Advent Sermon Series - From Darkness to Light 3

LIGHT OF THE WORLD 3                       Matthew 5:14-16                                           David Eck

12/15/10

I.  During our Wednesday night worship services

---We've been exploring a three step process

---That occurs many times in our lives,

---As we move from darkness, to letting the light in,

---To reflecting the light outward.

So far we've looked at the first two steps:

---Walking in darkness, and letting in the light.

---Now we move on to the final step:

---Reflecting the light outward.

This is the step that gets all the press in sermons,

---As well as Stewardship and Outreach Committees.

---It's the step we all think of when we discuss

---What it means to follow Christ.

However, I'd like to argue that reflecting the light outward

---Is only one part of our faith journey.

---We cannot do this all the time.

---It is an unrealistic expectation.

Truth we told, we will all walk through periods of darkness,

---Where life is difficult, scary and uncertain.

There will also be times in our lives

---When our focus needs to be on letting the light in,

---Where we concentrate on healing

---Our bodies, minds and spirits.

These first two steps are just as much a part

---Of being a Christian as is the last one.

---We need to embrace all three steps

---And accept that each is an important part

---Of our spiritual journey.

That being said, it is equally true

---That we cannot remain in steps one and two forever.

---We cannot dwell in eternal darkness or

---Become self-absorbed in our quest 

---For spiritual enlightenment and healing.

At some point in our faith journey,

---We need to reflect the light outward.

---We need to shine the light of Christ brightly

---Into our broken and troubled world.

II.  In Jesus' Sermon on the Mount from the gospel of Matthew,

---Jesus indicates that shining our light is inevitable.

---It is a natural by-product of those who choose to follow Jesus.

"You are the light of the world." Jesus says,

---"A city built on a hill cannot be hid.

---No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket,

---But on the lamp 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 in heaven."

Jesus is telling us that we were created to shine.

---We have no other choice.  It is inevitable.

---This is most certainly good news, indeed!

It reminds us that dark times will not last forever.

---We will heal, we will become strong again.

---Christ's light will shine in our lives so brightly

---That, at some point, we cannot help

---But reflect the light outward.

This is good news for those

---Who find this holiday season less than joyful.

It is good news for those who are mourning the loss of loved ones,

---Or are struggling with financial difficulties.

It is good news for those who are battling depression

---Or simply find this time of year overwhelming.

It is good news for those who are weary of snow and ice

---Or weary of life itself.

The overarching message of the Advent and Christmas Season

---Is that a light has been born in the darkness,

---Who is Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

He is Emmanuel, God with us.

---His light shines brightly in our hearts and in our world.

---This light can never be extinguished.

As we embrace this word of good news,

---It fills our lives and our hearts so completely

---That we cannot help but reflect this light outward,

---Into every dark place we encounter.

III.  Just in case we need some guidance

---As to where we are called to shine the light,

---Jesus gives it to us in Matthew 5,

---Through the words of the Beatitudes

---As well as his challenge to love our enemies

---And pray for those who persecute us.

To refresh our memory, Jesus calls us to shine our light

---On those who are poor in Spirit,

---Meaning those who are at the end of their rope.

According to Luke's version of this phrase,

---We are also called to shine our light

---On those who are poor,

---Who have limited or no resources.

We are called to shine our light

---On those who mourn,

---Who have empty places in their hearts

---And at their holiday tables.

We are called to shine our light

---On the meek,

---Meaning gentle and humble people,

---Who are sometimes overpowered

---By the greedy and ambitious.

We are called to shine our light

---On those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

---Meaning those who have a vision

---For making the world a better place,

---But are sometimes defeated by unjust governments and social systems.

According to Luke's version of this phrase,

---We are called to shine our light

---On those who are hungry and thirsty,

---Who lack the basic necessities of life

---Such as food, clothing and shelter.

We are called to shine our light

---On those who are merciful and pure in heart,

---Because they are often targets for those

---Who are neither of these things.

We are also called to shine our light

---On those who strive for peace and justice,

---Because they have a difficult road ahead of them.

Finally, we are called to shine our light

---By learning to love our enemies

---And praying for those who persecute us,

---Which may be the most difficult commands

---That Jesus ever gave us.

IV.  These are some of the places

---We are called to shine our light.

---But, of course, there are many more.

Knowing full well, we cannot individually shine our light

---In all of these places at once,

---We begin to realize that this is a group effort.

If all of God's people are committed to reflecting their light outward,

---We can fulfill the lofty goals Jesus has set before us in the Sermon on the Mount.

Each of us must rise to the challenge of shining our light

---Wherever we can, whenever we can.

---We may be individual candles, but our combined effort

---Can flood the world with the brilliant light of Christ,

---And transform it forever.

We are the light of the world.  We were created to shine.

---Let us move from darkness to letting the light in

---To reflecting that light outward this Advent season.

---The world desperately needs what we have to offer.  Amen.

Advent Sermon Series - From Darkness to Light 2

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

Advent Sermon Series - From Darkness to Light 1

LIGHT OF THE WORLD 1                           Genesis 1:1-5                                            David Eck

12/01/10

I.  The three meditations I'm offering

---During our Advent Midweek worship services

---Continue our reflection on what it means to shine our light.

