Once, all was darkness. But then a king created light. The light drove out the darkness, and it was good. So this King created his kingdom, establishing the whole world under his light. His citizens had everything they needed and lived in a land of paradise.

But paradise wasn't enough for them. The wife of the manager that the King had set over the land saw that the one tree they were forbidden to eat from was beautiful; more so, the fruit of the tree was supposed to give knowledge. She wanted to be like the King, knowing all that he knew, so she ate. Her husband, the Manager, ate with her.

This was betrayal. This was rebellion against the King who had made everything good. Such a thing could not go unpunished, so the King cast them out of their home and mourned over his creation. Their rebellion had tainted the perfectly good kingdom he had created, and now that the darkness of rebellion had touched their hearts, every descendant of the Manager would be a child of this darkness too. The King made a promise, though: a child would come who could defeat the darkness and restore every traitor who would return to him.

Centuries passed as the King dealt patiently with the growing but rebellious people. He guided many of them on how they could follow him again, but many chose to continue to rebel. They preferred to live in darkness if it meant they could pretend to be their own kings. Sorrow and hatred reigned in the darkness, and so it was for many and many years...

The King sent a messenger to a young woman one day. He told her, "Just as the King has the power to create light, he will create in you a son, even though you have never been with a man." This son wouldn't be a descendant of the Manager because he had no physical father—he wouldn't inherit the taint of darkness, and would instead be like the Manager and his wife, able to choose light or darkness.

The Young Woman and her husband raised the Son. Unlike other children, he never sought darkness. In reality, he was the King himself, but he chose to suffer the indignities of being born to and raised by and living among those who lived in darkness. Despite being surrounded by darkness, everything he did and said was light.

This light shed on the rebellious deeds of those around him. When he was older, some people turned away from their treason and sought to follow him. However, most people hated him for revealing their rebellion. When they could stand the light no more, they took the Son, they beat him, and they executed him.

But he had known this would happen. He let it happen. He knew he had done nothing wrong, but by letting them kill him like a criminal, he was able to pay the punishment that all the many traitors who came before or after deserved. He stood in their place so that the justice of the King could be fulfilled, and so that they could receive his inheritance as a child in the King's kingdom.

But the Son's sacrifice didn't end in defeat. With the great power of the King, he rose back to life. Triumphantly, he returned to the King's throne room, where no one ever dies and darkness cannot enter because the light shines forever. And all people were given a promise: anyone who turns from their rebellion and trusts in the Son as the true King instead of themselves would be restored to the kingdom, their crimes paid for by the Son's sacrifice, and would one day live with the King again in permanent light and paradise.

This story is the truth. The birth of this Son, Jesus, is why we celebrate Christmas, and the promise he gave is for anyone. If you haven't turned to him as the true King, then I beg you to examine yourself, turn from darkness and rebellion, and trust in him. One day, the King will return, and he will deliver justice to all those who haven't accepted the substitutionary payment for their rebellion. Praise to the King who is good and just!

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