The Starlit Path That Leads to Jesus
The Starlit Path That Leads to Jesus
I have an affinity for Christmas lights. Each year, when it comes time to decorate for Christmas, the first thing I do is bring out the multicolor lights!
There’s something about strings of lights against a backdrop of darkness on an unassuming street, especially on cold December nights, that embodies the spirit of Christmas more than anything else. And so, to me, it makes perfect sense that the coming of the Savior was marked by an exceptionally bright star in the night sky over that little town of Bethlehem.
It was a brilliant light, shining bright in the pitch-black darkness, that first led us to Him — to Jesus, the light of men...
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.” - Matthew 2:1-2 (CSB)
The light of men (God with us)
As Christians, this is what we are celebrating on Christmas: Jesus, the light of men, coming into our world to dwell among us — to shine bright in our world, so full of darkness!
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it…
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:1-5, 15 (NKJV)
But it’s not just that Jesus came in the flesh and dwelt among us (past tense). It’s not even that He lived a perfectly sinless life, died for our sins, and rose again — though if these things were not true, none of what we celebrate would be worth celebrating…
It’s that He’s still here, still dwelling among us!
Even with Jesus’ bodily absence here on earth, His Spirit remains, choosing to dwell within His followers today. And because His Spirit — the Spirit of Jesus, the light of men — dwells within us, we are now living, breathing, walking, talking transmitters of His light in this dark world in which we live.
By the Spirit of Jesus, the light of men, you and I have been transformed into the light of the world — a light that’s meant to shine bright in the darkness!
the light of the world (God in us)
“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” - Jesus (Matthew 5:14-16, CSB)
If God’s whole plan for fallen people was simply to save them out of the world, He would have whisked each of us away at the moment we put our faith in Jesus. But you and I are still here, and we’re here with purpose.
But if we’re going to live up to our calling as “the light of the world,” we need to take some time to consider how light actually works…
1. Light gives, rather than takes.
Darkness, by nature, takes. It takes away our ability to see clearly. It takes away our sense of safety and security.
Darkness creates a space for us to do things we’d be too ashamed to do in the light, and then falsely promises to keep our secrets safe so long as we never leave the shadows — so long as we never step into the light again, lest someone should find out that we have a dark side.
Darkness is a greedy black hole.
Light, on the other hand, only gives…
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. - John 1:1-5 (NKJV)
No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. - Matthew 5:15 (CSB)
2. Light offers hope.
You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. - Matthew 5:14 (CSB)
A city on a hill. This is a phrase that has become synonymous with a beacon of hope. The picture that comes to mind, for me, is that of a lighthouse. For someone lost at sea, there’s no sight more hope-inspiring than that light shining across the waters, promising that the safety and security of land — though it cannot yet be seen — is just on the horizon.
We are like lighthouses, in that way. For the lost, we are beacons of hope, shining forth with the promise of eternal safety and security that can only be found in Jesus.
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. - John 1:10-13 (NKJV)
3. Light bears witness without saying a word.
This is an understated point about our role as the light of the world. Historically, Christians have been known to speak out against darkness — and by that, I mean we have been loud in our efforts to expose the sinfulness of the world around us. And we act like that’s our job.
But we weren’t called to be megaphones. We were called to be lights.
Before the light of men came into the world, there was a man (John the Baptist) who talked about Him, and who talked about how different His way was going to be from our ways.
But when the light of men came, there was no longer a need for someone to talk about how different He was going to be. He simply was.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. - John 1:6-9 (NKJV)
And just as Jesus simply lived differently from the world, you and I are called to do the same.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:16 (CSB)
Light doesn’t need to be loud. Light exposes things hidden in darkness, simply by shining.
4. Light can always be traced back to its source.
Light shines outward, but it can always be traced back to its source. Again, think of a lighthouse. It shines out across the waters, but those who follow the light back to its source are led into a safe harbor.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. - John 1:14 (NKJV)
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:16 (CSB)
Just as Jesus pointed back to His Heavenly Father through the way He lived His life here on earth, so can we…
The starlit path that leads to Jesus
The path to the Savior is still lit by the stars, today — just a different kind of star.
