Second Sunday after Christmas: The Light of Home

John 1:6-12, NIRV [1]

⁶There was a man sent from God. His name was John. ⁷He came to be a witness about that light. He was a witness so that all people might believe. ⁸John himself was not the light. He came only as a witness to the light.

⁹The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰The Word was in the world. And the world was made through him. But the world did not recognize him. ¹¹He came to what was his own. But his own people did not accept him. ¹²Some people did accept him and did believe in his name. He gave them the right to become children of God.

Visual aids: All Christmas cookie cutter shapes.

Cookie shape: Candle with flame lit (Click here to download PDF template.)

Message

Have you ever needed a light to see in the dark? When we need a light, we may flip a switch on a wall, or simply ask Siri to “turn on flashlight.” Before there was electricity and light bulbs or flashlights, people would light a candle to give them light. Remember a few weeks ago, we lit candles on Christmas Eve and sang “Silent Night”?

A couple of weeks ago, we heard about a man named John. What did John the Baptist do while standing in the water? (Allow children to respond.) That’s right. He baptized Jesus.

Today’s scripture is again about John the Baptist, but it is also about light. The Gospel of John, chapter 1, tells us that God’s Word, the light of the whole world, was coming in person! The light was Jesus! So, God sent John the Baptist to tell people about Jesus and to prepare them to believe this good news.

Some people didn’t believe. “How could the Word of God come in person?” they thought. “That’s impossible,” they said. When Jesus did come, as a baby, some people still didn’t recognize anything special about him. They just thought he was an ordinary baby. They didn’t see him as anything extraordinary.

BUT some people did believe the good news. They believed that God’s Word had indeed come into the world in a new and amazing way. It is an amazing story. It is so amazing that I can see why some didn’t believe. I wonder if you believe it?

Our last cookie cutter template is an example of the light of Jesus. When people don’t see truth, we sometimes say, that they are left out in the dark. Those people who didn’t believe that Jesus was the son of God were “in the dark.” But those who believe, the Bible says, God gives them the right to become children of God. They saw the true light of the world, Jesus, was coming into the world. A burning candle suggests or reminds us that we have seen the light of the world – Jesus!

As you make, bake, and wait for the cookies, wonder together as a family these thoughts:

I wonder why some people didn’t believe that Jesus was God’s son.
I wonder how we can trust God when we feel like we’re in the dark.
I wonder how you can share the light of the world with others who might be in the dark.

For our closing prayer this morning, I would like us to sing a song that should be familiar to most of us. (Sing “This Little Light of Mine,” include the motions of index finger being our candle.)

Prayer:

“This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine,
let it shine, let it shine, oh let it shine”.
And all of God’s children, who have seen the light, shall say,
Amen!