Darkness Lite (Christmas Eve 2016)

Some folks asked, so here’s the manuscript from Christmas Eve, 2016.  Based on MATTHEW 2:1-16, 19, please excuse the ALL CAPS (they make the manuscript easier to deliver in person)…

THE THEMES OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS ARE BAKED INTO THE INFANCY NARRATIVES, ALONG WITH JOHN’S GOSPEL THAT BEGINS BY SAYING THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS AND THE DARKNESS CANNOT OVERCOME IT.

SHEPHERDS KEEP THEIR WATCH BY NIGHT, AND WISE MEN FROM THE EAST FIND THE CHRIST BY SEEKING AFTER A HEAVENLY OBJECT THAT WOULD ONLY BE VISIBLE AT NIGHT.

PEOPLE THINK WE SEE FURTHER IN THE DAYTIME, BUT WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE MUCH FURTHER AT NIGHT.

THE APPARENT MYSTERY OF WHAT THE WISE MEN SAW IS THAT THE SAME SKY WAS AVAILABLE TO OTHERS WHO SAW NOTHING.  THE ANSWER LIES IN CARING WHO THE PERSIAN WISE MEN WERE, AND KNOWING THAT THEY DIDN’T JUST LOOK AT THE SKY, THEY READ IT.  THEY WERE ALSO VERY ATTRACTED TO THE CONCEPT OF A SAVIOR, PROMISED IN THE JEWISH FAITH.

IN THEIR STELLAR LANGUAGE, JUPITER AND SATURN REPRESENTED THE JEWISH GOD AND THE MESSIAH, WITH THE CONSTELLATION PISCES REPRESENTING ISRAEL.  7 INTO 6BC A RARE TRIPLE CONVERGENCE OF JUPITER AND SATURN, IN THE CONSTELLATION OF PISCES COULD WELL SAY THAT A MESSIAH HAD BEEN BORN TO ISRAEL.

THE WISE MEN ANSWERED A CALL THAT WAS OUT THERE FOR EVERYONE TO SEE, BUT ONLY A FEW COULD READ THE LANGUAGE.

THAT’S HOW HEROD WAS LEFT IN THE DARK.

IN SO MANY WAYS, THE WORLD JESUS CAME TO WAS SO MUCH WORSE THAN THE ONE WE LIVE IN TODAY.  CASE IN POINT, KING HEROD, WHO WE KNOW ELIMINATED MEMBERS OF HIS OWN FAMILY, AND TRIED THE SAME THING WITH CHRIST.

HEROD DIED IN 4BC, AND WHAT HE DEVISED FOR THE TODDLER BOYS UP TO 2 YEARS OLD IN BETHLEHEM WOULD HAVE BEEN WELL WITHIN HIS M.O.  IT ALSO INDICATES THAT JESUS WAS LIKELY TWO YEARS OLD WHEN THE WISE MEN CAME TO HIS HOUSE, INDICATING A BIRTH AROUND 6BC.

6BC…  JUST AS JUPITER AND SATURN FINISHED DOING THEIR THING FOR THE WISE MEN TO SEE.

THIS ISN’T BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT, THIS IS BEYOND ANY DOUBT, BECAUSE WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE SKY LOOKED LIKE IN ANY POINT OF TIME FROM ANYWHERE ON THE EARTH.  IT’S ALSO COOL TOO THAT A 7BC PERSIAN CLAY TABLET, WHERE THE WISE MEN WERE FROM, TALKS ABOUT WHAT SATURN AND JUPITER WERE DOING AND WERE GOING TO DO AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

THAT’S NOT BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT, THAT’S BEYOND ALL DOUBT.  (BABYLONIAN STAR ALMANAC OF SIPPAR)

LET’S GO DEEPER.

THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS SAYS THAT GOD CHOSE US IN CHRIST BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.  WE KNOW THE STARS AND PLANETS OF THE UNIVERSE WERE EXPLODED INTO BEING 14 BILLION YEARS AGO.  (13.82 BILLION)  THIS MEANS WHAT THE WISE MEN SAW IN THEIR SKY WAS WRAPPED UP WITH A BOW BY GOD 14 BILLION YEARS BEFORE THEY COULD SEE IT.

AND WE THINK OUR CHRISTMAS PLANS ARE COMPLICATED?

IN HIS OP-ED “SCIENCE INCREASINGLY MAKES THE CASE FOR GOD”  ERIC METAXAS WROTE IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL:   “Today there are more than 200 known parameters necessary for a planet to support life—every single one of which must be perfectly met, or the whole thing falls apart. 

FOR ALL PEOPLE TODAY, EVEN WHEN OUR LIVES FEEL LIKE A MESS, AND MAY ACTUALLY BE A MESS, WE’RE ALL ALIVE WITHIN A FUNDAMENTAL MIRACLE.  WE COMPLAIN AND WE TAKE SO MUCH FOR GRANTED.

THE LIGHT IS RIGHT THERE, BUT WE DON’T SEE IT.  MAYBE THERE’S TOO MUCH FOG, OR WE HAVEN’T BEEN TAUGHT THE LANGUAGE.  THERE’S SO MUCH NOISE IN OUR SOCIETY, MAYBE WE CAN’T HEAR THE WORD.

I THINK WE ALL KNOW THE EXPERIENCE OF RECEIVING A GIFT ON CHRISTMAS THAT WE THINK WE CAN’T USE, OR DON’T WANT.  THAT’S WHERE THE CONCEPT OF RE-GIFTING CAME ABOUT, AND SOME PEOPLE IN A LOT OF UNHEALTHY WAYS, TRY TO RE-GIFT THE LIVES THEY’RE BLESSED TO HAVE, AND DON’T APPRECIATE.

BUT THEN THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE TEAR OPEN THE PAPER AND FIND SOMETHING WE DON’T HAVE, AND SAY, “WOW, THIS IS WHAT I REALLY NEED!”  “I COULD NEVER HAVE GOTTEN THIS FOR MYSELF!”

THAT’S THE REAL CHRISTMAS.  IT’S CALLED… JESUS.

THE WORLD DIDN’T WANT HIM, AND ON GOOD FRIDAY PRINTED OUT THE ULTIMATE RETURN RECEIPT.  BUT WOW, HE’S JUST WHAT WE NEED, AND HE’S BIGGER THAN WHAT EVIL PEOPLE CAN DO — EVEN ON A CROSS.

IF YOU KNOW JESUS TODAY AS THE SAVIOR FROM SIN AND DEATH, THEN YOU HAVE LIGHT THAT MANY PEOPLE STILL CAN’T SEE, BUT THEY DESPERATELY NEED.

THEY NEED YOU TO SHARE IT, IN THEIR LANGUAGE.

THE DARKNESS CAN DO WHAT IT WANTS, BUT IN THE TINY BABE IN A MANGER, PEOPLE LIKE HEROD WILL LOSE, AND WE, IN CHRIST, WILL WIN.

GOOD NEWS HAS COME FOR ALL THE PEOPLE, GOD IS WITH US, AND ESPECIALLY IN BROKEN HOMES OR LIVES, NOTHING CAN CHANGE THE FACT THAT WE WILL BE FOREVER WITH GOD.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!