Today’s Scripture

Psalm 24         Revelation 22:16         Romans 13:12             John 3:19-21

 

            The previous Advent hymns we have studied dated back many centuries in their texts and tunes.  Today’s hymn, The Night Will Soon Be Ending is a hymn of the twentieth century, merely 70 years old.  The original was written by Johan Klepper, a German Lutheran and writer in the 1930’s.  In his day-to-day life he struggled with the Nazi oppressions prevalent in his community and threatened he and his family.  The English translation we sing is set to a Welsh tune arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams, an English Composer of the 20^th century.  One of his well-known hymns we sing is “For All the Saints.”

 

            This hymn is for Advent, Christmas and Epiphany.  It’s strongest theme is contrasting light from dark.  Several passages are included and/or referenced in this hymn with Romans 13:12a as the title phrase.  “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”  Darkness is sin.  That darkness of sin is in the world, in the deceptions Satan throws at each one of us, and in each one’s personal life of sin.  Sin causes guilt and shame and anger and coveting as well as the outward acts against each other and against God.  Armor protects ones from the weapons an enemy uses.  We need protection against sin and its effects in our lives.  God’s light, who is Jesus Christ, protects believers from the assaults Satan brings. 

 

            There is something about light and darkness.  The presence of light always prevails over darkness.  The only way to have darkness is to remove or block light.  You cannot bring darkness into light, but you can bring light into darkness.  The only way for light to not prevail is to remove it, to block it, or to turn it off.  Darkness hides things.  Darkness distorts our perception of things.  But light reveals things as they are.    

 

            In Revelation 22:16, Jesus refers to himself as the “Root and Offspring of David,” and “the bright Morning Star.”  God promised that the savior would be of the house of David, from the root of Jesse (David’s father).  God promised this descendant would reign over his kingdom forever.  The Morning Star is one of the first indicators of sunrise.  As you look to the east an hour or so before sunrise, Venus reflects the sun’s light, telling one that dawn is coming.  Darkness will soon be over.

 

            The contrast between light and darkness takes us to creation when God called light “good.”  He separated the light from the darkness.  Throughout Scripture and throughout the history of mankind, darkness indicates evil and all of its attributes.  Many parents have said to their children, “Nothing good occurs after midnight.”  Satan works in darkness as he deceives and cloaks what he does to keep his victims from seeing the truth that would be disclosed in light.

 

            Verse two tells of Jesus whom angels attended both in the wilderness and in the Garden of Eden.  Angels proclaimed his birth, his resurrection and his ascension.  Angels will attend him when he comes again at the end of time.  Jesus is the one who bears the punishment that our sins deserve, being forsaken by God the Father.  The purpose Jesus is born is sung in the last phrase of verse two, he is the redemptive power given to all who trust in him, this new-born child.

 

            Verse three refers to the wonder of creation, how the earth brings us to light every day.  When we hear the good news of God’s love in Jesus, we run to the light in the stable, God’s light revealing to us his love and forgiveness and eternal life he brings in Jesus.  A beautiful analogy, as old as sin is, God’s mercy is as old and Jesus is the seal and sign of that mercy.

 

            Verse four reiterates the predicament we are in, living in this sinful world in our sinful conditions.  But God’s love continues to pierce this darkness, bringing to us the light of his salvation, Jesus Christ. 

 

            Verse five tells us of a God who will never leave or forsake his people.  As we resist him, he keeps coming to us, claiming us as his dear children in the waters of baptism, his word never ends.  As he came and rescued Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, he continually comes to you in his word, his love to you and his plan to take you to be with him for all eternity.

 

            That is our hope.  It is God’s love to us in his son, Jesus Christ.  That is our peace, knowing Jesus has won the victory over sin, death and the devil.  That is our joy, knowing that God has forgiven all of our sins and will come to take each believer to be with him in the splendors of heaven forever. 

 

            In Jesus’ undying love.  Amen.