Light for the Way - Pt. 2

2 Corinthians 4:6 NRSV

For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (Light)

Light in the Bible is first of all physical, the very basis of life on the earth. This primacy of light to life itself is signaled in the Bible by the fact that God’s creation of light is the first recorded event: “And God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good” (Gen 1:3–4 RSV).

THERE IS SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL AND TIMELESS IN THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD BEGIN ANOTHER NEW YEAR

SEEKING TO BE BATHED IN THE VERY LIGHT OF GOD.......SEEKING IT’S SUSTENANCE, IT’S NOURISHMENT, IT’S

INSPIRATION EVEN AS WE SEEK IT’S GLOW.......

GOD’S WORD TELLS US THAT THE LIGHT OF GOD SHINES ON EVERY PERSON WHO ENTERS THE WORLD, BUT THAT

SIN HAS CAUSED SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS. SOMETIMES WE CAN PERCEIVE JUST A VAGUE SHADOW, SIGNIFYING THE

PRESENCE OF LIGHT.

BUT WHEN WE’RE ABLE TO TURN TO LOOK TO JESUS, BELOVEDS, WE ARE ABLE TO SEE AND PERCEIVE SO MUCH

MORE THAT MERE SHADOWS, AMEN? WHEN WE KEEP TURNING TO LOOK TO JESUS WE SEE....1 Timothy 6:16

1 Timothy 6:16 (NRSV)

It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light

19th CENTURY CLERGYMAN AND THEOLOGIAN GEORGE V. WIGRAM WAS ONCE HEARD TO SAY, AS PART WARNING

AND PART PREPARATION FOR HOW BELIEVERS TAKE UP THEIR MISSION AND PURPOSE:

Christ cannot light a single spark in the heart of an individual, without that little tiny spark being for God. He gives

the light, and has ordained that every ray of it is to reflect something for God.

BELOVEDS, IT IS THAT LIGHT OF CHRIST’S SHINING THAT LIVES DEEP WITHIN YOU.....IT IS THAT LIGHT OF

CHRIST’S SHINING THAT LIGHT’S YOUR WAY FORWARD......THAT POWERS YOUR FAITH.....THAT HELPS GIVE

UTTERANCE TO THE WORDS, PHRASES, STORIES, HOPES AND DREAMS THAT INSPIRE YOU AND OTHERS.....

CHRIST LIGHTS YOUR WAY.....AND THE SIGNS OF THAT LEADING ARE ALL AROUND US....

THE GRANDMOTHER’S LIGHT FROM HER GRANDCHILD

THE STORY IS TOLD OF THE AGING WOMAN AND THE LITTLE BOY WHO SAT TOGETHER ON THE PORCH IN THE

DYING LIGHT OF AUTUMN. WHITE HAIRED WITH HAND SOFTENED BY A PALM FULL OF LOTION, THE ELDERLY

WOMAN ROCKED FORWARD IN HER HEAVILY PADDED LAWN CHAIR. HER CANE LAY AT HER FEET, POISED FOR

SERVICE. SHE PULLED AN ANCIENT CARDIGAN CLOSE ABOUT HER SHOULDERS AND WATCHED THE BOY

THROUGH WATERY EYES THAT SMILED FOR THE LIPS THAT COULD NOT. BUT NO PARALYSIS FROZE HER

HEART AS SHE WARMED TO THE CHILD’S GLEEFUL SHOUTS. “WHAT’S THAT?” THE BOY ASKED, SHORT

ARMS SUSPENDED AS HE LEANED OVER THE PORCH RAIL. IN THE STARLESS NIGHT, A SINGLE GREENISH

GLEAM SPARKED, DISAPPEARED, THEN LIT UP ANOTHER PATCH OF SKY. “GRANNY, WHAT’S THAT?” THE

CHILD REPEATED WITH WONDER FILLED EYES. “WHY THOSE ARE LIGHTNING BUG. EACH HAS IT’S OWN

LITTLE LIGHT.” THE BOY BOUNDED OFF THE PORCH AND RAN CRAZILY TOWARD THE SPARK. CRYING WITH

DELIGHT HE RAN THIS WAY, THEN THAT, REACHING OUT WITH HIS CHUBBY FINGERS. “COME, GRANNY, THE

BOY SAID, LET’S CATCH A LIGHT.” SHE LAUGHED IN THE FRAGRANT NIGHT. “GRANNY CAN’T CHILD....SHE’S

TOO OLD AND TIRED TO RUN.” THE CHILD STOPPED SUDDENLY AND LOOKED BACK WITH SOMETHING OF

BEWILDERING SADNESS IN HIS WIDE BROWN EYES. THEN QUICKLY HE BOUNDED OFF AGAIN, CALLING OVER

HIS SHOULDER, “I’LL CATCH A LIGHT FOR YOU, GRANNY.” AND SO HE DID. AFTER MANY TRIES, HE

CAPTURED A BUG AND BROUGHT IT BACK IN HIS CUPPED HANDS. “FOR YOU GRANNY, HE SAID, I BROUGHT

YOU THE LIGHT.”

FROM ONE GENERATION TO ANOTHER THE LIGHT OF CHRIST PASSES TOO....AGAIN AND AGAIN....IN SMALL WAYS

AND GREAT ONES BELOVEDS.....CHRIST’S LIGHT IS MEANT FOR US TO BOTH KNOW AND SHARE.....

