Light Of The World

John 1: 6-9  - “God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” - NLT
When I think of Jesus I think of life. He was always so good at bringing out the best in people. He gave people hope and he worked in their life, meeting them where they were, and transforming their future to look more like him. 
We often forget that Jesus was with God at the beginning of creation. “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1. I believe somehow that Jesus was the original light. There was a dark and empty void and God said, “Let there be light”. It was the beginning of life. When we think about it, we can’t do much without light. When our power goes off we stumble around searching for candles and flashlights so that we can see what we are doing. Sunlight is necessary in most cases for sustaining life. Scientifically we can find that darkness isn’t actually a thing, but merely the absence of light. 
Jesus was and is our light. He has given us hope and life through His light, and it is up to us to find a way to engage in that light, learn about that light, and then share that light with others. 
I found myself finding unique similarities in Scripture to the account of Jesus birth, and the account of Jesus death. 
The shepherds were made aware that the Son of God would be found in a manger wrapped snugly with strips of cloth. Luke 2:12 - “And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” This manger was likely a cave, beneath the home of their family was likely the only place for them to stay. This manger was used to feed the animals and bring them sustaining food for life. When Jesus was crucified, he was laid in a borrowed tomb and wrapped with strips of burial cloth. Just like his birth. Three days later, Jesus defeated sin and death and rose from the grave. This burial tomb or “cave” can now be considered a source of life, sustaining those who believe in him until he returns for them. 
This light of the world is beckoning to you this holiday season. Please do not take this time to be harsh and brash with those who don’t believe the way that you do. Be kind. Be loving. Be caring for each other. Be everything that Jesus would want you to be to the world around you. Be the light!
-Pastor Mike