The Notes

This coming Wednesday night, December 24, 2025, we conclude our message series "Finding" with a message called: "Finding Jesus This Christmas."  It will be an on-line only message that focuses on the reason for the season - the story of Jesus' birth. Tune in when you are able for some mid-week encouragement for the soul. 

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This past Wednesday night, December 17, 2025, we continued our Christmas message series called "Finding" with a candlelight service and the topic: Finding Love This Christmas. 

What do all people have in common?  The desire to love and be loved.  So let us share and reflect on the story of how true love entered the world.

John 1 says: :In the beginning was the Word.  The Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He existed in the beginning with God."

John is saying that Jesus existed in the beginning of time and was with God as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, at the time of creation.  He also was involved in the creation process.  Look at John 1, beginning with verse 3 - "God created everything through him, and nothing was created except thru him.  The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it."  (vs 3-5).  Then skip to verse 9 - "The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.  He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.  He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.  But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God."  (vs. 9-12).  And finally, verse 14 tells us that "the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.”

That is how love came into this world, true love that is unfailing and unconditional.  It happened when the divinity of God came from heaven – not to reign over us - but to walk with us.

The One who lived in heaven in perfection came to live in a world of imperfection.  Voluntarily.  He gave up untold glories of heaven to show us true love - the love of the Father and our Creator.

He gave up the throne of a king to live as a servant.  Jesus served God & He also served us, humanity.

Jesus, the king, came to earth not as a mighty warrior or sitting on  throne, but as a tiny baby.  

He was born in the small village of Bethlehem, and placed in a humble manger - a good trough for animals.

That is humility.

The king who had heaven as his footstool voluntarily came to Earth and then "had no place to lay his head." (Mt. 8:20).

The Bible says - He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor, so that we through His poverty might become rich. (2 Cor. 8:9).

That's what love does.  Love willingly sacrifices itself for others.  Jesus did that, for our good.

Jesus sacrificed His comfort for the pain of Calvary. 

He left Heaven – a place of peace, love & joy - to live in world of hate, selfishness & despair. 

He left the Father, to show us the Father’s amazing love. 

And He lived to die.  "There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." (John 15:13).

He loved us first…  before we knew Him.  He called us friend.  He called us family.  He called us one by one.

Jesus taught people from boats and mountainsides.  But I believe His true impact was in the 1-on-1.  

His message of God’s love would reach one, and then another, and another.

John the Baptist pointed out Jesus to his disciple Andrew. 

Andrew met Jesus, and then brought his brother Simon Peter to meet Jesus.

Philip met Jesus, then he brought Nathanael to Jesus.

Each one who met Jesus shared their story with others.

Consider the Woman at the Well.  She met Jesus and then went into her village and said, Come and see this man.  “He told me everything I ever did.”  She wanted people to meet the Messiah.  (John 4:29)

A man who was blind from birth was healed by Jesus.  He also told others about Jesus.  He said, I may not know much . . . I may not be able to answer all your questions, but - “One thing I know . . . I was blind, but now I see!” (John 9:25)

Jesus healed a man who was possessed by demons, and the man then wanted to go with Jesus.  But Jesus said, “Go home to your own people, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you.” (Mark 5:19).

Even when meeting Jesus as a tiny baby as the Shepherds did when He was born, they “told everyone” about their experience with Jesus.

Jesus asks us to do the same thing.

When we have met Jesus - when we have felt His love and been changed by it- we share it!

Jesus is not a secret to keep . . . He is the Savior to share.

He is the love for our hearts and the light for our path.

When Jesus spoke to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  - John 8:12. And the Apostle Paul said:  “Walk as children of light.”  In other words, let the light of Jesus Christ shine in us, and through us.

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matt. 5:14-16

When Jesus comes into our hearts, He ignites the light inside us.  He gives us the ability to shine, not for the applause and praise of other people, but to point to God.

So our light should not be hidden . . . it should be shared. 

That's what the Bible tells us to do:

“Go and make disciples of all nations. - Matthew 28:19

“Let the redeemed of the LORD say so” - Psalm 107:2

“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”  - 1 Peter 2:9

“Give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the nations.” - Psalm 105:1

“Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.” - Isaiah 12:4

We have to tell others about the Lord . . . we have to share His love.  Because we live in a dark world - a world where strangers kill others and children kill their parents - we have to shine a light for Jesus.  This world needs it perhaps more than ever.

This Christmas – you don’t have to find love.   Love came into this world and love will find you.

Love calls you by name . . . it leaves the 99 . . . Love searches for the lost. 

Love follows us all the days of our lives. 

Love is the first gift of Christmas.   It is the gift of God that never expires.  Love is the gift that’s never recalled.  Never exchanged.   Never extinguished.   

Live in love.   Feel it.   Nurture it.    And share it!    Don’t hide your light.

Merry Christmas everyone, with Love!