It's not by accident that Christmas is celebrated by the chief decoration of lights.

Because the coming of the Christ child in Bethlehem was announced by an explosion of light,

the greatest sound and light show that the world

has ever seen.

The New Testament tells us that we are by nature the children of darkness.

Darkness is our natural habitat.

John tells us why that is.

We all know John 316, God so loved the world.

He gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have

everlasting life.

And it goes on with this upbeat statement.

God has sent his son in the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world through

him might be saved. But what's drawn 318? That this is the condemnation,

that men loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds are evil.

From the time of the first sin, Adam and Eve sought the cloak of darkness.

They fled from the brightness of the glory of God who lighted the confines of paradise.

And that is the nature by which we are born.

God has given over the world to the foolishness of a darkened mind.

And so that's in view here long term when we look at what happened on Christmas,

because Isaiah tells us the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. The phrase, walked in darkness, means lived their lives in the context

of darkness. And it's not simply the darkness that comes at dusk, but the word that is used here indicates the darkest kind of darkness

when there's not even a crack of light coming into the room where people are finding themselves

...