Christmas Presence
Isaiah 9:2, 6–7 (NIV)
Introduction
Good evening everyone. Wow, what a special night to gather together.
For my family and me, being here tonight is a real treat. This place holds so much of our story. So many seasons of our lives. So many years and Christmases we’ve spent here worshiping the Lord with you. Such a treat. So, thank you Pastor Keith for the invitation and this opportunity.
There is something about Christmas Eve that I love. Maybe it’s the beauty of this night, with the glow of the lights and the smells of the holidays. Or it could be the sounds of this night, the laughter, the joy, the carols that we sing. Maybe it’s the way we’ll end this service — with the lighting of candles and singing as we go.
All of those things are memorable and special to me. But, I think the think the most significant aspect of this night, is that we’re reminded of the story behind this season — the coming of Christ. The story of God coming close.
Tonight, we gather not just to celebrate a holiday—but to worship a Savior. Christmas is not just a season. It’s a story. It’s about a promise kept. It’s about the story of God showing up. Not from a distance. Not in theory. But coming in person.
Christmas is the story about God’s presence coming down to be among His people.
Hear these words from the prophet Isaiah.
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned…For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” — Isaiah 9:2, 6–7 (NIV)
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, on this holy night, we pause in the midst of our busyness to open our hearts again to You, and Your presence. Some of us come full of joy. Others come tired, hurting, or maybe quietly searching. Wherever we are tonight, we invite You to come close. Remind us of Your nearness. Meet us here , we pray. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
We Live In A World Longing for Presence
We live in a world longing for presence. Not “presents” — but “presence.” We live in a time in human history when closeness and relationship are so desired.
Isaiah spoke these words into a season very similar to the one in which we live. It was a lonely time — and a dark season. The people of Israel were deeply discouraged. Surrounded by uncertainty. Worn down by fear and oppression. They felt forgotten. They felt alone. They felt distant from God.
And into that moment, that God made them a promise.
— Not that everything would immediately change.
— Not that their struggles would suddenly disappear.
— But that light would come.
Christmas does not deny the darkness. It enters it with presence.
We understand darkness, don’t we?
That kind of darkness that comes with grief. The darkness that settles in after a painful personal loss. That kind of darkness that shows up when we’ve prayed — but it seems like our prayers have gone unanswered. That’s the kind of season the people of Israel were facing.
And Isaiah describes them as people who were walking in darkness.
It’s possible that even today, some of you feel that same way. Maybe you feel like you are walking in darkness. Maybe you’re walking through a season of heaviness, or hopelessness, or heartache right now. Maybe things just seem dark in your life at this time..
It’s possible that even in the midst of the struggle, you’re still showing up. Maybe you’re still doing what needs to be done. Still pressing forward. Still fighting hard to provide and survive. And yet, life is hard. Things feel heavy.
Well, if that’s you — know this, God sees you. He knows who you are — and where you are. He’s heard your cries for help and your prayers of desperation. He’s aware of the hard season you’re facing. And His response is not to pull away from you. His response is to draw close. R9 come near. To reveal Himself to you.
And in the midst of your struggle — His response is to give you His PRESENCE.
This Christmas, this season, I want to encourage you — by reminding you that:
1. God Chose to Be Present In Your Life.
That’s what Christmas is all about, it’s about Him showing up and being present in that moment He was needed most.
In the most desperate moment of our lives, God comes near. That’s the heart of Christmas. God offers us hope. But not from a distance. He doesn’t not shout hope from a distance. He didn’t send a message from a distance.
At Christmas God came near.
— He came quietly.
— He came humbly.
— He came in the smallest package
— He came as a child.
But, the miracle of Christmas is not just that Jesus was born. The greatest miracle is the way He came. Not as a Prince to a glorious palace, but as a pauper to a dirty stable. He wasn’t presented to a king, but to a group of shepherds. He wasn’t wrapped in royal robes, but in strips of cloth, burial cloths.
Why? Because God wanted to be present with common people. Not the elite, but the empty. He came to the simple. He came to the struggling. And He did not wait for humanity to get things right or to cleaned up our lives. No, He stepped into the mess. Into our poverty. Into our vulnerability. Into the ordinary rhythms of our human lives.
In a sense, I think the manger is God’s way of saying, “I am with you.” Christmas is the ultimate act of divine presence.
2. God Chose to Break Into the Darkness of Your Life.
Isaiah says,
“On those living in the land of deep darkness, a light has dawned.”
Notice, he didn’t say, “a spotlight has shown.” He didn’t describe a huge and sudden flash of light. A dawn.
Just a few weeks ago I took my annual pilgrimage to West Plains, MO to hunt with one of my best friends. And we did as we normally do, we got up that first morning, bundled up in our warmest clothes, and headed into the woods.
Now, when we first step into the woods, it’s cold and dark. We use a small flashlight to navigate the paths and to find our way to our tree stands. But it’s dark. We usually arrive about 5am and climb up the tree into our stand long before the sun comes up. But after about an hour sitting in darkness— the sun begins to rise.
