The True Light

The True Light

Home Church Devotional 10/7/2020

These devotionals were written during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic when area churches were not allowed to meet for fear of spreading the coronavirus. They were used in place of a full sermon as my family and I gathered for worship and communion.

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.                                      John 1:9-11 (NASB)

Each year in these United States, we do something, not once but twice, in a vain attempt to add a single hour of light to our day. Each spring we are reminded to “spring forward” by setting our clocks an hour ahead, this is intended to give us an extra hour of daylight at the end of our work day, thus allowing us to work longer and take advantage of the extra sunshine. Likewise, we are reminded to “fall back” each fall by removing the hour we added in the springtime! We want that extra hour at the beginning of the day, allowing the sun to come up preventing our kids from standing in the dark while waiting on school buses or walking to school. At least, that is the popular arguments for Day Light Savings Time. The fact is, no matter what we do, there is only going to be so many hours of daylight each day.

Prior to the establishment of Day Light Savings Time, the invention of the light bulb also allowed us to add time to the workday, our evening activities at home and even a night out on the town! Yes, we would be lost without the means to produce and provide light for our busy, hectic, cram-packed schedules. There is, however, one source of light we tend to shrink away from. The True Light. The Light that comes from Jesus Christ. John tells us this light was to enlighten all people. The True Light came to the world He created and was soundly and promptly rejected. This is one light that mankind can do without!

John the Baptist captured the attention of the surrounding society because he was an unusual person; some might even say a lunatic. The description of John the Baptist, provided by Matthew, seems to validate that opinion. “Now John himself had a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.” Matthew 3:4 (NASB)

But John was comfortable in his calling, secure in who he was and confident about his mission. Make no mistake, John the Baptist brought light to a darkened world. Now comes the transition from John’s ministry to the ministry of the True Light, Jesus Christ. The Creator has come to the world He created!

The literal reading of the Greek text says, “He came to His own things.” He, Jesus, came to that which belonged to Him. This expression was used in describing a homecoming and thus, intensifies the rejection of Jesus. Jesus, the Creator of the world, was not welcome in the world, His own home or even by His own nation. His own family – the nation of Israel – would not receive Him. John uses the Greek word for receive that means to “welcome.” How sad that Jesus was not welcomed by those who had been expecting Him. In fact, those who should have been the most anxious to welcome Him are the first to reject Him!

The world did not recognize its own Creator – this is a picture of mankind blinded and unable to see the light of Christ. He was denied even general acknowledgment that should have been His as Creator. And yet, every person has life because of God, thus every person has some light. The light of Christ is clear, pure and clean. It is to be the enlightenment of every person by penetrating and eliminating darkness. It is to reveal sin and opens the truth. The light of Christ is to guide by exposing and striping away darkness. It calms, conquers and ends chaos; warns of dangers that lie ahead; and it protects us from stumbling, falling and losing our way.

So, how then, does Christ give light to the world? Christ gives light through natural revelation – through creation and the natural order of this world and the universe. Christ gives light through the good gifts or blessings He gives to us. This goodness enlightens us to the truth of God’s love for us. Christ gives light through the Word of God by revealing Himself and His truth in the Scriptures. Because Christ came into the world, we have more light now than at any time in human history. All people can now see the truth, they may reject it, but they can see it.

Because Christ came into the world, all who believe in Him no longer live in darkness, every individual can now be delivered from darkness, sin, despair, and death. All light that exists in this world – from nature or heaven; physical or spiritual – is due to Christ. He is the True Light, and He gives light to every person. Christ created the world; He loved and cared deeply for it, so Christ gave light!

Christ gave the light of order, purpose and beauty to the universe He created. Christ gave the glorious light of living to those He created. This light of life allows us to learn and reason, love and care, work and serve to build a better world. Christ gave the light of knowing and worshiping God, that we might live with God forever. Christ gave the prophetic light that we might proclaim the truth and encourage others to follow God. It is by walking in the light of Christ that we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Christ cleanses us (1 John 1:5-7).

Have you heard Christ’s call to walk in the light? Are you walking in that today? There is only one source for True Light and that source is Jesus Christ. He alone brings light that penetrates and exposes sin and opens the truth. Only He can bring order to chaos with light that strips away darkness. Only Jesus can bring light that gives life and life eternal. If you do not know Jesus Christ, His light is still shining, ready to light your way to the truth of His love and care for you. Won’t you join us as we walk in the light of fellowship?

Amen and Amen.