The radiance of life that God gives (John 1:1-14)

<A New Creation>

The Gospel of John begins with the curious sentence, "In the beginning was the Word. "In the beginning..." reminds us of "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" in Genesis 1:1. I believe John was aware of this when he used this phrase. He says that "the Word" was involved in this creation. And now a new history is about to begin. He is declaring that a new world is coming and a new creation is beginning. John uses the word "logos." Here by logos he refers to Jesus Christ. Perhaps John was familiar with Greek philosophy and knew that the word logos is used in the sense of a supernatural, sublime idea or principle of the universe. In verse 14, he says that the Logos "became man and dwelt among us. The One who is God became man and appeared to us. We do not yet hear the word "Jesus Christ," but we declare that this is the God of the "only begotten Son," the One who clearly teaches us the true God.
 

<Light>

Verse 4 says, "In Him was 'life'. This "life" was the light of wo/men. Jesus said in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. The "life" that Jesus Christ has and gives us is our light. It is the light that shines on us and on the world. It is the light of hope that shines on Israel, which is still in captivity, ruled by the Roman Empire. It is a light of hope shining on Israel, which is in despair, waiting for the coming of the Messiah. It is also a light that shines on us who live in the 21st century. The meaning of that light was fully revealed by Jesus' death and resurrection. The light reveals the truth that was previously hidden in darkness. What is the truth? The truth is life. Our hope is in the life.

<Life>

The principle of the "life" that Jesus gives us is love. It is also fair to say that the principle of the Kingdom of God is love. Jesus' disciples were expecting the coming of the Messiah, a powerful king who would destroy the Roman Empire. Jesus rejects every such idea. It is a kingdom shaped by love and compassion. Our whole being, our whole personality, is shaped by love and compassion. That is the "life" that is in him. Through Jesus' incarnation, the radiance of the light of his life has been revealed to us.
That light is a light that warms us and burns our hearts rather than piercing our hearts by exposing our hidden sins. The light of God's life is a light that searches our hearts and shows us the wounds, pains, and sorrows that need to be healed. The "life" and "love" that Christ gives us is a love that embraces all people and one another while acknowledging our wounds, misery, and weakness. That is where love shines.
In the United States and Europe, Christmas seems to be a time for bonding with family and friends. However, not everyone feels the bond and love with family and friends. There are many people who experience more sadness and suffering at Christmas than usual. For those who are suffering instead of rejoicing, there is a service that is offered on Christmas Eve with those who are suffering. It is called Blue Christmas. This year, Blue Christmas services are being offered around the world.
The candlelight service we are offering now may also be a Blue Christmas. We want to gather with God with our wounds and sorrows, rest in God's love, and be healed. God's love within us, to us, may seem like a small glimmer of light. The light of that love is indeed shining within us. We do not need to worry about how to make it shine. The light of God's life is already shining within us. We want to worship God today, loving, working, and comforting one another with those who have received God's life.