​An excerpt from yesterday's sermon... (full text attached)
All of us sometimes experience a real darkness… at times within us, but also in many ways all around us. Within us we experience the darkness and consequences of our sinful brokenness. Maybe it comes in the form of an ongoing guilt we carry because of our inability to overcome some sin or sins. Or perhaps the brokenness is manifested in some kind relational dysfunction, or in the form of one or more addictions. For some, the darkness goes by the name of anxiety or depression. And for others the darkness results from the presence of an illness that has beset us.
Or perhaps the darkness that is more real for us is the darkness we see in the broken world all around us. We see things seemingly spiraling out of control, with no trustworthy answers in sight. Maybe our moods are darkened by the messes we see in politics or the economy, or the incessant news stories of violence and abuse, of wars and rumors of wars.
Whatever darkness we may encounter at times, be it within and/or around us, we all need an epiphany, we all need light. And the brightest and purest of lights comes to us in the form of the good news of God proclaimed and delivered by the very Son of God.
In the first chapter of his Gospel, John describes the coming of Jesus with these words: “What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. … The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.”
We must abide in that light. The good news of God, the darkness-piercing truth of the Gospel, is that by grace we are the children of God. Whatever guilt you may be experiencing, allow the light of grace to blow it away. Whatever other darkness might dwell within you, invite the Light of the world to come with His healing power to blow it away. Whatever concerns or worry you may be carrying, hand them over to your Savior, and let His Spirit blow them away.
With You in the Light,
Mark
