The daily news may be filled with terrible stories of man’s inhumanity to man but Rev. Tim Bruneau’s sermon based on John 1:1-14 is a timely reminder that God came into the world in human form to bring Light out of the darkness and that the darkness cannot overcome the Light. As believers, we are witnesses to the Light, like John the Baptist and ambassadors of Hope.
The True & Living Hope: John 1:1-14
– Xmas Day 1962 – St. Petersburg, Florida Times: only good news will appear on cover – blank!– “for rest of the news, turn to…
– Jesus didn’t enter a good news world but a lost & broken world
– Jesus experienced pain – suffering
– even if we haven’t suffered, we know of human suffering; though our culture may not lack basic needs, there is suffering as youth take their lives; as depression rises
– MAID – BC, Quebec (friends Dad)
– this is not a good news world…yet, there is good news to share…
– the Light shines in the darkness…
– v.1: Genesis & John begin with such weighty words…in the beginning, GOD
– for Jews & Christians, these words express key understanding of our faith: we’re not 1st; not in charge – we bend the knee to Another
– John begins like ‘Genesis’, but instead of saying ‘God’, he points to Another
– the Word was there with God in the very beginning – the Word was God
– God created all things through the Word
– in the Word was life light of all humanity
– light shines in the darkness & the darkness has not overcome it
– Ill) we long for the light…we notice shortening days even now…
– but we need more than sunny days to bring us hope
– Ill) Coffee Shop: Sharing the Warmth: Gingersnap Latte [Peace]; Peppermint Mochaccino [Joy] – Candy Cane Hot Chocolate [Love]
– What is absent? HOPE
– we Hope in the Light of the world…not in something we can come up with ourselves
– the True Light which gives light to all was in the world, but though the Light made the world, the world did not recognize him
– but all who received Him, who believed in his name, were granted the right to be children of God
– the Word took on flesh & came in the person of Jesus, making his dwelling among us our salvation
– Ill) George Harley – medical mission in Liberia 1926 – no one came to chapel for 5 years…his son died, he wept, suddenly people knew this white man was human; felt pain, loved a man ran back shouting, white man cries like one of us!!
– a wonderful man, but an alien they thought
– now they could hear him preach hope in X
– embodiment – God made flesh…
– The truth of the gospel is most convincing when it is embodied in a person or a community of persons. Give Them Christ – Seamands p.47
– John the Baptist was not the light; he was only a witness
– we are witnesses to the Light, like John the Baptist – ambassadors of Hope
– though our neighbours may seem to be doing just fine, there are many silent tears
– by receiving Jesus Christ, by believing in his name, we are able to become children of God.
– people are asleep spiritually in darkness – they need Light of world to awaken them
– no one will receive peace, joy or love in a coffee cup, no matter how good it is!
– but if the Light of God is at work in us, we can offer someone peace, joy & love over a cup of coffee as we speak of the hope we have in Jesus Christ
– let us share our lives with those who do not know Christ, & may the Light of the world shine through us.
– friends, we must believe that story is still true – the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it
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