Advent - Pt 6

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:1-13 ESV). Today we light the final candle of the Advent Wreath. It is “the Christ Candle.” It draws us to the person and character of this baby of Bethlehem. As our reading details, he is the Light of the world. Christmas celebrates the dawn of the Light of the World. The powers of darkness are overcome by his coming to give us his life. The long reign of sin is ended and grace has been poured out upon the earth. Perhaps the hardest thing to remember about Christmas is that it celebrates the incarnation, not just the nativity. The incarnation is the initiation of the justification of man. While it had been promised from the beginning of creation when Adam and Eve first sinned, it didn’t actually make its way into history until Jesus became flesh. This is our celebration, that God entered our world so thoroughly that nothing can be the same again. And the birth we celebrate is not just the past historical event but Christ’s continuing birth in his members, accomplished by the power of the Spirit through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our individual lives. The eternal God comes into the flesh and blood of humanity. Christmas cards portray the little Babe, the Manger, the Magi, the shepherds. Little children learn that today is Jesus’ birthday. But these pieces of the story only touch the edge of the mysterious event called Christmas. The Gospel is that the God of mercy has come into the history of humanity to bring us perfect peace. Into the darkness of sin and death Jesus took humanity upon himself bringing light into this darkness of our world. That light leads us through every path that has been for ages overshadowed by the curse of sin. Don’t be deceived by the small flickering of that single candle. This light that Jesus brings is the Light of the World itself. It is greater than any light imaginable. Nothing can overcome it. No wind is so strong to extinguish it; no ocean of water is vast enough to quench it. Christmas declares the victory of light over darkness!