John 1:4,5 Christ as the Inconquerable Sun

(Christ as the Inconquerable Sun)
Devotional using scripture, quote from John Calvin and thoughts for the day each day- on the 500th anniversary of Calvin's birth.

12/19/09
John 1:4,5
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Calvin abridged: Now John attributes to him, not only creation, but the preservation of all things created.
It is not that God suddenly exercised his power in a way that quickly flickered away, but it is a regular, steady order of nature (Heb. 1:3). If his continued inspiration did not invigorate the world, everything that lives would immediately decay (Acts 17:28). The life is what people have that excels animals; namely reason so that we may acknowledge Him. 5- “And the light shines in the darkness”- There are many passages of scripture that speak of our blindness in which our reasoning fails miserably. “the life” is more than motion and breathing. The light originally given to us has turned to darkness, yet not completely. For in the thick darkness of the human mind, some remaining sparks of darkness shine. The light which still dwells in us consists first when we possess some seed of religion; and secondly the distinction between good and evil that is engraved in our consciences. But religion degenerates into monstrous superstition, and conscience perverts every decision. Natural reason will never direct people to Christ; and prudence for regulating lives and cultivating arts and sciences all pass away without much advantage.

Thoughts: In Jesus is the life that shows us the way. He is the way, the truth, and the life (Jn. 14:6). The light is not overwhelmed by darkness, but conquers the darkness. When the sun rises, it is not that darkness conquers the sun, but the sun conquers darkness. So Jesus coming into our world is like the unconquerable sun, that cannot be extinguished. Malachi says (in 300 B.C. writing about the messiah) that the sun of righteousness will come. Hark the Herald Angels Sing says, "Hail the heaven born prince of peace, hail the sun or righteousness." Christmas was picked as December 25 for many reasons (first record of it was 225). It was nine months after the date of conception March 25. Winter solstice was December 25 in the Julian calendar, and it also was teh festival of the inconquerable sun. Christians saw that this was a similar idea to the light of the world coming into the world.

Prayer: Conquer our darkness with the light of your life.