Immanuel, the light of the world.

This morning I would like to preach on the light of the World. This world is full of darkness. We each experience it all around us. However, we should never experience it within us. Why? Because when Christ rule sin our hearts there is light.

John 8:12 NKJV

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

A little boy forgot his lines in a Sunday School presentation. His mother, sitting in the front row to prompt him, gestured and formed the words silently with her lips, but it didn’t help. Her son’s memory was blank.

Finally she leaned forward and whispered the cue, “I am the light of the world.”

The boy beamed and with great feeling and a loud, clear voice said, “My mother is the light of the world.”

In an article for World magazine a few years ago, Gene Veith points out, “Critics of Christmas say the Christian holiday is nothing more than the old pagan celebration of the winter solstice…For the ancient pagans, the winter solstice meant the triumph of darkness. The Druids called it the 'Death of the Sun.' The fear was that the light would never return, unless human beings brought back the light with rituals and sacrifices. After the solstice, of course, the days started to grow longer, which was a big relief and reason for feasting and celebration.

“But whereas the pagans observed the solstice in terror, feverishly keeping the fires going lest the darkness overcome them, Christians turned what was literally the dead of winter into the happiest time of the year. The time of year now meant that when darkness is at its greatest, the light of God—Jesus Christ—is born.

“Gradually, though the night is still longer than the day throughout the winter, the light increases every day. Finally, the light surpasses the darkness. This occurs just after the spring equinox, March 21, another favorite time for holidays in the world's religions. Around that time, Christians celebrate Easter, the day Christ rose from the dead, marking His victory over sin, death, the devil and every darkness.

“In their seasonal symbolism of light and darkness, Christmas and Easter go together. Christmas marks the beginning of the light, and Easter marks the triumph of the light, just as the birth of the Christ child marks the beginning of His work, which culminates in the victory of His death and resurrection.”

We have a reason to celebrate! Joy to the world, the Lord has come.

Blessings! Michael Duduit

I. Darkness of the Circumstances

Preceding the birth of Jesus, God had been silent for 400 years.

This silence was not that He did not speak to the hearts of men, but rather there was no new revelation or prophets.

For 400 years Israel had drugged ahead with tradition without power. They made sacrifice but did not live a life of biblical morality.

The sins listed the last time God spoke through Malachi was the sins of:

Pride, Mal 1.5

Malachi 1:5 NKJV

Your eyes shall see, And you shall say, ‘The Lord is magnified beyond the border of Israel.’

Giving God leftovers

Malachi 1:7 NKJV

“You offer defiled food on My altar, But say, ‘In what way have we defiled You?’ By saying, ‘The table of the Lord is contemptible.’

Corrupt priest

Malachi 2:7–8 NKJV

“For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you have departed from the way; You have caused many to stumble at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” Says the Lord of hosts.

Abusive husbands.

Malachi 2:14 NKJV

Yet you say, “For what reason?” Because the Lord has been witness Between you and the wife of your youth, With whom you have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant.

Robbing God Malachi 3. 8-10

Malachi 3:8–10 NKJV

“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.

Complaining Malachi 3.13-14

Malachi 3:13–14 NKJV

“Your words have been harsh against Me,” Says the Lord, Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, And that we have walked as mourners Before the Lord of hosts?

II. Darkness of the King

Dr. Mark Strauss

Herod wasn’t all bad. He presented himself as the protector of Judaism and sought to gain the favor of the Jews.

He encouraged the development of the synagogue communities and in time of calamity remitted taxes and supplied the people with free grain.

He was also a great builder, a role which earned him the title “the Great.” His greatest project was the rebuilding and beautification of the temple in Jerusalem, restoring it to even greater splendor than in the time of Solomon.

However, these deeds of good are out-shadowed by his evil.

Herod died from a disease that caused the rotting of certain extremity. This is fitting of his rotten life.

Matthew 2:16 NKJV

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

Herod the Great was a brutal man who killed his father-in-law, several of his ten wives, and two of his sons. He ignored the laws of God to suit himself and chose the favor of Rome over his own people. Herod's heavy taxes to pay for lavish projects forced an unfair burden on the Jewish citizens.

Furthermore, he would appoint priest and then kill any who would dare go against him. Herod rose to power during a time of unrest in Rome. The roman conflict was between two powers, Octavian (Julias Caesar) and Pompey.

III. Darkness of the night

Why do we think Jesus was born at night?

We sing O Holy Night, it came upon a midnight clear, and silent night.

Luke 2:8 NKJV

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

Everything we see points to darkness. Historical, political, and even physical darkness were all present when Jesus was born.

We do not know that it was Dec. 25th. However, as early as the second century this was a debated matter and Dec. 25th became the popular date. Constantine set Christmas as Dec 25th in 336 A.D. to have a common date that would cause the least conflict. However, eastern territories celebrated on Jan 6th until the 9th century when they also switched to Dec 25th. Sextus Julius Africanus, a roman believer, believed that Jesus conception was on march 25th, making his birth 9 months later on Dec 25th.

Regardless of the date, what is important is that he was born. He was born into darkness. And that the world, would never be the same.

IV. The Light of the World

Luke 2:9 NKJV

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

It was the glory of the Lord, not the angel that shown. John often tells of Jesus as the light.

John 8:12 NKJV

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

Here we see that Jesus clearly states that he is the light. He also uses the singular form to show that He is not just a light, but rather the only light. Without him there is only darkness.

John 3:19 NKJV

And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

The problem is not only are people in darkness but that we love the darkness.

You see the darkness gives a false since of secrecy that lures us into sin. Yet, Jesus is the light and when we stand before him, all hidden things are revealed.

John 12:46 NKJV

I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.

This word believe is the Greek word pistevo and means to believe or to trust/entrust, commit to the power of or charge of. It does not mean to simply believe the Jesus existed but to entrust your life to Him. Many people are convinced they are okay because they are religious or good. However, we must deny ourselves.

Luke 9:23 NKJV

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Today I leave you with this question. Have YOU, denied yourself and taken up your cross and followed Him.

Quit looking for miracles and healing. Quit centering your attention on things that enhance and please you. Focus on Christ. Let him create a daily relationship with you. Find out what he wants you to do every day. Do it! Do not expect to win popularity contests, fame, fortune, or success. Be ready to suffer the rejection, pain, and death he suffered.

Trent C. Butler, Luke, vol. 3, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 146.

Instead, let the light of Calvary shine through the darkness and illuminate your heart to a knowledge and faith in God.

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