Coming to the Eternal Light

The sermon begins with the observation that no one wants to live in darkness but all people desire to live in light, not only physical light but also spiritual light. Light symbolizes holiness, truth, and openness, while darkness represents the opposite. The pastor points out that God created light first when creating the world and distinguished between light and darkness, day and night.

Scripture prophesied about the coming of the Eternal Light through prophets like Isaiah approximately 500 years before Christ's birth. Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 speaks of a child who will be born bearing the names Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Isaiah 60:19-20 prophesies that this light will shine brighter than the sun by day and the moon by night, and God will be the everlasting light for people. John 1:4-13 affirms that Christ is the Eternal Light, the true light that illuminates all people.

The pastor analyzes the significance of the Christmas event through two aspects: the light from God's glory appearing to the shepherds, and the star guiding the Magi from the East. These smaller lights (science, technology, medicine, philosophy, and even loss and suffering) are means God uses to lead people to the true Light, which is Christ. The sermon emphasizes that Christ himself claimed to be the light of the world in John 8:12.

The sermon identifies the conditions for coming to the Eternal Light: one must be a seeker of Him, having not only knowledge but faith and seeking Him; the acceptance of this Light is for all people without distinction of education level, social class, race, or territory, as demonstrated when the Gospel message of Christmas came to both ordinary shepherds and learned Magi; one must distinguish between the Creator and created things, not worshiping or using the stars for divination but only using them as a means to find Christ.

Finally, the pastor poses the question: 'Whom will you follow?' Three choices are presented through three figures: the shepherds who left their work to seek the true Light and serve with willing hearts; the Magi from the East who pursued the Light and worshiped Christ with precious gifts and joyful hearts. Or King Herod, representing those who reject the Light and wish to extinguish it, preferring to live in darkness rather than receive the Light from Heaven. The sermon concludes with an invitation for believers to accept Christ as the Eternal Light, not only for present life but also for eternal life, through John 1:12-13 about the right to become children of God.