In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
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Friends, I just want to say a brief word at the beginning of the service about Christmas.
We love Christmas. Christmas is a time of joy, a time of celebration, a time of brightly colored Christmas trees and carols that bring joy to the heart. Christmas is a time of cookies galore and children whispering about Santa. Christmas is wonderful.
But Christmas is so much more than just the trappings of the season. Christmas is much more than a holiday party and a new sweater.
We need Christmas.
Christmas is a celebration of the light of Jesus Christ coming into the world. Christmas is a time when we gather in church to remember the depth of God's love, a love that shines brightly even in the darkest of nights. On that first Christmas, there was plenty of darkness in the poverty of Mary and Joseph, in the cruel governance of the Roman Empire, but into that darkness, into the sin of humanity, the light of Christ came.
The light still shines. The light of Christ continues to shine across generations of the world, from Bethlehem to Chattanooga to Newtown, CT. The light still shines in the darkness.
There is plenty of darkness in our world today. Friday was a visceral reminder of the reality of darkness, of the presence of evil and sin and brokenness in the world. We are all witnesses to this tragedy that shattered the quiet town where things like this weren't supposed to happen. No place on earth should have to wander through this valley of the shadow of death, where children at school are not safe, where Christmas joy is shattered by the power of evil. We weep and we mourn with those who suffer the brunt of this pain and loss.
And in this darkness, the light of Christ still shines. The darkness tries to overcome it, but it cannot. We know how the story ends. We know that Christ wins, that good will triumph over evil, that Christ will stand victorious at the last. We know this to be true.
And yet, we live in the in-between times. In our world today, there is still darkness. Revelation tells us that the new Jerusalem will need no sun because Christ itself will be the light--there will be no more night, no more darkness, no more sin and death and weeping and wailing.
But until that day comes, we will still be surrounded by darkness.
The light will still shine, in each of us and through each of us, and we will continue to hope, continue to believe, that Christ wins.
So let us mourn the darkness, but let us not despair. We need Christmas, because it reminds us that God wins in the end, and that Christ is at work here, now, redeeming the world. We need Christmas because we need light for our darkness. It is a light we cannot manufacture, but Christ gives it freely, and it still shines today, a light for our darkness, a lamp for our feet, a guide for our hearts to follow.
Let us take some time in silent prayer together, lifting up the victims, the families, the community and all those who weep and mourn.
Let us pray
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