A Light in the Darkness – Christmas Eve, 2022
John 1:1-14
Christmas Eve, 2022
A few weeks ago, I gave a sermon in which I talked about the contrast between “The Peaceful Kingdom” depicted in Isaiah 11, and the darkened world into which the Messiah was born. And it was suggested that a similar message would be appropriate here on Christmas Eve.
I hope you remember the Peaceful Kingdom in Isaiah. He prophesied that, in the kingdom of the Messiah, “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and leopard shall lie down with the kid…” “And a little child shall lead them.” “They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain. For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the sea.”
That’s the Peaceful Kingdom! There have been several artists’ depictions of that over the years. And we love those peaceful images of Christmas, don’t we? “Silent night, Holy night, all is calm, all is bright, round yon virgin mother and child.” “Away in a manger, no crib for his bed, the little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head. The stars in the sky look down where he lay. The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.” (Hey! There were stars that night!)
We love that imagery! But as I said, too often the harsh realities of our world intrude on that peaceful imagery! Our news is filled with shootings, war, and divisive political issues. And they seem to happen more at this time of year. Or maybe they just seem bad because of the contrast to the Christmas message.
Whatever it is, we can’t ignore those things! We can’t just focus on the “peaceful kingdom” and pretend the turmoil doesn’t exist! We need to come to grips with the contrast between the darkness in the world around us, and the peace and goodwill the angels announced to the shepherds. We need to know that the light John tells us was coming into a darkened world!
And that’s not easy, is it? The news stories are tough! We long for the peaceful kingdom, don’t we? We pray for it. We ache for it! We’re weary of the violence and chaos of our world that intrudes on our Christmas celebration. We long to sing “Silent night” here on Christmas Eve!
If you remember the day I talked about all this, I related to you the story behind the hymn, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” I’d like to remind you of that this evening.
“I Heard the Bells” was originally a poem written by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It was later set to music by Jean Baptiste Calkin. It was written in 1863, at the height of the Civil War. And the poem speaks of the darkness and despair of those days, in contrast to the message of the peace and goodwill at Christmas. And as I asked the other day, does that sound familiar?
There was terrible darkness and despair in those days! And Longfellow’s words tell us of that. After introducing the idea of Christmas bells tolling peace and goodwill, he wrote these words – that did not make it into the hymn
Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannons thundered in the South,
And with the sound, the carols drowned,
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
It was as if an earthquake rent,
The hearth stones of a continent,
And made forlorn, the households born,
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
What a vivid description of that time when this country was torn in two! We then we hear his anguish in these words we do sing.
And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said;
“For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men.”
That is quite a contrast to the Christmas message, isn’t it? Longfellow was struggling with the same things we struggle with today. In our world “hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, goodwill to men.” That’s our struggle this time of year, isn’t it? And we can’t ignore it. Like those thundering cannons of Longfellow’s poem, the turmoil of our world reminds us, throughout this time, that we don’t yet live in God’s “Peaceful kingdom.”
But! We have hope. That’s the first candle we light on the Advent wreath. It reminds us that the Christ child did not come into a world of peace and goodwill. He came at a time when there was a conquering empire. He came at a time when there was subjugation of many people. He came at a time when there was inequity and division that our world can’t comprehend!
But then, at the end of the poem, as if to reaffirm the Christmas message, Longfellow wrote:
Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor does he sleep
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, goodwill to men.
That has always been the message of Christmas. The message is that we have hope, because the light of Christ has come into a world of darkness, and it still does. And, as John assures us, the darkness has never conquered it! The darkness can never conquer it! And, though there is darkness in our world, there is still hope. Because, without hope, there is despair. And despair is what we have when there seems to be no light at the end of that dark tunnel.
But there is! We have that light! We have that hope! And, though we have tribulation in this world, as Jesus would say, even in his darkest hour, we can be of good cheer, for he has overcome the world.
So, know the angel’s message of peace and goodwill. There is darkness, but the true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never conquer it!
As I read those words in a few minutes, in our darkened sanctuary, with the light of the Christ candle burning, think of how the true light was coming into the darkened world.
Prayer
Eternal God, we thank you for the great gift we celebrate this night, the gift of your Son. We thank you that he has come into this world, and into our hearts. May we seek him, and may we know him, and may we live in his light, now and forever. Amen.