A Christ\u00admas mes\u00adsa\u00adge about lights, cand\u00adle\u00adsticks and the illuminated.<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s mot\u00adto: \u00abBles\u00adsed are the peo\u00adp\u00adle who\u00adse God is the Lord! (Psalm 144:15). \tJames right\u00adly descri\u00adbes God in his let\u00adter as the Father of Light! (James 1:17) God first infu\u00adsed his divi\u00adne light into creation. A Christ\u00admas mes\u00adsa\u00adge about lights, cand\u00adle\u00adsticks and the illu\u00admi\u00adna\u00adted. Today\u2019s mot\u00adto: \u00abBles\u00adsed are the peo\u00adp\u00adle who\u00adse God is the Lord! ( Psalm 144:15). \u00abBehold, I pro\u00adcla\u00adim gre\u00adat joy to you, which shall be to all the peo\u00adp\u00adle: for unto you is born this day a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord, in the city of David\u00bb ( Luke 2:10\u201311). We live in the moment\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[35],"wpfc_sermon_series":[63],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":["wpfc_preacher-bernhard-hohl","wpfc_sermon_series-wie-du-und-ich","wpfc-sermon-single","post-3293","wpfc_sermon","type-wpfc_sermon","status-publish","hentry","wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"],"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t
\n\u00abBehold, I pro\u00adcla\u00adim gre\u00adat joy to you, which shall be to all the peo\u00adp\u00adle: for unto you is born this day a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord, in the city of David\u00bb (Luke 2:10\u201311).
\nWe are living in a bright\u00adly lit Christ\u00admas world at the moment. We live in a para\u00addi\u00adse of lights, which is some\u00adthing to rejoice in from the heart. Here and the\u00adre, thou\u00adsands of lights shi\u00adne towards us. Isn\u2019t it ama\u00adzing what pri\u00adva\u00adte peo\u00adp\u00adle put up and hang on their hou\u00adses and in their gar\u00addens. So for a few weeks the dark win\u00adter time beco\u00admes a litt\u00adle warmer.
\nThe Light-Crea\u00adting God
\nIn the first chap\u00adter of the Bible we read that God first crea\u00adted a very spe\u00adcial light: \u00abGod said, \u00abLet the\u00adre be light,\u00bb and the\u00adre was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then he sepa\u00adra\u00adted the light from the dark\u00adness. God cal\u00adled the light \u00abday\u00bb and the dark\u00adness \u2019night\u00bb \u00bb (Gene\u00adsis 1:3\u20135 NL<\/span>).
\nBefo\u00adre crea\u00adti\u00adon the\u00adre was only cha\u00ados, hul\u00adla\u00adba\u00adloo and dark\u00adness \u2013 and into this con\u00adfu\u00adsi\u00adon God crea\u00adted light!<\/p>\n
\n\tA psalm sin\u00adger sings of God as the God clo\u00adthed with light! (Psalm 104:2)
\n\tAnd John brief\u00adly and suc\u00adcinct\u00adly sta\u00adtes in his 1st let\u00adter: God is light! (1John 1,5)<\/p>\n
\nThe terms \u00ablight and dark\u00adness, day and night\u00bb at the begin\u00adning of the crea\u00adti\u00adon account are initi\u00adal\u00adly spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal terms, just as they are often to be unders\u00adtood spi\u00adri\u00adtual\u00adly later in the Bible. The lights that God crea\u00adted on the 4th day of crea\u00adti\u00adon are quite dif\u00adfe\u00adrent. They have a cle\u00adar\u00adly defi\u00adned, world\u00adly meaning:
\n\u00abGod said: \u00abLet the\u00adre be lights in the sky to distin\u00adgu\u00adish the day from the night. They shall be signs by which the sea\u00adsons, the days and the years shall be deter\u00admi\u00adned. The\u00adse lights in the sky shall shi\u00adne upon the earth.\u00bb And so it hap\u00adpen\u00aded. God crea\u00adted two gre\u00adat lights: the grea\u00adter light for the day and the les\u00adser light for the night. And God also crea\u00adted the stars. He set the\u00adse lights in the sky to illu\u00admi\u00adna\u00adte the earth, to deter\u00admi\u00adne day and night, and to distin\u00adgu\u00adish the light from the dark\u00adness. And God saw that it was good\u00bb (Gene\u00adsis 1:14\u201318 NL<\/span>).
