The One True Light: Daily Readings for Advent from the Gospel of John

Daily Advent Readings

by Tim Chester

We may be familiar with the baby in the manger, but have you met the Word who was in the beginning with God? Have you met the One True Light who is full of grace and truth? Or the Cosmic Lord who won the right for people to become Children of God? They are one and the same person.

Join Tim Chester as he guides us through the opening verses of the Gospel of John, and enjoy a Christmas infused with new meaning and light.

With ideas for reflection, prayer and application, these short, meditative readings will excite you about Jesus in the busyness of the run up to Christmas Day.

From the introduction... "The build-up to Christmas is a busy time. There are presents to buy, parties to attend, food to prepare, cards to send and relatives to visit. So it’s easy to forget about Jesus, even at Christmas—especially at Christmas. But the truth is that we’ll never enjoy Christmas properly unless we understand who it is who was born in Bethlehem that night. Indeed, we won’t enjoy life to the full until we see God in a manger."

Genres: Christian, Devotional, Christmas, Theology, Nonfiction

105 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2015

About the author

Dr Tim Chester is involved in The Crowded House, a church planting initiative in Sheffield, UK. He was previously Research & Policy Director for Tearfund UK, and has been published widely on prayer, mission, social issues and theology. He is married to Helen and has two daughters.

Reviews

[Jade Scouller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second time I’ve read this book for advent, and I enjoyed it immensely again! The format each day is very accessible with a short devotion followed by a meditation and prayer. The 24 days cover John 1:1-18 so each day’s verse is quite short, but it was a good reminder of how rich God’s word is when we slow down. However, this did mean that towards the latter part of the book, some themes being explored felt repetitive.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would not have thought to spend time in the book of John for Advent. It was a great way to really focus on the gift of Emmanuel…God with us! The book was richer by sharing each days reading with friends on GroupMe❤️

[Jason Herrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different kind of Advent book as it goes through John 1 for the readings. But it was good & centered on who Jesus is. He also makes lots of connections to other passages in John & 1 John which I appreciated.

[Olivia Branch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very brief readings that seemed loosely tied to the advent season. Minimal scripture, a lot of exposition. Being so short made it very easy to commit to reading every day, but next year I’ll go for something a little heavier both literally and theologically.

[Brian Nicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book for Advent! God honoring. Christ exalting! Thoroughly Biblical as Tim walks through John 1 to show you Christ. This is a must read every Advent season!

[Carrie Brownell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this aloud to/with my kids this advent season. Some parts of it were worded in such a way that possibly made the meditations go a bit over their heads, but I'm okay with their being stretched. I personally enjoyed this read and it gave me much to chew on and contemplate during the month of December. Chester writes in a simple, straight forward manner and yet gives you things to think about that you've never considered before. Appreciated this read.

[Pip Snort · Rating 3 out of 5]

This examination of the incarnation as highlighted in the first 18 or so verses of chapter 1 of John's Gospel is a welcome advent study. The use of carols as a meditative aid was inspired, although the exact audience of the book was unclear. It required some prior knowledge and intellectual engagement. While I had a few theological niggles, it was a blessing.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gifted from a friend for Advent. There was one entry around the third day that struck me as odd, but overall I enjoyed the exploration of John 1 and the incarnation.

[JEM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful devotional book for the advent season. A short devotion each day followed by a meditation (usually part of a Christmas carol) and a prayer.

[Phil Butcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

We read this Advent devotional together as a church. A re-read for me but glad I did. It takes John 1:1-18 slowly and really applies each truth to your heart and life.

[Jill Stirling · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a marvellously encouraging Advent devotion. A quiet and inspiring look at John 1 and just who Jesus is. A devotion to return to every year.

[Grant Carter]

Merry Christmas!

[Conrad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! A perfect devotional book for the Advent season.

[Lisa Matheny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ordered this and had it shipped to the U.S. for Advent. The author tends to repeat himself sometimes. Overall, our family enjoyed sharing this for Advent. It made us examine these verses in John more carefully.

[CJ Bowen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book of 24 Advent meditations centered on John 1. Some of the meditations were profound; some were meandering. The layout was excellent, coordinating the lessons with verses from Christmas hymns and a prayer for the day.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read and good prayers at the ends of chapters. Love the layout.

Some good points but unfortunately some of the illustrations are so dumbed down that they barely communicate the point.

[Bauer Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tim reflections on the birth of Christ are fresh, insightful, inspiring, and in the lingua franca of our day. Highly recommended!

[Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable 24 day read leading up to Christmas - gives you new perspective on the Christmas message… well worth a read every year

Read it a little quicker this year, which I did find helpful…