The Light of the Soul
Saying, “Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His Star in the East, and are come to worship Him.”
Matthew 2:3
Do You See the Light?
What Light could draw men from their homeland to seek a far country in order to find a foreign King? What Light could it be that would beckon men of wealth to abandon their comforts to seek One worthy of worship? What Light could it be that would speak to Wisemen and fill them with great desire to seek a Holy Child? This could only be the true Light of the soul. That is the True Light that lights every person that comes into the world. John 1:9 Yes, the Wisemen found that Light, but the greater question is whether you will find that Light and worship Him.
In 1948, Hank Williams Sr. wrote, probably the most well loved Southern Gospel songs of all times, ‘I Saw the Light.’ He would often close his musical shows with a spiritual, and this one was a favorite.
I wandered so aimless, life filled with sin. I would not let my dear Savior in.
Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night. Praise the Lord, I saw the Light.
I saw the Light, I saw the Light. No more darkness, no more night.
Now I am happy, no sorrow in sight. Praise the Lord, I saw the Light.
Hank Williams Sr. died at the age of 29 of an apparent drug overdose. His death is subject to speculation. The greater question is what happens when you “see the Light?” How do you respond to the Truth that lights everyone who comes into the world?
This message explores three Light principles that will help us see and follow the Light of God. First, we must open our eyes to see the Light in Jesus. This is that “Aha moment” that must take place in every heart when they experience God. Second, the Light must draw us to a new level of living. What purpose is it to see the Light of God and remain in the darkness of sin? This would be to deny God’s great plan for sending the Light. Isaiah said, “the people that walked in darkness have seen a Great Light … they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the Light shined.” Isaiah 9:2 The prophecy was that the Gentiles would come to the Light. Last, the Light brings a lasting change. Many make the mistake of thinking that they must change because of the Light, but it is actually the Light that changes everyone that will come.
Open our eyes Lord
While the Scripture is clear about where the Wisemen came from and what they were seeking, it does not tell us how many years they prepared for their search. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold there came Wisemen from the East to Jerusalem. The Wisemen were able to focus on their destiny; unlike many who search for truth. So often, people end up on a dead end search for truth because they do not take the time to adequately study what it is they are seeking and how they plan to pursue it. Evidently, the Star (Light of God) appeared at the time of Jesus’ birth and they responded by opening their eyes. From a prophetic view, they had waited for the Light to appear; so their preparation for the Light would have taken years.
We refer to them as ‘wake up calls.’ Those exceptional event, or some tragedy, or some good fortune, can shake a person into realizing that God is getting their attention. This is different for everyone. For the Wisemen, it was the Star. For Simeon in Luke 2, God spoke to him through the Spirit. For Ana, she served God day and night as she waited for the Christ to appear. While the circumstances are different, the wake up call is given by the same God. People call it, “God getting our attention.”
In the book, AHA (Awakening Honesty Action), Kyle Idleman tells the story of a preacher named Fred Craddock. While Craddock Jr. was a well-known minister, Craddock Sr. was far from it. He saw the Church as “just wanting another name for its membership or another dollar for the offering.” When the health of Craddock Sr. began to fail, the son visited his father in the Veteran’s hospital in Tennessee. While visiting, the son learned that a local Church had reached out to the family by bringing food, sending cards, and helping out where needed. They had even prayed for Craddock Sr. although he could not eat or speak. While visiting, Craddock Sr. gestured for his son to give him a pen and pad to write. The son watched as his father wrote the words, “I was wrong.” That was an AHA moment. Although late in time, Fred Craddock Sr. saw the Light.
God must open our eyes, otherwise we would never discover the Light in our own limited understanding. The Bible tells us the Wisemen saw the Star of the Messiah from the East. Where was East and what prompted their search? The message they heard had been handed down to them from those who understood Jewish prophecy. As we study the Scripture, we find the man Daniel who had been taken captive from his Judean homeland. This Daniel was chief over the Wisemen of Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar. (Daniel 2:48, 4:9) Daniel received many promotions in his life. He was promoted to chief under King Darius of Persia. See Daniel 6:2. He was also chief among the King’s counselors under Cyrus of Persia. So the message of a coming Messiah was a message that Daniel received from God through prophetic dreams and visions. Daniel saw the Messiah as the stone hewed out of the mountain. Daniel saw the Messiah as the Son of Man coming in the clouds of Heaven. This prophecy was passed down to the Wisemen that arrived at Herod’s court. The Star was their AHA moment. The AHA moment God sends into your life may not be as dramatic, but it is real. How will you respond when God sends His Light?
Now that the Light is On
When darkness prevails, there is the constant threat of stumbling. It is only when we have light that we can see clearly. Here we discuss our second Light principle: the Light must draw us to a new level of living. The contrast is clearly drawn between a false light and the true Light of God. While false lights will draw upon the emotions and may even bring about temporary change, the enthusiasm soon fizzles as the power runs out. The purpose of Christ (the True Light) was not to simply celebrate some holiday spectacular. The purpose was to draw all men to Him for Salvation.
The response of the Wisemen was not to sit still in the East, but to embark upon a journey to find the Source of the Light. Think about it. They could have written books about seeing the Light. They could have received many honors for the case study on the Light appearing, how long it lasted, and their interpretation of what it meant. But something pulled at their heart. Something was speaking to their soul and they could not quiet the restlessness without leaving everything behind in search of the Light. They had to find it for themselves and to gaze upon the One that sent the Light.
The Light is God’s way of saying, “come meet with Me and I will show you great and mighty things that you do not know.” What will be your response to the Light? Remember that this is the Light of the Soul. You will never have true and lasting peace until you search out the source of the Light.
By the way, in reading the history of Hank Williams Sr., it was said that a few days prior to his death, he had a dream of God “coming down the road to meet him.” From the account of his death, Williams did not appear to go out to meet God but continued with his road tours. When God shows the Light, it is our duty to follow the Light until we have experienced God. Will you ignore the Light? Will you put off seeking the Light? Remember that this is no ordinary light; this is the Light of your soul.
The Light of Jesus Presence
Please don’t think for a moment that the Star of the East was a replacement for the Light of Jesus. The Star of the East appeared for a short time. The Star of the East pointed the way to the Christ Child. The Star of the East stood over the house where the Christ abode. The Star was not a replacement, it was a messenger. Nothing could compare with the radiance of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. While the Star fulfilled its mission of leading the Wisemen to Christ, it was not worshipped in the place of Christ.
Here’s where we conclude our message. In order for the Light to have lasting impact, it must change our life. The Light of God brings a lasting change. The Scripture tells us, that the Wisemen were asked to visit Herod prior to returning to their homeland but they instead, “went home another way.” Matthew 2:12. Three things stand out here. Once they had worshipped the True King, they did not seek approval of an earthly King. Second, they saw through the threats of Herod and would not jeopardize God’s Work to appease men. Thirdly, their mission was accomplished. They had worshipped.
The true Light of God always leads us to worship and changes us with worship. Life is no longer the same. Your mission is accomplished as you live in the Light of God and become the light that is set on a hill. Your mission is to let your light shine that others will see your good work and glorify the Heavenly Father. Matt. 5:12. Praise the Lord, we are the Light. This Light goes with us in our hearts. This True Light of is Christ in you.