Pastor Mark's Blog

We’re in a study about the promises of God and today we’re going to look at one of the promises concerning Jesus.

It’s impossible for us to look at everything about Jesus because there are so many promises and prophecies about Him in the Bible.

Jesus is unique among all people in history because he is the fulfillment of centuries of prophecies, which are found in the Old Testament.  These prophecies foretold his place of birth, details of his life, his mission, his nature, his death, and his resurrection.

Some Bible scholars estimate that there are more than 300 prophecies about Jesus in the Old Testament.

Many people think of Bible prophecies as predictions about the future but strictly speaking, they are promises from God.

The very first promise God made concerning His Son is mentioned in the first book of the Bible when Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden.  When Adam and Eve sinned against God, He made a promise to Eve concerning one of her descendents and Satan.

Genesis 3:15 I will make you and the woman enemies to each other. Your descendants and her descendants will be enemies. One of her descendants will crush your head, and you will bite his heel. (NCV)

God is speaking to Satan in this verse.  This is the first prophetic promise that God made concerning His son Jesus Christ.  In it He promised that one of Eve’s descendants (Jesus) would one day defeat Satan by crushing him.

Acts 13:23 To keep his promise, God has raised up for Israel one of David’s descendants, Jesus, as Saviour. (NJB)

That’s what Christmas is all about.

Matthew 1:18-21 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.   19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.   20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.   21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. (NIV)

This promise concerning Jesus was also verified by all those who knew Him.

1 John 4:14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. (NLT)

God promised that when Jesus was born He would be the savior of the world so that all mankind could be forgiven and have eternal life.

Luke 19:10 The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them. (NCV)

God promised that when Jesus was born He would give us life.

John 10:10 …I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. (MSG)

When Jesus came as the savior of the world He came to provide a covering for our sins through the blood that He shed on the cross of Calvary.

1 John 4:9-10 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.  10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. (NLT)

When Jesus came as the savior of the world, He came to take away the sin of the world.

John 1:29 John saw Jesus coming toward him… and said, “Look! This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. (GW)

All of these things God promised that His Son Jesus Christ would do for us.  God was true to His promise and kept His promise.  Over 2000 years ago, Jesus gave His life for all mankind, providing the way for you and I to be saved from the punishment of our sins in Hell.  He became the covering for our sins through His blood, and as a result took away our sins by being made sin on our behalf.

1 Peter 2:24 Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living for sin and start living for what is right. And we are healed because of his wounds. (ICB)

A number of years ago, Peter W. Stoner and Robert C. Newman wrote a book entitled Science Speaks.   The book was based on the science of probability and vouched for by the American Scientific Affiliation.  It set out the odds of any one man in all of history fulfilling only eight of the 60 major prophecies fulfilled by Jesus.

The probability that Jesus could have fulfilled even eight such prophecies would be only 1 in 10¹⁷. That’s 1 in 100, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000.

The chances of this happening is like covering the entire state of Texas two feet deep in silver dollars and then putting an “X” on one and asking a blindfolded man to find it.  And on his first try HE DOES!!!!

Well Jesus not only has fulfilled eight prophecies so far, but 60!  That’s how great God’s promises are!

I hope your Christmas and New Year holiday was wonderful.  I’ve missed doing my blog and I am excited about this new topic that I will be discussing with you.

Within the Bible we find literally thousands of promises that God has made.  Someone has said that there are more than 37,000 promises in the Bible.

In Webster’s dictionary it says the word “promise” means, “to pledge oneself to do, bring about, or to provide something.”  A promise is a binding agreement to do something.

As we look at these promises we must keep in mind that man has not made these promises but rather God has made them.

As God’s people we can be assured that when God makes a promise he will keep it no matter what.  When God makes a promise, he is faithful in carrying it out.

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie,  nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.  Does he speak and then not act?  Does he promise and not fulfill? (NIV)

Hebrews 10:23  Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (NIV)

Before we start looking at some of the promises God has made to us, I would like for us to look at how the Bible describes the promises of God.

The Bible says that God’s promises are precious and great.

2 Peter 1:4 …He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. (NASB)

The first word is the word, “precious” is the same Greek word that Peter used to describe the blood of Jesus Christ by which we are redeemed.

1 Peter 1:18-19 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers,   19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. (NIV)

This word “precious” is a Greek word that means, “priceless or beyond value.”  In other words the promises of God are so precious that you can not put a price tag on them.  God’s promises are priceless.  They can’t be bought, yet we are told in our text that God has “granted” or given them to us.

