Sermon Devotional: Dragon Tales

Scripture:  Revelation 12:1-5 (ESV)


“The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth . . .” Revelation 12:4

There are many ways in which the truth of Christmas becomes either distorted or simply abandoned altogether. For example, cherished gifts such as family are a wonderful part of the celebration of Christmas. But even this great gift can take the place of the celebration of the Giver of the gift. Or the call to celebrate Christmas is seen as a call for “Peace,” without any acknowledgment of the Prince of Peace and the unique peace that He brings. And there is another way in which truth about Christmas can be distorted or lost. Christmas can become sentimentalized.

The people of squalid sections of London in Charles Dickens’ stories are portrayed as cheery shoppers in a bright suburban mall. The people in Norman Rockwell’s renderings are cozy and well-fed betraying the suffering of the Depression and World War eras. More significantly, the little Lord Jesus? The sky over his “sweet head” is “bright” with stars and “No crying He makes.”

In fact, the reality of Christmas—that the Son of God came to earth and took upon Himself human being—is at the heart of a cosmic drama. Drama does not here refer to a fiction or mere legend, but rather a this-worldly battle between good and evil, between heaven and earth, between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Darkness. In one vignette from the apostle John’s visions of this drama, “an enormous red dragon . . . swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth.” Then the dragon “stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born” (Rev 12:3-4).

Yet, this is not the conclusion of the drama. Many centuries before John, the prophet Isaiah assured the people of God living in “the land of deep darkness” that “a great light” would shine (Is 9:2). And for John in Revelation the threat from the dragon is not the conclusion of the drama. Rather he reports, “Now have come the salvation and power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah” (Rev 12:10).

This story, the cosmic drama of God and the world, is not a story like Star Wars. The story of God and the world is not a story of two equal but opposing forces—good and evil. We are not uncertain and need not be anxious about the outcome of the cosmic drama. God has ever been, is, and will always be the supremely good, powerful, sovereign Creator and Lord over all creation . . . including that which has fallen into evil. As Revelation 12 proclaims, this Lord and no other “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter” (Rev 12:5; cf. Ps 2:9).

While it is true every day of the year, at this time of year we are particularly reminded and joyously celebrate the fact that the Light “has dawned” (Is 9:2) and has come into the world. Thanks be to God for Emmanuel, God with us!

Consider –
╬   Is there a “dark” situation in your personal life of which you are particularly afraid? If there is, pause now. Bring it to the feet of Jesus and let Him shine His Light upon it and to bring His peace to your spirit.

╬   Is there a “dark” situation in the world of which you are particularly afraid? If there is, bring it to the feet of Jesus now and all through the Advent season. In your heart and mind, let Him shine His Light upon it and bring His peace to your spirit and to the weary world around us.

╬   Thank you, Father, for sending the Light, who is your Son, into our dark world. By your Spirit enable us to seek, find, rest in and walk in the Light of Jesus. Amen.