Light of the World

“After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” -Matthew 2:9-10

Have you ever paused to consider how God used the star to lead the wise men to Christ? It almost seems ironic that God would use a luminary that He created to lead the wise men to the eternal light of the world. Speaking about Himself, Jesus said, “… the light has come into the world (John 3:19).” This wasn’t the only statement like this by Jesus. “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12) Christ also described Himself this way in John 9:5. God used a light in the night sky to lead people to the light of the world! For whatever reason, that really struck me this morning.

The phrase, “light of the world” only appears three times in the Bible. Each time it is used, it is spoken by Jesus. He uses it twice (John 8:12 and 9:5) in reference to Himself. The other time (Matthew 5:14), Jesus uses this phrase to refer to His followers:

Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all 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 who is in heaven.”

The light of the world, Jesus, declared that we are also the light of the world. Just as God used the star to lead the wise men to Christ in Bethlehem, He uses us to light the way for others to come to Christ! So, next time you see the star of Bethlehem depicted, whether on a card or decoration, remember, we are also to light the way to Christ. Then, consider how you can put this truth into practice.

In His grip,
Pastor Decker