Various types of lights are used as decoration every Christmas season. Only just recently that I reflected on the meaning of Christmas light. Except from being a decoration, Christmas light reminds me of that Greater Light that delivers me from darkness.
In Isaiah 8:19 to 9:7, we read that the contrast between darkness and light is central in the birth of Jesus as King of kings. In other words, if we are to celebrate Christmas season in spirit and in truth, we have to celebrate it reminding ourselves of our past darkness. This is why I think the apostle Peter in describing the church of Jesus Christ called her “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).
In this article, I would like to share with you about the Great Light of Christmas, who is no other than, but Jesus Christ Himself. The question I would like to answer is this: what is the significance of this Christmas Light in your life?
Without Jesus as the Light of Christmas, you are still living in darkness, 8:19-22
Chapter 8 verses 19-22 describes the life of people who do not have the light of God. The way this people see and respond to life show that they are still in darkness. Their perspective and response to life is negative, critically destructive, hopeless, bitter, and full of hatred.
Darkness in the Bible symbolizes misery, ignorance, depression, in short, the world where sin reigns.
How can we say that a person is still living in darkness? In our passage, 8:19-22, we read the description of people who still live in darkness. Prophet Isaiah described them as follows:
- People living in darkness do not depend on the Word of God for guidance, vs.19-20.
“When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.” (8:19-20).
The context tells us about a political issue during the time of Isaiah. It speaks about Assyria being used by the Lord to punish Israel. It also speaks about conspiracy. There was a political crisis. There was so much confusion regarding national issues. And that is why the prophet Isaiah himself had been warned by the Lord not to follow the way of the majority. Instead, the Lord spoke to him that he should be firm in his conviction concerning national issues. The people are pressuring him to consult mediums and spiritists. But the Lord told him to seek the wisdom of the Law of Moses.
Abandoning the wisdom of God’s Word and depending on human “rationality” is an indication of a generation that is living in darkness.
King Saul consulted a medium in the most critical crisis of his political career. Instead of seeking advice from the word of God, he consults a medium and the outcome was a tragic end.
In times of difficult trials in life, your real conviction will be revealed. Will you stil determine to live by the word of God or you will choose your own way? Whom will you consult when you face difficulties in life?
Be very careful with the people you ask advice from most especially when you are very emotionally weak and vulnerable. Once you consult people without the knowledge of God’s word, instead of your wounds being healed, you will see yourself sinking deeper down into misery.
- People living in darkness are angry because of economic difficulty, v. 21.
“Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God.” You see here that political crisis, economic difficulty, spiritual crisis are all interrelated. You also see in this verse that hunger and anger are closely connected. People who are hungry are angry. Hunger is the mother of revolution and war.
The Japanese American multi-millionaire Robert Kiyosaki and American billionaire Donald Trump claim that the middle class all over the world is now being phased out as a result of global economic and financial crisis. They foresee that unless something is done today, there will only be two classes of people in the society – the super-rich and the poor. Once that thing happens, history tells us that either revolution or war follows.
- People living in darkness see nothing in life but ugliness and hopelessness, v. 22
“Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness.” This speaks about the perspective in life of people living in darkness. They see no hope. They only see the ugly reality in life.
With Jesus as the Light of Christmas, your life is full of joy and delight, 9:1-5.
“Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder…”
In contrast to the people living in darkness, people who have seen the light of God are now living in joy. Notice that this kind of joy is described both in spiritual and economic terms. It is a joy before the presence of God. It is also a joy connected to national expansion, economic blessing, economic deliverance, cessation of war, and peace.
Financial rewards and incentives make people happy. It is just proper to be happy when you receive a higher salary, receive a fortune, won a house and lot in a raffle or a vast sum of money in a lottery. However, the joy of those who have seen the light of Christmas is far greater than the happiness of those who receive material wealth simply because material wealth decays and could be lost, while the light of Christmas is eternal and secure. Amen!
Therefore, live a Christ-centered life and faithfully obey His commands, 9:6-7.
