Darkness and Light

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined." (Isaiah 9:2 RSV)

We live in darkness. On Christmas Eve we gather in darkness during the dark, dreary days of winter. We live in a world of darkness. Two-thirds of the earth's population does not profess Christ as Lord. Atheists openly advertise their misguided belief that "There is no god." The Church around the globe is under persecution and attack like never before. These are dark times.

But there is light at the end of this tunnel of darkness and despair. The light came as a star flickering in the dark, winter sky. The light came as a Baby born on a cold, dark night. The light came as tongues of fire descending upon a small group of frightened and confused men and women.

The Good News is that the flicker of light grew. The star lead to the Son of Righteousness. The Baby grew into the Son of Man. A handful of disciples grew into a third of the world's population known as the Church. The light of Christ started out small as the Babe of Bethlehem, but now the light of Christ has grown into the flames of fire found in the Church and will one day culminate with the blinding light of His triumphal return!

Every little mission, and church, and ministry is a flicker of light in the darkness of the world. Alone they are but flickers, but together they are a roaring fire! This world is a place of hurt and suffering, poverty and addiction, brokeness and sinfulness. And it is our flickers of light that offer hope in this dark world as we testify to the One Who Is Light. The Christmas story, the story of Light coming into the darkness, must be our constant theme. We must carry the Light into the world.

Those who have been bound up in darkness can see a great Light. That Light is Jesus Christ. Amen.