Living Near The Light, But Not In It Series

INTRODUCTION: CHRISTMAS, LIGHT, AND HONEST QUESTIONS

Church, tonight we gather on Christmas Eve—a night filled with light and meaning. Wherever we go during this season, we see lights everywhere. Homes are decorated, streets are glowing, and Christmas trees are shining. We light candles and sing songs about a holy night that was brightly shining. Light feels inseparable from Christmas.

But Christmas invites us to ask a more profound question. It's not just about what shines around us, but also about what shines within us.

The Gospel of John begins Christmas not with shepherds or angels, but with light and darkness. John 1 presents Jesus as the Light of men, illuminating spiritual truth and guidance. The darkness in the passage symbolizes challenges and evil that cannot overcome the Light. Darkness represents sin, ignorance, and separation from God, highlighting spiritual challenges and moral struggles.

Spiritual Significance

The Light represents hope, guidance, and divine presence in human life according to Christian belief.

Therefore, the question is, who is THE LIGHT?

And in John 1:8, we read these striking words: “He himself was not the light, but he came to testify about it.”

This verse speaks about John the Baptist, but it is also written for us. It gently confronts a reality many of us face today: it is possible to live near the light, talk about the light, and even admire the light—without truly living in it.

Tonight, Christmas Eve is not about more decoration, more celebration, or more noise. It is about one honest question before God:

Am I living in the true Light—or only close enough to feel its glow?

JOHN THE BAPTIST: NEAR THE LIGHT, YET HUMBLE BEFORE IT

John the Baptist was a remarkable man. He was bold, prophetic, and fearless. Crowds gathered to hear him. Leaders feared him. Even Jesus said there was no one greater born among women than John.

And yet, Scripture is cautious to say one thing clearly: John was not the light.

Why would the Bible emphasize this?

1. Human hearts often confuse reflection with reality. We often mistake religious activity for transformation. We assume that being close to spiritual things automatically makes us spiritually alive. John understood something crucial:

2. His role was not to replace the light but to point toward it.

This is a word for us today. You can grow up in church, serve faithfully, know Christian language, celebrate Christmas every year—and keep your heart guarded from the light of Christ.

Standing near a fireplace does not warm you unless you step close enough for the heat to touch you. In the same way, proximity to holy things does not automatically change us. Only surrender to the Light does.

Christmas reminds us that salvation is not achieved by effort. It is received by encounter.

A BRIGHT WORLD THAT STILL LIVES IN DARKNESS.

We live in one of the brightest generations in history. Screens glow day and night. Knowledge is instant. Voices are amplified. Platforms promise visibility.

And yet beneath the brightness, many lives are heavy. Anxiety is common. Identity feels fragile. Loneliness is widespread. People look confident but feel empty. Despite their success, they remain restless.

This is what darkness looks like today—not always obvious sin, but quiet disconnection from truth.

Jesus said people love darkness, not because they are evil, but because it feels safer. Darkness allows us to hide. Light reveals. Light exposes. Light tells the truth about who we are and who we are not.

That is why some prefer a comfortable glow rather than true illumination. Christmas gently but firmly asks us: do we want comfort, or do we want truth?

THE FALSE LIGHTS WE TRUST—AND WHY THEY FAIL

John continues by saying, “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.” (v9)

That word "true" matters, because there are many lights that look convincing. Success promises fulfillment. Money promises security. Approval promises worth. Even beneficial things—like ministry or service—can become substitute lights.

But false lights always demand maintenance. They require constant effort to stay shining.

Think about Christmas lights. They are beautiful, but they depend entirely on electricity. When the power goes out, the light disappears.

Jesus is not like that. His light does not depend on circumstances. He shines in joy and sorrow, in abundance and lack, and in certainty and doubt.

That is why He entered the world not in a palace, but in a manger. He entered the world not surrounded by power, but wrapped in vulnerability. His light does not impress—it transforms.

FOR THOSE WHO CAN NO LONGER SEE THE LIGHT

Some of you here tonight are genuinely showing strength. You are worn out. You are discouraged. You are carrying grief, disappointment, or silent questions about how to pray.

John 1:5 speaks directly to you: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”