This transcript has been automatically generated, and therefore may not be 100% accurate.

Penny, thank you so much. Well, last week we had a power cut. We seem to have a lot at the moment around here and it was just before dinner time, just when it had got dark. But there was a place nearby with power and light. Firstly, it was KFC that had power and light.

And we went there, dinner was sorted. But the place even closer with power and light was the Tiger. Can you believe it? We're only like, literally live next door. But power was on in one and off in the other.

It was like a beacon, us in the dark, the tiger bursting with light. I don't know who left the lights on, Ash, but someone left them on. So we went in and it was great. And we got to run around and play games and eat our kfc and it was lovely. Just as we thought the evening was going to be ruined, actually, we found light.

And that's what we think about at Christmas time, isn't it? Light into the darkness, food for the hungry, warmth for the cold, joy for the sad. And that's how Isaiah 60 begins. As a lot of Christmas readings begin. Light comes to people in darkness.

Arise, shine, for your light has come. It's a light of good news that a saviour is coming. The Saviour has come. It's light of hope that God is with us. But what does this light do?

Verses three to six, we're told what this light does. We're told that nations will come to your light. Isaiah here is prophesying about a particular light. Not just light in general, but a very specific light. See how he describes it there in verse two?

But the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears. And nations will come to this light. This is a very specific light, a personal light. And specifically, the nations who come are the magi, the wise men. That's surely who this passage is talking about.

That's surely how this passage is fulfilled when we read in Matthew chapter two of the Magi coming from the east to seek the King of the Jews. Just look at verse six again with me there. Look how it's described. Herds of camels will cover your land. Young camels of Midian and Ephah and all from Sheba will come bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.

Well, we're not told about the camels in Matthew chapter two, but that was probably their preferred mode of transportation. And they've got gifts and they're coming to praise. If it quacks like a magi, it probably is a magi. And that's who we see Here. But who were the Magi?

Well, we don't quite know, but they were probably from Iran and they were probably Zoroastrians. And we're told they were Star Watchers. Not the most likely people you'd expect to find in a church. Not the most likely people you'd expect to be coming to find the King of the Jews. How did they know to come?

Maybe Daniel had told them about the words of Isaiah long ago in Babylon. Maybe they'd also read the prophecy of Micah. These weren't good Jewish people. They were foreigners worshipping other gods and practising sorcery. And yet they come to Jesus just like Isaiah said they would.

And here's the great news of the Magi. If the Magi can come to Jesus, then anyone can come to Jesus. We've already heard some stories this morning from different parts of the country, of people coming, perhaps with no background at all, to come and follow the Lord Jesus. If the Magi can come, then anyone can come. I've got a little visual aid to help us with this.

I feel like George Burwell.

Here we go. George, you want to come and hold this for me? So here is my globe. The nations can come to Jesus. If the Magi can come to Jesus, then anyone can come to Jesus.

That means people from just under the end there, there's a little cul de sac called Barrow. People from Barrow can come to Jesus. I met someone this morning from Spain. People from Spain can come to Jesus. There's someone here this morning from Ukraine.

People from Ukraine can come to Jesus. Have we got anyone else from another country here this morning? Shout out if you're from another country.

We've got mission partners from Uganda. People from Uganda can come to Jesus. Where else have we got mission partners from? Help me out. I can't remember.

Bolivia. There's Bolivia. People from Bolivia can come to Jesus. Where else? Help me out, Janet.

I can't remember where they're all from. India. India? Yes. We got mission parts from India.

You're right. Okay, hold up. Hi, George.

There we go. India. People from India can come to Jesus. If the Magi can come to Jesus, then anyone can come to Jesus. George, thanks very much.

We'll get picked up again in a minute. Doesn't matter what nation you're from anywhere on Earth, people can come to Jesus. Now, one of the great things. One of the things I love about being a parent is the privilege of taking my children to the cinema to watch children's films. And it was a privilege.

Yesterday I went to see Sonic 3. Great film, if you like that kind of thing. And a few weeks ago, we went to see another film called Moana 2. No, I hadn't seen Moana 1. I don't think that matters, to be honest.

I think, you know, and I don't want to spoil the film, but I'm going to give away the ending, I think. I think it's one of those films where you can't. You know, those films where you can't really spoil it because it's so good, but you kind of get told what's going to happen all the way through, and then it happens. It's that kind of film. But at the end of the film, well, let me tell you what happens first.

