Pastor’s Pen Pulpit

Christmas Series - Christ our Light

December 3, 2000

“OUR PERPETUAL MESSAGE”

John 3:16-19

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.

There are many verses in the New Testament that God has used to convert sinners to Himself. I’m sure each one of you has a personal salvation verse that you like to claim as your entrance into the Kingdom of God. Mine happens to be John 5:24, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life and does not come into judgment but has passed out of death into life.” However, the passage that explains the reason and the plan of salvation so very clearly is John 3:16-19. Verse 16 tells us that Divine Love was the motivating factor. Verse 17 states what Jesus did not come to do - then quickly follows with what He came to accomplish.

Then verse 19 explains the judgment against us. It is very clear. “This is the judgment that light came into the world - and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” Men naturally love sin rather than righteousness. Why? Sin and darkness is our nature. We act according to our nature. This, in a nutshell, is our problem.

One of the greatest Christmas verses in the New Testament is John 3:19! What is Christmas all about? It is Light (Jesus) coming into the world to expose the darkness. John 1:11 summarizes the response of the darkness to that Light. “He came unto His own and those who were His own did not receive Him” - because the darkness hated the Light.

If you have noticed (and I hope you haven’t) the inside of sin dens and bars is very dark. Why? To try to cover up what is going on. On the one hand men are proud of what they are and what they do. At the same time they are ashamed of their actions. Man is an enigma - is he not?

So in kicking off this Christmas season let me say we Christians are in an extremely dark world. But God has given us light in Jesus Christ. Are we plugged into that light as we should be? Are we reading and taking in His Word on a daily basis? Do we seek His mind on daily decisions? Is Jesus Christ the supreme love of our lives? I’m convicted just writing this brief article. If you are, then maybe He’s trying to get your attention. Until next time, God bless each of you.

Love to you all.