Light of the World - Hanukkah*

       

     

     This week we have heard in the news of the murders of Jewish people in Australia who were celebrating Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, and murders at Brown University here in America. Jesus called us to be the light of the world. We are supposed to dispel the darkness. Are we shining that light into the darkness as we have been called and commanded to do?

     Before a large crowd, Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount, which included the Beatitudes.  Speaking to this crowd, He also taught this: "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Mt. 5:14-16). Are we afraid or ashamed to lift our light before men? Have we hidden our light under a bushel?

     In Jn. 17:22-24, Jesus prayed to the Father that He has given us the same glory that He had with the Father from the beginning. We are to shine with that glory in this world. John 1:14 and 16 tells us that we beheld the glory of Jesus, the Word, who became flesh as He was full of grace and truth..."And of his fulness have we all received, and grace for grace." Jesus did not withhold His glory from us.

     Jesus warned that the light in us can become darkness if we allow it: "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness?" (Mt. 6:22-23). If we allow sin and darkness that do not glorify God to be part of us, then we have become darkness. Scripture promises us that if we confess our sins to the Father, He is faithful to forgive those sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). We do not have to remain darkness.

     In describing this light of the Word, Jesus, John wrote: "In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended (overcame) it not." (Jn. 1:4-5, see also 2 Cor. 4:6). It is not possible for darkness to remain when light has shined through it, whether it is light from a single match, or a room lighted with electric light. How much more powerful is the light of life that is in the world through Christ? That Light of life was in the world, but the world that was created by Him didn't know Him. Even His own people did not receive Him. (v. 10-11, see also 2 Cor. 4:3-4). However: "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe his name." (v. 12). Having received Jesus, are we being those sons of God, and of His light?

     The Gospel account records that those of a prophetic gifting, who worshipped God and sought Him their whole lives, recognized Jesus as Christ as a baby. Simeon had his heart set upon the Messiah/Christ, the consolation of Israel, when the Holy Spirit revealed to him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. The same Holy Spirit brought him to the temple one day where he saw the baby Jesus who had been brought to the temple also to fulfill the law: "Then he took him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, '...mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." (Luke 2:25-32, excerpt).

     The prophet Isaiah foretold the promise of the LORD that a great light would be seen by people who had walked in darkness and the shadow of death. For a child would be born, a Son given, who would be called Almighty God, who would rule forever from the throne of David. (Isa. 9:2, 6-7). Isaiah also prophesied: "...I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation (the Hebrew name of Jesus) unto the end of the earth." (Isa. 49:6, see also Isa. 60:1-3). What was written in the Old Testament has been confirmed and fulfilled in the New Testament. This baby was the fulfillment that Simeon, and also the prophetess Anna (see Lk. 2:36-38), found in the temple that day.

     Not only is the Light that is Christ the source of life, but it is also the source of salvation, as written above.

     The Gospels also tell us that the shepherds and the wise men followed the light and the glory until it led them to the baby, Jesus, who is the King of Israel. All of these verses are not an accident nor coincidence, but they all testify to and confirm the established truth, which was planned by the Father, our Creator, from the beginning.

     Jesus said, after forgiving a woman who had been caught in sin: "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (Jn. 8:12). He would bring the light of sight to the eyes of a blind man after saying: "I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (Jn. 9:1-5, excerpt). Again He said: "While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light....I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." (Jn. 12:36, 46). Be children of light and do not dwell in sin and darkness.

     John later wrote: "...God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1 Jn. 1:5-10, excerpt). Is there darkness in you? Scripture says that all have sinned. Confess your sin, and He will cleanse us and make us light again. 

     Paul wrote: "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light...Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them...all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light....See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil...understanding what the will of the Lord is...be filled with the Spirit...Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Eph. 5:8-20, excerpt).

     The days are evil. Will we be those who manifest light and not a religion of man? Jesus is the glory of the only begotten Son of the Father. Through Him, we have (the light of) life, and that more abundantly.  

*Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 12/14/25 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on the Facebook page of Kenneth E. Stevenson Jr. Dr. Stevenson's video messages are also found on You Tube at the Kenneth Stevenson channel. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, which is evidence of Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook. Also the book NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling, written by Dr. Stevenson, is available on Amazon.