WEBVTT 00:00:06.639 --> 00:00:07.839 Merry Christmas. 00:00:10.080 --> 00:00:17.679 Susan said I should have said yee ha, but um man, it is uh great to be together on Christmas Eve. 00:00:17.760 --> 00:00:21.359 We've been looking forward to this night for a long time. 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:23.600 Got a couple quick things to share. 00:00:23.760 --> 00:00:29.839 Uh the first you noticed already when you came in, and that's we've got the safe uh candles going this year. 00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:40.640 And uh the big advantage to that, well, there's really two no uh wax burns on the kids, and you definitely will not set the person uh directly in front of you on fire. 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:43.359 And so that's always a plus. 00:00:43.920 --> 00:00:47.600 Uh reminder that uh next Sunday we're not getting together. 00:00:47.759 --> 00:00:55.920 Uh we're a volunteer church, I volunteer, the whole worship team, pretty much anyone that that uh you saw helping out tonight is uh just pitching in. 00:00:56.000 --> 00:01:08.239 And so we always take the last Sunday of the year um off so we can all sleep in and rest up, and then we will get off to a uh great start in 2013 on January 6th. 00:01:08.560 --> 00:01:11.920 If it's your first time here, um we're really glad that you're here. 00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:13.200 Thanks for coming tonight. 00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:16.079 Hope you can tell, you can just relax and be yourself. 00:01:16.159 --> 00:01:22.879 Uh if you'd like to know more about uh what we're up to and why, there's a little booklet uh in the lobby as you leave. 00:01:23.040 --> 00:01:32.560 Um and it has a picture of Jesus on the front and it says life-changing love, and that probably sums it up as good as uh as good as anything. 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:43.120 Well, we all know the story of Jesus coming to earth as a uh baby, and it says so much about our father, how he just doesn't stay in the box that we want to put him in sometimes. 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:45.519 He does his own thing in his his own way. 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:50.319 A lot of times it's uh unexpected, a lot of times it's through unexpected people. 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:57.519 Certainly no one would have guessed that uh Joseph and Mary were going to help bring God into the world. 00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:00.879 They were definitely surprised at their unexpected child. 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:08.560 The shepherds were surprised uh with angels and with a light show and with music. 00:02:08.800 --> 00:02:17.199 The wise men were surprised as God gave them a sudden uh irrepressible desire to seek and to find God. 00:02:17.439 --> 00:02:21.439 I read that story in Matthew and in Luke. 00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:25.439 John tells the same story, the same Christmas story, but in a different way. 00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:31.280 And it's from John that we get one of my favorite Christmas traditions of all, and that's Christmas lights. 00:02:31.520 --> 00:02:35.439 I mean, to me, Christmas lights are one of the coolest things ever. 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:37.759 I mean, they make almost anything interesting or beautiful. 00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:45.840 I was thinking, you know, you set up a tree in the middle of your house, it's kind of a dorky thing to do, uh, but you cover it with lights, and it's beautiful. 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:51.120 Our neighborhood looks completely different, just uh amazing, lit up with lights. 00:02:51.520 --> 00:03:06.240 Susan and I had a Christmas date last uh Tuesday night, and I planned it, which is a Christmas miracle all in itself, but we're going to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens because I heard they just have an amazing LED light display. 00:03:06.319 --> 00:03:11.199 And so we got near there about 7:30, but traffic was stopped both ways. 00:03:11.280 --> 00:03:15.919 It was completely backed up on Piedmont, half a mile each way, and we couldn't even get in. 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:17.280 Um so we changed our plans. 00:03:17.360 --> 00:03:23.919 We still had a great night, but you know, what could possibly sell out the botanical gardens on a Tuesday night? 00:03:24.159 --> 00:03:26.240 And uh the answer is lights. 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:32.159 You know, if it wasn't for Christmas lights, Clark Griswold would not be the national institution that he is. 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:39.599 Now, part of the reason I get excited about Christmas lights is when I was growing up as a kid, we didn't have lights on our house. 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:43.280 Um and they I don't mean they hadn't been invented yet. 00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:46.879 I'm not that old, but we just didn't have them out. 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:55.759 And and the reason we grew up celebrating Santa and and Rudolph and Frosty, uh, but we didn't celebrate Jesus as as part of a as part of Christmas. 00:03:55.840 --> 00:04:00.719 And so not having lights in our house for my folks was a bit of a statement um to that effect. 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:12.159 And so I'd heard about Jesus and God my whole life, but when I really met Jesus for the first time, I was 32 years old, and my whole life started changing, uh, and it still is. 00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:16.560 But with that, Christmas easily became my favorite time of year. 00:04:16.800 --> 00:04:18.800 You know, all of it, just thinking about loved ones. 00:04:18.879 --> 00:04:26.959 I like the music, uh, family, thinking of different ways to help people out at Christmas time, especially thinking a lot about Jesus. 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:31.759 And then right below that list uh is Christmas lights. 00:04:32.079 --> 00:04:34.639 And so I'll ever be grateful to John. 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:37.920 John was Jesus' closest friend on earth. 00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:45.920 Uh the way he described the birth of Jesus is where we first had the tradition of Christmas candles and then now Christmas lights. 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:49.439 And this is what John wrote about the birth of Jesus. 00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:52.399 He said, In the beginning the word already existed. 