Christmas Eve Homily - John 1:5 “Light in Darkness”

Amen. You may be seated, unless you are a kid and you get to come take a seat up here on the steps with me.

Okay. We're going to talk for just a minute. All right.

Is everybody excited for Christmas? Just find a seat where you can see me, all right? See if you

can see my face. Uh-oh, we're running out of steps. If you want to sit right down there on the floor,

that's just great too. Okay. It doesn't have to be on the steps. Hey, you can be on the floor if

that's easier. Okay. It gets very exciting this time of year with Christmas coming up. It's so

close, isn't it? You know, one of my favorite, it is tomorrow. You're right. One of my favorite parts

of Christmas is Christmas lights. Do y'all like Christmas lights? Like the ones on these trees

or even candles, like pretty candlelight. Do y'all like pretty candlelight? Maybe you'll get to hold

one in just a little while. You know, all of those lights at Christmas time, they remind us that Jesus

is the light of the world. Can you say that? The light of the world. Let me show you a little bit

what that means. Okay. Now we're going to make it a little bit darker. It was already dark in this room,

wasn't it? We're going to make it a little bit darker, but it's going to be all right. Okay. Just

stay with me. Okay. Hold on. I was, it's kind of dark. It won't last long, but I was going to read

you a verse from the Bible, but I can't even see it anymore. I can't see to read. Do you know,

does anybody have any, where could we get, look, there's a light over there. Do you see that light?

Yeah. You know, does that light help me? I still can't read. What if that light came over here closer

to me? Do you think that would help? Oh, wow. Look, but I can't get up. Thank you so much, DJ.

Look, oh, look, now I can read. Listen, listen to what the Bible says.

The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it. Can y'all sit down for just a

second while we talk so everybody else can see? Awesome. You know, it's a dark world sometimes,

isn't it? So many things, so many things we can't understand. There are, there are bullies

in the world and monsters in the world. I know it's scary. In fact, there's even sin in our own

hearts, isn't there? Times when we don't want to obey our parents. We just want to do what we want

to do. It's very dark and we need light, don't we? And just like DJ brought me this light so that I

could read, the light shines in the darkness. Who did we say is the light of the world? Jesus.

Jesus is, you know, that is actually what Christmas is all about. Hey, listen to me just once. We're

almost finished, okay? Listen, listen. Jesus didn't stay far away in heaven, did he? He came all the way

down to bring his light to shine close to us. He was stronger than all the bullies and the monsters.

He even beat sin and death so that our sin could be forgiven and we could live with him forever.

That is the good news of Christmas, that Jesus is the light of the world and that he's come close to

us, okay? So listen, when you see Christmas lights tonight or when you hold a candle that has a light,

I want you to remember something, okay? Every one of you, as you hold that light, remember that Jesus is

your light who comes close to you and he never leaves you and he never goes out, does he? He's

always our light. Jesus is the light of the world who came into the world to defeat all the darkness,

all right? Can we pray about that? Let's pray and thank Jesus for being our light.

Jesus, thank you so much for loving us. Thank you for not staying far away but for coming into this

world to be born and live and die and rise for us. I pray that every one of these precious kids

will know that you're with them and that you love them and that they'll celebrate Christmas because of

that and we ask it in your name, amen. All right, hang on one second. We're going to wait for some lights

to come back on. There you go. Now you can go back calmly and safely, I hope, to your seats. Thank you so much.

Can you blow it out for me? Can I do it? Thank you.

Ethan!

Love you.

All right.

I think I'm going to give us just a minute.

And I am really sorry if that causes any difficulty going to sleep tonight.

It was darker than I anticipated.

This Advent season here at Southwood, we have walked through Matthew's account.

of Jesus' birth, tracking his family tree back to Abraham, Emmanuel, God with us, wise men coming to worship the king.

Tonight, in case you hadn't noticed, we've been reading Luke's account of the Savior coming into the world.

There are angels singing and shepherds worshiping and Mary pondering.

And now John goes back a bit further than both of these to tell us about Jesus' entrance into the world.

John starts, not just at a manger scene, but he starts with very familiar words,

in the beginning.

He's going way back.

Okay?

John chapter 1.

John 1 · chapter mention

This is God's holy word.

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 anything 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.

I want to spend just a few more minutes tonight reflecting on that one phrase,

the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The reason is that I'm not sure that there's a more hopeful truth in the entire Bible,

especially when you feel the darkness.

See, that statement, that the light shines in the darkness,

clearly acknowledges the reality of the darkness, doesn't it?

