Darkness envelopes us this time of year—more than 15 hours of it every night. We’ve had a lot of cloud cover. We’ve had a lot of fog. These only add to the darkness. Darkness has an effect on us. Many people don’t like to drive in the dark. Darkness can be more dangerous, as evil likes to masquerade under its shadow. With ailments such as Seasonal Affective Disorder, darkness can even affect the health of some people.

Therefore, Christmas lights are such a blessing this time of year. Here we are surrounded by light, and I don’t just mean light bulb light or the screens. I mean the candles of the Advent wreathe, the candles on the altar, the Christmas lights dotting the outer walls of this space, the lights climbing up the Christmas tree, the lights spiraling around the altar rail. Darkness seeks to pervade us, but it has not overcome all these lights. The light shines in the darkness.

All of these lights, the Christmas lights that cover homes, buildings, and Christmas trees elsewhere, the abundance of candlelight this time of year—it all points to one thing:

THE LIGHT OF CHRIST HAS COME!

John writes: “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.”

John begins His Gospel with Christ, which is appropriate for Christmas Day. In the beginning was the Word—in the beginning was Christ. He was with God. He was God. He was with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. He is God along with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Christ—the Messiah, the Anointed One—has always existed, and with the Father and the Holy Spirit He created all things.

Because our Triune God created everything that exists outside of Himself that means that life originates with God. The source of life flows from God, and so it flows from Christ. Life flowing from Christ to creation enlightened humanity to fear, love, and trust in God.

Yet, the fall into sinful rebellion against our gracious life-giving Creator plunged the world into darkness, separation from God, and death. The darkness of sin surged in a rush to snuff out the Lord’s light in the world through death—sin sought to bring dark death in the heart by killing any light of the knowledge of God. Sin sought to slay the body in death’s darkness because the wages of rebelling against the Creator—the reward of rejecting the God of life—can only be physical death. And sin sought that body and soul be destroyed together in the outer darkness of hell where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Yes, the world was plunged into spiritual darkness in which humankind is incapable on our own of seeing God’s light and coming to the truth of our situation and His brilliant salvation. Our sinful flesh seizes the spiritual darkness as an outlet for all kinds of evil—the evil we may experience, the evil we may learn about in the news, and yes, the evil of our own hearts. We may not like to hear it said this way but our sinful hearts do evil things each and every day. There’s not one person on this planet who is excluded. There’s nobody on earth completely sinless.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as the Christmas lights shine on the darkness of our long winters, they symbolize the Light of Christ shining on the darkness of the world. The world’s dark spiritual forces try to overcome the Light, but it’s not possible. The Light of truth, the Light of life, the Light of Christ Jesus shines into the darkness, sparking new life and salvation on all who are illumined by its glow.

Christ’s light shines on you as you hear, receive, and believe His Word of grace, mercy, and salvation through the forgiveness of your sins. God’s Word is a “lamp to your feet and a light for your path.” Think not only of what God wants you to do in life but also beyond that illumination. Think of the Lord shining the Light of salvation on you through Jesus. John bore witness to the Light, saying, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” As we receive Christ Jesus’ Word of salvation, He is shining light on the darkness of our hearts, lighting the path of salvation as He leads us heavenward.

As Christians, we sense the spiritual darkness, we fear the darkness, we try to fight off the darkness, and sometimes we sadly embrace the darkness. The danger of wholly embracing the darkness is that it may deceive the unsuspecting or the spiritually dulled into spiritual sleep that no longer notices the light. However, by means of His Word and Sacraments, Jesus continually shines His light on you, helping you to see the way to forgiveness and eternal salvation. Jesus shines His Light on you so that you may see Him, because He is the way to salvation. Anything else is just spiritual darkness.

For this reason, John writes, “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.” You, brothers and sisters in Christ have been born of God, because the Light of Life has shined on you in the Good News of sins forgiven through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Jesus came into this world—the Word became flesh and dwelt among us—to complete a mission. He was bound and determined to reveal to you His glory—the glory of His saving name, through His saving death, followed by His saving resurrection. You have seen the light of His glory through His Word. God’s Word truly is a lamp for your feet and a light for your path, guiding you to the mercy of your shining Savior.

The Light of Christ shines on the darkness of our hearts in forgiveness, and He also leads us by His light “to delight in His will and walk in His ways to the glory of His holy name.” As the Light of Christ shines on us, it causes us to become little lights of Christ shining on one another and the world. Although the sinful flesh in us seeks to do evil, the Light of Christ in us desires to do that which is good, right, true, and beautiful.

By His Word, God is daily renewing us here and now so that gradually by His grace alone and not by our own efforts we are conformed to the image and likeness of Christ. God makes us Christlike as we walk in the Light of Christ, shining His light. It’s lively and active in the service that your offer to the Lord and to others often when you don’t realize it.

The Light of Christ has come to illumine a dark world. Jesus did not die for a few, but He died for all. He died for the whole world. While we know that not everyone will receive His light, we know that He has promised to bring more into the light of His Church.

And therefore, we seek to spread the Light of Christ—the Good News of sins forgiven amid an unforgiving world, the Good News of hope amid the purposelessness of spiritual darkness, the Good News of peace with our Creator amid a world of conflict, the Good News of eternal joy in paradise even though we’re surrounded by the darkness of death.

Illumined by the Light of Christ, we seek to shine that light—and one of the best ways, one of the easiest ways, is a simple invitation to church. They might say “no.” But then again, they might say “yes,” and become introduced to Jesus who glorifies their whole world with His light and life.

As you gaze upon various light displays during the Christmas season, remember that the true Light has come, having salvation, shining the Light of His glorious mercy upon you. Amen.