The Christmas Tree Light! There was once a shining Christmas tree standing out where all could see. Its brilliance captured every eye and seemed to cheer each passer by. “The lights are beautiful, ” they’d say, and hesitate to walk away. The tree stood proud, ablaze with light, for each small bulb kept burning bright. Then one bulb was heard to say, “I’m tired of burning night and day; I think I’ll just go out and rest, for I’m too tired to do my best — besides, I know I am so small, I doubt I would be missed at all.” Then a child lovingly touched the light. “Look, mother, this one shines so bright; of all the lights on the tree, this one looks the best to me.” “Oh my goodness,” said the light, “I almost dimmed right out of sight. I thought perhaps no one would care, if I failed to do my share.” With that, a glowing brilliance came for all the lights had felt the same.
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GOD IS LIGHT. – In 1 John 1:5, John tells us, “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
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THE NEW TESTAMENT TEACHES THAT MANKIND BY NATURE ABHORS THE LIGHT. – John 3:19 – “And this is the condemnation , that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” “Don’t be surprised when the same people threatened by your desire to obey God, are threatened because the light inside of you threatens the darkness inside of them. “
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THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. · “the Word” that became flesh in John 1:4-5 – “In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
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WHEN WE’RE SAVED, WE COME INTO THE LIGHT. Paul says in Ephesians 5:8 – “For ye were sometimes [in the past] darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:.”
Illus. – The story of how the caverns north of Yellowstone National Park were discovered is that one of the original explorers was walking along the top of a mountain and fell through a hole, dropping several hundred feet into a cavern and was stuck in almost total darkness for over a week, no food, no water. He cried out every day, “Help me!” hoping that somebody would hear his voice and save him from a slow, agonizing death. Fortunately, someone heard his faint cry and looking around, found the hole, and with the help of other rescuers, dug him out. That’s how they found the caverns of Yellowstone. Someone asked this man, “How did you hold on to hope day after day after day in the dark without giving up?” He replied, “There was one little pinhole ray of light that that I could see above, and I just kept focused on that ray of light.” Many around us in this nation today are like that man down in the cave: They’re in darkness, looking for a way out. Brothers and Sisters, Jesus is the light of the world, and He is still shining today. May we shine brightly and bring the light of Jesus to those in darkness.