\nGod has crea\u00adted spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal and visi\u00adble sources of light.
\nThe light-crea\u00adting human being
\nHumans soon tur\u00adned out to be light-hun\u00adgry beings and loo\u00adked for sources of light. At first, fire was the only source of light against the dark\u00adness. Then came tor\u00adches, oil lamps and tal\u00adlow lamps; then cand\u00adles; later gas lamps and elec\u00adtric lamps. And today we have an unpar\u00adal\u00adle\u00adled varie\u00adty of light sources! Incan\u00adde\u00ads\u00adcent lamps, halo\u00adgen lamps, ener\u00adgy-saving lamps, fluo\u00adre\u00ads\u00adcent tubes, LEDs\u2026 and the light source inven\u00adtors are far from finis\u00adhed. Today, we can mea\u00adsu\u00adre the speed of light and have set a new mea\u00adsu\u00adre of time in the form of light years. It\u2019s fasci\u00adna\u00adting what peo\u00adp\u00adle have alre\u00ada\u00addy achieved!
\nIn con\u00adtrast, it is pathe\u00adtic that most peo\u00adp\u00adle are still com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly under\u00adex\u00adpo\u00adsed to the divi\u00adne light. Even though it is so illu\u00admi\u00adna\u00adting and invi\u00adting! It is puri\u00adfy\u00ading, true, just, holy, reve\u00adal\u00ading, rene\u00adwing \u2013 and yet meets with litt\u00adle inte\u00adrest from people.
\nPaul wri\u00adtes in the first let\u00adter to Timo\u00adthy that God dwells in an inac\u00adces\u00adsi\u00adble light, but peo\u00adp\u00adle alre\u00ada\u00addy expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adced in OT<\/span> times that God comes to us humans with his light. King David expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adced and con\u00adfes\u00adsed this divi\u00adne, spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal light:
\n\u00abLord, you are my light; you, Lord, have ligh\u00adten\u00aded my dark\u00adness\u00bb (2Samuel 22:29 NL<\/span>).
\nAnd else\u00adwhe\u00adre, \u00abThe LORD<\/span> is my light and my sal\u00adva\u00adti\u00adon; of whom shall I fear?\u00bb (Psalm 27:1 Lu).
\nThat is the goal of Christ\u00admas, that peo\u00adp\u00adle dis\u00adco\u00adver God\u2019s light and recei\u00adve it within them\u00adsel\u00adves! We cele\u00adbra\u00adte the birth of Jesus, who came into this world as God\u2019s Son with the divi\u00adne light to bring us new life, hope and a future. This uni\u00adque event was fore\u00adtold by the pro\u00adphet Isai\u00adah for many centuries:
\n\u00abThe peo\u00adp\u00adle who walk in dark\u00adness see a gre\u00adat light, and on tho\u00adse who dwell in the land of dark\u00adness it shi\u00adnes bright\u00adly. You awa\u00adken loud rejoi\u00adcing, you make gre\u00adat the joy. Befo\u00adre you one rejoices, as one rejoices \u00abwhen covid19 times is past, as one rejoices when one can put away the masks\u2026\u00bb \u00bb (Isai\u00adah 9:1\u20132 Lu).
\nWhy was the rejoi\u00adcing among God\u2019s peo\u00adp\u00adle not so gre\u00adat then? Becau\u00adse they had fal\u00adse expectations!
\nWhy is the\u00adre so litt\u00adle rejoi\u00adcing in the churches today? Becau\u00adse most peo\u00adp\u00adle do not know Jesus and the\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre it does not make sen\u00adse to them that he would have indis\u00adpensable good for us!
\nHow does Isai\u00adah con\u00adti\u00adnue in his song of jubilation?
