We Have Seen A Great Light

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Submitted by Billy Powell

The

gospel writer Matthew, in his introduction to Jesus’ earthly ministry, issues

this stirring pronouncement: “The people living in darkness have seen a great

light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has

dawned.” What is this great light?

To learn its identity, we must backtrack 800 years before Jesus’ birth to hear Isaiahprophesy: “For unto us a child is

born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder:

and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The

everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.”

Fast forward eight

centuries and Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled when the archangel proclaims to

Mary: “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive

and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and

will be called the Son of the Most High.”“How will this be,” inquired

Mary, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon

you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.”

Jesus said of Himself: “I

am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but

will have the light of life.” The

famous sermon, “Watchman,

What of the Night,” describes Jesus’ banishment of darkness: “Like the sun

whose dawning brings in the light, the King’s coming changes all history. Bursting

forth suddenly, lighting up the sky, banishing the night.”

As a boy, Robert Louis Stevenson was

intrigued by the work of the old lamplighter who went about with a ladder and a

torch, setting the street lights ablaze for the night. One evening in

Edinburgh, Scotland, as young Robert stood watching with childish fascination,

his parents heard him exclaim, “Look, look! There is a man out there

punching holes in the darkness!” With one statement of childish wonder,

Stevenson summed up the life of the Lord Jesus Christ who punched great gaping

holes in the spiritual darkness that enshrouds this world.

Although the Light has come into the

world, the scripture states that “the people loved darkness instead of light

because their deeds were evil.” Therefore, our greatest challenge is to walk in Jesus’ light so that Christ can be reflected through us, and

we can become a pathway leading others to that Light. Merry Christmas!

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