INTRO: Light, taken for granted, even expected
IN JOHN’S GOSPEL
Jesus Christ the Creator provides physical life.
Jesus Christ the Redeemer provides spiritual life.
Jesus Christ the Savior provides eternal life.
Jesus is Light.
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Three aspects about the logos-light:
1. It offers illumination to every person
Jesus provides life and light to every person.
The figures of light and darkness define the plot of the Gospel, for they represent the opposing powers of righteousness and evil, and the contrasting results of belief and unbelief.
2. it shines in the context of darkness
The parallel figure of darkness (1:5) represents uncertainty, ignorance, and separation from God (12:35,46).
Darkness is default mode of the world.
However vague and distorted truth might become, even in perverted form it owed its origin to the primal revelation of God. Sin and its consequent estrangement may have produced a twilight in which the way of life had become obscure, but Christ had provided the illumination necessary to lead men back to God.
Silently but pervasively in every contact that Jesus made, He penetrated the dark recesses of the human spirit and revealed its true character. The light of His holiness disclosed hidden hypocrisy and sin in sharp relief
3. darkness does not overcome it.
Satan tried everything within his power to extinguish this light, but He could not. He only made it shine all the brighter.
Therefore this Christmas you can have, of all things, hope. And hope is what you need.