Christmas: Why Jesus Came

Come as you are. Jesus still shines and He will never give up on you, no matter what.

John 1:5 - The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Have you ever had a night so long and restless that you couldn’t wait for the dawn? You pray. You toss and turn. You hope. But you don’t rest, don’t feel peace until the dawn arrives. That is how the world was before Jesus came. Humanity lived in a long, restless wretched night, waiting for the dawn of salvation, rest, and peace.

The problem is that most people think Christmas Eve is simply the night before Christmas. They need to know, that silent night marked the arrival of the eternal Light that ended the thousands of years long night full of darkness that ruled our minds, hearts, and souls.

This truth was revealed in our focus verse, John 1:5, so that people may believe in Jesus, be saved, and finally experience hope, rest, and peace. If you are looking for hope, rest, and peace, then the prerequisite for that is believe in Jesus and be saved.

The big idea is that Christmas Eve is the night when God intervened to end the endless night of darkness of mind, heart, and soul. The question is, do you want Him to end your darkness whether of mind, heart, or soul? If yes, then you must receive the Light that is Jesus because John 1:5 says, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

The verse reveals three unshakeable truths: the persistence of the divine, the pervasiveness of the darkness, and the power of the dawn.

The Persistence of the Divine

John 1:5 starts with an absolute truth. It says, “The light shines.” The natural function of light is to shine. The verse does not say the light shone or will shine. It says the light shines. It’s ongoing, right now, and continual.

The Gospel truth is that in the lasting gloomy and restless wretched night, on Christmas Eve, the Light was not a momentary spark of hope for humanity. It was the hope eternal God Himself incarnated in the person of Jesus who came to stay. No wonder why, in the last 2000 years, mighty empires have tried to erase His name, but He still shines, saves and gives hope, rest and peace.

Some of you are restless and hopeless because you are carrying guilt, regret, shame, and doubt. Christmas Eve declares that God has not given up on you, He still shines. Just as a lighthouse does not negotiate with the storm, Jesus does not wait for the fog to clear; He shines in our darkness.

Application

Just as ships are saved not because the sea is calm, but because the light is faithful, Jesus saves souls not because we are faithful, but because He is persistent in His pursuit to save us.

The Pervasiveness of the Darkness

The next phrase in John 1:5, “The light shines in the darkness.” It reveals that the true condition of the world is a permanent state of darkness. This darkness is sin, spiritual blindness, moral rebellion, and separation from God, which is eternal death.

The Gospel truth is that Jesus did not come into a neutral world. He came into a fallen hostile world— a world that hates God because it doesn’t know Him. When a room is dark, you don’t debate it, you don’t lecture it— you turn on the light. That is exactly what God did in Christ. He did not lecture on the darkness. He turned the Light on by entering it.

Application

If you are struggling with darkness, whether of mind, heart, or soul, don’t argue or fight the darkness alone; turn the light of Christ on.

The Power of the Dawn

John 1:5 ends with “…and the darkness has not overcome it.” The word “overcome,” in Greek, katalambano, carries two powerful meanings: extinguish and comprehend. Darkness in and around us cannot extinguish or comprehend the Light.

Herod tried to kill Him and failed.

Sin tried to corrupt Him and failed.

Death tried to hold Him and failed.

Hell tried to silence Him and failed.

The power of the dawn that the Light will always prevail.

The Gospel truth is that as long as you live in darkness and darkness lives in you, no matter how smart, good, or religious you are, you will never comprehend the Light.

The problem is that unless you comprehend the Light that is Jesus Christ, you will never be saved from darkness of mind, heart, and soul hence you will remain hopeless, restless, and peace-less. Just as you can close the blinds, you cannot stop the sunrise; you can ignore the darkness, but you cannot delay the dawn.

The Bible tells us that on the cross, darkness fell at noon, but the dawn broke on the third day, to bring the hope of resurrection.

Application

No sin is too strong, no past too dark, no heart too far gone. The dawn has already broken, so come home. Jesus left His home to save us so that we can come home.

Closing Thought

On this silent night, there is an invitation to come home. When God seems silent, He is often preparing the dawn. If you are looking for dawn, a new beginning, hope, rest, and peace— the eternal Light is shining. Take courage and walk toward it and come home.

Action Step

Put your trust in Jesus, the Light of the World. You do not need to clean yourself up. You need to come into the Light as you are.

Appeal

Celebrate Christmas with the assurance of salvation. The pervasiveness of the darkness is the bad news, but the Gospel, the Good News is the persistence of the divine and the power of the dawn that saves.

The Gospel is not you believe in Jesus, obey Jesus, and be saved, rather you believe in Jesus, and be saved, and then you obey.

Let this be the silent night when you first put your faith in Jesus or recommit your life, for He is faithful to save.

Just as Jesus did not come because the world was ready, He came because the world was lost.

If you are lost, He is here to save you whether you are ready or not.

So come as you are. He still shines and He will never give up on you, no matter what.