\n\u00abFor a child is born to us, a son is given to us, and the govern\u00adment is on his should\u00ader; and he is cal\u00adled Won\u00adder-Coun\u00adcil\u00ador, God-Hero, Ever\u00adlas\u00adting Father, Prin\u00adce of Peace\u00bb (Isai\u00adah 9:5 NL<\/span>).
\nIn Jesus Christ, God has brought into the world exact\u00adly what peo\u00adp\u00adle despera\u00adte\u00adly need! I have the impres\u00adsi\u00adon that Jesus is beco\u00adming more and more rele\u00advant and meaningful in this world!
\nAt pre\u00adsent, would\u00adn\u2019t we despera\u00adte\u00adly need a uni\u00adque coun\u00adsell\u00ador who can give won\u00adderful advice for all life situa\u00adtions?! A heroic God who has unli\u00admi\u00adt\u00aded pos\u00adsi\u00adbi\u00adli\u00adties, is admi\u00adra\u00adble and not a cheap cari\u00adca\u00adtu\u00adre; a God who under\u00adstands us uni\u00adque\u00adly becau\u00adse Jesus hims\u00adelf beca\u00adme man; a father figu\u00adre with fat\u00adher\u00adly and mother\u00adly love that lasts fore\u00adver; love that for\u00adgi\u00adves guilt, a brin\u00adger of peace with power and glo\u00adry like none other.
\nIn rab\u00adbi\u00adnic lite\u00adra\u00adtu\u00adre, the term \u00ablight\u00bb is found in the spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal ethi\u00adcal sen\u00adse for ever\u00ady\u00adthing that is aver\u00adted or oppo\u00adsed to sin. They use the term \u00ablight\u00bb in the sal\u00adva\u00adti\u00adon-his\u00adto\u00adri\u00adcal sen\u00adse for hap\u00adpi\u00adness, joy, sal\u00adva\u00adti\u00adon and redemp\u00adti\u00adon. They have been awa\u00adre that the Mes\u00adsiah is the light its\u00adelf. He will spread it, radia\u00adte it and bring it to the peo\u00adp\u00adle. And now he is the\u00adre and hopes that it will dawn on people!
\nI am the light of the world
\nJesus went around prea\u00adching, heal\u00ading peo\u00adp\u00adle and cal\u00adling sin\u00adners to hims\u00adelf. Once, in the midd\u00adle of a ser\u00admon, he said:
\n\u00abI am the light of the world. Whoe\u00adver fol\u00adlows me will no lon\u00adger wan\u00adder in dark\u00adness, but will have the light of life\u00bb (John 8:12 NG\u00dc<\/span>).
\nThis light is the most inge\u00adnious and also the most pre\u00adcious! Every human being should under\u00adstand that! But Jesus expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adced it dif\u00adfer\u00adent\u00adly: in spi\u00adte of all that he said, in spi\u00adte of all the mira\u00adcles and pro\u00adofs of power, they did not belie\u00adve in him. The\u00adre were many respec\u00adted men who belie\u00adved in Jesus, but becau\u00adse of their offices they did not open\u00adly con\u00adfess him; they were afraid of pos\u00adsi\u00adbly losing their jobs becau\u00adse of it. It was more important for them not to lose their repu\u00adta\u00adti\u00adon with the peo\u00adp\u00adle than to find reco\u00adgni\u00adti\u00adon with God.
\nThis is still rele\u00advant today: \u00abMy col\u00adle\u00adagues would laugh at me if I beca\u00adme a Chris\u00adti\u00adan. I would be mob\u00adbed if I came out as a Chris\u00adti\u00adan!\u00bb One thing we must not for\u00adget: Jesus is always much more than what could hap\u00adpen to us!
\nJesus Christ comes very clo\u00adse to us at Christ\u00admas with his love and grace. Jesus does not come to you at a Coro\u00adna distance: 1.5 m! He comes to you wit\u00adhout a mask and first takes your mask off your face. Not only the Coro\u00adna mask, but all the others too, and then he knocks on your door.
\nNot at the should\u00ader, but at the door of your heart! If Jesus is not yet the cent\u00adre of your life, then the mea\u00adning of Christ\u00admas, the light of Jesus, should be clear to you today at the latest.