THE APOSTLE PAUL SURE KNEW THIS AS HE SOUGHT TO ENCOURAGE THE CORINTHIANS IN 2 CORINTHIANS 4:6

2 Corinthians 4:6 NRSV

For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

LIGHT FOR THE NEW YEAR

IT IS THIS SAME LIGHT THAT ILLUMINES THE YEAR AHEAD, THOUGH WE KNOW NOT WHAT IT HOLDS....WE

CAN’T

KNOW EVERY BLESSING AND BENEFIT IN ADVANCE....THAT’S JUST NOT THE WAY IT GOES FOR US MORTALS AND

YET I AM GRATEFUL TODAY FOR THE PREACHER, HYMN WRITER CHARLES COFFIN WHO WROTE THESE TIMELESS

WORDS FOR ALL TIMES.....EVEN THE YEAR 2023:

IN THE LIGHT ALL LIGHT EXCELLING, LIGHT THAT DARKENS MORTAL EYE

THOU SUPREME HAS FIXED THY DWELLING EVERLASTING TRINITY

AND THEN IN 1736, HE WROTE IN LATIN THIS BEAUTIFUL TEXT:

TO GOD, ALL GLORIOUS HEAVENLY LIGHT, TO CHRIST REVEALED IN EARTHLY NIGHT, TO GOD THE SPIRIT

NOW WE RAISE OUR JOYFUL SONGS OF THANKFUL PRAISE......

OUR PRAISES FOR GOD’S LIGHT AND LEGACY

WE SHALL AIM TO PRAISE GOD IN THE LIGHT OF THIS NEW YEAR....THE 55th YEAR OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF

MONTBELLO’S SERVICE TO DENVER, GOD’S PEOPLE AND THE WHOLE WORLD.......WE SHALL SURELY AIM WITH

CHRIST’S LIGHT OUT AHEAD OF US, CHRIST’S GREAT LIGHT GLOWING WITHIN OUR HEARTS, WITH CHRIST’S GREAT

LIGHT BINDING US EVER CLOSER TOGETHER IN SPITE OF, AND IN THE MIDST OF PANDEMIC, INFECTION, DISEASE

AND EVEN DESPAIR......

IN THESE TIMES WE CALL OUT TO THE LORD OUR GOD....WITH THE CALL OF THE POET, LANGSTON HUGHES WHO

POETICALLY SENT OUT THIS PLEA:

HELP ME TO SHATTER THIS DARKNESS, TO SMASH THIS NIGHT,

TO BREAK THIS SHADOW INTO A THOUSAND LIGHTS OF SUN,

INTO A THOUSAND WHIRLING DREAMS OF SUN.....

CONCLUSION

WHATEVER DARKNESS THREATENS US, OR SEEKS TO TEACH IT’S OWN LESSONS IN THE NEW YEAR......BELOVEDS,

RETURN TO SEEKING THE LOVE LIGHT OF CHRIST, THE LIGHT THAT ILLUMINES AND CLARIFIES AND STRENGTHENS

AND GLORIFIES OUR GOD.....IT WAS ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI WHO GAVE THIS POWERFUL ADVICE FOR THE AGES AND

IT STANDS AS INSPIRATION FOR US THIS FIRST DAY OF THE NEW YEAR:

KEEP A CLEAR EYE TOWARD LIFE’S END. DO NOT FORGET YOUR PURPOSE AND DESTINY AS GOD’S

CREATURE. WHAT YOU ARE IN GOD’S SIGHT IS WHAT YOU ARE AND NOTHING MORE. DO NOT LET

WORLDLY

CARES AND ANXIETIES OR THE PRESSURES OF LIFE BLOT OUT THE DIVINE LIFE WITHIN YOU OR THE VOICE

OF GOD’S SPIRIT GUIDING YOUR GREAT TASK OF LEADING HUMANITY TO WHOLENESS. IF YOU OPEN

YOURSELF TO GOD AND GOD’S PLAN PRINTED DEEPLY IN YOUR HEART, GOD WILL OPEN HIMSELF TO YOU.

REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU LEAVE THIS EARTH, YOU CAN TAKE WITH YOU NOTHING THAT YOU HAVE

RECEIVED--- FADING SYMBOLS OF HONOR, TRAPPINGS OF POWER, ---BUT ONLY WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN: A

FULL HEART ENRICHED BY HONEST SERVICE, LOVE SACRIFICE AND COURAGE.........

CHRIST PROVIDES LIGHT FOR YOUR WAY IN ALL THIS BELOVEDS....WELCOME IT, BATHE IN IT, SEEK IT, SHARE IT,

SHOUT ABOUT IT, CRAVE IT......YOUR SPIRIT DESERVES NO LESS......

MAY CHRIST JESUS, IN ALL HIS FULLNESS, GRANT US THE LIGHT WE NEED TO MAKE THIS YEAR BETTER, BRIGHTER

AND EVEN BIGGER THAN ANY YEAR THAT’S PAST AND NOW GONE........

MAY CHRIST JESUS GIVE YOU ALL THE LIGHT YOU NEED. LET US PRAY.........