The Light of Men

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.”  (Isa 9:2 HCSB)

One of the things I have always loved about this time of year are Christmas lights.  Right after Thanksgiving you start to see people decorating their homes and everywhere you look you see Christmas lights in all sizes and shapes.  In Rocklin there happens to be what I think is one of the best displays of Christmas lights I have ever seen on Pebble Creek Drive.  If you have never gone to see the houses along the drive during the Christmas season, it’s well worth your time.  But where did this whole idea of Christmas lights came from in the first place?  What does the birth of Jesus have to do with Christmas lights?  In the Christmas story we know the wise men were guided by a great star that appeared over Bethlehem the site of our Saviors birth, but I think there is something greater than a star at work here.  The prophet Isaiah told of a time when the people walking in darkness would see a “great” light.  What could possibly be bigger than an enormous star? 

I think we have to start from the beginning.  In the Bible everything starts in Genesis and in chapter 1, all of creation including light started with “In the beginning God created”.  The another place the Bible talks about creation is the Gospel of John chapter 1:1-3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. 

In the same chapter of John we find this verse “Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men.” (John 1:4 HCSB)  What is being said in these verse?  Here is what we see, everything that exist is because God created it.  Nothing exist outside of God and everything was created by the Word, the Word and God are one.  In the Word life exist, In the Word we find our being and in the Word we can know God.  The light of men is “knowing”, think about like this.  I can look at myself in the mirror with the lights off and I can image I am still in my youth or I can picture myself anyway I want to.  But once I turn on the light I see the truth, I can see the reality of what I truly look like. (Regardless if I like what I see or not!)  

The reality is we live in darkness, we stumble around in this life though many of us try to do the best we can, but we are in the dark.  Not knowing the truth about ourselves or the world around us.  As a result we live painfully short of God’s perfect holy standard.  In fact while we are in the dark it is impossible to know God.  It is only when we receive the light we can see ourselves as we really are and we can know the source of the light.  If you keep reading John you soon realize the Word who is the “light of men” is Jesus Christ.  Here is where it really gets good!  The Creator became a man and entered into creation and by doing so became the light by which we can truly know God.  Jesus is much more than star, He is the maker of stars!  The heavens leap into existence by His—Word, “Let there be light”.  Merry Christmas and pray you'll spend this Holiday Season celebrating the light of men Jesus Christ, and share Him with others!