JESUS--LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Dear Friends,

As life brings seasons of change, I find myself with a new and quite sudden temporary calling of the Lord—to be the Challenge 1 tutor (high school freshmen) for the second semester of the Classical Conversations program each Tuesday here in Grants Pass.  Stepping into this role requires a vast amount of learning on my part, so at this point I feel I must redirect the time I take in writing devotionals to studying and reviewing subjects such as Latin, Shakespeare, rhetoric, logic, expository writing, a good number of classic novels, debate, economics, algebra, science, etc. 

I will miss writing Wednesday devotionals and do hope to be able to produce one a month, but I won’t be clear on this until I walk on this new path for a bit.  God willing, I will resume regular writing sometime after May.  Meanwhile, thank you for joining with me each Wednesday, and until we meet again, as Roy Rogers used to say, I pray God will bless you immeasurably and that your walk with Jesus will grow stronger each day.  (To reread my devotionals, they are archived on my website:  www.candicemarythomas.com)

Candice

JESUS—LIGHT OF THE WORLD

“All right then, the Lord Himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call Him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).”   Isaiah 7:14

The world had lived in darkness since The Fall of Adam and Eve which brought sin into the world.  Living an eternal fate away from God our Father was unacceptable to Him, thus He began His plan of salvation.  God regularly sent prophets as His messengers to guide the Israelites, the people He had chosen to bless all nations and bring people to Him through repentance, but this group displayed stiff-necked behavior, killing the prophets and going their own way.1  After the last writing prophet  Malachi, died, there came a long, approximately 400 year period of silence with no word from God…that is, until the prophet John the Baptist was born who would proclaim the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Some will deny the birth of Jesus, but this denial is inaccurate not only because Jesus is mentioned in a number of historical documents including those of Josephus, Tacitus, and Pliny the Younger2, but Jesus’ coming and death is foretold in over three-hundred prophecies in the Bible.  Read the following extract from an article by Compass:

“There are over 300 prophecies in the Bible of Jesus' first coming, all having come true. What would be the odds of just eight of these prophecies coming true?

(1) Messiah to be born in Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2)    “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah.  Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf."

(2) Messiah betrayed for thirty pieces of silver. (Zechariah 11:12-13)  “And I said to them, ‘If you like, give me my wages, whatever I am worth; but only if you want to.’ So they counted out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter—this magnificent sum at which they valued me! So I took the thirty coins and threw them to the potter in the Temple of the Lord.”

(3) Messiah's clothes would be gambled away. (Psalms 22:18)  “They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing.”

(4) Messiah's hands and feet would be pierced. (Psalms 22:16)  “My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet.”

(5) Messiah's bones would not be broken. (Psalms 34:20)  “For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!”

(6) Messiah would be born in the tribe of Judah.  (Isaiah 37:31)  “And you who are left in Judah, who have escaped the ravages of the siege, will put roots down in your own soil and grow up and flourish.”
(7) Messiah would be called from Egypt. (Hosea 11:1) “When Israel was a youth I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.”

(8) Messiah would be buried in a rich man's grave. (Isaiah 53:9)  “His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth.”

The odds of all eight coming true are virtually incomprehensible!  Consider this illustration-
Suppose we filled the entire State of Texas with 100 trillion silver dollars. That would make the entire state about two feet deep in coins. Then we mark only one coin.
Next we stir-up the state full of coins so they are thoroughly mixed and random. The marked coin could be anywhere in the state in the two foot deep coins. Finally we blindfold a man and let him travel the entire state to choose one random coin.

What would be the odds of him finding the marked coin in one try? He would have the same chance the prophets had for those eight prophecies being fulfilled. Which is virtually no chance.

