Good morning and a blessed Thursday morning to you. 

As we come now to the last few days of the season of Advent, we look forward to entering into the Christmas season. This coming Lord's day, as we celebrate the birth of our Lord, ­­­­­­­­Christmas Eve two beautiful services have been planned at 3:00 and 5:00, both of them will be candlelight services. It'll be a wonderful, wonderful time of worship. And as we start to look ahead now to the Christmas season, as it draws so close, my mind was drawn to the ninth chapter of Isaiah, where we read this… 

1  But there will be no gloom for those who were 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 will make 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 lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined. 

That reference here in Isaiah to Zebulun and Naftali is really key to understanding this section of scripture. Because it was in that region of Palestine that we saw Jesus turn the water into wine, the healing of the Centurion servant the healing of the paralytic, the healing of Peter's mother-in-law, the raising of Jairus’ daughter. It was there that he preached in the synagogue. It was there that he delivered his great Sermon on the Mount. That region is so important for us to understand. And Isaiah saw beyond the darkness into the light of the Messiah that would come. 

We see in Scripture that the revelation of the Light of Christ is always against the backdrop of darkness. I think for example in Genesis where we read of the sin of Adam and Eve. But there we also read in the third chapter of Genesis the first Messianic prophecy…the Prophecy of the Messiah to come, against a backdrop of darkness. 

There is the Light of Christ when the people were in bondage to slavery under the hand of an incredibly oppressive Pharaoh. We see the story of the Passover, as God releasing the people and being propelled to the promised land.  We see in the Passover the look forward to the blood of Christ there in the backdrop of the darkness. We see the Light of Christ when we gather this Sunday for Christmas Eve services. 

I have to admit I've got a great vantage point behind the altar, as we hold up the candles and sing Silent Night. We proclaim the light of the world. Jesus Christ has come. He came against the backdrop of the darkness of sin. He came to deal with sin. The one born the light of the world went to the cross to die for you and me.  He paid the penalty of our sin, was raised from the dead… the sacrifice accepted. The light of Jesus Christ.

And so, as we gather this Sunday, as we gather with these beautiful services, as we gather and we sing Silent Night, as we gather and we hold the candles, we are reminded that against the backdrop of darkness comes the light of the world. Let us proclaim the light! 

Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for this time in your Word. Your Word is truth. We give you thanks, O Lord, for the reason for which we celebrate this Sunday Christmas Eve… the birth of the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Empower us, O Lord, amidst the backdrop of the darkness to proclaim the light. In the Holy Name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

God bless you. Encourage someone!

Pastor Eibel