O Holy Night (2)
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The night would have felt like any other night…
People going about their lives
Parents tucking their kids into bed
Laborers exhausted from the days work trying to relax
Typical conversations were being had around the fires or candlelight
Shepherds were watching sheep find a place to bed down, and the shepherds conversing how they are glad to be in the countryside instead of the craziness of Bethlehem
But that night was different, this particular night would go down as a HOLY NIGHT...
We sing about it now, it’s plastered on cards and gift wrapping
The phrase simply roles off our tongues with little thought
“O Holy Night” “Silent Night, Holy Night”
The question is there… Why nighttime, why is it HOLY? John 1:1-5;14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Why Holy?
Why Holy?
John lays this out for us beautifully...
In the beginning was the Word “logos” a message, speaking
The Word was with God… a fellowship / the relationship in the Trinity
The Word was God… NOT “a god” He was fully God!
John demonstrates how the Word was God
All things came through and by Him… He is creator
In Him is life… Jesus is the source of Life and Light
Jesus would later state “I am the way the truth and the life”
The Word became flesh…
Emmanuel “God with us!”
God had a message for us, He came in person to deliver His message John 3:16-18
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
The message of God’s love had been ignored by people when prophets, priest, messengers had delivered it… SO the Word became flesh!”
A Holy night because God in the flesh lay in a manger to deliver a message in person to all mankind!
Why Nighttime?
Why Nighttime?
We don’t know what time of day that Jesus was born… BUT we do know that it was at night the angels visited the shepherds.
Nighttime provides a beautiful contrast to see clearly what God was doing...
The Light shines in the darkness… God in the flesh the embodiment of HOLY and GLORIOUS into a dark world
Contrast this with sin, death and darkness (the state all mankind is born into!
Think of the contrast that night...
The flames in Bethlehem flickering in the night
The Angels in the night sky
The darkness of mankind surrounding the holiness of God in a manger
Verse 5 beautifully shows this contrast: “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
The nature of Light is to dispel the darkness!
“Darkness did not comprehend” some phrase it overpower or overcome
Light invaded the darkness… some have not comprehended what God did by sending His Son Jesus
But God does not desire that any should miss it, fail to see it… He sent His Son the Light into the dark that all may see the love of God
As Jesus would walk among us, in this dark sinful world, feel what we feel, experience life as we do…
He would live as we COULD NOT.
He would live HOLY
And on one dark day He would lay down His life, shed His blood for you and me
BUT God did not allow death and darkness to have the victory… 3 DAYS LATER...
The SON would rise would shine, despite darkness resisting The True Light
We will end our service this evening as we celebrate the Birth of our Savior Jesus Christ with two pictures of this holy night
A picture of His love
A picture of His light… His church in this dark world
Offering the gift of His Light to those lost