In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. John 1:3

Quite often, heads turn, and eyes brighten at the next notion of the next new thing to enhance or enrich our lives. Marketing and media are flooded with enticing ads for some life-changing health product, beauty aid, vitamin, exercise plan, immediate financial success strategy, or some glimmer of hope to make life full and complete. So often the appeal is too great to resist, and the lure for pleasure is undeniable. Yet, a mysterious darkness continually plagues the soul of men and can never be satisfied by human efforts or worldly pleasures. The adventure of every soul is to evade the darkness and have greater life. The scripture passage reveals to us that the solution for man’s adventure is Jesus and “in Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” Jesus was born under the cover of night and darkness, yet He was “the light of the world” that men should “not walk in darkness but have the light of life” (Jn 8:12). Jesus’ birth disrupted the darkness with the marvelous light of heaven, and “became flesh” (Jn 1:14) to call men “out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9). His marvelous light is so eloquently sang in the words of the very familiar Christmas carol “Silent Night.” The song writer proclaims, “Silent night, holy night, Son of God, oh, love’s pure light. Radiant beams from Thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace. Jesus, Lord at Thy birth. Dear friend, behold the face of the Babe that lay in the manger and see “love’s pure light…of redeeming grace.” This is why Jesus came into the world. And this is why we can therefore celebrate Christmas. “Jesus, Lord at Thy birth.” He came that they that walked in darkness “might have life and that they might have it more abundantly” (Jn 10:10). Father, thank You for Your love and eternal life through the marvelous light of Your Son. I am eternally grateful and wonderfully thankful for Your redeeming grace. In the blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Eph 3:17

The greatest revelation a person can experience in their life is God’s love. God’s love is expressed completely in the Person of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for the sin of the world at Calvary. He laid down His life and this is the greatest act of love. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). One can know the fullness of God’s love through Jesus Christ. The scripture passage enlightens us that “to know the love of Christ” is more than knowledge, but one of relationship. Scriptures teaches us that “knowledge puffs up, but love edifies” or builds up (1 Cor 8:1). The pursuit of knowledge and mediation on the word of God is “that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” The Spirit of God indwells the child of God to guide, counsel, comfort, and grow them in greater appreciation of God’s love. The Spirit guides us to walk by faith and obedience to God’s word. He counsels and reminds us of God’s promises and His faithfulness to His children. He comes to us and comforts us when we are alone and afraid. “He is a very present help in trouble” (Ps 46:1). The Spirit leads us grow closer to God, to learn His ways, and trust Him “with all thine heart” (Prov 3:5). Dear friend, your relationship with God involves your mind, but most importantly it involves your heart. Will you open your heart to God, trust Him with your deepest thoughts, with most desperate desires, and your greatest disappointments? For all who trust Him, He will “show you great and mighty things, which you do not know,“ (Jer 33:3) “that ye might be filled with the fullness of God.” God desires to richly dwell with His children so much that He sent His only Son that through Him we might know Him and have eternal life with Him. Jesus is God’s love to us, and He is “Immanuel, God with us” (Mt 1:23). Father thank You for Your love and Your Son, Jesus who demonstrated the depth of Your love to redeem a lost and dying world from sin. I thank You and praise You in the holy and blessed Name of Your Son, Jesus the Christ, the Prince of Peace, and mighty God. Amen.

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Isa 9:2

I pray that you had a wonderful worship as you gathered with your local church on the Lord’s Day. The birth of the Christ Child is retold, and manger scenes are displayed throughout churches across this land and around the world during the Christmas season. Emphasis is placed upon many of the notable events that occurred at that occasion. The immaculate conception, the announcement to the shepherds, the angelic host, the appearance of the star, the virgin birth, the gifts of the wise men, and other events that came upon that silent night. Within the events of the immaculate birth is the message of God’s love to the world and His plan to save “the people that walked in darkness.” The birth of the Christ is a message of hope to “they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death.” Jesus is the “great light” and He offers hope and salvation to all “upon them hath the light shined.” He is the light who has shined in our hearts, to give light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Mary was the first to look upon the face of the Christ Child and the light of hope shined upon her so that “Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Lk 2:19). Dear friend, as the Christmas story is read and retold, allow the Spirit of God, that was active on that first Christmas, to shine upon your heart and bring “a great light” of hope into the darkness that surrounds us. Receive the message and be reminded of that the “Light of the world” (Jn 8:12) came that first Christmas to give “glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Lk 2 :14). The peace that pierced the darkness of the world and that the angels proclaimed is the “Prince of Peace” (Is 9:6) and He is “a great light” to all “people that walked in darkness.” My friend, sin darkens the hearts of men towards God and the shadow of death looms over every heart, yet don’t despair but receive the hope of God, for “unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given” that “all who believe in Him may not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). Will you tell the story and share His message? The message of Christmas? Father, thank You for Your love and the light of hope and salvation that is through Your Son, Jesus. In the blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.