But that was only eight of the over 300 prophecies!  Figuring the odds of fulfilling all 300 Bible prophecies is ridiculously astronomical.  Simply incalculable-- except that the real author of these prophecies knew the future.  The God Who created the universe out of nothing was in total control and knows the past, present AND future."Behold, the former things have come to pass, now I declare new things; Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you." Isaiah  42:9 3

And so came Jesus into the world, as prophesized many times over, bringing light into the darkness.  Join with me and let your heart delight in John the apostle’s words:
 “In the beginning the Word already existed.  The Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He existed in the beginning with God.  God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.  God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.   John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light.  The One who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.  He came into the very world He created, but the world didn’t recognize Him.  He came to His own people, and even they rejected Him.  But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God.  They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.   So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. John testified about Him when he shouted to the crowds, ‘This is the one I was talking about when I said Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for He existed long before me.’ From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.  For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.  No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.” John 1:1-18

This Christmas season, let us rejoice because Jesus is our true light, the One who guides us out of darkness to an eternal home with His Father;  and let joy overwhelm us as we celebrate the birth of our Messiah Jesus, Savior and King!  “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow Me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12 

VERSES:

Psalm 18:28  “For it is You who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness.”
Psalm 119:105  “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”
Ephesians 1:16-21  (Paul) “I have not stopped thanking God for you.  I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.   I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope He has given to those He called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.  I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.  Now He is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.”

PRAYER:  Dear Father, I long to worship you in spirit and truth each day, but especially to honor You during this Christmas season which brings to focus all You have done for me, leading me from eternal death to eternal life.  Let me see and understand the truths of Your Son’s life:  As  Jesus was so humbly born, help me to humbly live; as Jesus lived in total obedience to You, help me to so live in obedience; and as Jesus loved and honored You in all His words and actions, help me to love and honor you in all I do and say.  I realize I can do nothing in my own power, but only through the power of Your Holy Spirit living within me.  Please make Him mighty in me to accomplish Your will in my life, and may I praise Your Name forever!
 
1.  See Exodus 33:3; Deuteronomy 9:13; Nehemiah 9:16;      Acts 7:51
2.  https://www.gotquestions.org/did-Jesus-exist.html
3.  https://compass.org/article-silver-dollars-all-over-texas/
 
SONGS:
 
“Jesus, Light of the World”—Third Day
 
The most beautiful night of the year
All the stars light up the sky
And the city is sparkling with silver and gold
From a million points of light
A reflection of something that's deeper within
Just a flicker of something more
Jesus, light of the world
Shine through the darkness, bright as the day
Jesus, light of the world
Shine in our hearts, show us the way tonight
Who is this Child in a manger?
Kings bow down and angels sing
The Lord of the Universe
Has come here to save us, a precious offering
All the heavens above and the earth below
Are filled with the light of Your love
Jesus, light of the world
Shine through the darkness, bright as the day
Jesus, light of the world
Shine in our hearts, show us the way tonight
Jesus, light of the world
Shine through the darkness, bright as the day
Jesus, light of the world
Shine in our hearts, show us the way
Jesus, shine, shine
Show us the way, light of the world
Shine in our hearts, show us the way tonight
Oh, show us the way tonight
Show us the way tonight
 
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Brad Avery / David Carr / Mac Powell / Mark Lee / Tai Anderson
Jesus, Light of the World lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
 
“Light of the World”—Lauren Daigle
 
The world waits for a miracle
The heart longs for a little bit of hope
Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel
A child prays for peace on Earth
And she's calling out from a sea of hurt
Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel
And can you hear the angels singing
Glory to the light of the world
Glory, the light of the world is here
The drought breaks with the tears of a mother
A baby's cry is the sound of love
Come down, come down, Emmanuel
He is the song for the suffering
He is Messiah, the Prince of Peace has come
He has come, Emmanuel
Glory to the light of the world
Glory to the light of the world
Glory to the light of the world
Glory to the light of the world
For all who wait
For all who hunger
For all who've prayed
For all who wonder
Behold your King
Behold Messiah
Emmanuel, Emmanuel
Glo-glory to the light of the world
Glory to the light of the world
Glory to the light of the world
Behold your King
Behold Messiah
Emmanuel, Emmanuel
The world waits for the miracle
The heart longs for a little bit of hope
Oh come, oh come Emmanuel
 
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Lauren Daigle / Paul Duncan / Paul Mabury
Light Of The World lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Essential Music Publishing
 
DISCLAIMER:   I am just an ordinary woman who loves Jesus, accepting Him as Savior at the age of thirty-two and digging into the Bible ever since.  How could I possibly hope to develop a heart relationship with God and trust Him with my life if I didn't know who He is?!

These devotionals are written to help you journey with Christ and grow in your heart relationship with Him.  However, it is essential that you examine my words, and those of all other "teachers," with God's Holy Word.  Therein lies the source of all truth!