on 6 December 2023
Dear all at IPC,
Christmas lights are everywhere, hung from lampposts, festooning the streets, our homes have lights on trees and strung up on mantelpieces, some put lights outside. The turning on of the lights is a big deal in Oxford Street and in most towns.
Even in the world’s eyes with all the sentimentality of Christmas, it is associated with light. Candlelight is immediately recognisable as Christmassy, even Coldplay have a Christmas song called Christmas Lights.
It is when we turn to the pages of the bible the theme of light explodes. In the person of Jesus, light has come into the world. John’s gospel begins with the truth, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men…..the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:4.
John the Baptist is introduced to us just a few verses later saying, “He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.”
In John 3 we’re told that the light has come into the world but the people loved darkness. A few chapters on there is the earth shattering claim of Jesus, “I am the light of the world.” John 9:5
John just keeps adding layer upon layer of this theme of light, “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” John 12:46
But as we broaden the camera angle from John’s gospel we see light is a huge theme in the bible.
The very first words spoken by God in scripture on day one of creation when the world was empty and without void, God said, “Let there be light and there was light.”
In Exodus 13 he guides his people with light in the night time, to enable them to travel.
The Psalms, the hymnbook of God’s people are full of the language of light, “For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness.” Psalm 18:28 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1 “In your light do we see light” Psalm 36:9
In Psalm 119, that Psalm about God’s word, we are told it is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, “The unfolding of your words gives light.” Psalm 119
The prophet Isaiah, in that glorious promise of the coming Messiah, famously tells us, “The people in darkness have seen a great light.” That child promised in Isaiah 9 will also be the suffering servant in Isaiah 49, “He says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” And at the conclusion of the book, the theme of light re-emerges, “Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended.” Isaiah 60:20
The people of God in exile in Babylon faced with the might of Nebuchadnezzar are told of their God in this magnificent verse, “He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.” Daniel 2:22
It is so simple yet profound, so beautiful and so blindingly obvious, so central to the Christian message, “that God is light and in him is no darkness at all” 1 John 1:5
We see the early church praying, “Open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” Acts 26:18
And so how should we respond to this revelation?
Firstly, believe in the light
“While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” John 12:36
Step out of your darkness and ignorance and accept that without Jesus Christ’s coming you do now know what God is like, you have no access to him. It is only through Jesus coming that Christ can be known.
The picture is so simple: you walk into the room, there is pitch darkness, you have no idea what is in there, what dangers lurk in the shadows, you need light. Christ is the light, you cannot know God, you cannot understand God without him. We use the expression of people being kept in the dark. That is where we are until we accept and believe in Christ. He is the revealer of God, God is unknowable without Jesus. That baby born in the manger is the light of the world.
Secondly, live in the light
For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 1 Thessalonians 5:5
“That God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John
“What fellowship has light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14
We will seek to live the Christian life before the God who is light, knowing that he sees and he knows. The devil and our own flesh will say keep it in the darkness, don’t let anyone else know, you can handle it on your own. But the way to deal with sin and put it to death is to bring it into the light. If we are willing to bring our sin into the light and not hide it, we can be gloriously forgiven by Jesus.
Sin and deceit flourish in the dark, but there is a phrase “sunlight is the best disinfectant” (Louis Brandeis). The Christian will seek to literally live moment by moment in the light of who God is and what he has done for us in Christ.
Thirdly, hold out the light
God’s people through history have always meant to be “A light to the nations” Isaiah 49. The early church understood that they were blessed by God, “In order to be a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.” Acts 13:47
Paul’s letters drive this truth home. “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” Ephesians 5:8-9. To the Philippians Paul gives the command, “Shine as lights in the world.” Philippians 2:15 To the Romans, he tells them, “Cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light.” Romans 13:12
Peter in his first epistle gives us our privileges that we, “May proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” 1 Peter 2:19
We are united by faith to the one who said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 And he tells all his disciples in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world.”
Ours is a glorious privilege. This Christmas time: Believe in the light; Live in the light; Hold out the light.
Your Minister and friend
Paul