The other word that is used in this verse to describe God’s promises is the word “magnificent.”  Webster tells us that this word means, “to be beautiful”.  Literally this word “magnificent” means, “to be very great”, or “sacred.”

Hebrews 6:17-18a  When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee— ¹⁸ God can’t break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. (MSG)

Truly the promises of God are beautiful and great.  They are both great in quantity or number and they are great in quality.  That’s why we are going to study the promises of God.  So I want to encourage you to come back and follow along with me in this study.

Today I’m going to finish our Christmas devotional.  I really appreciate you following along with me.  Without the decorations that adorn our Christmas trees, they would just be another pine tree.  But because of the decorations, they are Christmas trees.

Without the decorations of love, grace, peace and forgiveness, the cross of Calvary would be no different from any other cross that was used to crucify criminals.  But because of the person who hung on the cross and what He did for all mankind, it can change your life forever.

Many people today are satisfied to celebrate Christmas as long as Jesus remains a baby in a manger.

In an Orange County Register article titled, “Bloody Jesus In Parade Outrages Townsfolk,” it describes how a church in Illinois entered a float in their town’s Christmas parade and many were outraged because of the point it illustrated.  The float featured a young man depicting the crucifixion of Jesus wearing a loin cloth and blood-like makeup all over his face and body.  The pastor of the church stated, “We weren’t out there trying to stir controversy.  We were out there trying to identify the whole meaning of Christmas, and the ultimate meaning is Jesus did give His life, God gave a gift.”  The pastor went on to say that no one had made any complaints about the float to him or his church, but the parade coordinator said she had received plenty of complaints and stated, “I’m not saying this was an inappropriate float, but it certainly was perceived that way by a lot of people.”

If Jesus had not died on the cross of Calvary to provide love, grace, peace and forgiveness, Christmas would be meaningless.  Even Christians can miss the point of the Christmas story if they aren’t careful.

The great question for us is this: Is our Christmas still only a story about a baby, or is it more, a story about a Person into whom the baby grew, who can redeem the world from it’s sins, and who calls us to have a relationship with Him.

It is only as we see the birth of Jesus in light of His crucifixion and resurrection that we are able to grasp the full meaning of Christ’s coming.  If Jesus had not died on the cross and rose again, he would have been just one out of billions upon billions of babies who have ever been born.  But because he died and rose from the dead, he is much more than just an ordinary child or person.

With your eyes wide open this Christmas, respond to God with love and commitment for the gift of His Son. Focus your thoughts and actions and motivations toward honoring the Baby who grew up and died for all our sins.

After all, on that first Christmas the angel did not declare, “Christ the baby is born” but rather the angel said, “Christ the Savior is born!”  Jesus went from the cradle to the cross.

Thank you for following this Christmas blog and listening.  I pray that you will have a wonderful Christmas this year.  May God bless you.

Merry Christmas everyone!  Welcome back to our 25 day Christmas devotional.  Today is Christmas Eve.  We’ve been looking at the decorations of Christmas and admiring the beautiful decorations of the cross which is also referred to by many as “Calvary’s tree.”

Today I’d like us to consider the decoration of forgiveness.  The very reason why Jesus was born was to forgive us of our sins.  Look at what the angel told Jospeh…

Matthew 1:21  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

1 John 3:5 And you know that he became a man so that he could take away our sins… (LB)

That’s the very reason why Jesus was born. The forgiveness of God that comes through Jesus Christ is complete forgiveness because it is provided for every sinner.

Acts 10:43  All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

God’s forgiveness is also complete because it is provided for every sin.

1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

When it comes to forgiving us of our sins God is not like people.  Many times we say we have forgiven each other but we sometimes still hold bitterness and resentment in our hearts toward the person for what they have done.

We tell them they are forgiven but then remind them from time to time of what they have done to us.  On the other hand, God forgives us completely and forever.

Micah 7:18  Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.

When people hurt us and then apologize, we may say that we forgive them. But like a dog that won’t give up its bone, we may let our mind continue to chew on past insults.

In 1 Corinthians 13:5, Paul declared that love “thinks no evil.” He was using an accountant’s term that described the recording of figures in a book. Love does the opposite–it does not keep a record of wrongs. Instead, love forgives and refuses to keep it on the books.

