The Light

The message given in the United Methodist churches of the Wheatland Parish on Sunday, December 19, 2021.  The Bible verses used are Isaiah 9:2-7.

            In our reading for today, Isaiah says, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness, a light has dawned.”

            Some of us have heard those words before.  And we’re familiar with the phrase, “Jesus is the light of the world.”  Jesus referred to himself that way.  In John Chapter Eight, verse twelve, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

            We’ve heard these things, but I don’t know if we really think about them.  And even if we do think about them, we don’t necessarily relate to them the way people did in Jesus’ time.

            We live in a world where we don’t have that much darkness.  I mean, yes, the sun goes down around five o’clock, and some of don’t like that.  The development of electricity changed everything in regard to darkness, at least in a physical sense.  We all have plenty of light in our homes.  You go outside and you see streetlights.  Even out in the country, every farm has security lights.  The only way we’re going to be in physical darkness is when we choose to be.

            Or unless the power goes out.  Our world looks completely different when that happens, right?  I remember a time when we lived in Wessington Springs, and the power was out for about four days.  You’d go uptown at night, and it looked completely different.  You could see stars you’d never seen before.  They jumped out at you.  It was an amazing sight.

            But even then, those stars, and the moon, provided some light.  Imagine being in total darkness.  Wanda and I did experience that, too, during that power outage–at the time we lived in a basement apartment with no windows.  When you’re in total darkness, you really appreciate light.  Any kind of light.  A flashlight.  A candle.  A match.  Anything.  The smallest light seems huge when you’re in total darkness.

            But there’s another kind of darkness, too.  And some of us have experienced that kind of darkness.  I’m talking about a spiritual darkness.  I’m talking about an emotional darkness.  I’m talking about feeling like everything is wrong, and it will never be right again.  I’m talking about a feeling of hopelessness.  I’m talking about a feeling of despair.  “Despair” is not a word we use a lot in conversation, but it’s a feeling that things are bad and there is zero chance that they will ever get better.  Not a small chance, but no chance.  Things are bad, they’re going to get worse, and there is nothing you or anyone else can do about it.

            I know there are people in our parish who have been there.  It’s an awful feeling.  It’s about as awful a feeling as there could ever be.  To be completely without hope.  To feel that things are miserable and always will be miserable.  There’s no chance that they will ever be better.  That’s really living in total darkness.

            When you’re in that kind of darkness, you’re desperate for a light.  Any light.  Any hope.  Anything that can give you some reason to think that maybe, possibly, there is a chance that things can get better.  Anything, even the smallest light, that might help you believe that there is a way out of the darkness.

            Isaiah tells us that God provides us that way out.  But that way out is not some small, little light.  Isaiah describes it as a “great light”.  It is a beacon, shining the way.  It’s the light of Jesus Christ, the light of the world.

            And the thing is, it’s a permanent light.  That light, the light of Jesus Christ, will never go out.  Many people have tried.  Throughout history, over and over again, various groups have tried to put out the light of Jesus Christ.  And they’re still trying.  In fact, Satan himself is trying.  But none of them has succeeded.  None of them ever will succeed.  The combined forces of darkness cannot succeed against the light that is Jesus Christ.

            But here’s the thing.  When we’re living in emotional darkness, when we’re living in spiritual darkness, it can be hard to see the light.  And it can be hard to trust the light.  Even a great light.  Even a light as bright as the sun.  When you’ve been in darkness, that kind of light can even be scary.

            Maybe that idea sounds strange to you.  After all, I just said that when you’re in darkness you’re desperate for a light, and now I’m saying that when you’re in darkness light can be scary.  But both can be true.

            When you’re in darkness, well, you kind of get used to it.  Not that you like it, but–it starts to seem normal to you.  It’s just the way things are.  It seems like it’s the way things are supposed to be.  And so, when the light comes–can I trust that?  It’s different.  It’s strange.  It’s unusual.  Most of us are resistant to change, even positive change.  The darkness, even though it’s not good, is something you’re used to.  You know how to handle that, how to deal with it.  The light–well, what’s that?  What’s it going to lead me to?  You want to get out of the darkness and into the light, you really do.  It’s just–you’ve been disappointed too many times.  You’ve thought you were finding light, only to find yourself plunged into darkness again.  And so, again, when the true light comes–you’re hesitant.  You’re unsure.  You’re afraid to trust it, because you might be disappointed and plunged into darkness again.

            And that’s where the rest of us, the people who say we’re followers of Jesus, come into it.  I said earlier that Jesus called himself the light of the world, and that’s exactly true.  But Jesus made a few statements about the light of the world.  In John, Chapter Nine, verse five, Jesus says, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”  But Jesus knew he would not be in the world forever.  He knew the time was coming when he would go back to heaven.  And so, Jesus also said this in Matthew Chapter Five, verse fourteen.  Jesus said to his followers, “You are the light of the world.”

            Jesus came to be the light.  The true light that gives light to everyone, as the Apostle John puts it.  But you and I, as Jesus representatives, need to be that light, too.  We need to be the light of the world.  Not that we can be Jesus–there is only one Savior, only one Messiah, only one divine Son of God.  But you and I are called by Jesus to be the smaller lights.  Lights that reflect that great light.  

We need to go to people who are in darkness.  We need to shine the light of Jesus on those people.  We need to show them the true light, the light of Christ.  We need to let them know they can trust that light.  We need to show them that the light of Christ will never let them down.  We need to do everything we can, by word and by deed, to let people know that they don’t need to be scared of the light of Christ.  That light is a light they can trust.  That light is a light they can count on.  It is a great light, not just because it is a bright light, but because it is a good light, a noble light.  It is the light of love, and that love will never let them down.  That’s the message you and I, as followers of Jesus, need to give to people who are in darkness.

That’s the job Jesus gave us to do, not just at Christmastime but always.  It’s not an easy job, sometimes.  But here’s the thing–we don’t do it alone.  Jesus said that when he went back to heaven, God’s Holy Spirit would come.  And God’s Holy Spirit would teach us, and lead us, and guide us.  God’s Holy Spirit will show us where to go and tell us what to say and do.

If we had to do this ourselves, we never could.  But we don’t.  All we need to do is to do our part.  God will accomplish the rest.  As Isaiah says, “the zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”

And that’s a good thing.  Because we don’t want people to follow us.  We don’t want people following our lesser lights.  We want people to follow the great light, just as we follow the great light.  The light of Christ.  A light that will never go out or even grow dim.  A light that will always lead us out of the darkness and into salvation and eternal life.

“On those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”  May each of us see the light of Christ.  May each of us trust the light of Christ.  May each of us follow the light of Christ.  And may each of us do whatever we can to share that light with others.  May the whole world live in the light of Christ, not just at Christmas, but always.