“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” | John 1:1-5
Jesus rose from the dead at sunrise.
He had been in the tomb Friday evening, all day Saturday, and early Sunday morning. The tomb was dark. It was dark in the garden where he was buried. As the sun began to creep over the horizon, as the sunshine initiated a new day, Jesus awoke from death. Inside that dark, death filled tomb the Light of the World came to life.
As the angel rolled away the stone, the light from the sky filled the darkness in the tomb, and the true Light from inside the tomb flooded the world outside.
Jesus’s resurrection was a sunrise for our souls and the entire dark world. In Luke’s Gospel, Zechariah prophesied that the Messiah came…
“…because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” | Luke 1:78-79
The Light of the World has come – like a bright, life-giving sunrise – so we no longer have to sit in the dark shadow of death! Now, Jesus himself guides us into the way of peace.
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” | John 8:12
In what ways does darkness still threaten you? What darkness of this fallen world is trying to seep into your heart?
- Discouragement – hopeless, helpless, disappointment, depression
- Anger – upset, bitter, frustrated, irritated
- Suffering – trials, hardship, pain, sickness, loss
- Sin – temptation, guilt, shame, regret
- Apathy – indifference, laziness, unmotivated
You no longer need to live in the dark shadow of death. The Light of the world has come. Jesus has conquered sin and death. The Light of the world is here and even the deepest darkness cannot overcome him.
And so, set your eyes on the Light. Set your heart on Jesus. The same God who spoke light into existence, can speak life into you. You can be a new creation! We can see the light of Christ shining in many ways: the lamp of his Word, the love of his people, and the presence of his Spirit. But the clearest and most glorious manifestation of light is in the face of Jesus.
“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” | 2 Corinthians 4:6
Jesus is the great sunrise from on high.
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