Christmas Eve 2021: Dec 24 2021: John 1:1-14, "The Light of the World"

We have been in what I consider to be a great season at White Bluff this Christmas.

It has been one to celebrate all the way around. And right there with me every step of the way has been my sidekick, Lennox.

The other night we were wrapping up at the church and were cutting off the hall lights inside the church. I’ve become comfortable walking in the darkness, but for Lennox, it was scary. He wanted the lights on inside because it gave him assurance. He could see potential dangers to avoid and also see the right path down which to travel. I was reminded of Jesus, God in the flesh, and how his coming into the world brought the greatest light the world had ever known. Jesus was the light that God sent to be a lamp to our feet and a light unto our path as we believe in Him.

The Christmas lights have been a lot of fun, yes.

But they are a reminder of a much larger principle as we will emphasize in John 1: 4-5 today.

I invite you to stand for the reading and the hearing of God’s Word:

John 1:1-14, NIV, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.

6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

May glory be to God for the reading and the hearing of his word this evening, “Thanks be to God.”

Hearing vs. 4-5 again, they say:

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.

Have you ever been in a completely dark room?

I remember a conversation that I recently had with one of our members. They remember going on a trip to Israel and taking a tour of the place where Jesus was held after he was arrested. It was a fascinating story because their group were actually ushered in the very area where they held Jesus. Our member remembers that when they cut off the lights, the room in basement of the the facility was completely dark. They said that they had never encountered that sort of darkness before, where there was pitch black and there were no hint of natural light to be found. Imagining Jesus in that very room, held for who knows how long until he was thrust into the next chapter that led to his crucifixion made the experience all the more meaningful.

It reminded me of being in the caves of North GA when I went on a spelunking trip with our college group years ago. The guide asked us to cut off our flashlights. It was the darkest place I have ever been. I looked to my right and left, but could see no one even though they were right there.

It reminds me as well of the darkness that we all are going to feel at times in our lives. The darkness that may come upon us with loss. The losses can be numerous, but the results are the same. I remember several years ago when we suffered a miscarriage. It would have been baby #4 and we were so excited by what would be the “quad squad”. We were so excited as we might finally have the little girl on the way. I tell you this because in the aftermath of the loss, I felt an indescribable darkness that came over me. While the darkness has abated, the feelings that I felt during that time sometimes still come back to me as if it were yesterday.

Darkness is going to come. It comes nightly on the earth… right now for longer than other times of the year. It’s not a matter of if darkness will come. It’s a matter of what we will do in response to the darkness when it comes our way. What are you going to do when the darkness comes?

When Jesus came, the people had been walking in darkness for 400 years. We call it the 400 years of silence. God did not speak for those 400 years because the people had walked so far outside of the will of God that He could not look upon the sin in which they found themselves embroiled.

That’s why the prophet Isaiah in 9:2 NIV foreshadows the coming of Jesus when it says,

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”

I do not get to see many dawns, because I am usually asleep, but I can tell you this. Dawn does not happen all at once. It’s a slow removal of darkness where gradually the sun rises to the point where there is no darkness left to be seen. It becomes so bright most days that even if a man made light is on, it has little effect because the light of the sun is so powerful and bright.

Looking back at John 1:4-5, it says, “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.”

Whether you are in darkness now or want to be prepared for the next time darkness finds you, it is crucial that you learn how to embrace the Sonshine! (And by that I mean the “Son” shine.) Inviting the Sonshine into our hearts and lives allow us the strength to move from the darkness to great light.

Think about the principle of solar power.

You can now see the huge panels on many people’s roofs and solar power farms where entire buildings are solar powered.

The interesting thing about solar power as a source of energy is that it relies upon batteries as well. The batteries store up the energy from the solar power during the day so that at night, homes and businesses can still have electricity. Without the sun during the day, there could be no electricity at night. One can have batteries ready to go, but with no Son, there will be no electricity.

Our lives are a lot like that. Jesus is like the solar energy that radiates from the sun and we are the batteries. Sometimes, we use much less energy because we are going through good times and we know that He is right there walking hand in hand with us. Other times, we go through difficult times. We can call it the valley or whatever we want, be we know that darkness is there. When we walk through darkness, Jesus continues to give us power and strength because we are never alone. Emotionally, we may feel like we’ve been abandoned, but He’s still right there with us… even when we don’t feel it.

He is Immanuel, God with us.

When the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, he learned that Mary was "with child through the Holy Spirit" and would give birth to a son named "Immanuel" (Matthew 1:18 Matthew 1:23). "Immanuel" is a Hebrew word meaning "God with us" and expresses the wonder of the incarnation, that God "became flesh and made his dwelling among us" (John 1:14). Immanuel explains how God came for us, is here with us, and is coming back for us through Jesus. Jesus appeased the ardent anticipation of our hearts. The questions have been answered. The gaps have been filled. Hope is available for the world to receive.

Darkness will come. But metaphorically speaking, Jesus is much greater than a the light found in a flashlight. The light of Christ would be the equivalent trying to fit solar system’s sun into the room with you when you need a flashlight to light your way. The one thing that is required is belief.

Lennox doesn’t like the darkness. But when the lights are on, he becomes fearless. It reminds me of the life we can live if we will turn the light of Christ on in our lives! Remember, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Why hasn’t it overcome it? Because it cannot overcome it. Christ is our overcomer.

If you would like to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior today, to be a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path… to be God with you in this Christmas season and beyond, I invite you to pray silently with me as I pray aloud.

Salvation Poem