The darkness that we live in.

The darkness many of us feel right now.

The heaviness of the darkness that's in us, and that's around us,

and that often hangs over us like a heavy blanket.

It may just be me.

Sometimes pastors feel things too much.

But my sense is that more of us than usual are feeling the heaviness of that darkness

at the end of this year.

There just seems to have been a lot.

Maybe a lot in this church family, in this community, in this world.

We're feeling the weight of the darkness.

Maybe for some of you, the darkness you feel is from grief,

loss in your own life, and the life of those around you,

those you love and care about.

The hopelessness that sometimes sets in in the midst of that.

Maybe your darkness, your feelings from the evil in the world around you,

the wars, the injustices you see that aren't rectified,

the abuses of power, even in the name of good,

just infuriates you.

Maybe for others of you, it's from failures in your own life.

You thought you'd be better by now, but you've messed up again.

Or just this sense of darkness that the Bible describes

where you don't really know where you're going.

You're living life, you're getting by, fine,

but you don't really know where it's all headed,

where life's going.

There's no real clear sense of purpose and direction for you.

So the darkness feels thick and deep and sometimes overwhelming.

In fact, I'd like to try to be really honest tonight

without ruining your Christmas Eve.

Sometimes it seems darkness is winning.

It does sometimes feel that way.

I like to go up on a mountainside overlooking Huntsville

and watch the sunrise.

It's beautiful so often.

There's these beautiful oranges and purples

right as the day is breaking.

It's glorious.

But sometimes it's not that.

Sometimes I get up on the mountainside

and it's sunrise time and I'm double-checking

and all you can see is fog,

clouds,

darkness.

I've shared this with some of you,

this sense of not being able to see

or to feel the sun at all.

No heat and warmth,

no light.

I can't even see where to walk.

It appears from everything that I can tell

on those days that darkness has overcome,

has won.

That's what it looks like.

That's the evidence as I look around me.

And so I love that John says

the darkness has not overcome it

because I can tell that God knows

that it sometimes feels as if it has.

I think that's why he says it.

Because he knows that many days seem to us

as if darkness wins.

In fact, in the story that he tells of Jesus,

there are many moments where it looks like

from everybody looking on that that's true.

It's that way from the start.

I mean, who's going to win this battle

of light versus darkness?

I mean, you tell me,

who's going to win?

The little baby in the manger

or the big strong king

who intends to kill him?

Who's going to win?

The child of two poor people

or the rich and powerful Jewish leaders

and establishment?

Who's going to win?

A humble Jew or the mighty Roman Empire?

Come on.

The light of the world

doesn't seem to stand a chance.

The same is true, by the way,

toward the end of the story

when we're told that the world

literally goes dark

in the middle of the day.

As the Christ, the Messiah,

the King of the Jews

hangs on a cross

and cries out

and dies

and it's dark

and the powers of darkness

celebrate.

everyone is picking

darkness

to win.

Not so fast, my friend.

God doesn't deny

the reality

of darkness.

He just comes

to assure us

that light

is stronger.

It's what he's told us

since the days

of the prophet.

We read that

at the beginning

of the service.

The people walking

in darkness.

He sees them.

They've seen

a great light.

He knew that we were

going to feel this way

that darkness

shall cover the earth

and thick darkness

all the peoples

but the Lord

will arise

upon you.

Arise, shine

for your light

has come.

The light

shines in the darkness

and the darkness

has not

overcome it.

He knows

and he's telling you

how the story goes.

Look what we learn

about this unbeatable

light here.

How can we be

sure tonight

that the light

will win?

What is it about

this light

that lets us

grab onto it

and have hope?

First, the light

is loving.

In other words,

it's personal.

John is not

talking about

some vague

force

that may

or may not

last.

You know,

good vibes,

karma.

It's not even

some mysterious

logos,

the word,

a power

out there

that will magically

turn evil

to good.

No,

read,

it's a person.

The true light

that gives light

to everyone

wasn't staying

far off

but was

coming

into

the world.

Verse 9.

Verse 14,

the word

became flesh

and made

his home

in our

neighborhood,

walked on

our dirt.

The light

John is talking

about then

is indisputable.

Jesus really

came and lived

here,

we know this,

with this

inexpressible

love that has

changed the world,

healing the sick,

welcoming the lonely,

challenging

the powerful,

comforting the grieving,

teaching the confused,

forgiving the sinners.

The loving light

pushes back

the darkness.

