Epiphany Lutheran Church – A light that shines in the darkness
Isaiah 9:1-2 There will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan-- 2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
Long ago, there was a tribe in a dark, cold cavern. The cave dwellers would huddle together and cry against the chill. Loud and long they wailed. It was all they did. It was all they knew to do. The sounds in the cave were mournful, but the people didn’t know it, for they had never known joy. The spirit in the cave was death, but the people didn’t know it, for they had never known life.
But then, one day, they heard a different voice. “I have heard your cries,” it announced. “I have felt your chill and seen your darkness. I have come to help.” The cave people grew quiet. They had never heard this voice. Hope sounded strange to their ears. “How can we know you have come to help?” “Trust me,” he answered. “I have what you need.”
He turned to the pile of firewood he had stacked at his feet and lit it. Wood ignited, flames erupted, and light filled the cavern. The cave people turned away in fear. “Put it out!” they cried. “It hurts to see it.” “Light always hurts before it helps,” he answered. “Step closer. The pain will soon pass.” “Not me,” declared a voice. “Nor me,” agreed a second. “Only a fool would risk exposing his eyes to such light.” The stranger stood next to the fire. “Would you prefer the darkness? Would you prefer the cold? Don’t consult your fears. Take a step of faith.”
For a long time no one spoke. The people hovered in groups covering their eyes. The fire builder stood next to the fire. “It’s warm here,” he invited. “He’s right,” one from behind him announced. “It’s warmer.” The stranger turned and saw a figure slowly stepping toward the fire. “I can open my eyes now,” she proclaimed. “I can see.” “Come closer,” invited the fire builder. She did. She stepped into the ring of light. “It’s so warm!” She extended her hands and sighed as her chill began to pass. “Everyone come here! Feel the warmth,” she invited.
“Silence, woman!” cried one of the cave dwellers. “Are you trying to leading us into foolishness? Leave us and take your light with you.” She turned to the stranger. “Why won’t they come?” He answered, “They choose the chill, for though it’s cold and dark, it’s what they know. They’d rather be cold and dark than change.” The now-warm woman stood silent. Looking first at the dark, then at the man. “Will you leave the fire?” he asked.
She paused, then answered, “I cannot. I cannot bear the cold.” Then she spoke again. “Nor can I bear the thought of my people in darkness.” “You don’t have to,” he replied, reaching into the fire and removing a stick. “Carry this to your people. Tell them the light is here, and the light is warm. Tell them the light is for all who desire it.” And so she took the small flame and stepped into the shadows.
That story from Max Lucado (from A Gentle Thunder) wonderfully illustrates what we are celebrating today. Though the darkness has not understood Him, Jesus is the Light that shines in the dakness. He is the fire that warms our cold hearts. He is the fulmillment of Isaiah’s prophecy: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”
Jesus has given His Light to us here at Epiphany Lutheran Church. We have the light of Christ that shines in the darkness. We have the passion of the Father’s love that warms our cold indifference. We have the fire of the Holy Spirit that motivates our weary and dreary lives.
In the 17th century, the period of “enlightenment” began. It was a time when human reason and intellect began to make great strides in science and technology. The so-called superstitious and silly ways of the supernatural and religion were being left behind, and now things would be better. More enlightened. And there is no denying that the advances made since that time have had a great impact on our lives today, and have made them better in many ways.
But this 2800 year old verse from Isaiah, and quoted by Jesus, is still true. No matter what strides have been made in medicine or technology; no matter how “enlightened” we think we are, there is still darkness in our world. Deep darkness. The darkness of sin. And no matter how hard we try, we cannot overcome it. Though we may not see it from time to time, it always rears its ugly head and reminds us that its still here.
When Coptic Christians are killed in a car bombing of their church on New Year’s Eve, we see the darkness. Though we just celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. day on Monday, there is still prejudice, bigotry and even reverse racism, and we see the darkness. When nature convulses and produces tsunamis, mudslides and other natural disasters, and we see the darkness. When a husband and wife split up, we see the darkness. When we consider the horrors of abortion and assisted suicide, we see the darkness. And when we look inside ourselves, at our unclean and hateful thoughts, at our selfish and impure motives, at our me-first attitudes and actions, we see the darkness. The darkness of God’s good and wonderful creation plunged into the blackness of sin.
The Enlightenment thought it could make this darkness go away. If only we try hard enough, and work hard enough, and become advanced enough, human science and reason can find a way out. Still today, many think that if we can just teach more, legislate more and become more “advanced” in our thinking and attitudes that we can overcome the darkness and evils in our world. But doesn’t it seem that the more “advanced” we become, the deeper the darkness gets? From politics to economics to morals to the apostasy that we see happening in many church bodies today – the darkness is not disappearing.
Since the darkness isn’t disappearing, our Savior, Jesus stepped into the darkness. “[God] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13,14). We are seriously saved, really redeemed, radically rescued, freely forgiven.
We may think we know what love is, but the Son of God on the cross expresses what true love is. We may think we know what faithfulness is, but the Creator dying for His creation, demonstrates a faithfulness far beyond anything in this fallen world. We may think we know commitment, but the Shepherd laying down His life for His sheep, displays a commitment we cannot imagine, only experience. We may think we know sacrifice for our Lord, but the Lord sacrificing His Son as the perfect Lamb of God on the cross, reveals supreme sacrifice.
Against Christ, evil does not stand a chance. Against Christ, our sins cannot prevail and our fears cannot rule. So, when the gloom of your great guilt depresses you, when the dimness of your small faith saps your energy, and when living in the land of the shadow of death causes you to cower in fear, remember in whose kingdom you work; recall in whose name you have been called to follow, and recognize in whose light you now live. The Bible encourages: “You were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (Ephesians 5:8).
The Light of the world shines on you with the rays of His strength so that you can continue caring for that special someone or continue carrying that extra responsibility day after day. The Light of the world shines on you and brightens your day by chasing away every shadow of guilt and fault. The Light of the world shines on you and in turn makes you shine out with a dazzling display of a Christian work ethic or Christian optimism or Christian character that others notice and appreciate.
It is an Epiphany Light that has been shining and revealing the Savior here at Epiphany Lutheran Church for 84 years. It is a Light, that God willing, will continue to blaze from this pulpit, will illuminate in our classrooms, and will reflect in our daily lives as Epiphany Christians.
Jesus once explained to the people. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). One day in church, a small boy heard his pastor speak on the subject of Jesus being the Light of the world. Unlike so many others his age, this boy did not dismiss the concept. On the contrary, the boy took those words to heart. He heard them, thought about them, and he believed them.
After the worship service, as the pastor was greeting his congregation at the door, the boy said, “I'm thankful that Jesus is the light of the world; I sure wish He'd come and visit my street in the neighborhood where I live. It's awful dark out there.”
Now it's possible your neighborhood is so dark because so many haven't seen Him yet. If that's the case, I assure you Jesus is there -- right on your block, right on your street. No longer does humanity have to live in the dark; no longer do we have to live in fear of what tomorrow will bring. No longer do we have to sit helpless and condemned by our transgressions, lost because of our sin.
Jesus has come to our neighborhood, and by the Holy Spirit's power, through Scripture, water and word, body and blood, He has come to live in our hearts.
Yes, I know, the evening news still says there is a lot of darkness in the world. That cannot be denied. But the angels lighting up the night sky, the star leading the Wise Men during their evening travels, Jesus praying for us in dark Gethsemane, Calvary’s cross standing tall in the darkness of midday and the open tomb breaking forth at the break of daylight – all these events proclaim that there is a Light in the world. And where the Light is present, darkness cannot remain.
And today, we pray as Epiphany Christians, that though the world stumbles in darkness, we may reflect Christ’s Light to the world. For Epiphany Lutheran Church is a light that shines in the darkness. Amen.
But this 2800 year old verse from Isaiah, and quoted by Jesus, is still true. No matter what strides have been made in medicine or technology; no matter how “enlightened” we think we are, there is still darkness in our world. Deep darkness. The darkness of sin. And no matter how hard we try, we cannot overcome it. Though we may not see it from time to time, it always rears its ugly head and reminds us that its still here.
