The One in the Spotlight

Spotlight on Jesus

I'm not sure what experience you've had with spotlights.  Maybe you've seen spotlights at a car dealership shining a bright beam of light across the night sky.  The idea is to get your attention so that you'll be drawn in to the large inventory of brand new trucks, cars, and SUV's fully equipped with four wheel drive so that you don't slip and slide through the holiday streets.  Hoping to sell you a shiny new automobile or two, the car dealership uses the spotlight to make you as mesmerized as a moth moving in on a light bulb in your garage. 

The marketplace may focus our attention on products to purchase but God calls us to place the spotlight on Jesus.  This call didn't start in the last year or in the last decade or even in the last century.  In fact, two thousand years ago John the Baptist received God's call to put the spotlight squarely on Jesus, the Savior of the World.  Here are a few words in John 1:8 about John the Baptist: "He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light."  It's an important point of clarification.  It wasn't about John.  It was all about Jesus Christ, the Good News from God.  And John fulfilled his mission to call the people to repentance so they could fix their eyes on Jesus.  That's where the spotlight belongs! 

Certainly we can learn a thing or two from the example of John the Baptist.  It's not about us.  It's all about Jesus.  We also need to aim the spotlight directly on the Savior.  On a regular basis volunteers enter prison to shine the Spotlight of Jesus in a very dark place.  Just this past weekend a group of volunteers went into the Fort Dodge prison for a Brothers-in-Blue weekend.  On this four day spiritual retreat, 49 men were able to set aside their normal routines in order to focus their attention squarely on Jesus.  That's the focus of New Life Prison Community volunteers too: the spotlight is on the One at center stage.  His name is Jesus. 

Even in these last few days before Christmas, God continues to call each one of us to place the spotlight on Jesus.  The Christmas holiday season has a million and one distractions: Frosty the snowman and Santa Claus, cookies and candy canes, gift wrap and ornaments, colorful lights and giant inflatables on our front lawns.  These things are not bad in and of themselves but can sometimes distract us from focusing on the Babe born in Bethlehem. How you will shine the spotlight on Jesus this Christmas?  Maybe you'll take a few moments to reflect on the Gift from Heaven before opening your Christmas gifts piled under the tree.  Maybe you'll sing Silent Night or Joy to the World before devouring your Christmas dinner.  Maybe you'll read the Christmas story in Luke 2 for your family devotions.  These are just a few ideas.  Don't limit yourself.  Instead think creatively as to how you and the ones you love can focus your spotlight on Jesus. 

Rick Admiraal is the pastor of New Life Prison Community, a prison congregation in Newton, Iowa.  New Life is wrapping up its fourth year of ministry to men in prison.  New Life certainly appreciates its powerful prayer team, dedicated volunteer force, and loyal support base.  Rick & his wife Rose live in Pella with their daughter.  Their son attends Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.