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John 1.9 ‘The true light’


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Series Christmas
Bible Book John
Theme light
This sermon was first preached at the 15:00 service on Monday 24 December 2018 at Amington (Parish Church).

The text of the sermon is shown below, and can be downloaded as a PDF here.


My wife Jess likes to walk around the house in the dark – me, I like to put the lights on and off as I walk around.

I love light, particularly candlelight; when you light a candle in the darkness, you can almost see the darkness running away.  When you light a candle in the dark, the darkness simply disappears – so imagine what happens when God shines in the darkness...

This is what the Bible says about Jesus’ birth: the true light that gives light to all was coming into the world (9, my translation).

Jesus is the true light – he shines, and the darkness doesn’t stand a chance!  The darkness doesn’t understand that light, and the darkness cannot overcome that light – it doesn’t stand a chance.

For some of us, even (or especially) at Christmas, it can feel like the darkness is winning.  When everyone else seems so happy and ‘festive’, it can feel like we are the only ones feeling blue, the party poopers, the odd ones out.

For others of us, we love the Christmas spirit, singing carols, silly jumpers, mulled wine and mince pies – and then by early January it’s all forgotten, put away and packed away for another year.

Others may feel differently still – but whoever you are, Jesus’ light is for you.  The star of Bethlehem was a special light, for certain people, at a certain time – but Jesus’ light is for everyone and everywhen.

Jesus’ light is for everyone: whoever you are and whatever you’ve done or are going through, however you feel and wherever you are.  The true light that gives light to all was coming into the world.  Jesus’ light isn’t for a select few – there’s enough for everyone, as we’ll see when we light our Christingles in a few minutes.

And Jesus’ light is everywhen: in good times and in hard times, Jesus’ light still shines.  Unlike the star of Bethlehem, Jesus’ light shines every day, chasing away the darkness, showing the way, and it never goes out – unlike your Christingle candles.

Jesus’ light is for everyone and everywhen.

Today, Jesus’ light is shining on you.  So my prayer is that all of us would discover what it means to live by that true light, by Jesus’ light, not only at Christmas, but every day.