Thought for December 11, 2023

•  1844: First dental use of nitrous oxide
• 1913: Mona Lisa recovered 2 years after it is stolen from the Louvre
• 1919: Boll Weevil monument dedicated in Enterprise Alabama
• 1967: "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" premiers
• 1980: Superfund Act passed by Congress
• 1981: Ali's last fight--a loss to Trevor Berbick
• 1990: 13 die in an 83 vehicle accident in Chattanooga
• 2019: Greta Thunberg named Time Magazine Person of the Year
• Born: George Mason, Charles Wesley, David Brewster [kaleidoscope], Hector Berlioz, Walter Knott [Knott's Berry Farm], Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Doc Blanchard, Rita Morena, John Kerry, Brenda Lee
• Died: Oliver Winchester, Sam Cooke, Ravi Shankar, Lars Olsen [missionary to India, translated Bible into Santal]

Thought:

Everyone is putting up Christmas decorations. Of course, the commercial businesses began this in September. Now that Thanksgiving is past, we can begin to think about Christmas and our sermons series tend to turn to a Christmas theme. This morning I am thinking particularly about Christmas lights. Think with me about the trees you have decorated over the years. Maybe you think about the first Christmas you can remember---the lights on the tree are one of the first things you noticed, perhaps even before you saw anything under the tree. Think about the first tree after you married. Many of us bought special ornaments, a tree topper. Do you recall the aluminum trees with the color wheels shining a light on them. Perhaps your trees were frosted or white. Remember the crazy color combinations that became popular--white tree with blue lights. Now think about the light displays we see in our neighborhoods and on TV--lights dancing with the music. 

Thinking about the lights of Christmas took me to Isaiah 9:2--"the people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them." A few verses later we read about the child that will be born--Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Think back to Genesis 1:2-3--"the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep . . .then God said, 'let there be light,' and there was light." Now read John 1:4-5--"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." Finally, look at 1 John 1:7--"if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."

What do I see in these verses?

• Without God, there is darkness, God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. The world is a dark place. My life is a dark place without the Light. In the darkness there is fear, doubt, groping for direction, searching for solid ground. In the light there is a path, a guide, and fears are driven away. 
• There is life in the Light and without the Light there is death. Without the Light of men, we exist but we do not experience life. We are white washed tombs. With the Light, we have not only life but abundant life.
• The darkness does not grasp the Light--does not comprehend it. God has always been light, but it requires a personal relationship with Jesus to comprehend the Light. God in His mercy and grace saw that we did not comprehend the Light, so He sent Jesus to show us the light--He is the Light. 
• If we walk in His Light, we have fellowship with one another and a relationship with the Father. Walking in His Light brings unity and order, not chaos. Walking in His Light brings peace, comfort, security, sufficiency, provision. 
• Jesus tells us to let our lights shine so that others see Jesus and are drawn to Him. A single candle defeats a room of darkness. We are called to carry His light.

As you admire the many Christmas lights this season, recall that it is the True Light that came into the world that we follow, worship and praise. And tell those young children staring at the light of the tree--the Light of the World is Jesus.

Blessings

Larry