LIGHT OF THE WORLD 2 John 1:1-5, 14 David Eck
12/08/10
I. Last Wednesday night we explored
---The first step in a three step process
---That occurs many times in our lives,
---As we move from darkness, to letting the light in,
---To reflecting that light outward.
Dwelling in darkness is never any fun.
---However, the encouragement we heard from Genesis 1
---Is that God does not intend for the darkness to last forever.
The Holy Spirit begins to move and stir things up in our lives
---Until light is birthed in our midst.
Yet this process is not solely the work of the Holy Spirit
---We have a part to play in letting the light in.
I am reminded of the familiar parable
---Of a man sitting who was sitting in his living room
---Watching T.V.
---A news flash interrupted his favorite program,
---Dancing with the Stars!
The local newscaster issued a flood warning
---And said that everyone in the effected area
---Should seek higher ground.
The man thought about it, and decided he would stay
---And watch the end of his favorite program.
---"God will save me" he said to himself.
About a half an hour later, the police came by in a car.
---They told him to evacuate his house.
---He kindly said "No thanks, God will save me."
---And sat down in his chair.
The flood waters reached his doorstep
---And began pouring into the house.
---The man started to get a little worried
---And so he turned off the T.V.
---And went up to the second story of the house.
A small row boat came floating by
---And offered him a ride.
---"No thanks," the man said kindly. "God will save me."
The flood waters rose to the second story of the house.
---The man began to get even more worried.
---So he climbed out the window
---And onto the roof of his house.
A helicopter came by and offered to rescue him.
---"No thanks," he said kindly, "God will save me."
About this time the man began to get really worried.
---The water was rising higher and higher
---And the roof was getting smaller and smaller.
He cried out to God, "Save me from this flood!
---Why aren't you doing anything to help me?"
As soon as he said this, the clouds began to part,
---A light shined down on his face,
---And he heard the voice of God, saying,
---"GIVE ME A BREAK...I SENT YOU A NEWSCASTER
---A POLICE CAR...A BOAT...A HELICOPTER
---WHAT MORE CAN I POSSIBLY DO?
---YOU GOTTA WORK WITH ME HERE!"
Likewise, the Holy Spirit can move and stir things up in our lives.
---God can shine light all around us like crazy,
---Sending us sign after sign of hope and healing, love and peace.
---But at some point, we need to let that light in.
We need to open our hearts, minds and spirits
---So that God's light can shine in us.
It is a co-operative effort.
---God cannot do this alone.
---We have to do our part as well.
II. So, how do we let the light in?
---When we find ourselves walking in darkness,
---What concrete things can we do that will allow God's light
---To begin to shine in our lives and in our hearts?
The first thing we need to do
---Is convince ourselves that dark times
---Are not meant to last forever.
We heard this last Wednesday through the words of Genesis 1
---Which tells us that God spoke light into being,
---And "saw that the light was good."
---Then "God separated the light from the darkness."
Furthermore, Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us that
---"For everything there is a season,
---And a time for every matter under heaven:
---A time to kill, and a time to heal;
---A time to break down, and a time to build up;
---A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
---A time to mourn, and a time to dance." [Ecc 3:1, 3-4]
To this list we could add
---"A time for darkness, and a time for light."
Finally, the promise we have from our reading tonight
---Is that Jesus is not just our Savior who lives in heaven.
---Jesus is "the light who shines in the darkness,
---But the darkness did not overcome him."
He showed us this in a powerful and profound way
---Through his incarnation.
---John tells us "And the Word became flesh and lived among us,
---And we have seen his glory
---[Which is another way of saying that his light is shining]
---The glory as of a Father's only son, full of grace and truth."
Jesus promises to be our Emmanuel.
---He is our Dayspring who comes and cheers
---Our spirits by his advent here.
---He disperses the gloomy clouds of night
---And death's dark shadows, he puts to flight.
In paraphrasing the words of our gospel reading for tonight
---Eugene Peterson creatively translates John 1:14 as
---"And the Word become flesh and blood
---And moved into the neighborhood."
We can picture in our mind's eye
---Jesus behind the wheel of a moving van,
---Pulling up into our driveway,
---Knocking on our door and asking us
---"Where do you want me to put my stuff?"
Again, Jesus can offer to move into our lives
---But we have to let him in the door!
Jesus can shine the light all around us,
---But at some point we have to let that light in!
III. So, brothers and sisters in Christ, how do we do this?
---How do we begin to let the light into our lives
---When we find ourselves walking in darkness?
The first thing we need to remember
---Is that time and space are great healers.
When we find ourselves walking in dark times
---We need give ourselves permission
---To slow down a bit, to clear our schedules,
---To allow ourselves some down time,
---Where we can simply just be.
As we walk through great tragedies and heartaches
---The last thing we really need to do
---Is fill our lives with busy work.
I know it's tempting to do this
---But filling our schedules with endless activities
---Is an avoidance tactic.
We are only putting off the inevitable
---And need to give ourselves time
---To feel, to reflect, and to heal.
---There is no other way to do it.
The second thing we need to do
---Is spend time with God and God's people
---Whether we feel like it or not!
We may be tempted to pull the covers over our heads
---And sleep in on Sunday morning,
---But the best thing we can do for ourselves
---Is make get out of bed
---And surround ourselves with people and things
---Who will remind us of who God is.
At some point, those things will begin to click
---And the light will begin to shine in our lives, once again.
Let me give you an example.
---During my senior year of seminary
---By best friend Alex was killed in a motorcycle accident.
---He was like my kid brother
---And I was devastated.
But I made myself to go chapel every day.
---As I sat there, the sermon fell on deaf ears.
---The liturgy and hymns couldn't penetrate
---The darkness that surrounded me.
Finally, about a month and a half after Alex died,
---I walked forward to the communion table on Christmas Eve
---As I ate the bread and drank the wine
---The tears began to flow
---And, finally, I was able to let God's light
---Shine into the dark places in my life.
When we find ourselves walking through dark times,
---It is vital that we surround ourselves with things and people
---Who will remind us of who God is.
---Worship,spending time with our brothers and sisters in Christ,
---And devotional reading, are helpful tools
---That will allow us to begin
---Letting God's light shine in our lives.
IV. Finally, We need to know when we've reached the point
---Where we need professional help.
---I'm not sure why our society frowns on counseling
---But a good pastoral counselor can be a lifesaver.
---And we have a number of really good ones here in Asheville.
While it's helpful to talk to our loved ones,
---Our friends and our pastor,
---A good counselor can be the neutral observer
---We sometimes need in our lives
I, personally think it's important that the counselor we choose
---Comes at things from a spiritual perspective.
---It's a vital part of the healing process.
In addition to pastoral counselors,
---Sometimes medication is warranted as well.
---Taking anti-anxiety or anti-depression medicine
---Is not a sign of defeat.
---It simply makes the lows a little less low.
---It evens things out a bit and gives us the space we need
---To begin to let the light shine in our lives once again.
Brain chemistry is a very complex thing.
---Sometimes when our bodies get that "fight or flight signal"
---Our brains simply can't turn it off immediately.
Therefore, we need a little bit of help
---In order to calm our systems downs
---And begin the process of healing.
V. I hope my thoughts are helpful this evening.
---We may not be personally walking through dark times
---But I'm sure we all know someone who is.
Let us be the light of Christ to them.
---Let us point them in the right direction so that they may begin
---To let God's light shine in their lives,
---And heal from whatever heartaches they are facing.
Amen
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