Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.

Martin Luther, Neenah 11 December 2011

John 1:6-8, 19-28 Advent 3, ILCW B

Rejoice in the true light!

I. As you recognize the Light, vs. 6-8

II. As you reflect the Light, vs. 19-28

These are the darkest days of the year. We don’t see the sun until after 7 AM, and it is almost

gone already at 4 in the afternoon. So we end up with only about 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. The rest of

the time darkness blankets our world, and the light continues to ebb away until the winter solstice. But

what a strange contrast we see here today! When darkness is at its peak and night is so long and so

strong, here light grows. We light extra candles and point them out specially in our service. We sing,

“Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high,” and draw your attention to its picture hanging on our wall.

Why is that? Why do we see this contrast today? Because in the light, as well as in the

darkness; we recognize a symbol that communicates a deeper truth. Darkness corresponds to sin and

ignorance and unbelief and damnation, but light symbolizes the illumination of truth, the glow of

forgiveness, the beaming of faith, and finally the radiance of eternal life.

the source of this symbolism, and its striking contrast, comes from the Light of the world.

During this season, we prepare to welcome this Light into our world. That is reason to Rejoice in the

true light! Rejoice as you recognize the Light, and as you reflect the Light.

Recognizing this Light is what John the Baptist was all about. He lived at a dark time for

God’s people. They were no longer masters in the Promised Land. Cruel conquerors had ruled them

for a couple hundred years. Much of their wealth and prestige in the world had disappeared. Where

was the glory of the Lord that once glowed among them as a pillar of fire?

Much of their religion had become just going through the motions. The Temple was a shadow

of what it once was. The light of the prophets had all but burnt out. They had not heard the voice of

the Lord in nearly 400 years. But then came John, a wilderness preacher, “the voice of one calling in

the desert.”

But he recognized the Light. Here is one who would speak for God. “There came a man who

was sent from God; his name was John.” Now the Lord would break his long silence. The Father

would reveal the Light of the world to John, but it was not just for his benefit. “He came as a witness

to testify concerning that light, so that through him [John] all men might believe.” He would help

others see the true Light, but this season has a lot of lights to compete with.

That was true in John’s day too. There was the darkness of apathy. It had been so long. Many

weren’t even looking for the true Light anymore. There was a light in the Rome, saying “Look to

Caesar! See him as a god. Trust him to provide for you. Trust him to bring you peace.” There were

lights among the religious leaders, saying “Listen to us. Follow us. We will lead you in God’s ways.

We will tell you exactly what to do.” But this just flicked on another light: work righteousness. It was

all about what you do for God and very little about what God does for you.

John had to compete against many lights, but it might be even worse for us today. There is still

the overall darkness of apathy. Who cares about this stuff anymore? There is still a light in our

government. We thank God for this blessing, but how many put their trust in the government to

provide for them? How many only look for the peace that comes from quiet armies? How many even

give a glance to the Lord for these things? There are still lights of among religious leaders. False

teachers still seek to draw us away from the Light and focus us on ourselves and what we do.

Then there are the lights that come with the Advent season itself: the busyness of shopping and

decorating, cooking and cleaning, the preparations at home, at the relatives, and with the kids at school

and at church. And, all these things are happening at once! What a headache! There are more lights

glowing around us than there are twinkle lights on a Christmas tree.

Yet there remains only one that lights the way to heaven. That is what John came to show us.

“He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” It was never about John. He

points to Jesus; he is the Light.

But it is not just about who the Light is; it is also about what the Light does! Isaiah says, “The

people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of

death a light has dawned.” [9:2] Light scatters darkness. When the light is on, darkness cannot

remain. The Light destroys the heroes of darkness: sin, Satan, death. He lights our way to heaven. He

blazed the trail, and now he lights the way for us. The path leads us to Calvary. There, the Light

shines on the bridge to heaven. That bridge is a cross. As you make your way to cross it, fix your eyes

on his empty tomb and know one day your grave will stand empty too. Your eternal home is in

heaven, and he lights the way.

Recognize the Light of the world and rejoice! We have reason to rejoice this season, but

not just in recognizing Jesus as the Light. We also rejoice in reflecting his light to others.

Again, John the Baptist is a shining example for us. First, look at his humility. When we meet

John in these verses, he is very popular. We don’t know how long he had been preaching, but it hadn’t

been that long. Already, he was drawing huge crowds. He even had the attention of the religious

leaders, “The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites.”

But, John did not let his fame go to his head. He knew his mission; he would stick to it, “He

did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” He confesses his unworthiness

toward the Light “whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” On his own, John knew all he had to

offer was darkness and foolishness, sin and perversity. He needed the Light just like everyone else.

Is that what kept John so spiritually focused? He did not let the Pharisees distract him. “No,

John, who are you? What do you say about yourself? Think of the power and prestige you could

have. Why not trade the camel hair and grasshoppers for choice meats and priestly robes?” Again, he

replies, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

John always points to his Savior. It was never about himself. It always had to be Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus! That is why he quotes Isaiah. That is why he confesses his unworthiness. He got people’s

attention, but only to direct them to Jesus. He was not the Light; his job was to reflect it!

Can you appreciate how hard it is to follow John’s example? All the things he did are hard for

us! How hard is it to humble yourself? We want the attention. We want it to be about us. We don’t

want to follow John’s lead. We don’t want to confess with him, “By nature, we are only darkness and

foolishness, only sin and perversity.” No thanks, John! But he does exactly that, and he calls us to do

the same as we prepare to greet the Light.

How hard is it to keep your focus? We like to focus on rejoicing this season. But unlike John,

our joy often focuses on hanging lights on the house, wrapping them around trees, or installing the

batteries in the toy so those lights will come on. But, what about the true Light? We lit another candle

today as a reminder of his coming, but often this preparation is one of our last priorities. “No, I just

can’t make it to this service. Aren’t we done yet, because I got stuff to do! I can’t take time to focus

on the true Light. There are too many other lights competing for my attention. Sure I want a little

religion, a little Light, a little Jesus in my Christmas and even less in my Advent, but I need to get back

to the tinsel and twinkle lights.” Such thoughts give no light worth reflecting!

But even now, the Light of the world shines into the dark corners of your heart. He scatters

those dark clouds too. He drives this sinful darkness away with the light of his Good News, “I forgave

all these sins too! For these sins too, I came and bled and died. No longer are you a child of darkness.

You are a child of light, reflect my light!” Thing of the brightest light in the night sky: the moon! It

has no light of its own. It only reflects the light of the sun. So, we also want to reflect the light of “the

Sun of Righteousness, who rises with healing in his wings.” He is the Son of God, our Jesus.

How do we do this? Rejoice in Jesus, the Light of the world. When you see the other lights

this season, remember the true Light. Humble yourself; repent of your sin. Know the joy and peace of

his forgiveness, and share that good news. Live his love for you, and pass it on. Carry the living light

of the Gospel wherever you go. Carry it to your Christmas. Then you truly have a reason to rejoice

this season of Jesus, the true Light of Advent, of Christmas, of the world! Amen.