Cornerstone PLUS

John 1 verse 1 to 14. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with god, and the word was god. He was with god in the beginning. Through him, all things were made. Without him, nothing was made that has been made.

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from god whose name was John, He came as a witness to testify concerning that light so that through him, all might believe. He himself was not the light. He came only as a witness to the light.

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world has may was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him, yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, He gave the right to become children of god. Children born not of natural descent nor of human decision or husband's will, but born of god. The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

We have seen his glory. The glory of the 1 and only son who came from the father full of grace and truth. Well, a very, good evening to you. My name is Tom Sweitman, and I'm on the staff team at Cornerstone Church in Kingston as well. And it's great to have you with us as we, in the next few moments, just consider together something of the message that we've been celebrating this evening, the the Christmas message.

It'll be helpful therefore if you could keep your booklets open and near you because we'll be referring, to a couple of the readings, which we've already had read in our service so far. Now, every year in Kingston, there are these certain traditions or these certain events, which must take place before we get to December the 20 fifth. So at some point, the rose theater has gotta decide on a Christmas show and start advertising it. The Christmas market comes to town with all of its drinks and foods and various stocking fillers that you can buy usually an overpriced rate. The lights go on.

At some point, this trio of singing bears returns to the Bentel Center. If you've seen those, still embarking out the same old songs, it seems. And at some point, we all will have to brave the 1 way system on a Saturday or on a weekend to do our shopping. That's Christmas in Kingston, isn't it? There'll be certain traditions these things that seem to happen every year.

But then there are these national events which also remind us that Christmas is on the way. So personally, I'm not into it, but I know lots of people are from October through to December, strictly come dancing. Is back on the TV. Black Friday comes and goes increasingly popular as the years go on. We get a Christmas tree at some point.

We sing Carols like we are this evening, we send cards. And then, of course, by the end of November, usually the Christmas adverts. Are out either on tele or online for you to look at and share. Most of the big shops and the department stores have a go, And every year, there's something to talk about when it comes to the Christmas adverts. So Iceland made the headlines this year.

I don't know if you saw that. They produced an advert, which was trying to raise awareness about deforestation. And it was banned for being too political. Maybe you maybe you saw that 1. Sainsbury's often have a good adverts.

In fact, a survey was done of audience reactions, how enthusiastic audiences were as they saw the different adverts, and Sainsbury's 1 They had the most visually pleasing heartwarming advert this year. So if you haven't seen that, it's probably worth looking up as well. But I think for most people, when they think Christmas advert, they think John Lewis. Famous for their cute characters and their heartwarming portraits of family life. Millions of people every year watch them share them like them.

And this year was no exception. So what we're gonna do is just have a look at it now. It's a little good funny. Dis feelings. I'm not 1 of those.

Who can. You don't too believe. I was a scout to But then again, no, or a man who makes potions and a travel and I know it's not much, but it's the best I can do. My gift is my song. And this one's for you.

And you can tell everybody, this is a song. And maybe quite simple, now that is done. I'm working on my I hope it don't mind that I put down the words. I wonder for life is while you're in the world. There we go.

Now, apparently, I was reading about this advert, and Elton John was paid 5000000 pounds. For his part in this. And, that doesn't include, of course, all the money that would have gone into the production. And the other cast and the scenes and so on. So so who knows how much money actually went into that advert, but it's a huge part of their yearly marketing campaign, isn't it?

5000000 pounds is nothing compared to what they could rake in because of the advert. And yet strangely, as is often the case with John Lewis Adverts, there's no product in it. There's nothing for you to actually buy. There is no special offer on any product. There is actually no 1 item that is gonna sell out because of that advert.

And look, that's not an accident. Because the aim is not to sell you a product. The aim is to sell you a vision and a type of lifestyle that you could enjoy. And if I had to have a go at summarizing this year's vision, which I think is being communicated in the advert, it would be something like this. Give somebody you love the sort of gift, which could change the course of their life forever.

Give somebody you love, the sort of gift that could change the course of their life forever, and in brackets get it from John Lewis. In an interview, Elton John said it's been a lovely opportunity for me to reflect on my life in music and the incredible journey that I've been on and how first playing my grandmother's piano marks the moment. When music came into my life. You see, at some point, he was given a gift which changed the course of his life. He was given a gift which enabled him to become a gift to millions of other people, my gift is my song, and this one's for you.

