Christmas Eve Candlelighting Message
Lanse Evangelical Free Church
December 24, 2025 :: Daniel 7:13-14, 27
“Advent” means “coming.”
Christmas is coming...in just a few hours.
Jesus Christ has come and is coming again, we don’t know when.
This year for the Advent season, our church family has focused our attention on the classic Christmas carol, “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” which was written about 250 years ago by Pastor Charles Wesley.
This is one of the greatest worship songs ever written in the English language. Charles Wesley was a hymn-writing genius. One of the best of all times.
And this song was popular as soon as he wrote it. It was on everybody’s Spotify Wrapped in 1775.
Something like that, actually. Wesley put it in a little booklet entitled, “Hymns for the Nativity of Our Lord,” and it was reprinted twenty times in his lifetime.
And how many times have we sung it? As a church, we’ve sung it every Sunday for the last four weeks. And we had a little group go caroling on Sunday afternoon, and we sang it over and over again at people’s front doors.
It’s beautiful, especially set to the Welsh tune “Hyfrydol” (pronounced: “Hev-rrrol-dul”) which is the one most people are familiar with, and we’ll sing it in just a minute.
It does work with other tunes. Try it out some time to the theme from the Flintstones. (Dads, lead that one on the way home tonight!) It doesn’t carry the same weight when you do that, though.
And make sure you get the right version. This week I saw some alternative lyrics by the Church Curmudgeon:
“Come, Thou Badly-Needed Coffee.”
“Come, thou badly needed coffee;
Come to make thy people see.
From our weary slumbers wake us;
Let us end our rest with thee.
This real bracing consolation
bids us from our beds arise;
Water, beans in combination,
open up our sleeping eyes!”
Some of you parents might need that first thing tomorrow morning when the kids pull you out of bed for opening presents!
But the real words, the original words, are wonderful, in many ways drawn from the holy Scriptures themselves.
It’s beautiful poetry, and one of the things I really love about it is that while it’s clearly about Jesus’ first coming, His first advent that first Christmas, Wesley wrote it so that it also applies to Jesus’ second coming. His second advent which we have been focusing on as a church family all this year especially as we’ve studied the Book of Daniel and the letters to the Church of the Thessalonians.
Jesus Christ has come and is coming again.
And this song is a prayer directly to Jesus to do that!
“Come, O You Long-Expected Jesus! Please, come! We’re ready for you.”
Is that the prayer of your heart this evening?
Sometimes we get so excited about Christmas Day coming, we not only forget that Christmas Day is about Jesus but we forget that Jesus is coming again, and we need to make sure we are ready for that.
So, let’s contemplate this song once again.
On the first Sunday of Advent, the Englishes lit this first candle and said that it was a candle of freedom. And they read to us the first few lines of the carol:
“Come, Thou long-expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free; from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in Thee.”
Do you hear the plaintive cry for freedom? Not just freedom from earthly captivity. Not just from being imprisoned in a detention center, a boot camp, a county jail, a state or federal prison. But being freed from...all fear and sin!
Can you imagine what that will be like?! To have no fears and no sins? A life unshackled by worry, concern, anxiety, dread, and fright. Are you scared tonight? This time of year can be scary for many people.
And not just free from fear but free from sin. From the sin of other people and from our own sins.
No more doing the wrong thing.
No more wanting the wrong thing!
No more someone doing the wrong thing to us.
No more wickedness, iniquity, evil in any form. Freedom!
I can hardly wait.
The prophet Isaiah spoke of One who would one day bring such freedom. He wrote, “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion–to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor” (Isaiah 61:1-3).
That was written seven hundred years before Jesus was born!
And after Jesus was born and grew into manhood, one Sabbath day, he read that very prophecy from Isaiah 61 in a synagogue and then proclaimed, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (see Luke 4:16-21).
The Savior has come to bring us freedom.
But we are still waiting for the full freedom that will come when Jesus returns. Then our sins and fears will be gone forever, and we will find our rest in Him. Come, Thou-Long Expected Jesus!
