Exodus 24 is an extremely significant chapter of our Bible.  Here is the context:  Israel has come out of Egypt a free nation and has arrived at Mt. Sinai.  The LORD God has just spoken to the people from Mt. Sinai.  His address began with a reminder of his love and grace:  I am the LORD, your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. (Exodus 20:2).  After that Gospel introduction, he spoke out loud in their hearing the Ten Commandments.  The voice of God scared the people. 

In the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus puts forward a description of what his followers are like.  Among other things Jesus describes them as those who will be insulted and persecuted and maligned in this world.  And then, in the very next breath, Jesus says to these disciples who will be insulted and persecuted, You – yes, YOU – are the salt and light of the world!

After God created all the matter in the universe and it was a dark, surging mass covered in water, the first thing he called into existence to bring order to it all was light.  Let there be light, he said. (Genesis 1:3)  And there was light.  So basic and primary, light.  Yet without light, life cannot exist.  This is easily demonstrated.  Put one of your houseplants in a dark closet for a week and then check on it.  It will be dead.

The stage was entirely black.  All eyes in the theater were watching, waiting for what was coming next.  Suddenly, a spotlight from the balcony clicked on.  It was trained upon one, single solitary person who stood center stage.  Everyone knew immediately who it was.  It was the star of the show!

Jesus came into the world before spotlights.  So how was God going to introduce the world to the Savior whom he had sent?  How was God going to say, “Here he is”?  Jesus’ baptism does this in a certain sense.  The voice of the Father from heaven, the descent of the Holy Spirit like a dove, these things are like a spotlight that shines on Jesus and says to the world, “Here he is!”

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Merry Christmas