This was our first Christmas Candle Light Service. We had a total of 18 people in attendance. We enjoyed the Legend of the Candy Cane. Candy canes were shared with all, and afterwards we enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies.

 Below is the message I shared.

 Ah Christmas, the sound of children laughing, favorite songs, the smell of sugar cookies and pumpkin bread, long lists of ?I want?,? ?Black? Friday, and one day only sales. And the past several years I have been the ultimate Scrooge. Bah Humbug had become my motto. I allowed myself to be sucked into the financial trap of trying to make everyone happy with stuff. Isn?t that what a good dad is supposed to do?

As this season began to approach, I prayed to God that I would not be a Scrooge this year. I wanted this year to be different. The reply came back, you will have to search for Christmas.  

So tonight come with me on a journey as I search for Christmas.

Showed video from www.adventconspiracy.org ? for illustration purposes only, not for advertisement

We all know the events of the birth of our savior. But let?s dig a little deeper. In the beginning God created Adam and then from his rib He created Eve. He longed for relationship. However, not all was well in the garden. Lucifer had fallen and he deceived Eve, and sin entered the human race. The plan of God had been torn apart. Humankind could no longer walk with God in the cool of the day. But God had another plan. He had a plan of redemption, a plan to restore His creation to the right relationship with Him. Months passed and months turned into years and years turned into decades and decades into centuries. One day the timing was right and God summoned an Angel, and he sent him with a message to a young Virgin named Mary. The plan of restoration began. This in itself is a wonderful event. But there is more. Think for a moment, around the same time, perhaps a few years before, or a few years after there was born a young boy named John (not the Baptist). He had a brother James. Then there was Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. Next Judas and Matthew and all the rest of the disciples were probably born close (plus or minus ten years I suspect) to the same year as Jesus. Then there was also Luke, Paul and Timothy. The list could go on and on. At first glance they might seem individual events, but they all fit into God?s plan of restoration. They were born at the right time, and their life circumstances and the choices they made all lead them to Christ. This was a start, the beginning of a plan that would end at the cross. You too were born at the right time and place. Your circumstances and choices have led you to where you are tonight. Now we are part of that plan to help others find the cross.

Birth?s are always celebrated. So here we are to celebrate the birth of Jesus our redeemer.

But how do we celebrate? Why do we celebrate by giving gifts? Why is that Christmas? Is it really because the wise men brought gifts? I am not trying to say we should not give, but why do we do it? Why is that we have allowed the culture to take over and control this time of celebration.

Last weekend we were able to bless five children. But why do we only do this at Christmas? But let me throw a wrinkle in your brain. We gave presents to a needy mom who will give them to her children there by continuing the legacy of ?Christmas is all about the gifts?

The challenge for us is to create a church that is always giving, always blessing. How do we give that will create an environment that will lead people to Christ and a life with him? That is the task that is before us. We must be a church that creates and drives the culture around us.

We will probably always do the Christmas outreach, but let?s be careful that it does not become a simple token event that we check off some outreach task list. All that we do needs to lead to relationship, and relationship that then allows us to lead them to Christ.

So how do we celebrate Christmas? Start by taking stock of the traditions you have adopted as you own. Do they truly honor Christ or are they just good things to do?

Take time to thank God for sending His son that we might be redeemed. That we might be restored, so that once again we can walk with God in the cool of the day. Celebrate Christmas by finding that cool place with God.

I may have not found Christmas just yet, but I am still looking. I am closer this year than I was last.

Matthew 4:14-17 = to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah; Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles - the people living in darkness
      have seen a great light;
   on those living in the land of the shadow of death
      a light has dawned.” From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

So where are you tonight? Do you need to take this time to renew your walk with God? If so, there is no better time than now.

Celebrate tonight the birth of our Lord our redeemer. Celebrate tonight a loving and faithful God that desires nothing more than to be with us. Celebrate tonight that a great light has shown up the earth, has shown upon our heart. And now celebrate that we now of the task to take that light, the life of Christ and shine it before all.