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Read 2 Chronicles 34:1-21 and John 1:1-18
When young King Josiah opened The Book to be read in the hearing of all the people, he was in essence turning on the light. His heart had been softened to the Lord and he was willing that the darkness there be exposed to the penetrating light of the Word. So penetrating was it that he fell on his face in repentance. That’s just the nature of God’s Word. And when that very Word became flesh, and made His dwelling among men, the hearts that were softened in His presence could respond no differently.
This time, The Word came not as the law given through Moses, but as the fulfillment of the law and all of the prophets. Jesus came as the fullness of grace and truth. Grace upon grace. Light of life. The glory as of the only Son from the Father. All this was made known to the world but was neither recognized nor received. “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know Him.”
But there were those, born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God, whose hearts were tender like those of that young king, who humbled themselves when they heard the word, who fell on their faces when faced with The Word, who believed in His name and were given the right to become children of God. WERE GIVEN THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD. Just let that miracle sink in for a while.
In the darkness we inhabit, we are children of wrath, without any rights at all. But on us A LIGHT HAS SHOWN! It’s all laid out for us right there in His excellent word! We need only repent, believe in His name, and be born of God.
“The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose, I will not, I will not desert to his foes; that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”
(After singing How Firm a Foundation, listen to Handel’s Messiah selections “For behold darkness… and The people who walked in darkness…”)
Click on the What’s In Those Jars? link at the top of the page to find out how we use tiny objects like the one above to help remember each of the 25 people in the genealogy of Christ we will be reading about during the Advent season
Come, Lord Jesus 