October 1, 2017. Luke 1, John 1:1-14.

 

 

When my daughters were eight to ten years old, one of the tricks I would play on them was to send them on a “mission” where they would have to travel through the dark church sanctuary.  While they were on their mission I would crawl into to sanctuary behind a pew and jump out and scare a few years off of their life.

This little adventure, as a dad, always worked because there is something about darkness that can be a little intimidating, foreboding, and even downright scary in the right situation. With darkness there is always a level of uncertainty, even when it is something as simple as walking across a dark room, in our bare feet, hoping we do not step on some child’s toy.

In today’s passages, we are told about the joy and celebration connected with the birth of John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus. 

From the lips of Jesus’ mother Mary we have these words of celebration:           

Luke 1:46 & 47 “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.”

From the recently loosed tongue of the father of John we have these words of celebration:

Luke 1:68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel”

Why such celebration? The simple answer is the birth of these two children. The greater answer is, light. Light for all of mankind.  Zacharias ends his prophecy with these wonderful words about Jesus:

Luke 1:79 “To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Continuing this theme of light the apostle John writes this about Jesus:

John 1:9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

The celebration is because individuals no longer have to live in a life of darkness. A life of fear and uncertainty. Jesus is the Light guiding individuals down a path of peace. But only the children of God can walk down this path.

That is why God makes sure to tell everyone through John

John 1:12-13 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

No wonder there is such a great celebration.  A celebration we can all have when we believe and then remember we are living our daily life:

• As a child of God….
• With Jesus giving to us light….
• With Jesus guiding our path, that day, in the way of peace.

As you go about your day, recall the words of Mary and Zacharias and enjoy your day as a day of light and not darkness, because of Jesus’ presence in your life.