For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life. - Philippians 2:13-16a
When you and I live out our faith in obedience to Jesus — notably, with an attitude that conveys that we really do trust that Jesus’ way is best for us — the Bible teaches that we will stand out, shining like stars, against a backdrop of crookedness and perversion. And by the way, lest we take that to mean that “non-Christians” are crooks or perverts, that wording is simply pointing to the fact that everyone — including us, when we’re not living surrendered to the Spirit of Jesus within us — twists what God made good into something bad.
But when we live our lives by God’s design, when the natural tendency of fallen humanity is to try anything and everything but God’s way, we’re going to stand out... kind of like stars…
When we bless the Scrooges of the world and love those who’ve wronged us, when everyone around us is bad-mouthing and withholding kindness from anyone who’s left a bad taste in their mouth… we’re stars, shining bright in the darkness, pointing back to the One born in a manger (Luke 6:27-28).
When we’re happy to wait patiently for our turn at the checkout, and we’re kind to the cashier, when everyone around us is grumbling and short-tempered and taking it out on the clerk… we’re stars, shining bright in the darkness, pointing back to the One born in a manger (Galatians 5:22-23).
When we give to others, expecting nothing in return, when everyone around us gives with an expectation of receiving something of at least equal value… we’re stars, shining bright in the darkness, pointing back to the One born in a manger (Luke 6:35).
When we’re quick to acknowledge our sins or when we’ve wronged others, when everyone around us is quick to justify their choices or blame others for their wrongdoing… we’re stars, shining bright in the darkness, pointing back to the One born in a manger (Matthew 5:23-24).
When we forgive everyone who’s wronged us — no matter what — because we realize that no debt we could forgive will ever surpass the sum total of the debt we’ve been forgiven, when everyone around us is only willing to forgive those who have earned their forgiveness… we’re stars, shining bright in the darkness, pointing back to the One born in a manger (Matthew 18:21-35; Luke 23:34; Ephesians 4:32).
I could go on, but instead, I’ll leave it to you to dig deeper into the words of Jesus for yourself, to learn how He taught us to live.
It’s not enough, at Christmas, that those of us who have put our faith in Jesus simply celebrate His birth. If the life and teachings of Christ haven’t changed the way we treat other people, then we don’t even understand the “true meaning” of Christmas for ourselves, let alone for anyone else.
Matthew 5 is not a traditional Christmas passage, by any means, but I believe it’s an appropriate passage to meditate on at Christmastime. To wrap things up (pun intended), I’ll leave you with a paraphrase of the words Jesus — the light of men, the light that shines in the darkness — spoke about those who would receive His light and be transformed into living, breathing, walking, talking transmitters of His light in this dark world:
If you’re a follower of Jesus, by His grace at work within you, you can shine bright in this dark world. You’re meant to be a beacon of hope that can’t be missed! The Spirit of Jesus has already lit your lamp, so don’t be stupid and keep the light for yourself; let it shine bright, giving light to everyone around you as well! When you live the way Jesus taught that we should live, others will notice. And like moths to a flame, some people will be drawn to the light within you, and they will want to know where it came from. Then you can tell them about Jesus, the light of men; and if they put their faith in Him, they too will be given the right to call God their Father!
- Matthew 5:14-16 (paraphrased)
There’s a lot of darkness in our world today — have you noticed? But that’s not bad news for us. Not really. Stars stand out better against the blackest of skies.
Do you want others to realize the “true meaning” of Christmas for themselves this holiday season? Just shine bright, so that they too can find — and perhaps choose to follow — the starlit path that leads to Jesus.
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Feeling a little Bah-humbug-y this December? Searching for something to help get you into the Christmas spirit?
If you (like me) love Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, right now, you and your whole family can listen to a masterful retelling of his classic tale in four parts for free on Spotify (or at scroogepodcast.com), featuring the vocal talents of Sean Astin and John Rhys-Davies!
I just listened to it, myself, during a long drive, and it was a great way to refocus my mind on what matters most all year round, but especially as we set aside time to remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Savior of the world!
Listen to the trailer below. (Note, the trailer says, “Coming soon,” but the podcast has been released, and all episodes are currently available.)
