“Arise, Shine; for Your Light Has Come”

Isaiah 60:1-3

INTRODUCTION

Some of you grew up on farms without electricity, as Charlotte did, can remember how dark the nights were when there was no moon. If it was a clear night, the stars gave a little light but not much. If it was cloudy, then it was really dark.

Some of us have visited caves. When the guide had led your group into the biggest cavern of the cave, he warned you that he was going to turn off the lights for just a minute so that you could experience the darkness. And when that total darkness came—so that you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face—then you could even feel the darkness. A child would cry, and then the guide would turn the lights back on and everyone would heave a sign of relief.

Darkness—as a metaphor—represents evil, danger, and ignorance.

In ancient times, darkness meant danger from thieves or bandits.

If there was no moon people didn’t go out at night unless they had to, and, if they had to go out, they went in a group, and they carried torches.

I. Listen to this prophecy from the prophet Isaiah—written 500 years before Christ:

(Isaiah 60:1-3)

“Arise, shine; for your light has come,

and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,

and thick darkness the peoples:

but the Lord will arise upon you,

and his glory will be seen upon you.

And nations shall come to your light,

and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

We like to think that knowing God means that we will always be happy people.

Do you remember those Sunday school songs—

“I have the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart,”

and “Joy, joy, my heart is full of joy,

and “I’m in-right, out-right, up-right, down-right happy all the time”?

But it isn’t true, and we shouldn’t have taught our children those songs, because they would soon learn, if they didn’t already know, that having Jesus in our hearts doesn’t mean we’re going to be happy all the time.

We repeat the verse—

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for thou art with me…”

Some modern translations read that verse:

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil; for you are with me…”

Discouragement can seem like the deepest darkness—or as Isaiah calls it: “thick darkness.”

Some of us have been there.

This world is a world of darkness for many, many of its people.

It is a world of sin and evil and trouble and disease and suffering, and death.

The worst kind of darkness is the darkness of a life without God.

II. But Isaiah also spoke of the light.

The words I read began with this:

“Arise, shine; for your light has come,

and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.”

Light in scripture represents love, joy, peace, hope, and salvation.

Do you remember the story of how Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the Temple when he was just a few days old, and an old man named Simeon took the child into his arms and said:

“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,

according to thy word;

for mine eyes have seen thy salvation

which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and for glory to thy people Israel.”

(Luke 2:29-32)

I think old Simeon was thinking of those verses in Isaiah in which God had promised so long ago a Savior who would be a light for all people in the world.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.”

That is why we light candles at Christmas time.

In the old days, candles were all the light there was in a church at night.

Sometimes each worshiper would bring a candle and insert them in candleholders in candleholders at the ends of the pews. And that would be the light in the church.

And light in scripture is a metaphor for goodness and joy and wisdom and salvation and glory.

CONCLUSION

Sometimes people call this world a “Vale of Tears” because there is so much sorrow and sadness.

For many, many lives there are far more tears than there is laughter.

And all of us have experienced the darkness.

Even some times when we walk with God, trusting with all our heart—we walk in the darkness.

But there is never no light at all for a believer, because darkness can never overcome the light that is Jesus. Even a little bit of light will help dispel the darkness.

The light that is Jesus is a living hope—the hope of eternal life in glory.

In Colossians 1:13 we read,

”He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness

and  transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Darkness may be all around, and we may sometimes feel ourselves to be in darkness, but there is always light if we belong to God.

We read, “In him—that is, in Christ—was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5).

Light can overcome darkness, but darkness cannot overcome light.

Even the light of a candle can overcome the darkness.

But no amount of darkness can overcome the light of the candle.

When we were in Korea we were told never to strike a match in the open at night, because even that tiny flame could be seen for miles away and let the enemy know where we were.

We may feel that we are in the darkness, but if we have Jesus, we have light.

We know that glory lies ahead.

And in Ephesians 5:8 we read: ”Once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light.”

Take heart. Be of good cheer.

You are children of light. Live in hope…rejoice in the Lord.

Think about what God has in store for all of us who belong to him.

We read in the last chapter of the last book of the Bible a description of the Holy City that will be our Eternal Home with Jesus:

“There shall no more be anything accursed,

but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it,

and his servants shall worship him;

they shall see his face,

and his name shall be on their foreheads.

“And night shall be no more;

they need no light of lamp or sun,

for the Lord God will be their light,

and they shall reign for ever and ever.”

Think about this. Look forward to it. Live in expectation…and desire…and hope.

And whenever you see a Christmas candle, think about Jesus, the light of the world, and the light of your life.