Merry Christmas to you all! For those who were able to join us at church this past Sunday, it was a wonderful time of fellowship and celebration together. It was great to have the whole church family together from both our Mississauga and Toronto sites and to meet both old and new friends. The presence and pleasure of God was tangible, and I’m glad that we could gather around such an important time of the year.
During our final intercession meeting a few weeks ago, we were talking about prayer items for the Christmas season. We recognized that Christmas can be a wonderful time that is filled with joy, love, and peace – those things we associate with Christmas. But also, Christmas can be a difficult time for many. For those who are sick, or have lost or are separated from loved ones, or are isolated this season, Christmas can be a hard time.
I think the verse from John 1:1-4 captures parts of both of these sides.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”
John 1:1-4 is one of my favourite passages from the Bible, and one that I’ve committed to memory. One of my favourite parts is verse 3-4, “What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.” During the Christmas season, we celebrate the fact that what came into the world through Jesus was life.
We have the privilege in Canada of living in an advanced society. There is so much that we have accomplished through developments in technology, health care, social mobility, and so much more. But for all the amazing things we have accomplished, one question that our society doesn’t have a good answer for is the question of meaning. What is life really about?
The reason we struggle to answer that question is because the true meaning of life can’t be found within ourselves. It can’t be found in our career, or in money, or in leisure, or in accomplishment. We learn in the verse that life comes from a person, Jesus. In order to find the true meaning of our lives, we need to go to the source of all life and light. This is what we celebrate at Christmas, that through Jesus, life and hope has entered into the world!
But at the same time, there is an opposite side to this season as well. Verse 5 talks about how the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. Part of the reason we need hope in our lives is because the world can be a dark place. We experience this darkness in our lives as well. So what does it mean to have hope this Christmas season, when we experience dark moments in our lives?
First, I think we can have hope this Christmas because with Jesus, we are never alone in our difficulties and trials. God understands and walks with us through the most difficult parts of our lives. We know that Jesus understands us because he walked the earth just like us, and suffered like us as well. When we are suffering in our own lives, Jesus is suffering with us and walking with us through those dark moments. We can have hope that God understands what we are going through and carries us through those times.
Second, I think we can have hope this Christmas because we know that all suffering is temporary. Verse 5 talks about how the darkness doesn’t overcome the light. Though we may go through dark seasons, we can hold on to the hope that these moments will one day pass. With Jesus, we have the promise that a time is coming when every tear will be wiped away, and there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4). At the end of our earthly lives, we’ll find ourselves in the presence of the one who loves us dearly, and walked with us through the most difficult parts of our lives.
Lifespring family, Merry Christmas to you all. We have great reasons for hope this Christmas. As we celebrate this week, let’s also remember those who may need the hope of Jesus this time of year.