If you want to remember something, you go over it again and again. The child reviews his spelling words; the actress rehearses her lines; you review people’s names that you want to remember. But love deliberately and consciously lets go of past hurts and gives them to God.

Some people might bury the hatchet for a time, but they gave the impression of always marking the spot.

Lord, help me be kind and forgiving–
Your loving forgiveness You’ve shown
To me for the sins I’ve committed;
Lord, grant me a love like Your own. –Anon

So, we need to remember to forgive and then remember to forget.  Don’t let the way people have hurt you ruin your Christmas.  Forgive them just as Jesus has forgiven you.

Welcome back to our Christmas devotional.  There are only three days left until Christmas.  No during the last few days we’ve been looking at the comparison of a Christmas tree decorated with beautiful physical ornaments to the cross of Calvary which is decorated with beautiful spiritual ornaments.

So far we have seen how God has decorated the cross with the ornaments of love and grace.  Today we’re going to look at how he decorated it with the ornament of peace.

When Jesus was born, the angels in heaven sang praises to God in Luke 2:14 saying,  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

According to tradition, a Christmas song once brought peace to a battlefield. It happened on Christmas Eve during the Franco-German War (1870-1871) as the two sides faced each other in their trenches.

A French soldier jumped up and began singing “O Holy Night.” The surprised German soldiers did not fire. Instead, one of them stepped forward to sing “From Heaven Above To Earth I Come.”

For a brief time at least, peace on earth prevailed and goodwill was shared among men whose job it was to kill each other.

Think about the words of “O Holy Night” and see how they can bring hostilities to a end. “Long lay the world in sin and error pining.” Who knows about the world’s ills better than soldiers who are facing the consequences of war, killing, and death?

“A thrill of hope” is what those men needed in the darkness of that winter night. Hope is what “the dear Savior’s birth” provides. Because of Him the “weary world rejoices.”
Even though we may not be engaged in physical combat, we all face the battles of everyday life. We can let the peace of that holy night—the night of our dear Savior’s birth—reign in our hearts the whole year through.

Romans 5:1  Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Without first having peace with God through Jesus, we can not experience the peace of God in our hearts on a daily basis.

Philippians 4:7  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

It is difficult to put into words and describe the peace that a Christian has because it is a divine peace, not a worldly one.

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

The kind of peace that people experience based upon their circumstances in life is temporary in nature at best because circumstances are always changing.

One day your life might be floating along on cloud nine and you are thinking that life couldn’t get any better.  But in just a matter of seconds the bottom could fall out and your entire life could be turned upside down.  That has happened to me on several occasions.  How about to you?

During those times it is the peace of God that you need more than anything else.  During those times it is the peace of God that remains with you when everything else has left.

That my friends is why this decoration of peace is so important.

Welcome back to our Christmas devotional.  Yesterday we started taking a look at the decorations of Calvary by learning how Jesus died for us because of his love.  Today we’re going to look at the decoration of GRACE.

The grace of God that decorates the cross of Calvary is an amazing grace.

When I first saw the twisted Christmas tree, I wished my grandpa were alive to fix it.  He could make any tree beautiful.  No matter how bad it looked when we gave it to him, it was beautiful when he gave it back.

He would get out his saws and clippers and begin cutting and shaping.  When he was done, the tree looked as if it had been grown in a greenhouse where a caring gardener had watered, pruned, and protected it from storms, drought, and nasty bugs.

Then grandpa would turn the tree over to the rest of the family to finish the job.  We added lights, ornaments, and garland, and the imperfect tree was ready for a perfect celebration.  What a transformation!

Life is like that crooked conifer.  Each of us comes to God bent and misshaped from the effects of sin.  But when we put our faith in Christ as Savior, God lovingly begins His work in us, transforming us from the inside out.  Then He puts us into the care of His family, the church, and they continue His work by adding the lights of truth, the ornaments of patient rebuke, and the garland of love.

The message of Grandpa’s tree is this: Under God’s loving care, a life marred by sin can become beautiful!

God sees in us a masterpiece
That one day will be done;
His Spirit works in all our lives
To make us like His Son. —Sper

What sin has twisted, God’s grace can straighten.  Grace is God’s unmerited favor toward man.  It is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.

Ephesians 2:4-5  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved.

God’s grace is so great that it’s able to reach the best as well as the worst of us.  From the thief on the cross who was a criminal to the Apostle Paul who was a religious zealot.

1 Corinthians 15:10  But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them–yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

Ephesians 4:7  But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

The grace of God that decorates the cross is an abounding grace.

