A Light in the Darkness

To truly celebrate Christmas is to recognize that 'light has come into the world' (John 3:19). When Jesus was born at Bethlehem he fulfilled the words of Isaiah written six hundred years earlier. 'The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined' (Isaiah 9:1-2).

But how can the light of Christ disperse the darkness of our hearts and minds? It does so through a work of divine creation as great, in its way, as that which called the worlds into existence. Paul writes, 'God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness [in creation] ... has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ' (2 Corinthians 4:6).

Quite simply, God himself scatters our darkness, and banishes the blindness of the soul. He does so by a gracious and irresistible work of his Spirit in those that have 'been appointed to eternal life' and who therefore believe the gospel (Acts 13:48). What do they see? The glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; that is, their blindness is replaced by sight; their horizon is filled with Christ; their minds are dazzled by his glory; their hearts are filled with his love; their affections are raptured by his grace; they discern the splendour both of the person and the purpose of God.

In our advent and carol services we will be exploring this aspect of the Christmas story.

All services in this series: