The Greatest Gift: Hope Has Arrived

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, December 24, 2020

Readings for this Service

First Lesson: Genesis 3:8-15: Humanity’s separation from God dates to the beginning of time: to the fall into sin by the first humans, Adam and Eve.  As tragic as this was, the account of it ends with God’s promise of rescue: that the woman’s offspring, Christ, would ultimately defeat Satan and the rebellion of sin.

Second Lesson: Isaiah 11:1-9: Striking symbolic language describes the gift more than 700 years before it was given.

Third Lesson: Micah 5:2-4: God wants there to be no doubt about his gift.  Through prophesy he reveals the exact tiny village where Jesus would be born.  The wonder of fulfilled prophesy continues to convince people about the validity of God’s gift even today.

Fourth Lesson:  Luke 1:26-38:  So many of God’s ways of intervening in our world are beyond our understanding.  We are blessed to receive God’s gift when, like Mary, we humbly accept God’s plan and marvel at it.

Fifth Lesson: Matthew 1:18-25:  The first lesson described the human race’s separation from God.  God’s gift to end this separation is his Son, Immanuel—“God with us.”

Sixth Lesson:  Luke 2:1-17:  In a fulfillment of the prophecy in tonight’s third lesson, God uses the mighty powers of this world to accomplish his will and to deliver his gift to an otherwise doomed world.

Seventh Lesson:  Luke 2:8-20:  The angels can’t help but celebrate God’s gift.  The shepherds eagerly spread the word of this gift as announced by the angels.  We join them, glorifying and praising God for all that we have come to know about God’s great gift.

Pastor Ron Koehler