Shalom in His Light

(John 1:1-9)

 

12.7.25 Stetson Memorial UMC

 

<Christmas Decoration in our hearts>

Shalom! Peace! I greet you today with this beautiful Hebrew word because it speaks deeply to our Advent theme. Today is the second Sunday of Advent, and our theme is Peace. Last week our four churches—Houlton, Hodgdon, Mars Hill, and Stetson—came together for our first Advent celebration with the theme of Hope. More than sixty people gathered in the warm sanctuary at Hodgdon. Surrounded by beautiful decorations and lifted by music, we felt united as one choir and sensed God’s presence with us. It was a moment of Shalom, a moment when our hearts rested in God’s wholeness.

 

Shalom means more than the absence of conflict. It carries the idea of wholeness, harmony, and flourishing in every part of life. It is the peace only God can give. I wondered this week if you felt Shalom in your lives. During Tuesday’s snow day, I decorated our home with my children. We turned on Christmas music, cleaned the house, dusted the shelves, and rearranged everything. After we cleared each space, children placed Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the Wise Men, the animals, and baby Jesus carefully on the clean table. We spread a red cloth and lit the Hope, Peace, Joy, Love, and Christ candles. We hung lights on the old wallpapered walls and set up our Christmas tree piece by piece, connecting branches, adding light strands, and dressing it with ornaments. The once messy house felt warm and full of gentle light.

 

As we worked, talked, and shared memories, we realized that we were not only decorating our home. We were preparing a room for Jesus in our hearts. Our thoughts settled. Our minds became still. Our hearts are filled with light. And in that moment, we felt Shalom. Grace said, “It feels like tasting heaven,” and her words made my own heart shine. In the soft glow of the lights, we remembered that Jesus came as the Light of the world. Even in our small decorations, His light touched us.

 

                                                        Photo by Kathy Case

I thought only we were decorating, but I discovered God was decorating too. On my way to church, I saw Mount Katahdin covered in soft white snow, as if God had placed His own Advent cloth over the mountain. Snow-covered pines stood in rows, and sunlight sparkled across the fields like ornaments scattered by God’s hand. On the drive home, the full moon stood bright in the dark sky, greeting me and guiding me safely. While I hung tiny lights in my home, God lit the heavens with the sun and moon. It felt like He, too, was inviting us into His light. That is why I pray that through this worship, we will all feel the Shalom that comes from the Light.

 

< Jesus, Who Came as Light and Life >

In the New Testament, several writings begin with the name John: the Gospel of John, the three letters of John, and (John’s) Revelation. They are grouped together as the Johannine writings. Though the author called “the elder” in 2 and 3 John may be different from the Apostle John, they share the same theological themes—light, life, love, truth, the identity of Jesus, and faithful witness. They also show similar language and symbols.

For these reasons, we understand them as belonging to the same faith community, the Johannine community.

 

John’s Gospel is different from the other Gospels. It organizes stories and signs around themes like light and life. That is why I often encourage new believers to begin with John. If we could summarize the entire Bible in one verse, it would be John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John also tells us the purpose of his Gospel clearly in 20:31: he writes so we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, we may have life in His name. This Jesus, beginning with the depiction of Him as the Light in the first chapter of the Gospel of John, is consistently described throughout the Johannine writings. The First Epistle of John emphasizes that 'God is Light,' and the Book of Revelation concludes with the powerful image of the Lamb's Light illuminating the holy city. From beginning to end, the message affirms that Jesus came as the true Light and Life. As we read this book, we can deeply sense the author's earnest desire that we might abide and live in that Light, thereby obtaining eternal life.

 

From beginning to end, John presents Jesus as the true Light. John 1 begins with, “In the beginning was the Word.” Jesus was with God and was God. All things were created through Him. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it. That means when Jesus shines His light on us, our sins and weaknesses become clear, yet His resurrection invites us into new life and freedom.

 

In this passage, we also learn our identity. God sent a man named John to bear witness to the light. John himself was not the light, but he came to testify to it. This is our identity too. We are not the light. We do not have to make our own light. We simply draw near to Jesus and reflect His light. When His light fills us, we become witnesses who shine His truth, His hope, and His Shalom into the world.

 

At home, I see this clearly with my children. We are doing a small challenge together: whenever someone uses unkind words, they choose a consequence. They decided to do twenty push-ups. One day, someone had to do sixty! It reminds me that we are not perfect. We fall short often. Yet even in our weakness, Jesus invites us into His light so we can reflect Him, not ourselves. That is Shalom—wholeness with God, not perfection in ourselves.

 

Photo by Addison Anderson

< God’s Light shines in our town >

This week, many volunteers decorated our church so beautifully. From the nativity set to the large Christmas tree, from the ribbons on each chair to the lights in every corner—your hands brought warmth and welcome to this sanctuary. Thank you. Your work helps all who enter this place to reflect on Jesus more deeply. And when I saw our church steeple shining at night, I thought, “This is Stetson Memorial UMC—a light in this town.”

 

Last Friday, Terry represented our church at the Dream Team meeting, where leaders from our four churches shared ministry updates. Her testimony encouraged everyone and reminded us of our mission. She wrote, “We were God’s hands and feet. Our mission in Patten is to reach out to all people wherever they are, receive them as they are, and encourage them by our actions to develop a personal relationship with God.” The steeple shines, but so do our lives. Our acts of love and service bring light to this town. Through us, people see Jesus.

 

As we continue our Advent journey and read the Gospel of John together, I pray that we will walk closer to the Light of Christ. “Emmanuel In His Light” is our theme of the month. “Emmanuel” means “God is with us.” God is surely with us in His Light. May His Shalom fill our hearts, our homes, our church, and our town. And may we lead many into the light of His peace.

Shalom. Amen.

 

Let’s pray: Prince of Peace, we thank you that your coming breaks the power of violence and fear in our hearts and in the world. As we light this candle of peace in our hearts, remind us that the Light of your presence, Emmanuel, calms our troubled spirits. Make us instruments of your radiant peace, that we may reflect your reconciling grace to all we meet. Amen.