00:04:52.639 --> 00:04:55.199 The word was with God, and the word was God. 00:04:55.519 --> 00:04:57.600 He existed in the beginning with God. 00:04:57.839 --> 00:05:02.079 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:07.759 The word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:12.560 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. 00:05:13.199 --> 00:05:18.720 God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:20.879 John himself was not the light. 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:24.000 He was simply a witness to tell about the light. 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:30.879 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:34.480 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. 00:05:34.720 --> 00:05:37.759 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:44.240 But to but to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 00:05:44.720 --> 00:05:51.279 The reborn, not with the physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. 00:05:51.839 --> 00:05:54.959 And so the word became human and made his home among us. 00:05:55.199 --> 00:05:58.480 He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. 00:05:58.720 --> 00:06:04.560 And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son. 00:06:05.360 --> 00:06:10.079 So in a few minutes, we're going to sing Silent Night, we're going to all turn on our lights. 00:06:10.160 --> 00:06:15.040 And it's one of the great Christmas traditions because it's a reflection of what Jesus did. 00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:23.360 Coming into a dark world, bringing life and light, and then spreading that light and life through others. 00:06:23.600 --> 00:06:25.759 And then before long, everything changes. 00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:32.000 And Jesus lighting up the world is just not poetry from the Bible, it's exactly what happened. 00:06:32.399 --> 00:06:35.279 Jesus was born into a very dark world. 00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:37.839 The Roman Empire ruled most of the world. 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:41.279 They had overran and occupied Israel. 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:43.040 Herod ruled Rome. 00:06:43.360 --> 00:06:44.959 Herod was crazy. 00:06:45.439 --> 00:06:48.959 He murdered anybody that even hinted at opposition to him. 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:52.319 He ended up killing his whole family. 00:06:52.959 --> 00:06:57.199 The average life expectancy when Jesus was born was 28 years. 00:06:57.279 --> 00:07:01.759 So a baby born the same time as Jesus could expect to live only to 28 years old. 00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:06.399 And that life expectancy had been the same for the thousand years prior. 00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:09.439 Women were very oppressed. 00:07:09.680 --> 00:07:10.959 Slavery was prevalent. 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:13.600 Wars were almost a constant way of life. 00:07:13.839 --> 00:07:17.279 Diseases like leprosy were common and not curable. 00:07:18.240 --> 00:07:21.920 Then the light came into the world. 00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:25.279 Everything was about to start changing for the better. 00:07:25.519 --> 00:07:26.720 Jesus said so himself. 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:29.759 One day he walks into a synagogue and he grabs a scroll. 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:31.839 It's from the book of Isaiah. 00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:38.079 And he reads, He says, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. 00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:48.079 He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord's favor has come. 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:51.680 The light had come into the world. 00:07:51.920 --> 00:08:00.319 And so the average life expectancy, which had been 28 forever, before too long it was 30, and then it was 35. 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:05.680 And then people could expect to live to age 40 and then 50. 00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:10.879 And today, worldwide, the average life expectancy is well over 70 years. 00:08:11.120 --> 00:08:14.560 In the United States, it's well over 80 years. 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:24.480 Today, December 24th, 2012, over a thousand people are celebrating, not just Christmas Eve, but they're celebrating their 100th birthday. 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:32.960 And it's said that uh within 25 years, there'll be over six million people alive in the world, age 100 or older. 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:39.279 And so, in spite of what we hear, things are not getting worse and worse and worse. 00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:45.279 Many things are actually getting better because the light came into the world. 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:48.320 And of course, there's still darkness, obviously. 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:53.440 You know, we've all been uh affected by it, we've all seen it. 00:08:53.679 --> 00:09:04.639 I'd say last uh a week ago, Friday in Newtown, I mean, that tragedy uh seems about as dark as it can get, you know, and and it shook me. 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:08.000 I'm still shook by it, and I'm sure it's unsettling to all of us. 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:14.080 And when things like that happen, you know, we feel like the darkness is is winning, it's overcoming, but it's not. 00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:16.399 It absolutely is not. 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:22.480 Do you know when the all-time lowest murder rate was in the history of the United States? 00:09:25.039 --> 00:09:28.240 It's December 24th, 2012. 00:09:29.039 --> 00:09:29.679 Today. 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:34.320 Today we have the all-time lowest murder rate ever in the history of the United States. 00:09:34.399 --> 00:09:38.159 It's less than half of what it was only 30 years ago. 00:09:38.639 --> 00:09:47.679 On Thanksgiving Day, about a month ago, headline in the Washington Post, it said, surprise, abortion rates just hit an all-time low. 00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:55.519 And the abortion rate has been dropping every year for the last 35 years, and it dropped 5% just the last year. 00:09:55.840 --> 00:09:58.960 Diseases are being cured, poverty is being addressed. 00:09:59.200 --> 00:10:07.360 In our country, slavery has been eliminated, pressure of women has been eased, there's so much less racism, so many less other problems. 