On Sunday mornings we're looking at how to shine our light

---On ourselves, our families, our work places,

---Our neighborhood and our world.

During the midweek services we're going to explore

---A three step process that occurs may times in our lives

---As we move from darkness, to letting the light in,

---To reflecting that light outward.

Everyone who is here tonight

---Will identify with one of these three stages of illumination.

Some of us may feel like we're walking in darkness.

---Feeling overwhelmed, depressed,

---Or in a period of mourning.

Others are in a place where we're finally

---Letting the light of Christ into our lives and our hearts

---And are soaking up as much of that light as possible.

Still others are so filled with the light of Christ

---That they cannot help but shine brightly

---In our broken and troubled world.

Where are you tonight?

---Are you walking in darkness?

---Are you letting the light of Christ in?

---Or are you reflecting that light outward?

We'll get to all three of these during the season of Advent

---But tonight we're going to explore

---The most difficult stage of the three: darkness.

None of us likes to walk in darkness.

---It's not a fun place to be.

However, we also know that everyone

---Will go through dark times at ome point in their life.

---There are no exceptions to this rule.

And if someone tells us that their life

---Is always filled with sunshine and rainbows

---We shouldn't listen to them.   They're lying!  It's simply not possible.

---Everyone will experience dark times in their lives.

---It's unavoidable.

II. As we reflect upon how it feels to walk in darkness,

---The first chapter of Genesis is very helpful to us.

The word picture it paints is rich and insightful.

---It brings us a word of good news

---When we find ourselves walking through dark times.

Let me read the text to you again:

---"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,

---While a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.

Then God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light.

---And God saw that the light was good;

---And God separated the light from the darkness.

God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. 

---And there was evening and there was morning, the first day."

The NRSV names the darkness and calls it

---"A formless void" that covers "the face of the deep."

The Hebrew here is actually a lot more complex than this.

---Several English translations bring out the full meaning of the text:

---The NAB calls the darkness "a formless wasteland"

The CEV says it is "barren, with no form of life,

---Under a roaring ocean covered with darkness."

The Living Bible calls it "a shapeless, chaotic mass...dark vapors."

Finally, The Message brilliantly calls the darkness

---A soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness...an inky blackness"

Many of these phrases describe how we feel

---When darkness surrounds us.

We feel like we are in a barren wasteland

---As we face losses of many kinds:

---Loved ones, jobs, health, the death of dreams.

Life can become a shapeless, chaotic mass

---When the difficulties and challenges we face

---Leave us feeling overwhelmed and confused.

If this kind of darkness continues for a long period of time,

---We are prone to depression, constant anxiety,

---And even self-destructive behaviors.

Life lived in darkness can truly feel like

---A bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness.

III.  I don't need to name this darkness any further.

---We know it well in all its familiar forms.

The good news that Genesis brings us tonight

---Is that God does not intend for the darkness to last forever.

God moves in the darkness and begins to stir things up.

---Genesis 1 says that "a wind from God

---Swept over the face of the waters.

Then God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light.

---And God saw that the light was good;

---And God separated the light from the darkness."

Those of you who have studied this passage with me before

---Know that the Hebrew here is quite beautiful

---In its striking imagery.

The word "wind" in Hebrew is RUAH

---It is translated simultaneously as "spirit, wind, and breath."

---We can think of it as the New Testament's Holy Spirit

---Which in Greek is also translated as "spirit, wind and breath"

One image we get from this is the Holy Spirit

---Blowing over the dark waters of our lives.

---As waves and ripples are created in this dark, chaotic sea

---Light is born in its midst.

The second image we get is based on the Hebrew word for "swept"

---Which means more than just "blowing."

---It also means "to flutter, to hover, or to brood."

Therefore, the second image we get is the Holy Spirit

---As a giant bird hovering over the darkness.

---It flaps its winds, creating a disturbance,

---The waters begin to move and pulse

---And even reorganize themselves

---Until light is birthed in its midst.

IV. Depending upon how we look at it,

---This disturbing of the waters can be seen

---As both a good thing and a bad thing.

We do not like our lives to de disturbed,

----Even if we are walking in darkness.

We don't like our waters to be troubled,

---Where they rage and foam all around us,

---Like a spiritual tsunami.

However, if Genesis is correct,

---And I believe it is,

---It is in the midst of these turbulent, dark times

---That light is being birthed.

God is creating something new

---In the midst of our dark times.

---This can cause us to have great hope.

Let's think about this for a moment.

---I think most of you would agree with me

---That the dark times of our lives

---Often produce the most growth.

They cause us to be more self-reflective.

---They make us listen to God more closely.

They give us perspective,

---And teach us what is most important in life.

In we can walk through these dark times,

---We will find that they can produce a lot of light.

Now, I'm not saying that it's fun to walk through dark times.

---But life has taught me that God uses

---These dark seasons to teach us important life lessons.

I don't know if we could learn those lessons

---In any other way.

---You may agree or disagree with me.

---This has been my experience.

What I want you to take with you this evening

---Is the hope of the first chapter of Genesis.

---Dark times will come.  They are a part of our lives.

---However, God promises that these dark times

---Will not last forever.

---The Holy Spirit is blowing and moving all around us and in us,

---Giving birth to light and life

---In the places where we least expect it.

Amen