Switching off Jesus?
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given…” (Isaiah 9:2, 6).
The Sunday school children were making their annual presentation of the Christmas story.
Parents were proud.
Grandparents were sentimental as they reminisced about Christmases past.
All had gone well until.
There is always an “until” in a children’s Christmas presentation.
All had gone well until they reached that time to show the holiness of the newborn Saviour.
Mary and Joseph looked suitably significant.
The shepherds had hit their marks and were on their knees in a position of worship.
At the right moment-
– the student who controlled the lights was to throw all the switches but one
– that single switch controlled a small light bulb placed in the manger.
The light from that single source would be most impressive for the folks watching, at least, that’s what was supposed to happen.
Unfortunately-
– the boy who was to turn off all the lights but one got rattled.
He hit all the switches.
The congregation, thrown into pitch-blackness, sat in stunned silence.
That’s when one of the shepherds, a third-grader, said in a whisper that carried through the entire church:
“Hey! You switched off Jesus!”
For that boy, “switching off Jesus” was an accident!
In Jesus’ day there were many people who “switched off the light” Jesus wished to give them.
The inn keeper, Herod, scribes…
Today there are also those who willfully turn off the light the Saviour brings.
In their ignorance, they deliberately deny and disregard the Lord Jesus who has come so they might have joy and peace.
They keep the light turned off.
They cannot say, “You are my Saviour and my Lord.”
It is the Lord’s wish and will that you walk in the light of the Saviour.
If Jesus had been born one thousand times in Bethlehem, yet has never been born in your heart, then you will, on Judgment Day, still be lost.
That would be a terrible and unnecessary tragedy-unnecessary because Jesus came into this world to save you from such a sorry ending.
Jesus was born so that you might live in the light and not grope in the darkness of sin and Satan.
So you could be in the light, Jesus spent His entire life doing what you could not.
Switching off Jesus?
Or walking in His light?