A Light that Means the End of Darkness

[0:00] Well, Merry Christmas, folks. Merry Christmas. We got there. It's good to see you.

[0:13] This morning, I want to just read a short verse from, actually, it's just half a verse from John's letter, 1 John, chapter 2, verse 8. And so if you have that, you can open it up.

[0:26] We've been going through a series, Light in the Darkness, where we've been exploring different ways in which Jesus makes the claim that he is the light in the darkness. And so we're going to read a little thing that John writes, and I'll give a little bit of context to that.

[0:43] But John, in his letter, in 1 John 2, verse 8, writes this. The statement that I really want to zone in on is when he says, the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.

[1:07] He says, at the same time, it's a new commandment that I am writing you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.

[1:19] Now, what does it mean that the true light is already shining? How do we know this? 2,000 years removed from this moment. Because what he's really talking about, at the start of the letter, he says, we have seen with our eyes, we've heard with our ears, we've touched with our own hands.

[1:34] We have seen his glory, he says in his gospel. What does it mean? What does this light look like, that we can see it still shining? Well, a few ways, John talks about this in his letter.

[1:48] Seeing that the way to God is through Jesus, his son. That is seeing the light shining. Seeing the way to God is through his son, Jesus. Secondly, seeing the problem of sin for what it is, but seeing the offer of forgiveness in the son.

[2:07] And finally, seeing the love of God in those who know the son of God. Those things are evidence that the light is shining. Now, because in John's letter, the characteristic thing of darkness is for those, in chapter 1, verse 6, it's for those to claim to know God, but they deny Jesus.

[2:31] And it's also in chapter 2, verse 4 and 6. It's also to deny the problem of sin. Do we see people in our world denying the problem of sin? This is characteristic of the darkness.

[2:41] And finally, to claim to be enlightened, but hate the people in the light. That is characteristic of darkness. And so the opposite of that, we see the light shining.

[2:54] That there are those who claim to know God without denying Jesus. They claim to know God through Jesus the Son. There are those who don't deny the problem of sin, but they recognize the problem of sin.

[3:05] And there are those who love those who are in the light. And folks, I want to encourage you that our assurance, our assurance of being in the light, if you ever wondered, am I really in the light?

[3:19] Because you know you sin. Our assurance of being in the light is not that we do not sin. It's not that we have no sin, but it's from our trusting the Savior to forgive us and free us from our sin.

[3:33] That is our assurance, that we are in the light. And the evidence of being in the light is not the absence of sin in your life, but it's the confession of sin on the basis of the person and work of the Son.

[3:46] That is our confidence. You see, what is the evidence that the light is already shining? Well, folks, you don't even need to be a Christian to see this. But seeing lives changed in this world, who were once held by darkness, by the grace and power of Jesus, to be those who are in the light, loving people, serving people, and putting their trust in Jesus, that is evidence of light in the world and the darkness passing away.

[4:17] because you see the darkness passing away in other people. When you see this, whether you're a Christian or not, when you see this happening in the world, you are hearing the song of light already playing.

[4:31] See, the darkness is on the way out. And secondly, evidence that the light is already shining. if you see in your own heart what your sin is, if you see the reality of sin in your own heart, and you see the light shining because you trust in Jesus, then the darkness is passing away in you.

[4:50] And that is evidence the light is already shining. If you hear that, if you see that in your own heart, then you are hearing in your heart the song of light beginning to play and the darkness on the way out.

[5:02] If you hear this in your own heart, if you see that you are a sinner and you trust in Jesus to free you, forgive you from that sin, then you are hearing the song of light playing in your own heart and you are seeing the darkness passing away.

[5:24] The song of light has begun to play. The darkness is coming to an end. Now, babies are born every day. How many babies do you think are born every day? I wish I could give you a stat, but I don't have one here.

[5:37] Loads, loads and loads of babies are born just in a wee minute. Babies are born every day. Babies enter our world every day. But only one baby, only one baby existed before he came into the world.

[5:51] Only one baby is different from all the rest. What makes this baby different? Why is the birth of Jesus relevant to us 2,000 years later?

[6:01] What difference does this baby coming into the world make? Because it was the coming of light. See, no other baby brings light into the world, but the baby of Jesus Christ brought light into the world.

[6:16] This is what it says in John's Gospel, isn't it? The true light was coming into the world. In him was life, and that life was the light of mankind. And the true light was coming into the world.

[6:27] The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory. Glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. This baby is different from all the rest, because when he came into the world, light began to shine in the darkness, never to be snuffed out again.

