Come to the Light of the World
Pastor Tan Thai · Dec 24, 2022
This Christmas sermon explores the meaning of light and Jesus Christ's claim to be the Light of the World. Through the stories of the shepherds and the Magi, the pastor calls everyone — regardless of social status or education — to come to Christ and receive new life.
The sermon opens with the historic message broadcast from Apollo 8 on Christmas Eve 1968, when astronauts read the first ten verses of Genesis about God's creation. From there, the pastor leads the congregation to reflect on four fundamental meanings of light: light as the source of life, as a source of security and protection, as a source of hope, and as a symbol of truth. These ideas lay the groundwork for Jesus Christ's unique claim: 'I am the light of the world' (John 8:12).
The pastor then examines three ways to verify Jesus Christ's claim to be the Light of the World. The first is to examine His character and teaching to see if His words matched His actions. The second is through trustworthy testimony found in the four Gospels, the apostolic letters, and historical documents. The third is through Old Testament prophecy, especially Isaiah 9:1 and Micah's prophecy about His birthplace in Bethlehem, written more than seven hundred years before the incarnation.
The heart of the sermon compares two groups in the Christmas story. The poor shepherds and the wealthy, educated Magi both sought out and worshiped the child Jesus. In contrast, King Herod and the religious leaders, despite knowing about the birth, refused to come. The lesson is that coming to Christ is an individual decision, regardless of social status, wealth, or education. God promises to guide those who sincerely seek Him (Jeremiah 29:13).
The pastor emphasizes an important distinction in the angel's announcement: the Good News is for 'all people,' but the child was born 'for you' — meaning those who actually come and receive Him. Merely hearing about the Gospel is not enough; each person must personally come to the Light to be born again and receive new life. The pastor shares his own testimony, the life of Paul, and billions of believers as evidence of Christ's life-transforming power.
The sermon concludes with an earnest call to action: follow the example of the shepherds and the Magi, and come to see whether the child Jesus is truly the Light of the World, the way, the truth, and the life. The pastor uses the story of Nathanael in John 1:46 to encourage skeptics: 'Come and see' — and promises that all who sincerely seek Him will find their lives completely changed.