Christmas

Christmas
Readings:
Old Testament: Isaiah 52:7-10
Epistle: Hebrews 1:1-6 (7-12)
Gospel: John 1:1-14(15-18)

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1st: Merry Christmas!

2nd: I debated this week on what to write, as I usually do. I wrote a few lines, and that didn't seem to work for me, so I approached it from a different angle, which also didn't work. And then a third, and the same. But a thought came to me as I was standing outside on a cold night, which I felt made the most sense in terms of what I'm trying to accomplish with these writings. So this will be a more freestyle post, writing as the thoughts move along.

I really do enjoy the gospel lesson for the week, but find that it lacks in the traditional Christmas story as told in other areas. When I think of Christmas I get a picture in my head of Linus from the Peanuts comic strip, standing on stage with the spotlight shining, reading the Christmas story from Luke chapter 2. But today I am going to write you concerning the light that is the life contained in Christ, the Word who was sent from the Father, who is with the Father, and through whom all things were made.

My thoughts run as this:
Many things can be said concerning the arrival of Christ on that spectacular starlit night; about the shepherds who received the angels words; about the angels singing their praises; or about the wisemen who followed the star to bring gifts to the King of the Jews.

"In him was life, and that life was the light of men." The light that is life is what came down to men when Christ arrived. His purpose was to illuminate the darkness, "The light shines in the darkness," The life contained within him- through whom all things were made- is the light of men. It is that thing that guides us from the other side, and testifies within each of us that there is more to this life, more to this world, than the time we spend between sunrises. There was a separation between heaven and earth when Christ came, when he left the curtain between those two worlds was torn- this being why he preached, "the Kingdom of Heaven is near." It is nearer than a day would display to those living in darkness. When Christ gathered up flesh and came to this world, he came to testify, and teach us, about the life beyond this life, about the world beyond this world, about the Father's Kingdom, and the life eternal. He was a light to the Gentiles, to us, and praise be to God for his mercy and compassion.

"But the darkness has not understood it. " Those living in darkness cannot see the light. Those of the world only perceive the world. It is all they know. It is that in which all their hopes and dreams are contained. It is one of our Christian duties to reveal this light to those living in darkness. But the world did not recognize the light from which they came, they did not receive him. But we, as believers in Christ, the only son of the Living God, the One and Only, we are granted the right to be His children. Not an earthly birth, not of blood, but "born of God."

I keep repeating, "He is the light" in my head. It is a phrase that I can not explain, other than to say, "He is the light.'But the darkness has not understood.'" So I suppose what I am trying to say this Christmas is that we should keep in our minds the light that Christ brought with him to illuminate the world, to illuminate the darkness. He was not put under a table, but out in the open, so that his light, his life, could illuminate the darkness.
May the Father of all things be gracious to you this Christmas, and may the Peace of the Lord, which surpasses all understanding, be with you.