“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).
Jesus’ birth was announced with great lights in the sky. The shepherds received wonderful news at night from the angel surrounded by dazzling light. The wise men traveled to find Jesus by following a brilliant new star shining in the heavens.
Light is amazing. When it comes into a dark space, it dispels the darkness. There is a little less darkness, even if only a small candle has been lit. Bring a lot of light, and the darkness flees. But try sometime to bring a container of darkness to extinguish the light. It will never work! As soon as you open your container of darkness even a tiny bit, light will shine into the container and the darkness will disappear.
In the gospel that he wrote, the Apostle John tells us this about the Son of God: “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” (John 1:4-5). No matter how much darkness is in the world, Jesus’ light shines brightly. His light cannot be overcome.
John goes on to tell us about the other John, known as John the Baptist, who was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light, so that people would believe in Jesus (John 1:6-8). The One the Jewish people had longed for so many years was coming; the true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
Though the nativity figures and Christmas card pictures portray the world Jesus came into as beautiful, calm, and peaceful, it was quite different. The Jewish people were living under the iron rule of the Roman empire. Heavy taxes were required, Roman laws were imposed, and crosses bearing the crucified bodies of those who dared to oppose Rome were on public display. But for the devout, promises of the coming Messiah gave hope. Jesus didn’t come to overthrow the government. But He brought His light to all and promised the hope of eternal life for those who believed.
Paul’s letter to the Colossians tells us that God “has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (1:13-14). Jesus’ Kingdom is light. Darkness no longer has power because the light has come. And for those of us who have come into the light, the light now lives in us. Everywhere we go we carry the light of Jesus. Darkness will oppose the light, but it cannot extinguish it. Instead, the light pushes back the darkness.
So let the light of Jesus shine brightly in your life. Push back the darkness wherever you go simply by living your life faithfully for Him, telling the good news of the Savior, letting everyone around you see that light. Many people are tired of living in darkness. It’s up to us to let them see the light.
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