Advent Exhortation: Light

(Isaiah 9:2) The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

We light the third Advent candle recalling that Jesus is the true light sent into a world of darkness.

For many reasons, December is a wonderful month for Christians. And one of those reasons is that for a short span of time, the whole world seems pleased to join us in our fascination, veneration and celebration of light. Homes, neighborhoods and in some cases whole towns are bedecked with multi-colored bulbs and icicle-stringlets of tiny white luminaries. Although the world routinely expends an enormous amount of energy fleeing from the light who is Christ, for one month of the year, it seems content to enjoy this marvelous type and shadow of Christ’s glorious person and work.

2000 years ago the world did indeed lie in darkness. There was virtually no revelation of God’s promise and power to save among the Gentiles, and even among God’s covenant people, true religion was being strangled by the legalism of the Pharisees and diluted by the licentiousness of the Sadducees. But all that changed in a moment; the night Mary gave birth to the baby Jesus. One minute the world was enveloped in darkness, the next it was flooded with the light of him who is the light.

Quite suddenly, ignorance, fear and superstition were on the run, and understanding, peace and truth were on the rise. Within 100 years this light had illuminated the entire Mediterranean region all the way down to the western borders of India, causing Eusebius, an ancient church historian to gush, "Thus, then, under a celestial influence and cooperation, the doctrine of the Savior, like the rays of the sun, quickly irradiated the whole world. Presently, in accordance with divine prophecy, the sound of his inspired evangelists and apostles had gone throughout all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. Throughout every city and village, like a replenished barn floor, churches were rapidly found abounding, and filled with members from every people. Those who in consequence of the delusion that had descended to them from their ancestors, had been fettered by the ancient disease of idolatrous superstition, were now liberated by the power of Christ through the teaching and miracles of his messengers. And, as delivered from dreadful masters, and emancipated from the most cruel bondage, on the one hand renounced the whole multitude of gods and demons, and on the other, confessed that there was only one true God, the Creator of all things.”

Within 300 years this light had flooded the continent of Europe and had even shined into the heart of Rome’s emperor.

Today, the light who is Christ graces every continent and is pushing back the darkness of unbelief as the people of God manifest the light of revelation that blazes forth from Word and sacrament in their assemblies around the globe.

So light your candles, hang your lights, trim your trees and push back the night. Sing psalms and Christmas hymns, and look for opportunities to join the world in its celebration of light, and for ways to challenge its foolish tradition of enjoying light’s benefits while rejecting light’s source: Jesus, the light of the world.