It's not an accident. And if that's true of him, What could you buy this year? Which might have the same effect on someone? A tabletop snooker set could make the next Ronio Sullivan. A first tennis racket could make the next Serena Williams, a kid's first cookbook and little set of knives maybe could make the next Jamie all I hadn't written set of knives down actually.

I don't know why that came out. You see what I mean? A baking set maybe would be a bit more tame and safe. Anything like that could make the next Jamie Oliver or whoever it is. In other words, this isn't just about materialism.

It's not about a product. It's trying to set you a vision, a thoughtful gift in the context of a relationship could transform a life. And for that reason, I think it is quite an inspiring advert. And yet, I don't know about you, but when it finishes, the feeling is 1 of sadness. As the piano lid goes up on Christmas morning, a life begins.

Hope begins. All of this potential just opens up before him. Who knows what he's gonna achieve with that piano? But when the lid comes down, in many ways, it's a career that is ending, a moment passing and a life that is fading, almost as if to say, yeah. Give somebody the sort of gift, which could transform their life forever, but even the best gifts don't last forever.

And therefore, I think this advert does 2 things. It makes a smile and it inspires us maybe, but it also leaves us with the haunting realization that even the most glitzy lives are in the end very short. But of course, that's true for all of us, isn't it? No matter what kind of life we live, famous, maybe, but probably not, We are all gonna have our moment at the piano when the lid must come down. At the beginning, I spoke about the Christmas traditions that we have.

Christmas market comes to doubt to town. We have all kinds probably of little family traditions, things that just we do as a family every year. But you realize a time will come for all of us when we will do those things for the last time. Next time, we won't be around to do them again. And of course for many people, Christmas already brings those kind of painful memories.

It doesn't matter what presence they are given. It doesn't matter what they get in 1 sense, the joy of receiving something new is always washed away by the sadness of missing something old. And so as the advert finishes, and the lid comes down. We're inspired perhaps excited about what we could buy for the people we love. But I think sad a life is ending.

And it also leaves us with 1 big question. A question that we've we've all asked, probably, if we're honest, a question that is too often suppressed, I think, in our day, Is that it? Is that it? A brief moment in the sun, a fading applause, maybe, and then a closing lid. Will that be all for us walking the stage of this life for a moment, and then disappearing forever.

Or could it be that the ideal gift does exist? Could it be that there is a gift which really can transform your life? And crucially, could it be that there is a gift which won't wave goodbye to you at the grave. In the words of this advert, is there a gift that is more than just a gift. Well, I hope you've seen this evening that in every Bible reading and in every Carol, the answer is a resounding, yes.

But if we're going to understand how wonderful it is that gift. We need to actually realize how much we need it. It is both wonderful and vital in the way that a piano isn't. Piano's a great gift, but it's not vital. This gift is.

1 of the lovely things about the advert I think is that boy's face on Christmas morning is kind of a mixture, isn't it, of of just stunned amazement and love, but also profound thankfulness. As he comes into the room and he puts his arms behind his back and he knows he's thankful and he's happy because he knows what's coming. And that's right, isn't it? It would be a seriously unmoving ugly advert. If he ran straight over to the present ripped the wrapping paper off, snatched it off them without a thought or a word of thanks for the family who had saved and sacrificed in order that he could have it.

Imagine it. Christmas morning, snatching the presents living only for the gift with no thought for the giver. We know that's not right and it wouldn't make a very good advert. And yet, that is exactly how you and I have treated the god who made us. In our first reading, we learned that Adam and Eve were like that imaginary child on Christmas morning.

They turned from the giver of life and they traded him for the gifts, for the things, for the world that he had made. And we read this that the man and his wife after doing that, they heard the sound of the lord god as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day and they hid from the lord god among the trees of the garden. What a turnaround. Once they had been in relationship with him, enjoying perfect intimacy with the god who made them, but now they were trying to live as if he didn't exist anymore. They were hiding from him in the things that he made.

They were using the things that he made as a cover for his non existence. And the reality is we have all followed after them. God created us. He gave us life. He sustains us each moment.

