This is a copy of my talk given at Saint Luke’s, Saint Stephen’s and Ayia Kyriaki on Christmas Eve / Day 2024 in the Anglican Church of Paphos The Bible reading was John 1:1-14. 

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
I thank You for Your word.
By the power of Your Holy Spirit,
May You speak to my heart,
And change my life.
In the precious name of Jesus I pray.
Amen.

Introduction

I wonder how many of you have decorated the outside of your home with lights this Christmas. It seems, with each passing year, displays are becoming more extravagant as neighbours, and sometimes whole streets, compete to ‘out do’ each other and, as they do, give an amazing display of seasonal decorations. I don’t do this myself, not because I’m a miserable old Scrooge, but because I can’t afford the electricity bill at the end of it! We have a few but they are solar powered!

But I love the ways in which people make such an effort to brighten things up this time of year. I love the line from Christmas Lights by Coldplay: Oh Christmas lights, Light up the street, Light up the fireworks in me. May all your troubles soon be gone. Those Christmas lights keep shining on.

Some people suggest that Christmas lights are a bit OTT, but if people are wanting to make the extra effort to decorate houses, shops, town centres and villages, then it’s got to be good thing. I’m all in favour of lights at Christmas (which is why I love services by candlelight).

We all need light in our lives. I want to suggest three areas where light is particularly important at Christmas: Light gives us life; Light lets us see; Light sets us free. 

  1. Light Gives Us Life

You don’t need me to tell you that this is the darkest time of the year – the longest night was Friday 20 December. Some people suffer quite badly from a lack of light – those whose jobs involve staring at computer screens, or being involved in Zoom/Team meetings, may never see the sun, especially if they leave for work before sunrise and arrive home after sunset. Though working from home has changed that for many people.

For some, the seasonal gloom becomes even worse with the arrival of Seasonal Affective Disorder, which impacts their lives with an even deeper winter.

Biologically, almost all living things depend on plants which grow by drawing energy from the sun. We call it Photosynthesis (the ultimate source of energy in nearly all living organisms). Shroud the earth in darkness, through some terrible disaster and within months the only living things would be bacteria, fungi and weeds! I say weeds because, as any gardener knows, even when we have no rain, and the lawns are parched brown, weeds still seem to grow!

Psychologically, though, light is important for us all. Even if we haven’t been diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD syndrome as it is often known) many of us find ourselves feeling ‘down’ in December.

And it’s interesting that if you listen to anyone who’s feeling low describing their state of mind they will, almost inevitably, use the language of light by mentioning the ‘gloom’, the ‘darkness’ or the ‘shadow’ that has fallen over them. And at a spiritual level, we all need something that brings hope to the soul. And Christmas gives us that in abundance. Light gives us life.

  1. Light Lets Us See

Without light in the physical world, we find ourselves in trouble. We’ve probably all had the experience of wandering around the house in pitch darkness, perhaps as a result of a power cut, or walking up the stairs without switching on the light – accumulating bruises and scrapes as we trip up or collide with furniture or boxes that shouldn’t have been there. Light can also allow us to see things that are dangerous and, whilst some people prefer darkness, light allows us to avoid danger.

Symbolically, the language of light is used whenever people talk about resolving difficult issues. We read how ‘light has been shed’ on some mystery, how research has ‘illuminated’ our knowledge or even how someone had a ‘bright’ idea. Indeed, when we struggle with some unknown problem/situation we may admit that we are simply ‘in the dark.’

The presence of light allows us to see more than hazards or problems: it allows us to see both the beautiful and the ugly.  Imagine yourself standing in a room full of pictures and works of art, somewhere like a Museum or a National Gallery, but unable to see them because of darkness. But when the switch is thrown on, and the room flooded with light, the beauty becomes visible.

Light, of course, plays a significant part in the Christmas story. God’s angelic light shone into the midst of the darkness of that Christmas night on a Judean hillside, as the angels proclaimed to the shepherds the good news that Christ the Saviour was born. The Wise Men followed a bright star from the East, because they believed it heralded the birth of a very special king. Jesus, the light of the world, began to shine into the darkness of human life.

I’m not sure how many of you are Star Wars fans but, even if you’re not, you’ll still probably know that the recurring theme through all the Star Wars films is the constant struggle between the light side and the dark side of ‘The Force’. The characters have to make a choice whether to follow the light side or the dark side. It’s a constant battle in our own lives too, isn’t it? Star Wars aren’t Christian films, but they could well be.

In John’s Gospel, vs 4-5 we heard these words: “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Matthew, writing about Jesus, says: ‘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’ (Matthew 4:16). And Jesus said of himself: ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness’ (John 8:12). Light lets us see. 

  1. Light Sets Us Free

The Bible teaches that if we choose to push God out of our lives, light becomes absent, and we’re left with darkness (Romans 1:21). It’s true that our eyes adjust to the absence of light, and we can become accustomed to darkness – and that’s as true physically as it is spiritually. Have you, I wonder, become accustomed to living in darkness?

Our reading from John’s Gospel makes this point: This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil The darkness is simply as absence of love and as we look around us on TV and newspapers, we see the overwhelming darkness which exists in some parts of our nation and in many places across the world.

Many of Jesus’ own people, who were living in darkness, didn’t accept him. They chose not to receive His light. So, they nailed him to a cross hoping to extinguish the light he radiated once and for all.

All too often darkness brings with it something enslaving or oppressing. Darkness symbolises the very worst aspects of life: imprisonment, fear and despair. I’m sure we’ve all had the experience of lying awake at night, struggling hopelessly with some problem or worry and then, as dawn breaks, finding that we can now see it in a new perspective and break free from it.

Many Christmas pop songs are pretty cheesy, aren’t they? The likes of Slade and Wizzard have enjoyed a very wealthy retirement based on one Christmas song released nearly 50 years ago! In case you didn’t know, December 2024 is the 40th Anniversary of the release of Do They Know It’s Christmas? By Band Aid. This song captured the hearts of millions, inspiring generosity and hope for those in desperate need. It was one of those moments in history that is etched onto the memory of those who were alive at the time.

But one song I never tire of listening to, if I dare admit it, is ‘The Power of Love’ by Frankie Goes To Hollywood (first released in 1984). The song includes the line: “Love is the light scaring darkness away.”

And that’s so true. The love/light of Christ scares the darkness away. John called Jesus, the true light that gives to everyone … and gave us the right to become children of God. In John 8:31-32, Jesus said: … And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. The Light of Christ sets us free.

Conclusion

In every way – biological, psychological and spiritual – we need light and without it we’d struggle to survive. Faced with a darkened world, I’m glad Christianity talks about light. Light frames the Bible: at its start we read how God created light (Genesis 1:3) and at its end we are promised a city where ‘there will be no more darkness’ (Revelation 22:5).

Have you, I wonder, become accustomed to living in darkness? Have you become accustomed to loving darkness rather than light? But on this Christmas Eve, you’ll do well to remember that:

The Light of Christ gives us life.
The Light of Christ lets us see.
The Light of Christ sets us free.

May each one of us allow the light of Christ to shine in our hearts and lives this Christmas season and all year round.

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER The text contained in this sermon (except where stated) is solely owned by its author, Revd Paul A. Carr. The reproduction, or distribution of this message, or any portion of it, should include the author’s name.