Dear Christian friends:

Christmas is often call the Festival of Lights, the celebration of light. That is why we have the white lights on the Christmas tree here in our Church. That is why we have lighted the six candles in our service tonight. That is why the tall candle in the center of the Advent Wreath is lighted tonight and tomorrow. Jesus said, "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)

Here in our text John writes of Jesus, "The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it." (John 1:4-5 TLB) In our text John says, "In Him was life, and the Life was the Light of men." Jesus' life here on earth is our Light. His was a perfect life.

By His life on earth He showed us how to love and serve God. He told his disciples "I would rather do God's will than eat." (John 4:34) He had a beautiful friendship with God the heavenly Father. He did not seek to do His own will, but the will of God. Also by His life on earth Jesus showed us how to love one another, even our enemies. He loved people and gave His life for them.

Jesus' perfect, beautiful life is the Light for men. It says here, "The Light is shining in the dark."

We are dark. Our lives by nature are dark, sinful, selfish and greedy. By nature man does not love God and seek to do His will. Even we Christians still fail to do God's will, and kick and complain like some do about missions and Ebenezer. Also we do not love people by nature. We hate them, race with them, are jealous of them, fight them and get revenge.

Jesus' Life is the Light to show us our sin and make us honest and right. We should come to His Light. Let his Light show us our darkness and sin. That means, be honest. Don't be two-faced; don't be self-righteous; don't be a hypocrite. Come to the Light. Know your sins and confess.

Christmas will not help you if you continue to be stubborn and argue, kick back and defend your wrong doing. Jesus said about the Jews, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." (John 3:19) Maybe you are the same as the Jews. It hurts our proud nature to come into Jesus' Light. It breaks us and shames us, but that we must do if we want His Light and truth, His peace and joy to live in our hearts.

If we come and honestly confess our sins and forsake them we will then kneel before the manger of Bethlehem and accept again Jesus for our Savior and Lord.

He came to be our Light. He shows the truth and Light that God loves sinners and forgives them through Jesus. He was born of Mary as our substitute and to die as our substitute that we could become God's children again.

This Christmas Light is shinning in our darkness. I hope you will come to the Light in true faith.

Amen.