John 1:14-17  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. 15John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ” 16From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

God’s grace is available to the sinner.

Romans 5:20  The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more.

God’s grace is available to each one of us in every situation or circumstance we may go through.

2 Corinthians 9:8  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

God’s love and grace are two of the most beautiful decorations on that tree that stood on top of Mount Calvary.

Most homes have Christmas trees and a lot of beautiful decorations on them.

Just about everything on our Christmas tree is connected in some way with a family tradition or has something to do with someone in our family.  For instance, one of the bulbs on our tree was made by me when I was a child.

A Christmas tree without decorations is just another pine tree.  The decorations are what make it so special.

When I think of a Christmas tree I also think about the cross of Calvary.  By itself, the cross is just a piece of wood.  It isn’t special at all.  What makes the cross so special is the person who hung on it.  What makes the cross significant is that Jesus died on it for all mankind.

The cross of Calvary was decorated with some very special ornaments.  Over the next few days we’re going to consider four decorations that make the cross of Calvary so significant to our lives today.

The first decoration is LOVE.

Nothing exemplifies the spirit of love at Christmas more than the gifts that we give to one another.  But in our giving to one another we should never forget the wonderful gift of God to the entire world.  God gave His only begotten Son out of love.

By nature God is love and one of the characteristics of His love is that it is sacrificial.

Romans 5:8  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

During this time of year many people are searching for love.  That’s because by nature we all want and need to be loved by someone.  But often times we don’t find love because we are looking in all the wrong places for it.

The love of God can satisfy both the saint and the sinner alike.

Romans 5:5  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

The fighting was fierce in the days before Christmas during the first World War. A German soldier emerged from his trench and tried to advance, but he was hit by gunfire and severely wounded. As he tried to crawl back to safety, he became caught in barbed wire. After his screams turned to moans, an American climbed out of his trench and inched his way to the injured man.
When the two opposing commanders saw what was happening, they ordered their troops to cease-fire. In the eerie silence, the American comforted and freed the wounded German, then carried him to the waiting arms of his comrades. The guns remained silent until he returned to his trench.

This is an inspiring story, but I know one that is even more dramatic.  Jesus, because of God’s love, crossed into “enemy territory” to rescue us from spiritual death.  Even though we deserved to die, He unselfishly accepted the humiliation, pain, and death of the cross to pay the price for our sin.

Romans 5:6 When we were unable to help ourselves, at the moment of our need, Christ died for us, although we were living against God. (NCV)

Hark! The herald angels sing,”Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild–
God and sinners reconciled!” – Wesley

While Christ’s birth brought God to man; Christ’s death brings man to God.

So, during this busy Christmas season, let’s take time to remember in awe and wonder what Jesus did for us.  He was born that we might be rescued from eternal death.

While Jesus is able to save everyone, not everyone is willing to accept the gift of salvation that He alone is able to provide.  As a result, today there are many who reject the light of Christmas.

In John 1:9-11 we are told, The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.   10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.   11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. (NIV)

People reject the light of the Gospel because their hearts and minds have been darkened by their sin.  They live in darkness blinded by sin, either not realizing that they need to be forgiven and be saved or unwilling to admit it.

When the Bastille, a castle-like prison in Paris, was about to be destroyed in 1789, a convict was brought out who had been confined to a gloomy cell for many years.  When brought out into the light, instead of joyfully accepting his freedom, he begged to be taken back. It had been so long since he had seen the sunshine that his eyes could not stand its brightness.  As a result he requested to die in the dark dungeon where he had been a prisoner.

In this same way, some today continue to reject Jesus as their Savior until they eventually become so hardened in their sin that they prefer the darkness rather than the light.

John 3:19-21 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.   20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.   21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God. (NIV)

Have you ever noticed the kind of effect light can have on plants?  You can set a plant on a counter where it’s dark and it will eventually turn to the light.  That’s because most flowers and plants naturally grow toward the sunlight.

In this same way Jesus, who is the “light of Christmas,” draws all men unto himself.

John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.

In John 1:12-13 it says, Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God–   13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (NIV)

An 11-year-old boy in Iowa discovered that he had a real problem.  According to the local and state records office, he didn’t exist.  This was discovered when his parents applied for passports in order for the family to go on a trip out of the country.  They were told that their son didn’t have a birth certificate and that from a legal standpoint they didn’t have a son born on the date they claimed he was born.  Neither the county clerk’s office nor the vital statistics section of the state department of health had any record of his birth.