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:12.320 Child abuse rates continue to drop in the United States every year. 00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:23.279 You know, just 75 years ago, there were so many children abandoned in our country that orphans' homes and orphanages were built all across the country. 00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:32.559 Today, parents stand in line and pay thousands, sometimes tens of thousands of dollars for the opportunity to give a child a home. 00:10:34.799 --> 00:10:40.879 You know, the angel said to the shepherds, peace on earth and goodwill towards men. 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:50.159 Today, December 24th, 2012, we are living in the most peaceful time in the history of the world. 00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:58.320 A smaller percentage of the population is at war today than there ever has been in the entire history of the world. 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:02.639 Jesus came and he showed us we're loved, and he showed us how to love. 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:07.840 And there is less and less and less darkness. 00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:12.960 And of course, there's going to be problems, and there's always going to be opportunities. 00:11:13.519 --> 00:11:18.639 But Christmas is such a great time just to take a giant step back and be thankful. 00:11:18.960 --> 00:11:28.240 Thankful that Jesus didn't just come to the world to save us, although he did, but he came to bring light and life and love into the world. 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:32.799 John knew that. 00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:39.360 He said, the light has come into the world, and the darkness can never extinguish it. 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:43.759 So it's true of the world as a whole, it's true of our worlds individually. 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:49.279 You know, I mentioned I was 32, I was 19 years ago when I really met Jesus for the first time. 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:54.879 Our marriage was bad, it was actually very bad, our financial situation horrible. 00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:58.080 I didn't think right about most things, I didn't think right about God. 00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:03.039 I thought he was angry and that he was hard to please, and he cared most about the rules. 00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:06.240 And I didn't know that men had made up most of those rules. 00:12:06.480 --> 00:12:10.399 And what God cares about is people and relationships. 00:12:10.639 --> 00:12:17.519 But I was in a desperate situation, so in my own words, I just kind of said, Jesus, if you're real, I need you. 00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:22.960 And uh that day light came into my world. 00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:26.240 And every year I've had less and less darkness. 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:28.480 My whole life's changed in a bunch of different ways. 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:32.480 And in three specific, it changed eternally. 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:33.919 You know, from that moment on. 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:35.200 I don't fear death. 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:43.200 I don't even worry about as much about death with loved ones and that type of thing, because I know that we're going to be together uh forever. 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:47.120 Um internally, Jesus continues to change me from the inside out. 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:53.120 The way I think about things, the way I look about things, even the things I do think about, continues to change. 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:56.559 And externally, my whole world is changed. 00:12:56.639 --> 00:13:02.399 And it's 100% because Jesus brought light into my marriage, into my family, into my business. 00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:04.879 John said about Jesus. 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:11.120 He said, the one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:14.320 And this is the Christmas story. 00:13:14.559 --> 00:13:20.080 Jesus coming as a child because God wants to adopt us all as his very own children. 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:21.919 God showing the truth. 00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:26.960 He's not mad at us, he's not giving up on us. 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:30.159 He's for you, he loves you. 00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:32.240 He wants to call us his children. 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:38.080 And so the perfect metaphor for Christmas really is light. 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:42.159 You know, what can change New York City into a beautiful place? 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:48.639 What can create huge lines, you know, from Callaway Gardens to Life College to the botanical gardens? 00:13:48.879 --> 00:13:55.440 What can make everyday neighborhoods and towns seem almost magical and exude joy? 00:13:55.919 --> 00:13:57.120 It's light. 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:03.279 So Jesus was born 2,000 years ago in a very small town in the Middle East, and he came for a lot of reasons. 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:10.639 He came to show us what love looks like, he came to show us what our Father really is like and to reconnect us with him. 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:15.279 And he came to bring light to a world that needed saved. 00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:27.600 And so, if you'll stand with me, we're gonna sing silent night together, and then we're gonna spend some time worshiping Jesus with other songs. 00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:34.320 You know, if you want to turn your lights on, feel free to leave them on or uh um turn them off, whatever you want. 00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:37.120 Let's pray. 00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:38.399 Jesus, I just praise you. 00:14:38.480 --> 00:14:42.240 Thank you for being such a great friend and a great savior. 00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:44.720 Thank you for coming into a very dark world. 00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:56.480 Thank you for bringing your light and your love and your life and making the world get better and better and better. 00:14:56.720 --> 00:15:00.559 Thank you, Jesus, for sharing your light and your life with us. 00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:01.679 We love you. 00:15:01.919 --> 00:15:02.559 Amen.