Friday, 11 December 2009

• The Perfect Gift

  Shalom.
  
  In the beginning, there was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
  
  In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

  There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

  He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. 

  The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.There was a time when the winter solstice was on December 25th. This was a time where the Romans (and many other pagans) celebrated the beginning of longer days with light. Christianity recognized an allegory between this pagan time of festivities and the True Light coming to earth. So because the light came to earth, Christianity adopted this holiday, calling it Christmas, literally meaning "Christ's Mass". They called it "Christ's Mass" because they figured the most important part of celebrating Jesus' birth was to attend mass and enjoy the Lord's supper with the other believers. The first recorded use of this term, we know of is in CE 1038.
  
  So we celebrate Christmas near the winter solstice to celebrate the Light coming to earth. So why was Jesus "the Light?" Well, light is pure. Light separates the darkness. Darkness... it really isn't anything... it isn't tangible. It is simply the absence of light. And in this dark world, although the light was there, the darkness couldn't understand it... So God chose a young woman named Mary to carry Him into the world, so we could see the light- so we could know who God is- so we could finally connect with God again. However, Mary was a virgin and not yet married. But an angel told her that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, and the power of the Most High would overshadow her. Then she will become pregnant, and give birth to a son that will be called the Son of God.
  
  But this "Son of God" is God incarnate, because He was there in the beginning, with God.
  
  God saw our brokenness. He saw mankind in the darkness and He heard mankind's cry. He always has... And because our God is a loving God... and because our God is a just God, he prepared a way for salvation, through His Son, Jesus Christ- through Himself- the Light of men- the Light of the World.
  
  Through God- Through God limiting himself, becoming man, we can now recognize the Light. We are able to attain salvation, if we believe in His name. And to those who believe in His name, He gave the right to become children of God-- not born of flesh, natural descent, nor a man's decision, nor a husband's will, but born of spirit-- born of God.
  
  Brothers and sisters-- You are not mere men and women. You have the Holy Spirit living in you. You are a new creation; a citizen of heaven. You are a child of God... because you've seen the Light of men... Now you've received the perfect gift: the gift of and from Christ.
  
  How does the idea of God's light shining in the darkness of your life relate to situations in your life?  When have you felt like you were in darkness, and how did Christ bring you to the light?
  

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