Never Dark

John 8:12

March 7, 2021 • Mount Pleasant UMC

Spring is just around the corner—at least that’s what Siri tells me! Meteorological spring has already come (last Monday), and in just 13 days, astronomical spring, or the spring equinox, will show up. So spring has come and is coming, and that’s good news for all of us, but especially for those who become very “SAD” during the winter months. SAD is an acronym for “seasonal affective disorder,” and it’s a real thing that shows up during the darker, winter months—and having a pandemic in the midst of those darker months doesn’t help. Symptoms include difficulty waking up in the morning, nausea, a tendency to oversleep and overeat, a lack of energy, difficulty concentrating on or completing tasks, and feelings of hopelessness. Lots of things play into it but still the biggest factor is simply the darkness this time of year. A friend of mine who grew up in Indiana but now lives in Texas came to visit one winter and said, “I’d forgotten how gray it is in Indiana in the winter.” The lack of light leads some to depression, general sadness or even feelings somewhere in between, and it reminds us how much we rely on that ball of light in the sky. We need sunlight. We need light. All living things need light to survive and thrive.

This Lenten season, we are looking at the “I am” statements of Jesus from the Gospel of John. God revealed his name to Moses as Yahweh, or “I Am,” and Jesus then claimed that name for himself in a variety of ways. Last week, we looked at Jesus’ claim to be the bread of life, our only source of satisfaction. Then, when we encounter Jesus today in John’s narrative, there’s another…discussion (or an argument?) going on between him and the religious leaders. This story really starts at the beginning of chapter 7, where we’re told Jesus knows the religious leaders are trying to find a way to kill him (7:1). At first, Jesus plans not to go to Jerusalem for the big festival (7:8), the Feast of Tabernacles, but he apparently changes his ming and shows up “fashionably late,” halfway through the festival (7:14). Then, he makes this announcement: “I am the light of the world” (8:12).

Tabernacles is one of the high moments of the Jewish year, one of seven feasts that God had commanded the Hebrew people to observe. This one in particular remembered their forty years of wandering in the wilderness after leaving Egyptian slavery behind. Part of the celebration involved building a sukkah, a small hut with leafy branches for the roof, and your meals were to be eaten in the sukkah throughout the eight days of the festival. So the hut had to be big enough to sit in with a small, low table, and you had to be able to see the stars through the branches of the roof. Not everyone had to celebrate this festival in Jerusalem, but if you were there, you got to take part in other events, including the Grand Illumination.

Just about dusk on the appointed day, the Torah scrolls (the scrolls containing the Scriptures) were removed and in their place was set a huge menorah. We were able to see a reconstructed version of this menorah that stands in a case just outside the Temple compound today. In Jesus’ day, the menorahs (some accounts say as many as four) would be lit and this prayer would be said: “Oh Lord of the universe, you commanded us to light the lamps to you, yet you are the light of the world.” The menorahs would be so bright they would light up the entire Temple courtyard, and some claimed that all of Jerusalem would be illuminated by those candles. The light was certainly in stark contrast to the sorts of lamps most people used then. These small oil lamps were what most houses were lit with, certainly in Galilee and probably also in Jerusalem. While they provided light, it was barely adequate. Certainly nothing like we are used to, and certainly dim in comparison to the Grand Illumination. Once the menorahs were lit and the prayers were said, a huge party would begin. The Levites (assistants to the priests) would sing songs of joy and the priests would dance from dusk until dawn (cf. Card, John: The Gospel of Wisdom, pg. 108; Barclay, The Gospel of John—Volume 2, pg. 11; Fuquay, The God We Can Know, pg. 45).

In that setting, then, Jesus says 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” (8:12). I wonder if Jesus interrupted the prayers or if he waited until the liturgy was over. Either way, he is taking a title that belong to God and applying it to himself. He is showing the religious leaders another piece of his identity. He is the light; so what does “light” represent?

Let’s start with the obvious: light overcomes the darkness. John says that in the very beginning of his Gospel, in a passage we love to read on Christmas Eve: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). Light overcomes darkness, always. Even the smallest candle can punch a hole in the darkness around you, which is why a lot of folks keep candles handy in case of a power outage. There’s a great story about a family touring a large cave, and they got down to the lowest part. There, the guide turned off the light to show how dark it is underground. When this happened, the little girl began to cry, but then the voice of her brother was heard saying, “Don’t worry, sis, someone here knows how to turn the lights on.” It’s easy to focus on the darkness, and how scary it is. Watch the news, read Facebook or just look around and it’s pretty easy to get discouraged. There is a lot of darkness in our world. We need to hear that still, small voice whispering to us: “Don’t worry, there is someone who is the light and who will overcome the darkness.” Better yet, we know the light; his name is Jesus. He is the one who can and will overcome whatever darkness we find ourselves in.

Light also guides our steps. I remember one of the first times I went to camp with my kids, and even though “flashlight” was on the list of the things to bring, I either forgot it or was stubborn enough to think that I didn’t need it. Probably the latter. Anyway, I remember after the first campfire trying to find our way back to our cabin. It gets dark quickly and early in the woods. So we stumbled and tripped and tried to find the right pathway. And I made a silent vow never to forget the flashlight again. In the Bible, God who is the light gives direction and guidance, but do you know something I notice about that “light” that God gives? It’s never the whole plan. When God called Abraham to walk with him, he didn’t tell Abraham that he and Sarah would deal with infertility and adoption and a miraculous birth. God didn’t mention that Abraham would end up wandering from place to place all of his life and have to referee a squabble between his wife and her slave, a squabble that is still going on between the descendants of Isaac (the Jews) and the descendants of Ishmael (the Arabs). No, God didn’t tell Abraham any of that. He just told him to go, leave his home and head toward—get this—the land God would show him (cf. Genesis 12:1). He didn’t even give Abraham a map or GPS coordinates. Just go, and I’ll show you where to end up. Just enough light for the next step. When the angel Gabriel comes to tell Mary she’s found favor with God, and that she will give birth to the Son of God, he doesn’t tell her all the things that will happen, how hard it will be, how she will have to watch as her son is murdered on a cross. She only gets enough light for the next step (cf. Luke 1). Light banishes darkness and guides our steps.