This problem of a missing birth certificate was obviously just a mistake and was soon resolved.  But an even more serious problem is someone who has no record of being born again of God.

Instead of turning away from Jesus and rejecting the gift of salvation He invites you to receive Him as your personal savior before it is eternally to late.

John 12:46 I have come as light into the world, that everyone who believes in Me may not remain in darkness.

I can’t think of a better time than Christmas to accept Christ and invite Him into your heart.  I hope you will do that this Christmas.

During this time of year each of us who has received Jesus as our personal savior have a wonderful opportunity to proclaim to family, friends, co-workers and neighbors the real meaning of Christmas.  Yet, many choose to remain silent about the light of Christmas.

In order to convince the people of Philadelphia of the advantages of street lighting, Benjamin Franklin decided to show his neighbors how compelling a single light could be.  He bought an attractive lantern, polished the glass, and placed it on a long bracket that extended from the front of his house.  Each evening when it got dark, he lit the wick.  His neighbors soon noticed the light in front of his house.  Even those living farther down the street and in the next block were attracted by Franklin’s light.  People who passed by found that the light helped them to avoid tripping over stones that stuck up in the roadway.  Soon others began putting lanterns in front of their homes, and eventually the city recognized the need for having well-lighted streets.

In verses 6-8 we find that John the Baptist came to bear witness and reveal the light of Christmas.

John 1:6-8 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. (NIV)

Another key word found in the Gospel of John is the word “witness” which is used 47 times.

As Christians we are supposed to be witnesses for Jesus, revealing to the world the light of salvation that comes through Jesus.

A few years ago a man in Arkansas who lit his property with more than 3 million Christmas lights was told by the Supreme Court that he had to turn them off.

While he was forced to turn off his lights, many today have chosen on their own not to let the light of Christ shine in their life as a witness to others.

Christmas is one of the most excellent times of the year to talk to people about Jesus.  Most people are very open to talking about the birth of Jesus during this time of year.  So take advantage of the opportunity and let your light shine for Jesus!

The Center for Missional Research commissioned Zogby International to ask people about their receptivity to an invitation to church over the holidays.

• More than four out of 10 Americans (41 percent) are likely to be receptive to an invitation during the Christmas season.

• The study also showed that 42 percent of the people surveyed would be very or somewhat likely to attend church more frequently as a result of their New Year’s resolutions.

What does this mean for you? Simply, that opportunity is knocking … loudly. Seize the opportunity while people are open and while attention is on the birth of Christ. Don’t let this season pass while people in your area are considering their New Year’s resolutions. No matter where you serve, what the age group is around you, or whether people consider themselves to be religious or not, there are quite a few who will come to church if you’ll invite them.

Matthew 5:14-16 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (NIV)

Yesterday we started looking at the topic, “The Light of Christmas.”  One of the passages in the Bible that has a lot to say about Jesus being light is John chapter one.  If Jesus is really the light of the world, how should we respond?

The first way we should respond is by realizing why He WAS BORN.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus was born of a virgin and came into this world?  Jesus was born to be the light of the world.  The world needs that light because it is in the darkness of sin.

In verses 4-5 John says, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. [5] And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

The reason is because man is dead in his sins and needs life.  The word “life” is used 36 times in the gospel of John.

In the same way that physical life cannot exist without the light from the sun, man cannot have spiritual life without the Son of God.

In fact, when the angel told Joseph why Mary she was going to give birth this is what she was told:

Matthew 1:21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. (NIV)

When God created the world in Genesis chapter 1 He said, “Let there be light” and what followed was life.

Without Jesus, the light of Christmas, there would be no escape from the darkness of sin.

John 8:12 Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, ” I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.

As a boy Robert Louis Stevenson was intrigued by the work of the old lamplighter who went through the city streets with a ladder and torch, lighting the gas lamps for the night. One evening in Edinburgh, Scotland, as young Robert stood watching with childish fascination, his parents heard him say, “Look, look! There is a man out there punching holes in the darkness!”

With one statement of childish wonder, Robert Louis Stevenson summed up the life of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Jesus came into this world to punch great gaping holes in the spiritual darkness that encompasses this world.  He came to be The Light Of The World.

2 Corinthians 4:3-6 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, [4] in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. [5] For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. [6] For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

As the light of the world , Jesus brings spiritual light into our lives which enables us to see the truth concerning God and ourselves.