The Cristmas Miracle

The following was taken from a newsletter written by Jon Bloom of Desiring God ministries.

The Christmas Miracle:
We Love the Light Rather than the Darkness

Nativity scenes tend to be so serene. A peaceful stable. Speechless, bewildered shepherds. Joyful, placid parents watching a glowing infant. “No crying he makes.” The silent star in the heavens.

But if his birth was peaceful, the peace didn’t last for the Light of the World. The world didn’t want the Light. The Light shone in the darkness (John 1:15), but “ people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). The Light did not bring peace, but a sword (Matthew 10:34). We darkness-loving people murdered the Light. The godless light that was in us was darkness, and how great was that darkness (Matthew 6:23)!

Why in the world do people love the darkness rather than the Light? “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). They are of their father the devil, and their will is to do his desires (John 8:44).

But oh, the amazing, delivering power of the light of the gospel! Jesus, the Light, died absorbing his Father’s wrath toward us blind, treacherous God-haters so we could receive sight. And into our dark hearts burst a light that the god of this world was helpless to obstruct. “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). Suddenly in his light we saw light and could sing with Charles Wesley:

Long my imprisoned spirit lay, fast bound in sin and nature’s night.
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray; I woke – the dungeon flamed with light!
My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
Amazing love! How can it be that Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?[1]

Praise Jesus, the life and light of men! “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). The “people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined” (Isaiah 9:2). We were transferred from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of God (Colossians 1:13)!

And that is what Christmas is all about. The Light did bring peace after all!

[1] From Charles Wesley’s great hymn, “And Can It Be That I Should Gain?”