The Brightest Of Light To Save Us From Darkness

Weekend Message/Devotion

April 21, 2019

Luke 24:1-12

The Brightest of Light to Save Us from Darkness

From early childhood to late teen years I attended The Church of the Good Shepherd in Jacksonville, Florida. From my earliest memories Easter Sunday vividly stands out. Every year, a very large wooden cross with holes all over it was placed in the front of the sanctuary. Children, young and old would enter the church and carry flowers to that cross, where they would be placed in those holes. Another wonderful memory was that of brass musicians that came and played powerfully to the glory of God and all in attendance. One particular piece was very moving to me:

“Welcome Happy Morning” [Author: Venantius Honorius Clementianus Fortunatus; Translator: John Ellerton]

It wasn’t until years into my ministry that the old cross at the church of my childhood and the Easter music led me to even deeper appreciation. For one thing, I began to reminisce those services at Easter. I began to think that the holes in that old wooden cross could easily represent the empty tomb that the women arrived at only to find that Jesus was not there. (verses 1-3). That must have been a very bleak and depressing sight for them.

But as soon as we read on in verses 4-7, two angels appeared and enlightened them with the truth of the resurrection. How blessed they must have felt at that moment! How emotionally charged that would be! Well, when the old cross in the church was filled with flowers, it parallels that same set of events, at least to me. It is akin to light (brightness) overcoming darkness (emotionally).

The music, flowers and general atmosphere of Easter and the newness of Spring was and is invigorating, isn’t it?

Now let us try and realize some real darkness.

“Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” Having said this, He breathed His last. Luke 23:44-46

I want you to close your eyes for a moment. Even with our eyes closed, we can sense some slight element of light around us. Walking in the darkness of the night, we yet experience some element of ambient light, once our eyes get adjusted. But the darkness that fell upon the entire earth for the three hours in our reading, there was no light of any kind whatsoever. Absolute total darkness for three solid hours.

Imagine the panic and fear that must have pervaded the peoples all over, not just at the foot of the cross. One could not even see their hand in front of their face. No ambient light of any kind could be had. For three hours!

No street lights, no flashlights, no stars, moon nor sun – just pitch-black darkness. Most of us would just think” this is it, the end of time”.

The veil of the temple was torn in two. There was no longer separation between God and man. Jesus died on that cross to give mankind direct access to God by way of His sacrifice. Sin separates us from God, but Jesus took the sins of the world upon Himself and paid that sin debt for us (you and me and all mankind for all time) upon that cross. When light reappeared on the earth it was a new beginning for mankind; new light in a world of darkness (sin).

Today, and EVERY DAY, we can experience anew our redemption by that great sacrifice of our Lord. All we need do is acknowledge that He is the Son of God, that He died on that cross for us, that He paid our sin debt and as we confess our love and dedication to Him, we also confess our sins and faults before God.

When I was the pastor of a church up in Vermont, I wore the clergy robe – black in the fall and winter months and white in Spring and Summer. That first Easter Sunday, I donned the white robe and then the black robe over it.

As I preached the significance of the LIGHT overcoming that darkness, I removed the black robe revealing the white robe, which actually seemed to glow. There was a very audible gasp throughout the sanctuary, and I believe that the point was made.

I pray that this message may bring some new revelations of light to you.

Let us pray.

I humbly and sincerely ask for your prayers!

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Note: It is the practice of this church to preach straight from the bible. We follow the lectionary assigned readings from which the sermon/messages are derived.

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