Day 22: The Light
“That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.”
John 1:5
As winter draws in and the nights lengthen, many of us feel the growing darkness. Colds, flus and other bugs take a hold and depression rates spike. On top of that the realities of sin, the fall and brokenness seems closer. Then it happens in windows, across balconies, on garden hedges and trees Christmas lights start to appear first in the homes of the overly excitable but soon enough they are there in every window, on the main-street through the scheme, trees, shops, everywhere has bright flickering lights driving back the darkness reminding us not just that Christmas is coming, they remind us what Christmas is about.
Jesus, the light of life, second person of the trinity, creator and sustainer of all things has taken on flesh, the light of the word has come and the darkness did not and cannot overcome Him.
John Piper writes:
_“In verse 5 John is saying is that Jesus Christ, the light of the world has entered into the darkness of evil and unbelief and lostness and death, and this darkness does not overcome Jesus. Now that makes a tremendous difference to those of us who believe in Jesus. In John 12:46 Jesus says, ‘I have come as light into the world that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.’ So believers have passed from darkness to light. John 12:36 says, ‘While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of the light.’ When you believe in Jesus, not only do you leave the darkness and enter the light; you actually join the family of the light you become children of the light. Paul said, ‘Once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light’ (Ephesians 5:8).
So it makes a tremendous difference to us if the light triumphs, or the darkness overcomes it. And that's what verse 5 makes clear: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." The light will triumph and that means Jesus will triumph and all those who believe in him, the children of the light, will triumph.”_
Sometimes it feels like the darkness is winning. The darkness out there and the darkness inside us. Sometimes life sucks and sometimes we suck. Our passage reminds us that Jesus has overcome the darkness, that He is stronger than the darkness in the world and the darkness inside us. The word became flesh, a bundle of light inside a teenage girl, born in the darkness, He lived as light and exposed the darkness, He was hated by darkness, suffered under the cloud of Holy Justice in high noon darkness so that we could be cleansed by His light and darkness cast down.
Darkness now has an expiration date, when the light of the world comes again sin and all it’s wretched effects will be thrown into the pit and we will live with Jesus forever in the light forever.
“The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.”
Revelation 21:23-24
Written by Andrew Mathieson
A Thought to Remember: Jesus suffered under the cloud of Holy Justice in high noon darkness so that we could be cleansed by His light. A Bit More to Read: Revelation 21:23-24 A Question to Ask: Do I really believe that Jesus light is greater than the darkness? A Song to Sing: O Holy Night A Picture for the kids: Candles