Jesus Christ is the Light of the World

Every Christmas Eve, churches around the world hold candlelight services to celebrate the birth of Christ. I bet you’ve experienced a Christmas service like this! 

I think one of the most beautiful parts of our church’s candlelight service is when the lights are turned off and we hold up our candles to sing “Silent Night.” Do you remember the third verse of the hymn? “Silent night! Holy night! Son of God, love’s pure light.”

Many Christmas songs and traditions use the motif of light. That’s because the Bible often describes Jesus as “light”:

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them” (Isaiah 9:2).

“There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man” (John 1:9).

“I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life” (8:12).

Jesus Christ is the Light of the world. But sometimes it seems like the darkness of this world has overcome the light of Christ’s birth.

Perhaps there’s an empty place at your Christmas table this year because your family has been touched by the darkness of death. Maybe darkness has invaded your life in the form of illness, family conflict, or financial issues. Or you may feel overwhelmed by the darkness of our world.

In Ephesians 6:12, Paul said our struggles in this life are not against other people but against the “world forces of this darkness.” There’s a battle going on right now between the forces of darkness and the forces of light, between the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of God. At times, it seems like the darkness is winning because it is winning—for now.

But it won’t always be that way. No matter how dark things seem right now, the Bible promises that light eventually overcomes the darkness.

Jesus said, “Everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness” (John 12:46). He is called the Light of the world because He overpowers our darkness.

Think about Jesus’s disciples. The day we call Good Friday was a dark, dark day for them. The Man they had followed for three years had just been crucified, His body had been placed in a tomb, and the disciples’ dreams of a kingdom had been dashed. Their world had never been darker than it was that Friday evening.

But three days later, Easter Sunday dawned, and the light of God’s power illuminated the tomb and raised Jesus Christ from the dead! The darkness of death was eclipsed by the light of God’s power—and that same power will rid your life of darkness as well.

If you feel like you’re being smothered in darkness, ask Jesus for His guidance and power. He doesn’t promise to show you everything that’s going to happen, but He is like a flashlight that illuminates the next step you need to take. Jesus promised, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Light eventually overcomes the darkness—if not in this life, then certainly in the life to come. Revelation 22:5 declares, “There will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.”

That is the promise for every follower of Christ! Whenever you see lights this Christmas season, I pray you will be encouraged as you remember Jesus, the Light of the World, who has ultimate victory over the darkness.

Sharing the Truth of God’s Word,

Dr. Robert Jeffress