So basically, there's people on an island and there's darkness. There's this big area of dark that cuts them off. They're kind of all alone, and there's darkness that's cutting them off. And they know there's other islands out there, but they're cut off from the darkness. And Moana, if you like, is.

Wow. I don't think they meant it, but she's like Jesus. She's spirit filled and she's basically human and God at once. Okay, now don't push the analogies too far, okay? But that's Moana, and she's gonna be the hero from among the people that is gonna break through the darkness, okay?

And that's what happens in the film. Now, has anyone seen it? And does anyone remember what happens at the end? George, you've seen it. Do you remember what happened at the end?

Has anyone else seen it and remembers what happened at the end? So the darkness is broken through, okay? And then these pathways come. And do you remember what happens? Who comes then?

Come on, adults. You've seen it too, Joe. You've seen it. What happens exactly? All the tribes from all the other islands come like this darkness was blocking them off, okay?

They're on their island and they're trapped. And they know there's other people out there. They know there's nations and tribes out there. But when the darkness is broken through, it's like it creates these pathways. And all these islands and tribes come together.

They're linked together again. And that's like what happens when Jesus comes? Jesus comes the light into the darkness. And what does that mean? It means the nations can come.

Nations who were once far off, once cut off because of Jesus. They can come. If the Magi can come, anyone can come. Well, how can this be? How does this Happen?

Well, we get some little hints in Isaiah 60. What are the people doing as they come to the light of verse 6? Just at the end there, they're proclaiming the praise of the Lord. They're bringing their worship. Because this child, this light who is born, really is God with us, really is worthy of worship, really is the light of the world.

And what else are they doing? They're bringing gifts. We're told about two gifts here.

What are we told they will bring? Silver and gold, we're told. Verse 6, they bring gold and incense. Gold for a king, incense for a priest. This child really could be the one to lead his people back to God.

A king, a hero, a leader and a priest. Someone who can mediate between God and man. But there's something missing there, isn't there? We're only told about two gifts. There's gold, there's incense.

But there's no mention of myrrh that we read about in Matthew chapter 2. A spice used for the preparation of burial. But Isaiah knew, as we read elsewhere in Isaiah, that this king would give his life for his people.

How can this be? How can the nations be brought in? Because this light truly is worthy of worship. This is the king, the priest, the one who will die for his people. You see, when God rescues his people, it's like they become a beacon to others.

I've noticed in my notes. I've put in a reference here to Suits, but I don't think that's going to fly at this service. If you want to know my Suits reference, I'll tell you that later. Anyway, Christians, they're people. You'll get it if I say this.

They're. Christians are people who have been lit up. Christians are people who have been lit up by God. And when he rescues us, he shines his light and hope into our lives. He rescues us.

And as he rescues us, that same light beams out from us. Jesus says the same thing, doesn't he? He says, you're like a city on a hill. You're full of light. You're the light for the world.

Striking, isn't it? Jesus Sundays. He says two things. He says, I am the light of the world. And then he says, you're the light of the world as you've been rescued.

As light shines in, you shine it out so others can see. And Paul says it too. He says, you will shine like stars in the sky. You see, the prophecy here in Isaiah is of nations coming to the light. And we see that fulfilled in Matthew chapter 2.

Nations come and worship Jesus, the light. But now the church, us, you and me, are called to God. Go to the nations filled with that good news and light, strengthened by his power. So here's another question for us, George, you want to come down again?

Where will we take the light? If everyone from every country on here is welcome to come and worship Jesus, where are we going to take this light? We've already heard about people taking it to the far north. We've heard about some of our mission partners in South America and India taking the good news, taking that light to the world. But if everyone can come, then everyone needs to know.

If the Magi can come, then anyone can come. So who are we going to pray for this week? What nations could we pray for? Perhaps you've got a particular nation on your heart. Perhaps you've got friends in a particular country.

Perhaps God is calling us to go like some of our mission partners who've gone before us. Because if the Magi can come, anyone can come. And that means anyone. Should we give it a spin? Anyone all around the world.

Because the light of the world invites the nations of the world to come to him. Shall we pray?

Our Father, we thank you so much for this prophecy from Isaiah that speaks of your light coming to the world. Thank you. It's a light in the Lord Jesus that saves lives, that changes nations. And I pray that as your light comes into our lives and shines out from us, that we might indeed be cities on hills, like stars in the sky, we might shine with the love and hope of the Lord Jesus. And I pray that as the nations could come to worship Jesus, may you put on our hearts a desire to pray for, to give towards and to go to the nations taking the good news of Jesus with us, shining his light in a dark world.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen.