Colors of the Church Year
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1:4
In Jesus there is life, eternal life given to you through Him. This life that Christ gives you is your light. What better color is there for the seasons of Christmas and Easter? White communicates the bright goodness of Christ’s light.
In Christ we have our white light, our eternal life. When we observe Christmas, we observe the gift given by our loving and gracious Father. He sent His Son from His eternal throne to this earth as a lowly infant, set under the Law as a human being. Jesus, the Son of God, joined us by taking on flesh, and He was made our brother by joining Adam and Eve’s family tree. He wasn’t just any human, He was the perfect human. Furthermore, He was also fully God as well as man, able to serve as the perfect representative for you. He came down from heaven to give light to those dwelling in this world. He gave you light by being both the perfect man for you and the perfect sacrifice for your sin.
This is fantastic! But how do we know that the plan worked? Christmas isn’t the only season of the church year that bears the color white. After Good Friday passes and Easter Sunday arrives, the black paraments are replaced with white. The perfect Son of God has life in Him once again, and this life is the light of men. When He died, He atoned for the world’s sin. Moreover, He did not remain dead, but was raised to life three days later, proving that God’s plan worked, that Christ’s sacrifice for our sin officially canceled the debt of our sin. There still remains life in Jesus Christ and His Word, and one day we shall shine bright in glory because of the beaming life that Jesus, our risen Lord, has earned for us.
For the joy Thine advent gave me,
For thy holy, precious Word;
For Thy Baptism, which doth save me,
For Thy blest Communion board
For Thy death, the bitter scorn,
For Thy resurrection morn,
Lord, I thank Thee and extol Thee,
And in Heaven, I shall behold Thee.
The Lutheran Hymnal 207:6