Bible Ballistics: BBs #320 The Best Christmas Lights Of All?

 

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12

Jesus IS the “light of the world”! He not only created light but He Himself IS light. Jesus came into this world to BE the ONLY way to God. And the very best ‘Christmas lights’ that we can display is a life lived by the power of the cross of Jesus Christ, to be a reflection of God’s light, truth and glory in a world of darkness. And we need to shine that light regardless of the darkness and blindness of those who will not see. After all Jesus Himself was rejected by those who wanted to stay in the darkness.

“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.” John 1:4-5

Jesus is the creator and sustainer of life, and He came into this world to deliver those who will believe in Him, from the penalty, power and eventually even the presence of sin. It’s what HE came to do, and when our light shines for Him we can share that Good News with those in need of Jesus and His saving grace!

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Our light is to shine for Jesus (Our light IS Jesus!), even when people around us reject the light, or even ridicule and persecute us for our faith in Him. We can expect the same treatment that our Lord received.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 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.” John 3:16-19

There will always be those who reject the light, but when we belong to Jesus, His light has been planted within our hearts and it should be the pursuit of our lives to let that light shine. We can hide our light or let it shine for HIM! Just as the moon has no light of its own, neither do we, apart from Jesus (See John 15:5), and much like the wonder of an eclipse, we can be a clear reflection of the light of Jesus shining His light onto those around us, or we can let the world “eclipse” our light and have little to no effect on the people around us. May we all strive (especially during this time when people are more open to the news of the “Babe in the manger”) to be the “Best Christmas Lights Of All”?

God’s purpose before the creation of the world was the redemption of man—He knew we would sin before He created us and He loves us so much that He created us anyway! He chose Abraham to be the father of Israel and provided that through his seed the Messiah would come. And God also promised that He would be the Savior of all who would believe, whether Jew or Gentile. Just as John wrote, “God so loved the world, that he gave”. God sent Jesus that we might have life in Him, through the salvation that He would purchase at Calvary.

A baby born to die for our sin—that’s how much God loves YOU! And if you know Him, shouldn’t your light be shining brighter than any string of decorations?

“Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: 6 I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; 7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.” Isaiah 42:5-7

God opens the blind eyes to see their own sin (If they will but hear the voice of His Spirit!) and He will deliver them through the sacrifice of Jesus, when they will believe in Him. He loves you and me today and wants us to come to Him. We can choose light or darkness. What are you choosing today? If you don’t know Jesus, He is calling to you today—if you will but respond in repentance of sin that you can’t fix, and believe in the death, burial and resurrection of the ONE who came to fix/pay for your sin and mine. It’s why He came. And coming to Him will enable His light to shine from within you and me, for He places His peace, light, joy and love in our hearts.

“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”  Romans 5:5

“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”   Romans 14:17

So SHINE! SHINE the “the light of the world” TODAY!