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Sermon

90 seconds of chat

Oops: we prefer darkness

Oye for daylight savings time. I hear tell that this may be our last change…I’ll believe it when I see it.

I have heard several reasons for why we do this annual time shift, so I decided to check the arbiter of all knowledge, wikipedia, to see if I could really understand.

Apparently the idea was broached by mr Ben Franklin. He noticed how much he was spending on candles and thought, “Hey, what if we moved sun up to a more useful time, and tacked on that light at the end of the day, closer to bed?”

Ultimately, that is still the primary reason. To save on lighting costs. To get more useful natural light during the time we might use it.

Oh humanity… We are brilliant and dare I say fools at the same time.

“Hey guys, you know how the sun is up at different times?”

“Yeah?”

“You know how it would be great to get better use out of natural light?”

“I guess?”

“The way I see it there are two options. One, those who could use extra light get up earlier in the summer if they need to. Then businesses could decide if they have different summer hours to accomodate.”

“Hmmm”

“The second, we change the official clocks during summer so everyone has to get up earlier during the summer.”

“Wait, what?”

“I agree, that’s the better solution.”

I just said to one of the boys at our men’s breakfast yesterday, there are two things that are better if you don’t know how they are made. Sausage and laws.

But the whole reason the discussion came up was about light.

How to maximize free natural light and save on costly man made light.

Because in life, work, and play, light matters.

As I kid, I arranged string in a system to turn off the light from my bed. I didn’t want to cross the room in the dark.

Outside my bedroom window were two things. Some trees and a street light.

Guess what kind of shadows that put on my wall when the bedroom lights went out.

In the light, there was nothing scary. In the dark, those shadows seemed to come for my overactive imagination.

In the light, I could see the mess of toys scattered on the floor and deftly navigate between the legos and the transformers.

In the dark…that was a disaster waiting to happen.

Light matters. While a government mandated time shift may not be a great solution, It makes sense that we would do what it takes to use the light well.

Except when we don’t want the light.

Check out John 1. John, who is going to share these “I AM” statements of Jesus. Who is going to be sure that in a world where everyone is trying to tell us who Jesus is, that Jesus knew who he was and even if it meant people walking away, he was going to be just that. In the same way God is not defined by us, but defines himself when he says I AM, Jesus will say I AM the bread of life. I am what you need to be satisfied. and now today we will see Jesus make his second statement…twice over two chapters he makes this one.

But in John 1, John spoils this surprise.

What does light do? Light shines in darkness. AND what can darkness do in response? Not a thing.

Another key for us to take on our journey today. The sun shines on who? Good people? Everyone…but not everyone sees. The sun shines on everyone

We prefer darkness.

Ugh

Aha!

Whee!

What changes?

No Slide: John 9:24 “So a second time they summoned the man who had been blind and told him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.””

We shrink from the dark places, where the light of Jesus is needed because we close our eyes to the light we carry with us when Jesus is Lord.

Let me close here with a question. I want to give you a moment of quiet to consider it before we sing.

What are your eyes closed to? Where is Jesus trying to make you see, but you’re keeping those eyes glued shut?

Maybe you’ve never surrendered your life to Jesus. You know he’s calling you. You know, somehow deep inside that the gospel story is true, that Christ died for you to have life, but the idea of giving up your life for his? You’ve closed your eyes and said, not yet…will you open them today and see what Jesus wants to do in you?

Maybe you are holding on to bitterness. Hurt that continues to leak out at others and taints everything in life. Jesus is begging you to open your eyes and see through his light, but you know you will have to let go and forgive if you do. Will you open them today and let his healing light expose the poison and make you clean and whole?

Maybe there is a sin in your life you are keeping safe inside, protecting it from anyone seeing. You act like it’s harmless, but it’s like ignoring handcuffs and prison bars. Will you open your eyes, see the prison you are holding yourself in and see that Jesus is offering you the key to be free?

Let’s pray