But you might say,

yeah,

great,

but didn't he die?

Yep.

In fact,

his death

on the cross

is as historically

attested

as the rest

of his life.

life.

This light

overcomes

darkness

because Jesus

is the living

light,

absolutely

invincible.

Here's how we

know it.

Look at verse 4.

In him

was life

and the life

was the light

of men.

Life,

yes,

he died,

but the third day

he rose again

from the dead,

never more

to die.

That midnight

darkness

in the garden

of his betrayal,

the midday

darkness

at the cross,

the early morning

darkness

at the tomb

is replaced

by the light

of resurrection

life

and that's

so that we can know

that in our

darkest moments

and moments

you've known

even this year,

moments like

tragic death,

moments like

devastating

miscarriage,

moments like

terminal

diagnoses

from which

you look around

and say

there is no

hope

in this

life.

Even then,

still,

darkness

does not win.

it feels

like it,

right?

You may have

had those days,

you may be

in those seasons

and you look

around and you

say,

all I can see,

all I can feel

is the darkness,

but the light

of life

has come

into our world

so that we

don't face

even death

as the final

chapter.

It's not.

Listen,

there is good

news.

The darkness

has not

overcome

Jesus,

the light.

The grave

could not

hold him.

Death

could not

defeat him.

Darkness

could not

overcome him.

So you can

stare death

in the face

and say,

I hate you.

I hate you.

You can

even weep

with Jesus.

It'll be right

there next to you

and through those

tears,

you can say,

but death,

you don't win.

You will not

win.

The game

is not

over.

The living

light shines.

A living

person,

so many saw

and felt

and touched

it and one

day I'm

going to feel

it again.

I'm going to

see it again

and it may

not be today,

but I know

the sun is

still there.

It's behind

those really

heavy clouds.

I know it

is.

I'm going to

feel its

warmth.

I'm going to

see its

light again.

The darkness

has not

overcome it.

And the

last reason

you can be

confident that

this light

is a

divine

light.

The word

was with

God

and the

word

was

God.

There

from the

very

beginning,

creating

the entire

world,

breathing

life into

each and

every one

of us

who's

ever

walked

in this

world.

See,

God is

light.

In Him

there is

no darkness

at all.

But we

wouldn't know

that.

How would

we know

that if

God stayed

far away

from us

all the

time?

If God

hid from

us far

away,

if we

stayed with

our hearts

and minds

in darkness

about

Him,

we

wouldn't

know.

John

says,

verse 18,

no one

has ever

seen

God.

Problem.

But God,

the only

Son,

has now

made Him

known to

us by

coming near

to us.

Son of

God

loves

pure

light.

We're going

to sing it.

Now Jesus

comes

to help

us see

God's

light.

You ever

wonder what

God would

be like

if you

got up

really close

to Him?

How would

He respond

to you?

What would

He say?

How would

it go?

You don't

have to

wonder

anymore.

Jesus

shows you.

Are you

grieving

tonight?

not sure

you'll

ever

stop?

He

weeps

with you.

He

blesses

the

mourner.

He

wipes

away

tears.

Are you

confused?

Hopeless?

Not

sure your

life

matters

anymore?

He

sees

you.

He

calls

you

by

name.

He

shines

the

light

of

the

world

so

that

you

don't

have

to

walk

in

darkness

anymore.

Are you

sinful?

Are you

failing

again?

Are you

not

sure

that you

can

acknowledge

that God

is

there?

That

you

could

ever

get

close

to

Him

without

being

destroyed?

He

eats

with

you.

He

eats

with

sinners.

He

is

destroyed

for

you.

He

forgives

your sins

forever

so that

you can

be

with

Him.

See,

the baby

born at

Christmas

is God

come

to be

with

us.

But

even

then

on that

first

Christmas

night

it's

only

the

dawn

of

redeeming

grace.

It's

the

first

little

glimmers

of

sunlight

breaking

through.

But

He's

headed

to a

cross

and

an

empty

tomb

where

redeeming

grace

shines

brilliantly.

We've

never

seen

anything

like it.

It's

at

full

strength

and

it

will

never

be

put

out.

It

is

inextinguishable

this

light.

The

glory

of

God

in the

face

of

Jesus

Christ.

The

divine

light

living

loving

always

overcoming

the

darkness.

See the

light

shines

shines

present

tense

in the

darkness

then

now

and

always

the

greatest

reality

in all

of history

is that

the

light

shines

in the

darkness.

Amen.

That's

the

greatest

truth

you can

count

on.

