The real light

What would the glow of lights at Christmas time be without lighting? Christmas markets are most atmospheric in the evening, when the many lights spread a romantic Christmas mood. With so many lights, it's easy to overlook the actual light that shone for Christmas Day. "In him (Jesus) was life, and life was the light of men" (John 1,4).

In the days when Jesus was born in Bethlehem more than 2000 years ago, there lived a pious old man named Simeon in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die until he saw the Lord's Christ. One day, the Spirit led Simeon into the temple courtyards, the very day that Jesus' parents brought the child in to fulfill the requirements of the Torah. When Simeon saw the child, he took Jesus in his arms and praised God with the words: “Lord, now you let your servant go in peace, as you said; for my eyes have seen your Savior, the salvation that you prepared before all peoples, a light for the enlightenment of the Gentiles and for the praise of your people Israel »(Luke 2,29-32).

Light for the heathen

Simeon praised God for what the scribes, Pharisees, high priests, and lawyers could not understand. The Messiah of Israel came not only for the salvation of Israel but also for the salvation of all the peoples of the world. Isaiah prophesied long before: «I, the Lord, have called you into righteousness and hold you by the hand. I created you and made you a covenant for the people, for the light of the Gentiles, that you should open the eyes of the blind and lead the prisoners out of prison and those who sit in the darkness out of the dungeon ”(Isaiah 42,6-7).

Jesus: The new Israel

The Israelites are the people of God. God had called them out of the peoples and set them apart by a covenant as His own special people. He did this not only for them, but for the ultimate salvation of all nations. "It is not enough that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and bring back the scattered Israel, but I have made you the light of the peoples, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 49,6).

Israel was supposed to be a light to the Gentiles, but their light was extinguished. They had failed to keep the covenant. But God remains true to his covenant regardless of the unbelief of his covenant people. "What now? If some have become unfaithful, does their unfaithfulness nullify God's faithfulness? Far be it! Rather, it remains like this: God is true and all men are liars; as it is written: "So that you may be right in your words and win when you are right" (Romans 3,3-4).

So in the fullness of times God sent his own Son to be the light of the world. He was the perfect Israelite who kept the covenant perfectly as the new Israel. "Just as condemnation came upon all people through the sin of the One, so justification came for all people through the righteousness of the One, which leads to life." (Romans 5,18).

As the prophesied Messiah, the perfect representative of the covenant people and the true light for the Gentiles, Jesus delivered both Israel and the nations from sin and reconciled them to God. By believing in Jesus Christ, by being faithful to him and identifying with him, you become a member of the faithful covenant community, the people of God. "For it is the one God who justifies the Jews by faith and the Gentiles by faith" (Romans 3,30).

Righteousness in christ

We cannot muster righteousness from ourselves alone. Only when we are identified with Christ the Redeemer are we righteous. We are sinners, no more righteous in ourselves than Israel was. Only when we recognize our sinfulness and put our faith in the One through whom God justifies the wicked can we be considered righteous for his sake. "They are all sinners and lack the glory that they should have before God, and are justified without merit by his grace through the redemption that came through Christ Jesus" (Romans 3,23-24).

All need the grace of God as much as the people of Israel. All who have the faith of Christ, Gentiles and Jews alike, are only saved because God is faithful and good, not because we have been faithful or because we have found some secret formula or right doctrine. "He delivered us from the power of darkness and placed us in the kingdom of his beloved Son" (Colossians 1,13).

Trust in Jesus

As simple as it sounds, it's hard to trust Jesus. To trust in Jesus means to put my life in Jesus' hands. Giving up control of my life. We would like to be in control of our own lives. We like to be in control of making our own decisions and doing things our own way.

God has a long-term plan for our deliverance and security, but also a short-term plan. We cannot receive the fruits of his plans unless we are firm in our faith. Some heads of state are firmly committed to military power. Other people hold on to their financial security, personal integrity, or personal reputation. Some are steadfast in their ability or strength, ingenuity, business conduct, or intelligence. None of these things are inherently bad or sinful. As human beings, we are inclined to put our trust, energy, and dedication in them, rather than the very source of security and peace.

Go humbly

When we entrust our problems to God and trust in His care, provision, and deliverance, along with the positive steps we take in dealing with them, He promises to be with us. James wrote: "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you" (James 4,10).

God calls us to put aside our lifelong crusade, defend ourselves, nurture ourselves, preserve our possessions, protect our reputations, and extend our lives. God is our provider, our defender, our hope and our destiny.

The illusion that we can get a grip on our own life must be exposed to the light, the light of Jesus: «I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life »(John 8,12).

Then we can be resurrected in him and be what we really are, God's own precious children whom he saves and helps, whose battles he fights, whose fears he appeases, whose pain he shares, whose future he ensures and whose reputation he preserves. "But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin" (1. John 1,7). 

If we give up everything, we win everything. When we kneel, we rise. In abandoning our illusion of personal control, we are clothed with all of the glory and splendor and riches of the heavenly, eternal kingdom. Peter writes: «Cast all your worries on him; because he cares for you »(1. Petrus 5,7).

What are you bothering about? Your hidden sins? An unbearable pain? An insurmountable financial disaster? A devastating disease? An unimaginable loss? An impossible situation in which you are completely helpless to do something? A disastrous and painful relationship? False allegations that are not true? God sent his Son and through his Son he takes our hands and lifts us up and brings the light of His glory into the dark and painful crisis we are going through. Although we are walking through the Valley of the Shadows of Death, we are not afraid for He is with us.

God has given us the sign that his salvation is certain: «And the angel said to them: Do not be afraid! Behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be to all people; for the Savior, who is the Lord Christ, is born to you today in the city of David ”(Luke 2,10-11).

Everywhere you look at this time of year there is decorative lighting, white, colored lights or lit candles. These physical lights, their faint reflection, can bring you a lot of joy for a short time. But the true light that promises you salvation and illuminates you from within is Jesus, the Messiah who came to us on this earth and comes to you personally today through the Holy Spirit. "That was the true light that illuminates all people who come into this world" (John 1,9).

by Mike Feazell