Listen to Sermon
Pastor Tom Johnson, December 24, 2019
This evening we have heard the development of the promise of light in the Old Testament Scripture. Beginning with Genesis, we see how the darkness of the serpent deceived Adam and Eve. But immediately we have the promise of the light that will deal a death blow to the darkness through their offspring. This is the Child of promise who will crush the head of the serpent of old. Satan’s days are numbered. Soon Messiah comes. He will cast away all darkness and evil. He will be our eternal light.
The prophet Isaiah talks about all those who walk in darkness—those who live in a land of deep darkness. That is the valley of the shadow of death that we all experience in this life. This is a universal human experience—deep darkness. We know that behind the news of human brutality, there is something sinister that lurks deep in the human heart that would be capable of such evil. This deep darkness is our hearts as individuals. This deep darkness is in our communities, our institutions, and threatens to cause nation to rise up against nation and neighbor against neighbor. It is difficult to hear the daily news and not be reminded of just how palpable evil and how its shadow haunts us.
On that Christmas Eve long ago, the shepherds were keeping watch over their flock by night. Why were they working the night shift? They knew that behind any shadow there could be the threat of robbers, wolves, and lions. But they were also under the shadow of Roman occupation. Even their own leader, Herod, was a maniacal king willing to kill a whole generation of boys to maintain his position of power. The darkness was deeper than just the absence of light. It was the heavy burden of deep darkness that weighed them down. There are times when we also feel like the world around us is shrouded in evil. That we are fighting a losing battle against the profound evil around us and the demons within.
I have wondered why a choir of angels would appear to these common shepherds in the dead of night to share their good news. Maybe it is because they of all people longed for more light in this world. “An angel of the Lord stood before [these shepherds], and the glory of the Lord shone around them.” “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined.” This light was not just for them. It was for every nation, for all tribes and peoples and languages. It was light for those of the ancient past back to our first parents. It was light for those thousands upon thousands of generations to follow.
The light of the Christ Child illumines all of creation—the creation that is, was, and is to be. Jesus birth is “good news of great joy for all the people.” He is the great light of creation. He is the great light of re-creation. Darkness cannot overcome light. The darkness must scatter before the light of Christ. The darkness of sin and temptation tried to put out the light of Christ. But his light prevailed. The darkness of death tried to snuff out the light and life of Christ on the Cross of Calvary. But just a few days later, the blinding light of Christ burst through the empty tomb. The newborn babe is the flicker of hope and light for all people and for all times. His light will only grow. His life and goodness will illumine all creation—so much so that there will be no need for sun or moon. He will be our eternal light.
At the end of our celebration of the gift of light through the Christ Child, we will get to celebrate this truth of growing light. We will dim the lights. We will sit and stand in deep darkness. The single flame of the Christ Candle will then be passed from person to person. His light will grow among us. His light will illumine all our grateful and joyful faces. As the shepherds went with haste to find the Christ Child in a manger—and all were amazed to hear their story of promise, hope, and joy—so we will go out into the world with haste, promise, hope, and joy to be the light of Christ to the world. Our faces will shine with the radiance of the Christ Child’s countenance upon us. We will tell our story of peace, forgiveness, and eternal life. We have seen a Great Light. And that Light will disperse the darkness of our sin, despair, and death forever.
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