Read: John 1:6-8 & 15-18
"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light."
John 1:6-8
In December of 2023, Sally Snowman, the last lighthouse keeper in the United States, retired after keeping the Boston Light lighthouse for 20 years. Given modern radar technology, lighthouses are not needed as they were before. It isn’t hard to imagine a time prior to electricity, a lighthouse on the coast was a beacon for sailors to beware of the approaching shore. It was something of a witness, if you will, that warned and testified that land was nearby.
John the Baptist was sent by God as a witness to point others to the coming of the Messiah. He bore witness of the coming light. The light of the world that would save all who repented and believed. It is unlikely that you are a prophet or prophetess of God; however, all Christians are called to be a witness to the coming of Christ. Now our Messiah is not that He will come (per se), but that He has come, and will return to make right all that is wrong with the world.
You, dear reader, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, are called to be a lighthouse–a spiritual lighthouse–in this dark world: signaling to those lost and wandering both danger and safety. A witness is one that is pointing others to Christ, so they may understand the joy of walking in the true light.
How significant is the coming of Christ? How important is it that the Son of God died for our sins? How important is the message of the gospel? I think all Christians would say it is of eternal importance. It is the power of God to save the lost. It is the life-saving message of redemption. But we must communicate it for others to hear. Think about that for a moment. God could simply use angels, or visions, or dreams, or heavenly wonders to declare the gospel. And to be sure, there are times that God does use such supernatural events; however, if someone is going to hear the gospel, it must be communicated from one human to another. That is the way it has always worked. God calls mankind to spread the message to mankind. God calls humanity to be a lighthouse, the distributor of truth to a dark and lost world. Make a commitment in your heart during this Advent season to be a witness for Christ.
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Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, please give me a heart and passion to be a witness to the coming light of Christ. Give me a desire to share your glorious gospel with those who do not believe. Open opportunities for me to be a testimony for you; to point others to you; to declare your gospel in a clear and understandable way. Furthermore, grant repentance and belief to those with whom I share. I ask this in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.