[Jesus said,] "I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12
Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is a more than 2,000 year old celebration of the victory of the Jews over Antiochus Epiphanes, a madman who thought he was a god. Jesus, who truly is God, chose the Festival of Lights to reveal that he himself is the Light of the World.
On the festive occasion of Hanukkah, Jesus invited people into a relationship with Him that would free them from sin and from death.
Let's think about it.
The Hanukkah candles are traditionally lit by a special candle called the shammash. Shammash is Hebrew for "servant." In the shammash candle, there is a symbol of Jesus Christ because Jesus said, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28)
The shammash serves the other candles by bringing light to them, which is why Jesus said, "I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
Just as the shammash gives light to the other candles, Jesus came to give the world His Light.
Hanukkah includes the celebration of two miracles – the defeat of an enemy army and a day's allotment of temple oil that lasted for eight days. These two miracles show how God keeps His light burning in the hearts of His people, even when they face what seem to be impossible odds or situations. With God, all things are possible.
In Jesus Christ, we are assured that God's light cannot fail, or go out.
Friends, last week, over a dozen of you shared how you faced what seemed to be impossible odds or situations. Today is Monday. Odds are that the week ahead will probably bring what seem to be impossible odds or situations to more than a dozen of us again; maybe even to somebody who had to face that strain last week.
But please don't forget, and remind one another, that God keeps His light burning in the hearts of His people, even when they face what seem to be impossible odds or situations. With God, all things truly are possible. In Jesus Christ, we are assured that God's light cannot fail, or go out.
For Jesus is the ultimate shammash candle who, by the power of the light and fire of the Holy Spirit serves the other candles (us) by bringing light to the wick of our soul, which is why Jesus said, "I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
Praise God!
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson
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