On the second Sunday of Advent, the Suhoneys lit this second candle and told us that it was a candle of joy. And they read the next few lines of the carol:
“Israel's strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art; dear Desire of ev'ry nation, joy of ev'ry longing heart.”
Again, it’s a prayer. It’s saying, “Jesus, You are all this. Everything the Old Testament promised you would be! Please come.”
The title “Desire of ev’ry nation” comes from one of the most under-read books in the Old Testament, Haggai. Haggai prophesied of a time when there would be a great upheaval, a great shaking of all things. He wrote:
“This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD Almighty” (Haggai 2:6-7).
He’s talking about Jesus. Haggai was saying that all of the people of the earth may not realize it now, but they all really want Jesus to come.
Not just true Israel (who will be consoled when He comes) but all nations! Jesus is the fulfillment of all of their longings. If they could only understand that He is what they have been chasing all of their lives. Only He can truly satisfy.
That’s why we send out missionaries (like those people whose picture is on the back wall)–to tell the nations that Jesus is our only hope and that when He returns He will not just shake the world, but He will fill the world with His glory and His people with un-ending joy. Come, Thou-Long Expected Jesus!
On the third Sunday of Advent, the Cowfers lit this candle and said that it was a candle of hope.
And they read from a brand new stanza that was just added to this old hymn this year by singer-songwriter Kristyn Getty. It’s new, but we’ve been signing it together this month.
“Come, O promised Star of Jacob, rise upon this harrowed earth; fill the silence of our waiting with the cry of holy birth.”
This name for Jesus comes from a very unlikely source. Some of you will remember that we talked about it last year at Christmastime. A pagan prophet from the East named Balaam tried to place a curse on Israel, but all that came out of his mouth was blessing. It’s a hilarious story!
In Numbers chapter 24, Balaam shared a vision he received from the LORD. He said:
“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17).
That was more like 1500 years before Jesus was born. But Balaam caught a glimpse of Him. He saw down the corridors of time that Jesus was the light of the world (see John 8:12 and Revelation 22:16). And that’s where our hope comes from. When Jesus comes, He will dispel the darkness with all of its coldness, emptiness, depression, and despair.
That’s why the sky was lit up with the army of angels! And one day it will be again, and the Light will shine forever.
I can’t wait! And, yet, we must wait. But while we wait we pray, “Come, Lord Jesus, Come!” Come, Thou-Long Expected Jesus!
On the last Sunday of Advent, the Kepharts lit our fourth candle and said that it was a candle of nearness. And they finished reading the newest stanza by Kristyn Getty:
“Son of heaven, son of Mary, hear the song of angels tell, Thou hast come to save Thy people, God with us, Emmanuel.”
That’s what our choir was just singing to us a moment ago. Jesus is Immanuel which means “God with us.”
That was predicted by Isaiah, as well, in his chapter 7. Isaiah said that a virgin would give birth to son who would be given the name “Emmanuel.”
We just talked this last Sunday morning about that mind-blowing wow of an idea–that a virgin would conceive! That’s not how it normally works! And if that happened, then of course, you’d call her son, “Emmanuel!” And that’s exactly what did happen! The Son of the Most High came and was formed in the womb of Mary. “Son of heaven, son of Mary.” Same Person.
God is with us! So we are not alone. We are never abandoned. We are never forsaken! Our God is close. And yet...He will be closer. One day, when Emmanuel returns, we will be near God in the fullest way forever–as we will see His face (see Revelation 22:4!).
I can’t wait. Can you? And, yet, we must wait. But while we wait, we long. We cry, “Come, Lord Jesus, Come!” Come, Thou-Long Expected Jesus!
[LIGHT CHRIST CANDLE.]
Tonight on the last night Advent, we light the last candle of Advent, the Christ Candle. And we contemplate the last stanza of Wesley’s song which emphasizes the kingship of Jesus.
“Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King; born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring.”