The

light

shines

in the

darkness

and the

darkness

has not

overcome

it.

It may

feel

really

dark

tonight

but

light

shines

in Jesus

even if

there's

no other

light.

In

him

God

promises

the

darkness

is already

passing

away

and the

true

light

is already

shining

because of

the tender

mercy

of our

God

the

sunrise

shall

visit

us

from

on

high

to

give

light

to

those

who

sit

in

darkness

and

in

the

shadow

of

death

to

guide

our

feet

in

the

way

of

peace

the

light

shines

in

the

darkness

and

the

darkness

has

not

will

not

cannot

overcome

it.

Let's

pray.

Oh

Jesus

we

thank

you

we

thank

you

that

you

did

not

stay

far

off

but

that

you

have

indeed

come

near

to

us

you've

entered

into

our

darkness

so

that

we

will

know

the

light

of

life

would

you

shine

that

light

into

the

darkest

places

of

this

world

of

this

room

of

our

hearts

even

now

as

we

meet

with

you

we

ask

you

to

do

that

Amen

it was a dark

night

it was a night

when the

son of

God

was going

to be

betrayed

to be

killed

on a cross

and Jesus

sat

with his

disciples

to celebrate

the Passover

meal

and he

took

bread

and he

broke

it

and he

gave

it

to

them

as

I

ministering

in his

name

give

this

bread

to

you

he

said

take

and

eat

this

is

my

body

given

for

you

he

knew

where

it

was

going

do

this

in

remembrance

of

me

and

then

in

the

same

manner

after

supper

he

took

the

cup

and

said

this

cup

is

the

new

covenant

in

my

blood

shed

for

many

for

the

forgiveness

of

sins

drink

from

it

all

of

you

for

as

often

as

you

eat

this

bread

and

drink

this

cup

you

proclaim

my

death

until

I

come

this

is a

table

tonight

where

you can

come

and

eat

with

Jesus

it's

it's

not

the

table

of

Southwood

or

of

the

Presbyterian

church

it's

the

Lord's

table

he's

the

one

who

set

this

table

and

extended

the

invitation

to

you

to

come

if

you

are

one

of

his

if

you're

one

who

has

received

his

light

shining

into

your

life

so

that

you

say

I'm

not

the

source

of

light

I

don't

have

it

in

me

I'm

not

enough

but

he

is

and

he

knows

what

to

do

with

the

darkness

in

me

then

if

you've

professed

that

as

your

hope

publicly

if

you're

a

part

of

his

church

anywhere

come

and eat

with

us

tonight

and

more

importantly

with

him

he's

come

near

you

to

meet

with

you

I

know

there

are

many

of

you

here

tonight

that

may

have

come

with

family

or

with

friends

maybe

you're

not

used

to

being

in

a

church

service

like

this

maybe

you're

a

kid

who's

usually

not

in

the

sanctuary

during

this

part

of

the

service

look

we're

so

glad

that

you're

all

here

one

of

the

things

we

love

to

do

at

Christmas

Eve

during

the

Lord's

supper

is

to

pray

with

every

group

that

comes

up

and

if

you'd

be

comfortable

with

that

then

we'd

love

for

you

to

come

and

let

us

pray

with

you

if

you're

not

one

who's

actively

trusting

Jesus

if

you're

not

old

enough

yet

that

you've

professed

your

faith

in

him

and

join

the

church

that's

you're

welcome

to

stay

exactly

where

you

are

our

heart

for

you

would

be

that

you

know

about

the

light

of

the

world

and

that

you

meet

him

you

don't

have

to

take

bread

and

wine

tonight

for

that

to

be

true

Jesus

meets

you

wherever

you

are

he

shines

into

whatever

darkness

you're

feeling

and

so

we're

thrilled

that

you're

here

to

celebrate

with

us

I'm

going

to

pray

and

our

for

what

we

celebrate

at

Christmas

that

you

haven't

left

us

alone

that

you

don't

stay

far

away

that

you

don't

leave

us

in

the

dark

and

you

don't

hide

from

us

you've

entered

in

and

we

give

you

thanks

and

so

would

you

take

these

very

common

elements

would

you

use

them

to

do

something

special

in

our

hearts

that

we

would

in

a

fresh

way

remember

that

you're

with

us

that

your

light

is

with

us

now

and

will

never

leave

us

would

that

be

our

hope

even

this

Christmas

we

ask

it

in

your

name

amen

for

more

information

visit

us

online

at

southwood.org