Merry Moments: Candlelight Service 2021

Merry Moments: Candlelight 2021

December 19th, 2021/Riverside & Lookout

Story: Driving the kids to school and asking “How can you live out our family values today?”

Family Creed: “I am a Manuel. And together with love as our motivation we create moments, give honor, live generous, take risks, and obey God. I am not what I do, but who God says I am, I am a world changer. By the power of the Holy Spirit I am unstoppable and equipped for this day.”

Looking ahead at the next few weeks and going into the new year I would like to ask you all the same question, “How can we as the church, live out our family values this Christmas season and at the start of a new year?”

Big Idea: Before you catch a vision for the future, you need to establish values for today.

Juxtapose the Values v Vision from the start letting people know where you’re going — We’re going to talk about establishing your values and then casting vision…

Assignment starts with God.

Alignment starts with you. - Jeremy Foster

I want to take just a few minutes and encourage you to align yourself with the values God is calling you to live by and pass on to future generations. Your values will dictate your decisions, behaviors, and reputation.

In the new year the mindset is on vision.

Values:

1. Jesus Is Our Message
   1. “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” - John 14:6 CSB

   2. Unpack:

      1. Jesus is our message. Jesus is our pursuit. Jesus is our life! Jesus is our Hope! Jesus is our salvation, joy, freedom, and peace! Jesus Is… enough!
      2. If we had one value, and if that value was Jesus, then we have everything we could ever need as the church.

      3. It’s always been about Jesus and it will always be about Jesus! There is no second option. There is no Jesus and… He is the all sufficient Savior.

         3. Application:

      4. “Jesus is our message” is not just what we say, but how we live our lives! We declare the truth about Jesus in how we love.

      5. It’s easy to become distracted by things that don’t matter and disillusioned into putting our Hope in things of this world, but the moment you realize that Jesus is enough is the moment everything in your life changes.
         4. More than anything, seek Him this season. More of Jesus. Less of me, less of my desires, more of Jesus.

      6. Connection Is Our Culture

         1. And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, 25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching. - Hebrews 10:24-25 CSB
         2. Unpack:

      7. Just because many of us are taking a Holiday break from work and school, does not mean that we are taking a break from relationships.

      8. I find that when I am out of rhythm and my routine is gone, then I get inside my own head.

      9. “Let us consider one another”, Let’s maintain quality connection and genuine relationships over these next few weeks going into the new year.

         3. Application:

      10. Send an encouraging text message to at least 1 person a day.

      11. Call your close friends and spend a few minutes catching up.
      12. Pray for your friends and family and believe that God is moving in their lives.
          4. Song: “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. Beloved, let us love one another. 1 John 4:7-8.”

      13. Generosity Is Our Privilege

          1. “Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.” - 2 Corinthians 9:7 CSB
          2. Notice that God loves a cheerful giver, but it doesn’t say that you always have to be cheerful in your generosity.

      14. Spiritual maturity is seeing God’s faithfulness in your generosity time and time again, and then you get excited to give! But in the early days you are nervous, maybe even doubtful, sometimes even upset… But stay faithful and watch what God will do!

      15. If you feel like you are giving out of compulsion, guilt, or shame, then stop and pray. Giving is obedience, not shame. God will give you a number. He will speak an amount or percentage over your life if you listen. Don’t let me or anyone else put a cap on what God wants to do through your life.

          3. Where God guides, God provides. - Ps. Heiden Ratner

      16. How can you go above and beyond to be a blessing to someone that needs a miracle this season?

Questions to consider as you write your values:

1. What behaviors do you want to be true of your life?
2. How do you want others to speak of you?
3. What do you still want to be true of your life in 20 years?
4. How do you want to be remembered?

In times where there is pressure, what gets squeezed is your values.

We’ve talked about Values, but what about Vision! It’s impossible to have vision apart from the Light.

Candle Lighting: Benefits of Light

1. It gives us guidance // I am the way

“Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” - John 8:12

It is impossible for us to find our way apart from the work of Jesus. He is the Light that guides us to spiritual truth. He is the Light that gives us a way to the Father. It is the Light that guides our thoughts and actions.

Question: What’s guiding you tonight? Or let’s get more specific, what’s guiding your motivations, ambitions, and 2021 goals? What’s guiding you to peace at night when you lay your head on your pillow? What’s guiding your marriage? What’s guiding your parenting? Is Jesus your message, your life?

Once we identify what is truly guiding us, only then can we make a decision to either place our trust in ourselves or Jesus for direction.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” - Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV

1. It reveals the truth // I am the truth

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in him. 6 If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. 7 If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - 1 John 1:5-9

He reveals all the reality of sin in our lives. He reveals the lies the enemy is speaking to us. He is truth and reveals His truth through His Word.

Question: What's the condition of your heart tonight? Are you bitter, angry, confused, doubting (get specific).

At Pinewood we believe no one should walk alone. If your heart condition feels broken tonight, turn to Jesus! If you feel like nobody could ever love you, turn to Jesus! If you feel like giving up, turn to Jesus! He doesn’t reveal to condemn, He reveals to forgive! And in His forgiveness we can experience freedom! We can, maybe for the first time, discover our true selves and live in freedom!

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” - CS Lewis

Jesus came to make the blind see. To reveal the hidden things and to offer forgiveness. Nothing is too great for our God to forgive. Nobody is too far gone that God’s grace can not make new! Scripture teaches us that if anyone is in Christ they are a NEW CREATION!

1. It brings hope // I am the life

Question: What in your life is currently sustaining you? Where are you searching for hope?

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.” - Isaiah 9:2

GO BIG: There’s only one source of light that will sustain us in every season, in every circumstance, in every heart break, every loss, and His name is Jesus. He is Emmanuel (God with us), King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the bright and morning star, the Creator and your Friend, He is the light of the World.

“In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.” - John 1:4-5

Invitation

“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” - John 14:6

Question: Is Jesus your way? Are you following His light?

Question: Is Jesus your truth? Have you declared Jesus as Lord?

Question: Is Jesus your life? Is He all that you need?

“If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.” - Romans 10:9-10