Everything that is good and wholesome comes from his hand. And yet without exception, we have snatched it from him We have turned our backs upon him, and we have pretended that he doesn't exist. And for that, the lid must come down on our lives forever. We deserve death, and we deserve the judgment of god. We deserve the lid to be shut down upon us.

If god didn't care, he wouldn't worry how we treated him, but because he cares and because he loves us, He takes our rejection of him very seriously. But then what about this gift? What about this great gift? What about this gift that John Lewis could only dream of? What about this gift which can transform our hearts?

What about this gift which death has no hold of? Does it exist or doesn't it? Well, yeah. Otherwise, we'd have nothing to sing about this evening. But we have been singing, we have been singing, and loudly.

Why? Because this Carol service has been telling a story a story which includes our sin, but ultimately it's a story of redemption, a story of forgiveness. A story of the gift, which can transform our rebellious hearts make them new. And bring us eternal life. In our last reading, John chapter 1, we read this in verse 9.

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, And though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of god. Children not born of natural descent nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of god.

The word became flesh and he made his dwelling among us, we have seen his glory. The glory of the 1 and only son who came from the father full of grace and truth. Friends, that is the gift, which is more than just a gift. It is a person. It is a word made flesh.

It is a son of glory and his name is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came as a baby He was born in a manger, he grew up to proclaim the kingdom of god, and ultimately he went to a cross That was the reason he came to go to a cross, to the place of execution, and there he would suffer and die because of the way you and I have treated god. He would stand in our place and bear our sin and bear our justice, and bear our judgments swapping places with us so that we could have forgiveness and life When Jesus Christ was laid in a tomb, the lid came down on his life. The lid had come down on him. The stone was rolled into place.

He was dead, a career, and a life had ended, but heaven moved the stone. The lid came up again, and it will stay up forever. The lid rose to a new, glorious resurrection life And so now we proclaim to all who will hear that death is dead, and sin is paid for, an eternal resurrection life can be found by each 1 of us in Jesus Christ. He is the gift, which is more than just a gift. See, I don't know what it is you're hoping for.

This year. Maybe you've got an Amazon wish list. Maybe you've told people that you know what you would like, but the point here is that the greatest gift you could ever receive has already been given. And so perhaps I could leave you just with this challenge. 1 day, the piano lid will close on your life.

1 day, it'll all be done. It'll all be done. And then after that, it'll be time to face the music. And the question is, in what condition will we meet the god who made us? Will we be like that imaginary spoiled child who has rejected god and just lived for what he can give?

Or will we meet him like that little boy? Hands behind our backs on our tiptoes. So glad. So thankful. For all that he saved and sacrificed for us, will we meet him as a child of god who has gladly embraced The gift that is more than just a gift, the lord Jesus Christ.

This year, let me ask Are you going to receive the gift that John Lewis doesn't sell? The gift which can transform your heart? The gift which will give you eternal life, Jesus Christ, the lord. It might be that you want to do that this evening. And if so, why not speak to a friend who brought you along?

Why not come to speak to any of us who have been on stage this evening? Or it might be that you wanna spend a bit more time investigating the claims of Jesus Christ for yourself. And if that is you, we would love to help you with that. On the last page of your booklets, you'll see an advert for a course that we're running in the new year. It's called tales of the unexpected, and it's just 4 weeks a simple opportunity for you to explore Jesus through some of the things that he said and the stories that he told.

You don't need to know anything at all about the Christian faith. We'd love to help you as you investigate him. We're gonna sing together our last Carol, Park, the Harold angels sing glory to the newborn king. But before we stand, perhaps I could lead us in a in a prayer. Should we bow our heads and pray?

Father god, we thank you for the gift that you have given to this world. We thank you for the lord, Jesus Christ. We thank you that he is the gift which really can transform hearts like ours, hearts that have tried to live independently from you, hearts that have rebelled against you. We thank you that there is forgiveness in him and all that he has done. We thank you that the gift on offer to us in the lord Jesus is not 1 that will perish and fade and wear out with this world, but a gift which leads to glorious, eternal, wonderful, better than can be described or imagined life forever with you.

May each 1 of us embrace it this year we ask in Jesus' name, amen.