LWML Sunday 2006
LWML Sunday
Pentecost 16
John 8:12
September 24, 2006
“Let There Be Light.”
Jesus said, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life." These words encompass one aspect of who Christ is and summarizes His mission both as to its sweep and His follower's inclusion.
From Genesis 1 to Revelation 22 light and darkness are, quite literally, common and recurring Biblical topics. Until the 20' century light and darkness divided the night and the day. With the setting of the sun darkness dominated and the tempo of life slowed down and there were limits as to what you could and couldn’t do. Of course the “edges” of darkness could be temporarily be counteracted by a campfire, the ovens flame, an oil lamp, a candle or torch, but between dusk and dawn darkness always reigned. When the last flame winked out everyone knew they would have to deal with the difficulty and even the danger, of darkness.
It was the first night for a pastor and his family in a new parsonage. The November sky was filled with heavy clouds which prevented any moon light or star light from breaking through the shutters on their sliding glass door. It was as dark as a night can be. His wife claimed into her side of the bed, and I her husband claimed into his side of the bed. After a day of unloading and unpacking, they fell asleep, exhausted, but content in our new home. After awhile he was awakened in the middle of the night by an unfamiliar noise and stumbled out of bed to see what it was. IT was nothing, just a new house with new noises. Then he had to make his way back to bed, trying to navigate back to bed, without turning on the light because he didn’t want to wake his wife, he was completely disoriented by the darkness, and knowing the dangers of oncoming bed posts, he put his hands out in front of him to stop any danger before it happened. Then deep thud shook the bed and woke his wife after all. She cried out, “What was that?” “That, dear, he said in a howl of pain, was the sound of the bedpost making contact with my forehead.” You see, the one thing he forgot to do when he extended his arms was to also cross them. He had extended arms his arms and reached out on either side of the bedpost, leaving his head unprotected. We all have had experiences in the dark. Sometimes they can make us afraid. Mark in the basement… things grabbing legs, imagination or is it. There is nothing to be afraid of or is there? Secretly we think there is something there. Sometimes we try to act brave. We want to run up the steps to get to the light. The truth is we all know that the darkness can be a dangerous, just as it is disorienting. We think that it can be deadly…and it can be![i] But always, in the end, there is hopeful waiting for the darkness to end.
In the 130 Psalm we have a description of those who wait in the night for the dawning of the sun. The relief that is felt is like those who are waiting and hoping for the darkness of God’s wrath to pass and with it the coming of the dawn of God’s forgiveness. “Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD; Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive To the voice of my supplications. If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord More than those who watch for the morning -- Yes, more than those who watch for the morning. The watchman weren't the only ones who breathed easier when dawn brushed the horizon with first light. Everyone did.
The prophet Isaiah spoke of darkness. Isaiah was called to speak to a people walking in darkness. Listen to the sorry condition of the people of Israel described in chapter 1: They are rebellious (v. 2); they do not know their true Lord (v. 3); they are sinful and laden with iniquity; they are evildoing children who deal corruptly; they have forsaken the LORD, despised the Holy One of Israel; and they are utterly estranged (v. 4). Isaiah’s diagnosis of his people’s condition: “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.”
These were dark days in the land of Israel…days of sin, danger from enemies, and judgment from God. It was a time of gloom and doom. Isaiah looks at his land and concludes “only darkness and distress, and the light grows dark with clouds.”(5:30) Truly this kind of darkness is not only scary it can be deadly.
The Bible uses the image of darkness to describe the realm of chaos, crippling fear, and uncertainty. Darkness is a metaphor for death, the dreadful, and the demonic. Darkness is the picture we are given of the cosmos before that first day of creation: In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep. (Gen 1:1-2). But then God said, “Let there be light.”
Jesus talked about light and darkness. The Biblical meaning of Christ's words in John touched on more than literal light and darkness. Christ, and prophets before Him, used darkness and light to refer to the darkness of sin and ignorance in which people were enveloped until He, the light of that world, came. By His birth, life, death, ascension Christ overwhelmed darkness and offered the possibility of light and the life that light always brings to all. Those who are led by the Spirit to live under His redemptive brightness receive Him, follow Him and reflect His brightness on all that sit in the darkness created by sin and Satan. Their desperate cry and only hope is, "Let there be light!"
