So Jesus said to them, "The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." -John 12:35-36
I did a search on Bible.com for the word "light" because when I decided to write these meditations out for Advent this year I wanted to focus on the truth that knowing Christ gives life and meaning to everything. When I read this verse it really struck me.
Sons of light
Jesus called himself the light. But here he is telling the men who were with him that they would become sons of light if they would believe in the light. In the famous Sermon on the Mount in Matthew Jesus tells his disciples that they are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
At Christmastime we celebrate the birth of Christ and wrap presents and decorate trees and take special pictures and send pretty cards and sing meaningful carol and catchy jingles. And at times we get serious for a little while and really think about the miracle that Son of God became flesh and dwelt among us and we worship. But the implications of what Jesus says about people like me and you who believe him and follow him and hope in him in the verses in Matthew and John is very sobering.
We are sons of light who believe that Jesus is the Light of the World. Jesus doesn't walk our streets anymore. He isn't here in the flesh making known truth and grace and the ways of God. But the sons of light are here. We're here and we're really different. We face the same sufferings and sadness and sins all humanity faces, but we have light in our broken lives. We know where we're going. We know what life is all about. We love self-sacrificingly. We are humbled by what Christ calls us. And we live everyday to be a reflection of the glory of the One who made us sons of light.
The sons of light don't just remember manger scenes and Christmas carols. We live to shine in this dark world as living witnesses that Christ has come!
Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. - 2 Corinthians 4:1-6
Oh what wonder that we should be called sons of Light! May we really shine like lights in a crooked and perverse world. For your glory Light of the World!!
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