This Christmas Light centered on Jesus and His government. Since this is the case, therefore you must live a Christ-centered life under the government of his Spirit and his Word. Amen! If you want to live a life that is full of joy and delight, you must live this Christ-centered life; you must obey His commands as revealed in the Word. Amen!
Jesus Himself said that all power and authority has been given to him. Such power is wise, almighty, eternal, and peaceful simply because Jesus Himself is the Wonderful Counselor, the Almighty God, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. And these titles of Jesus and qualities of his government are all associated with Him coming as the Great Light into the world that is filled with darkness.
Among numerous spheres in human society, the realm of business and politics are the darkest for here we see the reign of greed and abuse of power. Since Christians are called to be the lights of the world, and darkness rules the world particularly the political and the financial world, I think the Great Light of Christmas is most needed in these spheres.
The character of Jesus as God’s Governor is evident in His Titles. Here we see consistent harmony between name or title on the one hand and the character of a leader on the other hand. To have a title without a character is hypocrisy. It is better to have a character even without a title. But it is more ideal that the title describes the character of the person.
Jesus, as God’s Governor, four names or titles describe Him: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. These titles are not empty names but describe the very character of Jesus. These titles point to the fact that Jesus is wise, powerful, loving, and peace-lover. These qualities of Jesus as Ruler teach us that only the Son of God is qualified to govern humanity.
Let us be reminded that this prophecy does not foretell the eternal state but the economy of grace. For in the eternal state, we believe that God’s rule is perfect. But our text describes a period beginning from the birth of the Son of God until the final state. This government started when the Son of God took the form of a human being in the person of a child. The increase of His government is to be realized in time or in human history since His first coming. And that is what we witness in the Book of Acts and in the pages of church history.
The peaceful attribute of Jesus’ government does not mean absolute absence of conflict and turmoil. For we see in the church of Corinth how a local church was afflicted with so many troubles such as division and sexual perversion.
If ever we do not see the government of Jesus visible in our time, it is because the people of God is living by sight and no longer by faith. Moreover, this also tells us the failure of the church to preach the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps, there is too much dependence on human intellect and skills that left no room for the Spirit of God to move in power.
Remember, that the church is the primary agency where the government of Jesus must manifest. It is in the life of every believer in all our activities that the government of Jesus must be faithfully obeyed – in education, in economy and business, in government and politics, in the media, in arts and entertainment, in religion, and in the family. This is the reason why the Holy Spirit is living within and among us. This is why we have the Word of God. The church faithfully fulfills this task as you and I proclaim the word of God by the power of the Spirit in all aspects of life. This is the kind of Christmas that I know.
Conclusion:
Jesus as the Light of Christmas is the most important gift that we can receive in this life. Without Him, our life is still in darkness. With Him, our life is now full of joy. Therefore, we must live a Christ-centered life and must faithfully obey His commands for He is the Lord, King, and Master of our lives. Amen!
South Korea is not immune from economic difficulty resulting from Eurozone fiscal crisis. Last December 10, 2012, Kim, So-hyun, a writer in The Korea Herald reported that small and medium manufacturers suffered negative growth for the first time since 2009 due to the impact of financial crisis in Europe. The prolonged crisis in Europe shook the economy of both US and China, two great importers of Korean products. The reporter claimed that small and medium manufacturers are more or less suffering economic depression.
The question, how will you respond to this economic difficulty? If your response is one of anger, fear, and depression, this only shows that you have not seen yet the light of Christmas. But if your response is still one of prayer, gratitude, trust, and praise, this only proves that you have already seen the light of Christmas.
Many have a distorted view of Christmas. For many people, Christmas is all about having money and great events. For most people, without money, Christmas is incomplete.
Remember that Christmas reminds us of the coming of the great light to give light to the world that is full of darkness and misery. Let us remind ourselves that during this Christmas season, our task is to let the light that is in us shine before men. Merry Christmas to all of you! Amen!
Description: This sermon was prepared for English Worship in a Presbyterian Church in South Korea. Pictures are removed and some paragraphs are edited to fit web readers - Christian readers and seekers for the meaning of life.
Only By Grace 