Daily Bible Study

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LIGHT OF THE WORLD Christmas is the time of year when we think of family, friends, and gloss over the true meaning of Christmas while the world runs after Santa Claus and what to get the people on their Christmas list. Little thought is given to the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus. We are people living in darkness, blinded by the sparkle of Christmas. Isaiah 9:2 says: The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined. (NKJV) We need God’s Light as much today as the people to whom Isaiah prophesied. We need to run after the things of God, rather than the things of the world. We need to let the Light of God’s love shine in our hearts. John the Baptist talked about the Light of the world in John 1. John 1:1 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 were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (NKJV) Jesus has many names in Scripture. Isaiah and John the Baptist refer to Jesus as the Light of the World, and those who sit in darkness will see a great Light, and those who sit in the shadow of death, on them Light will shine. Jesus referred to himself as the Light of the world. John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (NKJV) John 9:5 “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (NKJV) Before we became Christians, we sat in darkness. The shadow of death was on our lives. We needed to come to Jesus to throw off the shackles of death, Satan bound us with and embrace His Light. Over 2000 years ago, Light lit up the darkness. Shepherds on a hillside watching their flocks heard about the Light that came into the world. Wiseman began a journey to Bethlehem as they followed a star taking them to the Light. Jesus is the Light of the world. He stepped down into darkness and lit up the world and our lives with the gospel of peace on earth, good will to men. Today, we are witnesses of the Light. Jesus commissioned us to take his gospel of peace to the world and light it up, letting the world know they no longer need to sit in darkness but can cast off the shackles Satan bound them with and live in the Light of His love. Jesus told us we are the light of the world in his Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. (NKJV) Let’s pray: Father, thank you for sending your Light to the world to light up my life. Help me be a light in the darkness as I bring the message of hope and life to a world sitting in darkness. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 8 December 2018 by Valerie Routhieaux