John 1 - Carol Service Talk ’08: Into the Light!

Notes from an All Age talk from our Carols by Candlelight Service on 21.12.08

So what do you think of the lights tonight!
All around us, people have their Christmas lights on.

Light is an amazing thing. Can do incredible things.
One of the things light is, is fast!
(Hand out following numbers on sheets of A4, one digit on each. Get children to rearrange to make right numbers!)
How fast do you think Chris Hoy is on his Olympic bike? - 40 miles per hour
How fast do you think a cheetah can run? - miles per hour
How fast do you think the fastest car can go? -SC Ultimate Aero: 257 mph+,
Top speed of Concorde? -,450 miles per hour
How about light? -71 million (671,000,000) mph

Furthest star in observable universe was 76,369,821,721,183,332,680,000 miles away. We can see it now, but that light has taken 13,700,000,000 years to get here!

The light from this star has travelled this enormous distance, taking for ever to get here, going through miles of darkness, and yet it is still going, the light is still shining.
It doesn’t matter how dark space is, nor how big it is, it can’t put it out.

In his Christmas story, the Gospel writer John says the birth of John was like light blazing into the world.

Many things light can do:
1) Show us the way – like lights on an airport runway
2) Reveal what’s hidden, like a like in a cellar, or a torch on a walk
3) Or can create beautiful things like a rainbow or glitterball (turn on)
4) Light is also vital for life – we can’t live without it.

Some people think that as we celebrate such an old story at Christmas, some 2000 years old, that it is meaningless now. But like the light from a distant star, the light of Jesus continues to shine, still bringing direction, understanding, beauty and life to those that accept him today. John says that those who believe in him are given the amazing offer of becoming children of God.

One of the most amazing lights that I know is this one…

Light trick candle – blow out and watch relight.

Jesus’ light is not old light – like light from that distant star.
His light might have gone out on that first Good Friday when he was killed on the Cross. If that had been the case, then the light we celebrate today would be a faint 200 year old remnant. But the wonderful story about the baby Jesus, is that he grew up, was killed, but then was brought miraculously back to life by his Heavenly Father. His life still shines today.

This is what we celebrate at Christmas – the coming of this Light that shines from then to this day.