New Light
Luke 1:68-79
Saturday, December 23, 2006

One of my family's Christmas traditions is to spend one evening driving around town and looking at Christmas lights. Since our children have gotten older, it's become harder and harder to find a time when we can all get together for this illuminating excursion. But we have still tried not to pull the plug on this annual family field trip. It always amazes me how much time and energy that some people invest in brilliantly beautifying their homes and yards. I don't know about you, but I haven't had very good luck at complicated Christmas light projects. Usually, I prefer to take a few strands of lights and toss them on our shrubs in front of the house.Then I pronounce the project "Done!" and head back into the house.

But I still remember one year back in Texas when I decided to go all out. Our family was living in the parsonage of Lakewood Christian Church in Waco. The house and landscaping were very conducive to Christmas decorating. There were holly bushes all across the front of the home. And there was this huge oak tree that stretched its mighty limbs out all over the front yard. That particular year, I decided that I was going to surprise my family and do something I had never done before. I planned to crawl up in that awesome oak tree and wrap the branches in lights. One afternoon, while they were all out shopping, I started the project. I quickly discovered that tree-climbing as an adult was not quite as much fun as it had been when I was a young boy. But after a lot of grunting and groaning and scrapes and scuffles with that ol' tree, I got it done. I was really excited-and I wanted to surprise my family! Later that evening when it had become dark, I took everybody out in front of the house. They were puzzled about the invitation-but I told them I had a big surprise. I said, "Close your eyes and count to three!" They did-and I hustled over to plug in the lights-eager to hear their reaction. Well, they came through for ol' dad! They made me feel that all of my efforts at going out on a limb were worth it. They ooohed and aaahed like folks do at a 4th of July fireworks display! Even my son, Brandon, who was just a few years old at the time, broke into his own liturgical dance. He bopped around shouting, "Pitty tee! Pitty tee!" The experience was all warm and wonderful. And I was feeling pretty proud of myself for branching out into some new decorating territory. But the warm and wonderful feelings didn't last too long. Later that night we had some unexpected visitors. While we were all nestled snug in our beds, some folks stopped by in the middle of the night and tried to help themselves to our lights. Fortunately, our neighbors were coming home late that night-and they chased these light snatchers away.

But they came back later. This time, someone who lived down the block happened to pull up behind their car.
He honked his horn and called the police on his cell phone. This particular neighbor had a similar thing happen to him the year before. And he was so mad that he chased that car load of light pirates for about 15 minutes. We were oblivious to all of this excitement. It wasn't until the next morning that we received the reports from our neighbors. Needless to say, this was all terribly upsetting to me after all of the time and energy and money I had invested in this special project. So I came up with a plan! I found a bunch of little bells and noisemakers. I carefully tied them to all of the strands of lights-my own little alarm system. "Aha! That'll fix them!" There I was-locked in a classic battle of light versus darkness! And I was determined to emerge victoriously! I felt rather silly about it all later on. I was losing sleep over this-thinking about it day and night. I was getting all wound up and bent out of shape over a few dollars worth of Christmas lights.

THE HUMOROUS LITTLE EPISODE WAS RATHER TRIVIAL IN THE WHOLE SCHEME OF THINGS. And yet, perhaps it serves as a description of the grander human condition? We are all too familiar with the struggle between light and darkness in our lives and in our world. Some of us are experiencing the personal darkness that is the result of an unholy host of pain and problems. We may be enduring stresses and strains in any number of areas-financially, emotionally, spiritually. We may be experiencing this Christmas season for the first time with a sense of brokenness or loss due to disease, divorce, or the death of a loved one this past year. And if we look around, we realize that far too many people on this planet are experiencing the wounds of war, poverty, hunger and injustice. While we gather in the peace and quiet of this place, something in our heart of hearts doesn't feel quite right. We live in a world where far too many people are snatching the light and life from those around them-from terrorist attacks to Holocaust deniers to Holocaust ignorers. We realize that every morning, people are picking up the pieces from the latest episode of their torn-apart world.