And light reveals. Light reveals truth. Light reveals what is really there by pushing the shadows away. I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but it seems like printers are using smaller and smaller fonts these days to print things. I’m certain it’s their fault and it has nothing to do with my 53-year-old eyes. But because “they” are printing things so small, I keep a small flashlight on my desk at home in order to be able to make out that tiny printing that “they” put on things. The light from my little flashlight helps my eyes see what is there. Light reveals the truth. One commentator puts it this way: “In many languages light and darkness are used as metaphors. Light usually symbolizes what is good and darkness what is bad. For example, if you don’t understand what’s going on, you are ‘in the dark’; if you do understand, you are ‘enlightened’” (Wiersbe, Jesus in the Present Tense, Apple Books edition, pg. 47).

Jesus is the light of the world; he has come to overcome the darkness, he has come to give guidance for our lives and he has come to reveal the truth. He is the light of the world. And so are you. This is the only “I am” statement Jesus not only applies to himself but also to us. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus does not say he is the light of the world. There he says, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16). As one writer says, “Millions of people profess to be followers of the Lord, so there ought to be plenty of light in this world; yet things seem to be getting darker. Jesus promises that if we follow Him, we will walk in the light, not in the darkness, and that his light will give us life. Even more, we will be lights in this dark world and help others find the true light” (Wiersbe 57). Jesus calls us to do what he does. He calls us to be the light.

So the light overcomes darkness; how do we do that? We engage in actions that push back against the darkness in our world. One of the places Jesus calls us to shine the light is into the lives of “the least of these,” the ones the world overlooks. Several years ago now, it became obvious that there was a need in our community to reach out to those with special needs. No one was doing that; in particular, youth with those needs were being overlooked, pushed aside in many ways. So Mount Pleasant decided to be proactive, and that ministry (Grace Unlimited) has grown from one student to a whole lot of students and adults being touched by the love of Christ every week. Out of that grew the opportunity to participate with the Night to Shine, a special needs party. This year, as with everything else, it was basically virtual, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t have a chance to celebrate. In fact, let me show you some images of how you as a church pushed back the darkness for those the world often overlooks. Take a look at this.

VIDEO: NTS 2021

If we claim to love the savior who cared for the least, the last and the lost, who told us that when we do things for the least of these, we do it for him (cf. Matthew 25:40), then we must be people who work to overcome the darkness with the light we have been given.

Light also provides guidance along the path, and that makes me think about the opportunities we have here to help each other along the way. Some of our small groups and classes have started meeting again, and as our county’s numbers get better, as more people get vaccinated, there will be more groups starting up. I’ve said it before, even in the last few months, how important it is for us to have people we trust who will walk with us in this Christian life. Whether that’s a Sunday School group, a support group like Celebrate Recovery, a LifeGroup or a covenant group, we need people who will shine light into our lives. A couple of months ago, I had a decision I needed to make, something I was involved in that I didn’t feel equipped to do. So I turned to a couple of my colleagues who knew the situation and I asked them to pray and to give their input. Their words began to shine light. I can’t say I liked their answers, or that they said what I wanted to hear, but it was what I needed to hear. We need each other; if we’ve learned nothing else in this pandemic, it’s that. We need the light of Jesus that each person can shine into our lives.

The third thing light does is reveal truth; Jesus is truth. I know, that's a little strange. He’s the light that reveals…himself. We’re going to look at that more closely when we consider his saying, “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:1-7), but for now, think about this image. When Jesus stood before Pilate, the Roman governor, he said, “The reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” And then Pilate asks, “What is truth?” (John 18:37-38). There are a lot of people today who ask Pilate’s question. Truth has been redefined to mean “whatever you think.” People talk on news shows and post online as if their opinion is the truth, the only truth, and they become ridiculously angry if you disagree with them. Truth has become relative and social media has reinforced that fact. But, church, our job is not to persuade people of the truth. That’s the Holy Spirit’s job. Our job as the light of the world is to point to the truth, and we can do that by doing what many of the disciples did: bring people to Jesus. Bring them to a place where they can encounter Jesus. If only there were such a place that we knew of, a place where they could experience the love, grace and mercy of Christ!

So let me stop preaching and go to meddling! If our calling is to bring people to the light of Christ, when was the last time you invited someone to come to church with you? The research over many years is clear: the best way to get someone to come to church is to personally invite them. It doesn’t often happen through a mass mailing or a Facebook page or an email invitation. People respond most often when someone they know and trust personally invites them to come with them to worship. So when was the last time you invited someone? When was the last time you allowed your light to point toward the truth of Jesus? For that matter, when was the last time you talked to someone about Jesus? Light reveals truth.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world—and so are you.” We do not have to walk in darkness, nor does our world. Living in darkness is a choice (cf. Fuquay 41) because Jesus has already come to share and shine the light. In fact, Jesus says that whoever follows him will find their world is never dark because we walk in his light.

This little light of mine

I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine

I’m gonna let it shine

This little light of mine

I’m gonna let it shine

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!

Hide it under a bushel, no!

I’m gonna let it shine

Hide it under a bushel, no!

I’m gonna let it shine

Hide it under a bushel, no!

I’m gonna let it shine

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!