Luke 2:8-14, “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Matthew 4:16 in the King James Version (KJV) reads: “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up”.
I’ve always liked the NEB’s translation of Matthew 4:16: “…Light dawned on the dwellers in the land of death’s dark shadow.”
John 9:1-7, “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, and said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.”
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid” (Mt. 5:14).
The problem with false (artificial) light:[1]
- Too much radiation from strong artificial light sources can cause the formation of toxic levels of harmful chemicals
- Long-term UV exposure can lead to the development of carcinomas
- Can also cause problems for people with chronic actinic dermatitis, the UV or blue component of artificial light aggravates the associated skin lesions.
- In sufferers of lupus erythematosus, it can worsen the disease
- It also “disrupts human circadian rhythms, suppressing melatonin, which leads to sleep problems, mood disorders (depression/anxiety), and increased risks for chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.”[2]
Satan can distort himself to appear as an angel of light: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”[3]
Some indeed preach Christ: “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; and many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: the one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.”[4]
Some present another Jesus: “Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.”[5]
We preach Jesus: “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”[6]
The Lamb is the light: “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof” (Rev. 21:23).
Jesus is the true Light: “In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”[7]
Jesus is Light & the Father is Light: “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”[8]
The Light brings us together = fellowship
Philippians 2:14-15, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”
Micah 7:8, “Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.”
Habakkuk 3:2-4 (KJV), “(2) O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. (3) God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. (4) And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.”
Habakkuk 3:2-4 (CEV), “I know your reputation, LORD, and I am amazed at what you have done. Please turn from your anger and be merciful; do for us what you did for our ancestors. You are the same Holy God who came from Teman and Paran to help us. The brightness of your glory covered the heavens, and your praises were heard everywhere on earth. Your glory shone like the sun, and light flashed from your hands, hiding your mighty power.”
John 12:44-47, “Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.”
John 8:12, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
Is. 9:2, “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.”
Matthew 4:16 (NEB), “…Light dawned on the dwellers in the land of death’s dark shadow.”
“Hail, the heavenly Prince of Peace,
Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings.”
-Charles Wesley[9]
[1] https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/opinions_layman/artificial-light/en/index.htm | https://www.darksky.org/light-pollution/human-health/ | https://www.news-medical.net/amp/health/Health-Effects-of-Artificial-Light.aspx
[2] https://youtu.be/pFcwGkAPgQk?si=_Z3QVU_Ekbjd6JZi
[3] 2 Cor. 11:13-15
[4] Php. 1:12-17
[5] 2 Cor. 11:1-4
[6] 2 Cor. 4:3-6
[7] John 1:4-5, 9-14,
[8] 1 John 1:5-7
[9] Stanza from Charles Wesley’s poem “For Christmas Day.” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45461/for-christmas-day. Accessed: 12/18/2025.
<Preached at Sanctuary of Praise (Culloden, WV) for Pastor David Gentry during their Annual Christmas Candlelight Service on 12/17/2025>
The Pillar and Ground of Truth 