We see time and again throughout the scriptures that God uses the metaphor of light to reflect his character and how we should live. From the goodness of his creation, to the ‘light’ of his son, to the ways in which we are to be ‘light’ to the world. During the advent season, as the days shorten we are reminded of the darkness of the world, and of our own lives and hearts without the light of creation and of Christ! Without God, in Christ, our whole world would be deep darkness indeed!
Introduction:
Every year the advent season calls us to both reflect on the story surrounding Jesus’ birth and a reminder that he promised to come again.
This year at Christ the King we will be reading selections through the whole Bible reflecting on how the light of Christ began in the creation story of Genesis and unveiled itself in the incarnation in the Gospel accounts.
Reading 1 – The Light of Creation
The bible is full of motifs that speak to the nature of God. During the advent season we will look at the theme of ‘light’ as it reveals the character of Jesus Christ from Genesis to the Gospel of John.
Genesis (ESV) 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Isaiah 9:1 But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2 The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shined.
HT: Cardiphonia
