the

mighty

God

the

everlasting

father

the

prince

of

peace

the

light

of

the

world

let's

pray

Jesus

forgive

us

for

preferring

our

darkness

to

your

light

for

thinking

the

things

that

we

could

grasp

onto

and

find

hope

in

we're

going

to

satisfy

us

and

show

us

the

way

home

forever

thank

you

that

you

do

forgive

us

thank

you

that

your

light

continues

to

shine

thank

you

that

we

can

celebrate

that

that

your

advent

once

assures

us

that

your

advent

will

happen

again

and

so