[6:45] The darkness is passing away. The light began to shine 2,000 years ago, and it continues to shine now in him and through each one of us who trust in him. You see, this was the arrival of a light which means the end of darkness.

[7:04] Isaiah 9, 6 says, to us a child is born, to us a son is given, he's a gift. John 3, 16, God gave, God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that those who believe in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

[7:19] He is the light of the world. Whoever follows him will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. The darkness is passing away because the true light is already shining.

[7:32] C.S. Lewis wrote about the darkness in the Chronicles of Narnia, and he said it's like this, the darkness was like Narnia when it was always winter, but never Christmas.

[7:45] Always winter, but never Christmas. But, by the coming of Aslan, the snow began to melt. Winter was ending and spring was coming. And as I was thinking about winter in our country, in our time, without Christmas, it's always dark, always night, never light, always cold, never warm, always dreary, never joyous.

[8:06] It got me thinking about the ways we enjoy Christmas. They're not perfect, but they point us to Christ. You see, they're little glimmers of hope that spring is coming, the light that brightens the dark days, the songs that speak of joy into cold and dreary days, the gifts that speak of love that counts no wrongs, and the food and fellowship that brings families together that speak of the ultimate family that we are welcomed into.

[8:30] These things ought to be enjoyed, not separated from remembering Christ, but Christ came, and we can see the hope we have that he is the light that shines in the darkness. He's the joy to all mankind.

[8:42] He's the one who brings people together, satisfies every hunger and thirst. He's the love that counts no wrongs. And so with C.S. Lewis quote in mind, I thought about always winter but never Christmas, but now that the darkness is passing away, I don't know if you like Christmas Day, but now that the darkness is passing away, the true light is already shining.

[9:03] Imagine what it would be like if it was always Christmas but never winter. Now I don't know if you need to strip it from all the stress of Christmas Day. What that means is that it's always light and never dark.

[9:18] It's always day and never night time. That's what it speaks about in Revelation. Always life but never death, never sickness, never sorrow, never pain. Doesn't that sound good? Always love but never sin, never hatred.

[9:33] What is a life like? What does a life seem like like that? Don't you want that? Don't you want always light but never darkness? Always love but never hate? Always life but never death?

[9:45] Because that's what the baby Jesus brings. He began that back then and that song is ringing throughout the ages and it's ringing in our hearts to give us the hope that there is coming a true time when the light will be all that is left, not darkness.

[10:03] The darkness is on the way out and if you hear and see these things then you know the darkness is out because you see the light already shining. It's like that song away in a manger.

[10:14] Looking down from the sky Lord Jesus be with me, be near me, love me. Folks, trust in Jesus. Trust when you feel the burden of sin and you know that Jesus is your go-to.

[10:30] Trust that that is the song of light playing and when you hear that trust that the darkness is on the way out. It's not long. One day soon it will only be day it will only be night it will only be light and we will see the Lord Jesus for who he is and we will enjoy life forevermore for in him is eternal life.

[10:55] Those who have the sun have life in his name we give thanks. Amen. We're going to sing one final song joy has dawned upon the world. Let me invite you to come up. Come on.

[11:07] Look for signs of light in the world. Look for signs of light in Jesus. Put your trust in him and you will begin to see the darkness fade away in the world and in your life. Folks our lives our days don't always go to plan.

[11:30] David always says God has no plan B. We have many plans and our days and our things don't often go to plan. There's many people just now not having a Christmas that they wanted to have they hoped to have a life that they hoped to have or wanted to have things don't go to plan.

[11:50] But if you tune into that knowledge in your heart and your mind of Christ if you just tune into that you will begin to see the light shining and the darkness passing away.

[12:03] Folks this is our bread and butter every single day the glorious gospel that we trust in Jesus every day this is what we have. This is how we see the light. I see that the light is already shining today and how do I see that?

[12:16] Because I see that the light is shining in you. That's how I see it. And Peter writes this to a people who didn't see Jesus in the flesh. Peter writes this and this applies to you.

[12:29] Though you do not now see him though you have not seen him you love him. Why do you love him if you have not seen him? Because the light is shining in your heart.

[12:42] Though you do not now see him you believe in him with a joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory. Why? Because the light is shining in you. A joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory obtaining the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

[13:01] That day when all that is left is truly light and you are with him forevermore. Folks Jesus is the light of the world. Whoever follows him will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.

[13:14] May we go in the light and the glorious grace of the Lord Jesus Christ the unending love of God the Father and the fullness of the Holy Spirit this day and forevermore.

[13:26] Merry Christmas and Amen. I apenas I jaunel do you know theolina and I thank you.

[13:49] I just I wait to oh that I I