Do you hear all of the king-words in there? Yes, He was born a child. Helpless. Weak. Needy. A baby! Ever see a newborn? I got to hold one last week. So tiny and helpless. And yet at the same time, this child was born a king. He was born to rule, to reign, to be sovereign over a kingdom.
And not just any kingdom, but the kingdom of kingdoms!
We started 2025 by studying the Book of Daniel with its wild and wonderful mysterious visions (including fantastic beasts, Daniel is where to find them!).
And at the very center of the book of Daniel there is a vision of God where He is called, “The Ancient of Days.” He is pictured as seated on His throne, ruling over the universe, untroubled by all of the evil monstrous terrifying kingdoms of this world. You can read about it in Daniel chapter 7.
The Ancient of Days is not threatened by the kingdoms of this world that so often threaten us. In fact, it says that He will one day destroy all of those kingdoms so that they threaten His people no longer.
It’s incredibly encouraging. But there’s more. Because the wise-man Daniel sees another Person enter into His vision.
Listen to what he says. Daniel 7:13, “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man [human and yet more!], coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. [Who is welcome in His presence?!]
He [this one like a Son of Man] was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14).
Who could that be? What is His name?
Yes, it’s Jesus. “Born a child and yet a king.”
Or as Revelation 11 says it, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).
And you can just hear Handel’s Messiah reverberate with those words!
Jesus is the King of Kingdoms! He is Lord. Trei read to us that the angels sang, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). He is Lord!
And we pray with Wesley’s carol that Jesus would come and bring His kingdom forever. “Now thy gracious kingdom bring!”
“Come, Lord Jesus, come!”
The song ends with these words:
“By thine own eternal Spirit, rule in all our hearts alone; by thine all-sufficient merit, raise us to thy glorious throne.”
Is that your prayer tonight?
Do you pray for Jesus’ kingdom to come? For His will to be done in your life and in the world to come?
Think about it. Do you really want a king? Do you really want to be ruled and reigned? Do you really want someone to tell you what to do?
So often we do not want a king. We would rather be our own kings, thank-you very much.
And sometimes there’s a good reason for that. We’ve seen how kings can be. And sometimes they are the worst.
But what if the king was like this king? What if His kingdom was gracious?
What if His kingdom was a kingdom of freedom, joy, hope, and nearness to God Himself?
Well, then if we knew what was good for us, we’d want this kingdom. And yet, there is something wrong with us that still fights against this perfect kingdom and this perfect king. Something inside of us. It’s our sin. Our rebellion against our perfect king.
But our perfect king has done something about that, too. He has solved our sin problem by sending this King to be our Savior. The Son of Man came that first Christmas to seek and to save those who were lost in sin (see Luke 19:10). That’s one of the reasons why He took on human flesh, so that flesh could bleed for you and me.
The Son of Man was mocked, flogged, and crucified (see Matthew 20:17-19). And then He was raised!
And then Son of Man was raised to the throne of the Ancient of Days. That’s how you and I can join this kingdom. That’s why Wesley says, “...by thine all-sufficient merit.” He’s talking about the previous blood of Jesus Christ. All of His merit, all of His righteousness, covering us and taking away our sin. So that we can share in His kingdom!
Wow! That’s mind-blowing, I’ll tell you. Because we sure don’t deserve it.
Near the end of Daniel chapter 7 it says, “Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to... the saints, the people of the Most High [that’s us!]. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him” (Daniel 7:27).
We will possess the kingdom with Him?!!! Can you imagine?
“Raise us to thy glorious throne!”
Is that your prayer tonight?
Do you pray for Jesus to come?
Do you pray for Jesus to bring His gracious kingdom?
Are you ready for Jesus to return?
So many are not ready.
I invite you to turn from your sin and trust in the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ Whose all-sufficient merit is all-sufficient to save you and me forever.
And I invite you to put yourself under His perfect rule. Submit yourself to Him as your King forever. He is what you have been longing for.
And get ready for His second Advent. Because the Bible says it will be very soon.
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