Yesterday afternoon, Saturday, my festive small town shopping district was jarred into darkness by gun fire. A local merchant died publicly from self-inflicted wounds. The street that a week ago welcomed Santa on the fire engine now was filled with police vehicles and the crime scene truck. This tragedy followed closely behind two others nearby: a church that burned to the ground from arson, and the Jersey City shootout that took the lives of a police detective and three others.
We know now that owners of a Kosher deli and the attached Jewish school were targets in the plot which led to the urban shootout. As the peaceful little town of Bethlehem was driven into agony by King Herod, so these terrorists were anxious to kill Jewish boys.
Matthew is the only Gospel writer who notes Herod’s atrocity. Perhaps Matthew’s little brother was among the toddlers slain so cruelly. We don’t know, but the memory of that day was Matthew’s to share.
We want so badly to expunge these dark stories from our Christmas. Yet, that is exactly where they belong.
The prophet Isaiah : The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
The prophet Micah : Rejoice not over me, O my enemy;…when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.
Jesus’ friend John: In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.
THE DARKNESS CANNOT OVERCOME THAT LIGHT.
That is the Christmas story. Not even the darkness of killing God’s beloved son on a Roman cross can overpower his Light.
When Jesus said, “I am the light of the world,” he was talking to you. He was telling you that all the darkness around you, and all the darkness within you, cannot overpower the life he brings to you.
I hate being in the dark, which is why I carry flashlights everywhere. I want to be the one with the light when the electricity goes off. I want to have light when the sun sets and we are still in the woods. I want to have light in my heart when the world goes dark.
Do you want to carry such light everywhere? You need to ask Jesus to enter your heart. He made you a promise:
“I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”
Scriptures: Isaiah 9:2 (ESV) Micah 7:8 (ESV) John 1:4-5 (CSB) John 8:12
Hope Walking 