When Coptic Christians are killed in a car bombing of their church on New Year’s Eve, we see the darkness. Though we just celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. day on Monday, there is still prejudice, bigotry and even reverse racism, and we see the darkness. When nature convulses and produces tsunamis, mudslides and other natural disasters, and we see the darkness. When a husband and wife split up, we see the darkness. When we consider the horrors of abortion and assisted suicide, we see the darkness. And when we look inside ourselves, at our unclean and hateful thoughts, at our selfish and impure motives, at our me-first attitudes and actions, we see the darkness. The darkness of God’s good and wonderful creation plunged into the blackness of sin.
The Enlightenment thought it could make this darkness go away. If only we try hard enough, and work hard enough, and become advanced enough, human science and reason can find a way out. Still today, many think that if we can just teach more, legislate more and become more “advanced” in our thinking and attitudes that we can overcome the darkness and evils in our world. But doesn’t it seem that the more “advanced” we become, the deeper the darkness gets? From politics to economics to morals to the apostasy that we see happening in many church bodies today – the darkness is not disappearing.
Since the darkness isn’t disappearing, our Savior, Jesus stepped into the darkness. “[God] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13,14). We are seriously saved, really redeemed, radically rescued, freely forgiven.
We may think we know what love is, but the Son of God on the cross expresses what true love is. We may think we know what faithfulness is, but the Creator dying for His creation, demonstrates a faithfulness far beyond anything in this fallen world. We may think we know commitment, but the Shepherd laying down His life for His sheep, displays a commitment we cannot imagine, only experience. We may think we know sacrifice for our Lord, but the Lord sacrificing His Son as the perfect Lamb of God on the cross, reveals supreme sacrifice.
Against Christ, evil does not stand a chance. Against Christ, our sins cannot prevail and our fears cannot rule. So, when the gloom of your great guilt depresses you, when the dimness of your small faith saps your energy, and when living in the land of the shadow of death causes you to cower in fear, remember in whose kingdom you work; recall in whose name you have been called to follow, and recognize in whose light you now live. The Bible encourages: “You were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (Ephesians 5:8).
The Light of the world shines on you with the rays of His strength so that you can continue caring for that special someone or continue carrying that extra responsibility day after day. The Light of the world shines on you and brightens your day by chasing away every shadow of guilt and fault. The Light of the world shines on you and in turn makes you shine out with a dazzling display of a Christian work ethic or Christian optimism or Christian character that others notice and appreciate.
It is an Epiphany Light that has been shining and revealing the Savior here at Epiphany Lutheran Church for 84 years. It is a Light, that God willing, will continue to blaze from this pulpit, will illuminate in our classrooms, and will reflect in our daily lives as Epiphany Christians.
Jesus once explained to the people. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). One day in church, a small boy heard his pastor speak on the subject of Jesus being the Light of the world. Unlike so many others his age, this boy did not dismiss the concept. On the contrary, the boy took those words to heart. He heard them, thought about them, and he believed them.
After the worship service, as the pastor was greeting his congregation at the door, the boy said, “I'm thankful that Jesus is the light of the world; I sure wish He'd come and visit my street in the neighborhood where I live. It's awful dark out there.”
Now it's possible your neighborhood is so dark because so many haven't seen Him yet. If that's the case, I assure you Jesus is there -- right on your block, right on your street. No longer does humanity have to live in the dark; no longer do we have to live in fear of what tomorrow will bring. No longer do we have to sit helpless and condemned by our transgressions, lost because of our sin.
Jesus has come to our neighborhood, and by the Holy Spirit's power, through Scripture, water and word, body and blood, He has come to live in our hearts.
Yes, I know, the evening news still says there is a lot of darkness in the world. That cannot be denied. But the angels lighting up the night sky, the star leading the Wise Men during their evening travels, Jesus praying for us in dark Gethsemane, Calvary’s cross standing tall in the darkness of midday and the open tomb breaking forth at the break of daylight – all these events proclaim that there is a Light in the world. And where the Light is present, darkness cannot remain.
And today, we pray as Epiphany Christians, that though the world stumbles in darkness, we may reflect Christ’s Light to the world. For Epiphany Lutheran Church is a light that shines in the darkness. Amen.
3rd Sunday after Epiphany at Epiphany on January 23, 2011
For celebration of Epiphany’s 84th anniversary
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