It’s slow at first. As dawn breaks, a warm glow covers the eastern horizon. And then before you know it, the temperature begins to change. The darkness is replaced with light, and the morning awakens. It’s glorious really. Birds begin to call. Squirrels begin to come out of their hiding. The light overtakes the darkness of night and things come alive.
That’s what happens when the dawn breaks. The dawn is gentle. It doesn’t rush. It doesn’t overwhelm. But it is faithful and it’s unstoppable.
And that’s often how God’s presence works. Subtly. Quietly. Consistently. Patiently. That’s how it would be on that first Christmas morning. The darkness would give way to light.
For generations, people waited for that promise. They told the stories. They sang the songs. They prayed and hoped. And when the moment finally came, when heaven came down — it arrived softly, and subtly. It came with the cry of a new or baby.
On that first Christmas morning, God presence came near— the light of heaven pierced the darkness when God sent His son to come and rescue us from our sin.
And from that moment on, God’s presence would never again be distant.
3. God Chose to Reveal Himself to You.
God not only comes near; He not only pierces the darkness, but He also reveals Himself to us. That what Isaiah says, when he writes:
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given
And, he reveals something of His identity and destiny to us when he says,
“And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Think about that. He would be called:
— Wonderful Counselor.
Because He is God — present to guide our confused hearts and weary minds. And He’s,
— Mighty God.
Because He is God — present to stand with us and for, ready to fight the battles in life that we could never win on our own.
And He’s,
— Everlasting Father.
Because He is God — present to comfort all who have known absence, or loss, or even abandonment in this life. As the everlasting Father, He is eternally present. And will never leave your side.
And lastly, He is called,
— Prince of Peace.
Because He is God — present in anxious moments, when hearts are troubled, when nights are restless, and days are wrought with fear. To you, He has come. He is close. He is with You.
Jesus did not come to make a brief appearance. He came to stay. He did not just bring words from God. He is God with us.
When Isiah’s prophecy came true, A light dawned. Hope was given. And Jesus came to be our:
“Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.”
And that’s why Christmas matters. Because heaven didn’t come near, heaven didn’t just touch earth. At Christmas, Heaven moved in.
Author Eugene Peterson put it this way when he explained John 1:14 in his paraphrased version of the Bible. As He put it,
14 The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son,
That’s the story of Christmas. That’s the meaning of this season. God came near, made His presence known, and brings us hope!
I recently heard a story about a man who grew up believing in God — but just believing He was distant. He bought into that awful lie of deism. That belief that teaches that God is like a “watchmaker” who just created the universe, wound it up, and left it to wind down. That religious view that rejects any kind of divine intervention.
Well, that’s the view this man held. He believed in God. Thought of His as powerful, yes. Holy, yes. But far away. Later in his life, after facing great loss and hardship, someone invited him to a Christmas Eve service much like this one. It was filled with Scriptures and songs, carols, and candlelight, and a message of hope. And on that night, as he listened to the story of the virgin birth, the manger, something shifted. He said, “If God was willing to come that close, maybe He’s close to me too.”
That realization changed everything.
Christmas does not ask you to have all the answers. It invites you to trust the presence of God. A God who enters our darkness. A God who sits with us in our questions. A God who walks with us through real life.
An Invitation
Tonight, you may feel close to God. Or you may feel far away. Either way, Christmas is God’s invitation to draw near.
— You don’t have to figure everything out.
— You don’t have to clean yourself up.
— You don’t have to have perfect faith.
You simply receive the gift. Because Christmas is not about how close we can get to God. It is about how close God has already come to us.
Communion
In communion, we remember that the child in the manger became the Savior on the cross. The bread reminds us He took on flesh. The cup reminds us He gave His life. Christmas always leads us forward to redemption, forgiveness, and new life.
As we receive communion tonight, we remember this truth. God’s presence cost Him everything. Heaven came near so we could be made whole.
As we close this holy night, hear this truth. Christmas is not just something we remember. It is something we receive.Christmas is not about everything being easy. It is about God choosing to be present.
— Present in our world.
— Present in our weakness.
— Present in our waiting.
So as you leave tonight, know this. You do not go alone. The God who came near in Bethlehem goes with you still.
God is not distant. He is present, now and always!
Transition to Candle-lighting
In just a moment, we’re going to light candles together. One light will be passed from person to person, slowly filling the room.
As you receive the light tonight, let it be more than tradition. Let it be a reminder. The presence of Christ did not remain in Bethlehem. His light moved into the world. And by His Spirit, He is present with us now.
Hold the light quietly and remember this truth.
God is near. You are not alone.
Christmas Presence means this: God is not distant. He is present with you.
Prayer and Dismissal
As you go tonight, go in peace, carry the light of Christ with you, and remember this:
God is near. Merry Christmas.