1 Thessalonians 5:16–24
John 1:6–10, 19–29
Our days seem to be shorter during the winter months and in reality they are. For myself, this can make the days actually seem like darkness. We getup in darkness, often arrive home after work in darkness and go to bed in darkness. Some people, they function better in darkness but for many of us, darkness, coupled with cold, can propel people into depression.
Christians during Advent, are a people of darkness, waiting for the light to enter the world. We can sit in our darkness and refuse to see the light, even though the light is there, guiding us out of our darkness. The author of John says, of the Son of God; “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.”[1] Even today, so many people do not know Jesus Christ, Son of God.
John came to testify to the Light, to make the Light known to the world. There was darkness all around in the world and even though the Light was in the world, the world did not see the Light. It can be so easy to see the darkness and not know the Light. Even though the light may be staring us directly in the face.
Advent and winter, is an opportunity to emerge from darkness and into the light of Christ. No longer does there have to be despair, because we have hope in Christ Jesus. We have hope because we share in Jesus’s baptism both in water and Spirit but also in the baptism of His death and resurrection. It is in the death and resurrection that we too share in the eternal life.
This is the good news, the Gospel of Jesus Christ that John was preparing the way for, in the wilderness. The wilderness that people had by walking in the darkness with unawareness of the Light. This is a very “metaphorish”, by using darkness and light but it is a reality too. The law brings death and darkness. It is only God that can bring life and Light into the death and darkness.
When people reach into depression, their reality can seem so dark that nothing but darkness can be seen. Hell can be described as total absence of God. People that do not know Jesus, the Light of the world can experience a self-created reality of hell. We know that God is present but if someone does not know Jesus, how do they get to know Him? It is through testimony, through the Word that God makes God’s Son known.
During the short winter days, we know that the Light is there for us to give us life. Like John, God calls us to testify to the Light. This then becomes an opportunity reminder to testify to the Light, not only for us, but also for anyone that does not know of Jesus and to those that may be in their own reality of the absence of God.
In reality, you are not people of darkness as I said earlier but you are a people of the Light. You are a called people, freed from the darkness of one reality and brought into a new reality in Christ Jesus. You are also called to share this reality with others, so that they may be lead out of darkness and into the Light.
16 Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.[2] Advent is our reminder of the Light. Advent is a reminder that we are a new people in Jesus Christ, lead from the darkness of the wilderness and into the life-giving Light of Jesus Christ. Pray without ceasing. Go rejoicing; spread the good news, the Gospel of our Lord, our Light in the world, Jesus the Christ.
Amen
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Jn 1:10.
[2] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 1 Th 5:16–18.