Christmas...light fills the hall

Address at a School Carol Service (with drama)

There was once an old king who had 3 sons.

He knew that when he died, he would have to leave his kingdom to one of them, but which one?

So that winter, when the winds were cold and icy, he sent each of them out, with a purse of gold, and he told them to buy something, which would actually fill the great hall in his castle, to every corner.

The first rushed out and bought tons of hay from the stables a local farmer, but the hall was so vast he could only fill it a third full from his allowance of money, so they were taken out.

The second, some time later hurried in with cartloads of fir trees, but they only filled two thirds of the hall. They too were removed.

The younger son returned that night, and his two brothers smiled, for it seemed that he carried nothing with him at all.

Towards the great dark hall he walked, with servants following behind him. He took with him a flaming torch from a wall, and as he walked in, the hall was suddenly filled with light.

As his servants lit more torches from his, the room became brighter and brighter, and every corner was filled.

This son was named the heir to the throne and master of the coming kingdom.

One small flame, that's all it took!

One small child born in Bethlehem in a stable! That's all it took to change the course of history.

Someone said to me only recently, "Of course Christmas isn't just about Jesus now is it, I mean we're got all these other religions around now."

I replied to her, 'No, Christmas IS about Jesus!'

Who would think it now?

Has the Christ been removed from Christmas leaving us with only a mess, a mass of things which have very little to do with the real meaning of Christmas: 

We must make sure that Christ remains at the very heart of Christmas, and this school by its presence here today in our church, plays its part in teaching this vital truth, where sometimes churches fail to reach people with this message.

Jesus was the True Light, who was to come into the world,

 a light the darkness would never overcome, rather like the light that was carried into the great hall.

More than ever his light needs to shine in our world today, and we like the servants in that story need to light our lights from that one, true source,

… if we want the world to become an increasingly better place in which to live.

We can choose to be flame bearers or extinguishers. 

(demonstrate the following with a candle being lit with a  taper and extinguisher extinguishin the flame)

We can choose light or darkness.

We have the freedom to choose what is wrong or to do what is right and good.

We can either we can put a light out or we can light one.

We can do what we know is wrong and will hurt us and others, or to do what is right and good for others.

We can destroy and trash things or we can create or make something beautiful

We can say something nasty or we can say something loving and encouraging.

We can make someone utterly miserable this Christmas, through our behaviour, our selfishness, our ingratitude or we can choose to make others happy , wanted and loved.

What do we want to do with our lives?

Whatever our choices have been in our lives so far, we must remember that even the darkest hall can be changed dramatically by the lighting of one flame.

What is it that prevents us from doing that?

Let's see if our drama group can show us.

Drama : I’ve come to light that candle (see my drama link)

Before we leave this place today help us to remember Lord, all those for whom Christmas is a time of sadness;

We pray for those who have lost loved ones …those with very little money to spare,…those whose relatives who are far away,

or perhaps in places of war trying to keep peace and bring relief,

…those who live with sickness or pain,  and those who live in fear and dread, and those who are hungry or in prison.

Help us to play our part in bringing your light to others, and to strive this Christmas, to make this season a very special time for others, rather than just think of ourselves.

Help us go from this place filled with the peace of the Christ child. And so we give you thanks and praise.

Amen