Part Five of Five

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning…. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. John 1:1–2, 4 (NIV)

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

Tonight is Christmas Eve. I can hardly wait for the service tonight. It is the lighting of the Christ candle, though some choose to light it on Christmas Day. The Advent reading will be read by a family as they light the center candle within the wreath.

The Christ Candle is white to represent the purity and holiness of Christ, the Light of the world. It also reminds us that Jesus washes us clean from sin if we believe in Him.

Darkness. At the end of tonight’s service, the room will go dark. Without Jesus Christ, we are in the darkness that represents sin.

The Light pierces the darkness. A single candle will be lit. It represents Jesus, the true light, who has come into the world (John 1:9). The whole room is gradually lit with the beautiful light of candles all around the room as the candle touches another candle, sharing its light. It’s a picture of how the message of Christ changes everything. Jesus lights our way.

John the Baptist bore witness of Christ, telling people to repent from their sin. He came to testify of the Light of Jesus, so that through Jesus all might believe (John 1:6-8).

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 (NIV)

Jesus is the true light. The devil puts out counterfeits, anything to distract us from God, and from recognizing our need for a Savoir. The enemy wants our souls to stay in darkness.

I remember my husband and I got into what we thought was a Bible study. We soon realized that we were in a cult. Their study was spreading darkness instead of truth, for many things did not match up with the Word of God. They rejected the idea that our child had come to Jesus at age four, insisting that a child could not come to God until old enough to know the cost of following God. Yet Jesus welcomed children and He wants us to be like children (John 19:14; John 18:3–5). The truth is revealed in Christ Jesus.

How have you experienced darkness in your life? What types of counterfeits have you encountered? How did you realize it was false?

As hard as the devil tried to thwart God’s plan of a Redeemer for mankind, the darkness lost!

A member of God’s family. Jesus makes it possible for us to be in God’s family, as explained in John, chapter one and following.

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God—children not born out of natural descent, nor of human decision, or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:12–13 (NIV)

That is why Jesus came to earth. God became flesh so we could relate to Him. Jesus showed us how to live in accord with God. Jesus, the Son of God, chose to live among mankind (John 1:14). He came as our Savior. His work was finished on the cross when He took our punishment for sin in our place. He lives again! We can live in eternity with God, and have the help of His Holy Spirit in our daily lives here on earth.

Pass on the Light. Each candle lit another in our service until the room was Likewise, we are to pass on the light by sharing the Good News of Jesus with others.

Emmanuel, God with us. There is no better gift.

Let’s thank God for the gift of Jesus.

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank you for giving us Jesus, our Savior. When things are hard, help me to remember that Jesus came as God in flesh. He knows what I am dealing with, and He comes along side to help me. Thank you In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Thank you for reading my devotionals. I hope they touch your heart. Join me on Christmas Eve’s with the reading for the Christ candle and to celebrate Jesus. See past devotionals including the rest of the Advent series, the 2025 Clay in the Potter’s Hands series, the Attributes of God: A to Z series in 2024, or others dating back to August 2020. Click on the date under the title to expand the text

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Scriptures marked NIV are taken from the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV): Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™. Used by permission of Zondervan.