Light in the Darkness



My wife, Deb, and I were blessed in our Easter celebration this year by attending the festival worship at Grace Lutheran Church in River Forest, Illinois.  The music that supported and led the worship service was so good it is hard to describe.

Likewise, we were blessed by Pastor Bruce Modahl’s Easter sermon.  He concentrated on the portions of the Gospel that describe the events at the empty tomb on the first Easter morning.  As Pastor Modahl does so well, he led with a story from his own experience … a recollection of his invitation to accept the tradition of a local clergy association for him, as the new pastor in town, to deliver the sermon at a community-wide Easter sunrise service.  Quite funny!

Pastor Modahl’s sermon helped me think anew about Christ as the “Light in the darkness.”  He shared a quote from theologian Walter Brueggemann, and while I’m sure I’m not quoting it word-for-word, in essence it states that “the power of the resurrection shows in the darkness, not in the sunrise.”  This would certainly have been true on the first Easter morning.  While the sun may have been rising as the women and then the men went to the tomb, the evidence of Jesus’ resurrection was found inside the darkness of the tomb where His body no longer lay.

Thanks to Pastor Modahl and Dr. Brueggemann, I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of the resurrection in the world today.  The need for the light is evident, especially when our lives are dark, due to our sins, individually and collectively, that bring darkness of injustice, neglect, pain, illness, abuse and death into the lives of others. 

God gives to us, the same people who find ways to keep ourselves and others “in the dark,” the awesome opportunity to be bearers of light as we serve and assist others in the name of the risen Christ.  A great joy for me as I pursue the seeding ministry of Wheat Ridge comes from learning about, observing, encouraging and assisting the Easter people who are Christ-light bearers to the people they impact through their new ministry efforts.  The leaders, volunteers and projects that are bringing resurrection light to others are far too many to list here, but let me share a few that come to mind:

§  The SHAPE Center in Detroit, Michigan, that helps provide whole person wellness opportunities to children and teens in the inner city;

§  Pastor Ben Krey and his congregation, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as they provide free transitional housing for new immigrants and refugees;

§  The leaders of the Prostitution Survivors Project who bring hopeful alternatives to women lost in the darkness of prostitution in Seattle, Washington;

§  Cecilia Ng, who created a summer camp program for children with special needs in San Francisco, California;

§  Melissa Johansen, who is leading efforts at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Carol Stream, Illinois, to bring hope and employment training to homeless people and to provide for their wellness by helping them grow and harvest fresh food from a community garden.
 

During this season of Easter, let’s thank God for these light-bearers who reach into the darkness to share the light of Christ and for the gift we have each been given to do the same.  “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  John 8:12

Christ is risen.  He is risen, indeed.  Hallelujah!