It seems to be a battle cry that still rages on, “Let there be light!” “Guide us out of darkness.” The police know darkness is a breeding ground for trouble and nothing is more effective in controlling crime than light. The better the light, the less crime there is. For this reason, in many cities there are marches against violence called “Take back the night.” To do so participants light candles and march through the city as home owners are asked to turn on there porch lights. We all know how inviting a home is when we arrive after a long journey to be welcomed by the warmth and safety of a home that is well lit. We all know the sad feeling of reaching that same home only to be greeted by darkness. Sailors looked for the lighthouses to lead them safely into the shore. It signaled the end of their trip and that home was near.
Jesus understands the spiritual darkness of this world. He understands all too well the coming judgment of God. His only desire is to save us and bring us home like the beacon of light that is reflected from a lighthouse. General spiritual darkness is among us it always will be. That is why we continue to gather in church and public confess our sins. What are we doing and what exactly are we saying in the words of our confession? We are saying that all too often we have led lives apart from the light of God’s will. We have done things that we would prefer would remain in the dark…that is where no one can see what we have done. God’s Spirit has caused us to feel shame for what we have done and understand that we do deserve God’s punishment. In turn we look to Jesus Christ and the light of God’s grace given to us through the forgiveness of sins for the sake of his death on the cross. In confession we are saying to God,” Let there be Light” in my life.
There is. God out of his great love and mercy has allowed us to see the light of Christ. And like the first dawn when God created the world we are renewed and refreshed. We live new lives.
Still we live in a world in which national and international deeds of darkness seem endless. We watch them over and over on our local and national news. Our TV’s and radios chronicle the darkness all around us and we even see it recorded in out local newspapers. We cannot forget who created, and still creates, darkness. That is Satan the Devil, our ancient adversary. Remember last week’s epistle lesson where Paul tells the Ephesians church, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
Spiritual darkness, and its stifling affects, are very real. We suffer greatly because of them. For this reason God sent His Son Jesus Christ to be the light of the world.
Christ is the Light for our World. Isaiah proclaimed it when he said, “The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined. Jesus disciple echoed his words when he wrote, “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned. These words are immediately followed by what the light of God came to do. Mathew writes, “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Christ is the light of God that revels the darkness of mans sin. That is why he says repent. As we repent and believe in Jesus as our Savior the kingdom of God comes into our lives. As the redeemer of the world, by the Spirit of God, He brings His marvelous light to all who languish lifelessly in the dark (John 1:1-14 and Ephesians 2:4-10). The cry rings on…Let there be light!
There is. We have been en-lightened and redeemed as the baptized people of God. We are created to reflect that light to a dying world. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” The Apostle Paul wrote, “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),” and again in his letter to the Philippians church, “that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
It is God's intent that all those with a "little gospel light of mine" together should shine into every corner of the world and on every person. Shining is not just the right thing to do, it's the light-thing. And we can not help it, it is who we are and what we do and we say with God, “Let there be light!”
Conclusion: The LWML Is and Has Been that light to the world. Today we recognize the LWML as a 21st century expression of the prophet Daniel when he says, “And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever (12:3). Given its history the LWML might well be renamed the Lutheran Women Missionary Lights, for they have heard and heeded the cry, "Let there be light!" They do so many things locally, in our district, nationally and internationally that the number and size of these projects are awe inspiring. Since its founding the LWML has gathered and given to world-wide mission efforts more than $82,000,000. That's not to mention the hundreds of regional and local projects they have supported as well.
Our congregation commends them this day and asks God to enflame us individually and collectively to be ABLAZE! with them - part of God's mission of mercy to mankind to brighten the world with Jesus Christ, the true light of the world. As we join them we can also reflect there motto”Serve the Lord with gladness (Psalm110:2). As as we do we now that God is working inthem and through us all to say, “Let there be light!
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[i] Mike Jackson
