The people walking in darkness, have seen a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light has dawned. (Isaiah 9:2).
Let us pray. Lord Jesus, we kneel before you in adoration and praise. Come to us now as our Saviour. Open our ears. Rescue us from darkness. Shine your light on our lives. Amen.
When I say the word “Christmas” what comes to your mind? How do you picture Christmas? I think we tend to picture the fun and festivities. We picture children giggling and tearing open presents. We imagine families embracing after long periods apart. We envision a picture perfect tree with large presents stacked high underneath; a table laden with Christmas goodies.
Yet, this is only part of the picture. At Christmas we tend to see the world through rose coloured glasses. But in reality our presents are often disappointing. Some of them were probably produced using slave labour, exploiting the weak and powerless. Family tensions flare. The laughter fades. The wine bottle always runs dry. Our bodies age. Loved ones get sick. Natural disaster destroys property and lives. Though we often don’t think about it at Christmas, the reality is that when the Christmas lights fade, the darkness surround us. We step out of the light within these walls into a land of deep darkness.
Let me tell you about darkness. I used to live in the Netherlands and I travelled a lot as a tourist. Underneath the southern Dutch city of Maastricht, near the border with Belgium, there are a series of caves and tunnels. This cave system stretches for nearly 100 kilometres. Originally dug to mine limestone 800 years ago, these caves have had a variety of uses: escape tunnels and hiding places for famous works of art in WWII, growing mushrooms, and most recently as a tourist attraction. During one (optional) part of the tour, the guide takes you alone by torchlight to an isolated part of the caves. Then they leave you there for a few minutes. As the guide walks away, the torchlight bobs around the corner and gradually fades. You are left alone in darkness.
You know when you go to bed, turn off the lights, and your eyes gradually adjust to see dark shapes and shadows in your bedroom? This does not happen in the caves of Maastricht! The caves are pitch black. You can hold your hand millimetres from your face, and see nothing. No shadows, no shapes, nothing. I have never been more terrified in my life! The darkness is terrifying. Deprived of your senses you lose track of time — minutes seem like hours. Your heart beats in your chest as you wonder if the tour guide has deserted you. No matter how hard you try, you can’t see anything in the dark. When the tour guide does come back, it’s a great relief to see the glow of the light.
When we stop to think about it, the darkness of life is terrifying. Mental illness, dementia, war, oppression, poverty, broken homes and families, sickness, abuse, tears, death. These are not Christmassy topics! Yet they are real. The darkness is real. And no matter how hard you try, you can’t force yourself to see in the dark. You can’t force your body to be well when it’s sick. You can’t change past mistakes. You can’t stop pain or hurt or death.
You can’t see in the dark, but God can. The psalmist says that even the darkness is not dark for God (Psalm 139:12). Jesus Christ, born at Christmas, is the light that has dawned in the land of deep darkness. Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12). Jesus says, “One day there will be no more death or mourning or pain. There is a day coming when there will be no more darkness.”
One way to picture Christmas is God’s light coming into the dark world. The birth of Jesus means that God has come into the land of deep darkness. Though we walk in darkness — a light has dawned. Though we struggle with sickness, pain, hurt, death — a light has dawned. There is a bright new world coming.
I believe Jesus is who he said. He is the light of the world, God himself who has come into the darkness. It is Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the tomb that verifies that Jesus is God. And if he is God, then his birth changes everything! We have hope that there is more than the darkness that surrounds us. This is why we can have joy, hope, and laughter at Christmas!
But the work of the manger is not yet complete. Christmas is that first glimmer of light from around the corner of the tunnel, but we’re still in the dark cave. With the approaching light we can begin to make out some shadows and shapes. As the carol goes, “Radiant beams from his holy face is the dawn of redeeming grace.” The light has dawned, but the day is not here yet. Soon, and very soon, God’s will be done on earth as in heaven. Soon, but not yet. We still walk in the land of deep darkness, waiting, longing, hoping for the light.
So what are we to do while we wait? There’s a scene in the book (and movie) The Hobbit where Gandolf the wizard explains why he chose little Bilbo Baggins to fight their enemy Saruman. Gandolf says, “Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.”
Jesus is the light of the world shining in the land of deep darkness. From the manger, God shines his light of hope on you and me. In turn, we are called to carry this light into the darkness. In a moment we’re going to pray the Lord’s Prayer, which asks for God’s will to be done on earth. God’s will is done on earth when we are forgiven and forgive others. God’s will is done on earth when ordinary folk act in kindness and love.
God’s light shines when we care for the sick, heal the hurting, mend the broken, and comfort those who mourn. So let’s make Walla glow again, not just for a few weeks with Christmas globes, but with the light of Christ, now and for all time!
I invite young people to come forward and take a flameless candle from the manger. We’ll turn the ceiling lights off during our last song, and I invite you to hold your candle high in the air as we sing. Then take the light home with you.
As we go out into the darkness, the light of Christ goes with you. Through your words of forgiveness, your small acts of kindness and love, may God keep the darkness at bay until love’s pure light fully pierces the darkness. Then God’s will be done on earth as in heaven. Amen.
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Blessing: Go now in wonder and excitement. Go to bring light to those in darkness, joy to those who can find no joy, hope to a world that is desperate. Go with the songs of angels in your ears, and the love of God in your hearts. Go and spread the word — for those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light has dawned. A child is born to us; Christ the Saviour is born!