There was an editorial cartoon in the paper this past week that really hit home for me. A little boy was sitting on Santa's knee. The boy was in that all too familiar position where children share their wish lists with Santa Claus. But this boy was wearing a T-shirt that said, "Darfur." The caption under the cartoon said, "To live?" Most of us are all too aware of the battle between light and darkness-it's been around as long as people have been around. During this Advent and Christmas season at Beargrass, the theme for our worship services has been "All Things New." We have considered God's gifts of new hope, new peace, new joy, and new love.
Today we give thanks for God's gift of new light.

ZECHARIAH TALKS ABOUT THE GIFT IN TODAY'S STORY FROM LUKE. The passage is the second of a number of "canticles" or songs found in the first two chapters of Luke's Gospel. The first is known as the "Magnificat," Mary's song, in chapter one, verses 46-55. The last is known as the "Nunc Dimittis," the song of Simeon in chapter 2, verses 29-32. In the middle, we find today's passage, which is described as the "Benedictus," the song of Zechariah. Many believe that Luke wanted to let people know that Jesus is the proof that God's promises to God's people had not been forgotten. Just as the Old Testament, or First Testament, contained Psalms that told of God's trustworthiness, Luke begins his Gospel with several new Psalms of his own. There are numerous examples that link these first chapters of Luke to references in the Old Testament, especially the prophets. This will be the topic of Dr. Hull's Wednesday Bible study in January.

And one of the most powerful of those prophetic images is the image of one whose dawning brings light to those who sit in darkness-an allusion to several passages from Isaiah. Basically, the "Benedictus," Zechariah's song, is presented as a prophetic psalm proclaimed by a priestly Israelite. He sings, "By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." Zechariah introduces both John and Jesus as the long-awaited fulfillments of God's promises to Israel-the evidence of God's faithfulness.

TODAY WE GIVE THANKS FOR THIS GIFT OF NEW LIGHT IN JESUS. This gift from God is incredibly generous and grace-full-there is nothing we could ever do to earn or deserve this gift. And yet, if we accept the gift, we also accept the responsibility to share this light in the world. We have the great privilege of sharing Christ's light in the world. But with each word or action, we can become light-givers or light-snatchers-like those wacky folks in Waco. It doesn't matter whether we are dealing with family or friends, setting up a business deal, working our way through school… We're presented with the question: "Is what I am about to do or say going to bring more light into the world-or less?"

Most of the time our responses will be pretty clear-but sometimes our next steps are not so clear. A teacher shared this bit of advice with her class of high school seniors. They all lived in a rural setting, and many of them were concerned about what would happen after graduation. What would they do? Where would they go? Who would they become?

There was a very rough road that ran from the high school to the town where most of the students lived. She was aware that many of them had walked home in the evenings after extracurricular activities-and many of them carried flashlights for safety's sake. The teacher compared their future to that road. She explained that they didn't need a great searchlight to make it safely. Just a little light shining one step ahead.

When one step is taken, the light moves with it-and reveals the next step. I think it works a little like that with this gift of New Light from God, which is revealed in Jesus. As we take a step in faith, Jesus brings new light for the next step, and the next. As we make new commitments, Jesus brings new light for the next one, and the next. As we offer ourselves in service, Jesus brings new light for the next opportunity, and the next.

Consider the witness of some of the carols we sing at this time of the year!
Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings.
Son of God, love's pure light, radiant beams from thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth, the everlasting light; the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

Out of the darkness of our past, present and future-Jesus comes as the New Light of God-and the darkness cannot overcome it!

A remarkable woman was being interviewed on TV. She managed to feed, clothe, and educate 8 children in a tar-paper shack in Louisiana-all by herself! The reporter asked her, "How have you done this? What has kept you going, despite all of the odds against you?" She said, "I've seen a new world coming-I've seen the light of God coming into the world!"

What a powerful proclamation of faith and hope! He is the one Zechariah had been looking for... He is who the world is looking for... He is who you are looking for… He is where the world is headed… Joy to the world, God's New Light has come!