This week as we are approaching the fourth Sunday of Advent, we are getting closer and closer to the arrival of baby Jesus…
Our gospel reading and our focus on our time together on Sunday is John 1:1-18. John’s Gospel doesn’t speak of the manger and shepherds but focuses directly on Jesus and who he is. In this passage we learn several things about the Son of God.
What stands out to you?
John chapter 1 contains good words, strong words, and poetic words. Words that are beautiful, but also words that leave me a little uncomfortable or more honestly stated, annoyed.
In terms of our advent theme of being amazed that is visual representation of starts, I think about John’s word about light in the darkness. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light.” There is a kind of defiance to the light. It lives in the darkness, but the darkness cannot overcome it. I struggle a bit with this scripture because these verses don’t say what I want them to say. I want them to declare that when the light comes into the world it overcomes, it obliterates the darkness. It takes away the bleakness of every sadness, every despair, every raw deal, every horrendous tragedy, every evil plan, every god-awful, life-sucking disease, and tosses the whole mess into the cosmic garbage can. I want the light to arrive and to win, and I want it to win big. I want the light to deal with the darkness in a way that is so overwhelming, so completely devastating, that I never have to think about it again.
However, instead of total victory, we get something much more nuanced in John’s Gospel. The light came into the world, and the darkness that was in the world did not, could not and cannot extinguish the light. But neither did the light wipe out the darkness.
Bummer…
There is a tension in these verses for me to work through. Although I certainly recognize that it how life goes, I am just not happy about it.
What stands out to you in this scripture?
Let’s talk about it on Sunday.
~ Pastor Dustin
