The Bible has 800 references to light. One frequently refers to Jesus as light. In the Old Testament God was light (Ps 27:1; Isa 60:19). Light was the great act of creation (Gen. 1:3-5). Light was the essence of God’s gifts, an energy of God expressly for the benefit of humankind.
In the New Testament Jesus is called the light of the world, especially in John who has an elaborate theology of light (Jn 1:4-5, 7-9; 8:12; 9:5; 12-46; 1 Jn 1: 5-7). Other religions in the New Testament times – Greek, Persian, Roman, Jewish and Egyptian, all had emphasis upon the clash between light and darkness as symbols of good and evil. In the presence of all other religions Jesus claimed to be the light of the world.
The time of this claim was important. It was at the Feast of the Tabernacles when on the first evening in the Court of Women there was the ceremonial lighting of sixteen giant lamps on four candelabra, which lit brilliantly the whole of the temple and the surrounding city. Jesus claimed to be God’s light to humanity. Believers are children of light (Lk. 16:8; Jn 12:36; 1 Thess. 5;5), and are to be the light of the world reflecting His light (Matt.5:14; Acts 13:47; Phil. 2:15). In the Heavenly City there will be no darkness (Rev. 22:5).
FOR TODAY
When the World Council of Churches Assembly met in New Delhi, India, among the great heathen religions of the world, the Christian community there chose as their theme “Jesus Christ is the Light of the World”.
The early Church chose to celebrate the birth of Jesus, not at the actual time (probably April), but in December at the Roman Saturnalia, which was a holiday to the Sun God in remembrance of the growing length of day and the coming of light to the world after the night of winter. The early Church saw Jesus both as the Son of God and as the bringer of light to humankind.
We must reflect His light and use it as a weapon against darkness (Rom. 3:12; Eph. 6:12;). Even our most feeble witness is effective. The smallest light can shatter total darkness and darkness, no matter how great, can never extinguish it. One local Church, set on a hill on a busy highway and passed by 140,000 cars each day, is floodlit at night with its white tower pointing into the night sky – a reminder in light that Jesus Christ is the light of the world, and that through Him, people can find God.
The Quakers have a motto that has been adopted by several international philanthropic organisations. It could well be each Christian’s motto: “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness”. When Peter Milne, the missionary to the New Hebrides island of Nguna, died, the native wrote under his picture this description of his service: “When he came there was no light, when he died there was no darkness”. Christians, both in mission lands and in city streets, have the same privilege and responsibility to shatter darkness by His light.
REV THE HON DR GORDON MOYES AC MLC