\nJesus loved to sit with peo\u00adp\u00adle: With peo\u00adp\u00adle who were des\u00adpi\u00adsed at the time. Jesus was then accu\u00adsed by the eli\u00adte of sit\u00adting down to eat with the worst peo\u00adp\u00adle. With tax coll\u00adec\u00adtors, sin\u00adners and dark figures.
\nDon\u2019t you need Jesus? And cer\u00adtain\u00adly not eter\u00adnal life \u2013 it\u2019s enough for you when the one is over\u2026!
\nSure, you may have a good life, no pro\u00adblems, you\u2019\u00adre not an addict, you haven\u2019t had a love affair in your mar\u00adria\u00adge, you don\u2019t ste\u00adal\u2026 But the one debt you still have is the big\u00adgest one: you\u2019\u00adve been living past God. You have more or less left him to the left.
\nGod desi\u00adres a rela\u00adti\u00adonship with you through Jesus. Jesus wants you to let him shi\u00adne as a light into your life! Let him shi\u00adne into your life! Into your mind, into your desti\u00adny, into your dark, hid\u00adden world of thoughts, into your uncertainty!
\nJesus, the light of the world, came into our world to give us sal\u00adva\u00adti\u00adon, mea\u00adning and a pur\u00adpo\u00adse in life. This is what we cele\u00adbra\u00adte today! Jesus would love to come to the aid of the peo\u00adp\u00adle who are suf\u00adfe\u00adring under the yoke of the Coro\u00adna virus and take ever\u00ady\u00adthing that makes them inse\u00adcu\u00adre and afraid under his con\u00adtrol. The light of the world is the\u00adre for all peo\u00adp\u00adle! He invi\u00adtes you: \u00abCome to me just as you are, with ever\u00ady\u00adthing that trou\u00adbles you; with ever\u00ady\u00adthing you have on your pla\u00adte, with ever\u00ady\u00adthing you want to undo, I can make ever\u00ady\u00adthing new.\u00bb
\nJesus gua\u00adran\u00adtees eter\u00adnal life if you con\u00adscious\u00adly open yours\u00adelf to him and place your life in his hands. This is first important and decisi\u00adve for yours\u00adelf, but it also has very signi\u00adfi\u00adcant side effects:
\nWhat Jesus said to his fol\u00adlo\u00adwers then is still true today:
\n\u00abYou are the light of the world. A city that lies on a moun\u00adtain can\u00adnot remain hid\u00adden. Nor does anyo\u00adne light a lamp and then place it under a ves\u00adsel. On the con\u00adtra\u00adry, you put it on the lamp\u00adstand so that it gives light to ever\u00adyo\u00adne in the house. So also shall your light shi\u00adne befo\u00adre men: Let them see your good works and prai\u00adse your Father in hea\u00adven\u00bb (Matthew 5:14\u201316 NG\u00dc<\/span>).
\nMay\u00adbe you think: Someone can quick\u00adly say \u00abYou are the light of the world\u00bb.
\nPaul jus\u00adti\u00adfies it this way: \u00abFor the same God who said, \u00abOut of dark\u00adness let light shi\u00adne forth!\u00bb has also made it light in our hearts, so that in the per\u00adson of Jesus Christ we may see the full sple\u00adndour of God\u2019s glo\u00adry\u00bb (2 Corin\u00adthi\u00adans 4:6 NG\u00dc<\/span>).
\nChris\u00adti\u00adans are not arm can\u00addy! They are peo\u00adp\u00adle with cha\u00adris\u00adma! The light does not come from being good ones\u00adelf, but from Jesus.
\nThis is divi\u00adne splendour!
\nDisci\u00adples of Jesus are vital in this world at all times and in every place!
\nWhen Goe\u00adthe was on his death\u00adbed, he is said to have shou\u00adted \u00abMore light! More light!\u00bb He missed the divi\u00adne light that is Jesus!
\nLive in clo\u00adse con\u00adnec\u00adtion with Jesus, then you are light in the dark\u00adness for others!
\nAmen!<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"