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Jesus Brings Light

            Remember when you were in a hotel the first night of three?  You heard a “bump” in the night, got up, and stubbed your toe while groping for a light switch.  Darkness can be confusing.  How about the time you were driving at night, didn’t yet have a GPS app on your iPhone, tried to check the Mapquest directions you printed out, but the dome light in the car was burned out?  Darkness can be frustrating.  Imagine walking along Kilbourn or Wells after a Bucks game past some of those big old buildings with narrow alleys.  Suddenly the power goes out in the whole neighborhood.  Darkness can be scary.  If only you had light.  Light shows the way and ends frustration and fear.

            The Bible writers used the contrast between darkness and light to picture the contrast between life without God and life with God, the contrast between the devil’s dirty work and God’s goodness, the contrast between sin and forgiveness.  The darkness of sin causes confusion, frustration, and fear.  But the light of God’s forgiveness shows the way to heaven and ends frustration and fear.  That’s why the gospel writer Matthew is so happy to report that, Jesus Brings Light.

For sure

            There’s a gospel account later in the book of Matthew that’s a bit of a head-scratcher.  John the Baptist, while stuck in jail, sent his followers to ask Jesus, “Are you really the One, the promised Messiah?”  What’s puzzling is trying to determine if that question came from John himself, having a down day after weeks of rattling around in that disgusting dungeon, or from his followers who had asked him during visitation day about Jesus and whom he sent off with the encouragement, “Find out for yourself!”  In either case, someone had doubts.  What about you?  Ever have any doubts, even some faint whispers, “Can this Bible business all be true?”  “Can it be true for me?”

            Matthew tells us that when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee.  Jesus headed north away from the hotbed of hatred in the Jerusalem area to the territory where he grew up.  Matthew then adds that, leaving Nazareth, Jesus went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali.  Everybody living in Israel who read this account by Matthew caught the significance of that statement.  Did you?  To understand what Matthew was getting at, you have to know that way back fourteen centuries before Jesus came on the scene, when the twelve tribes of Israel first occupied the Promised Land, each tribe got its own designated piece of real estate.  The tribe of Judah got prime real estate down south.  The tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali got the pine-cone backwoods territory up north.  The prophet Isaiah had foretold that the Savior would do most of his preaching not in high and mighty Judah but in lowly Zebulun and Naphtali.  Why didn’t the Israelites of Jesus’ day make the connection, linking what Isaiah predicted to what Jesus was doing right in front of their eyes?  Well, many of the Israelites let their Bibles collect dust.  They didn’t study those passages from Isaiah and didn’t believe Jesus when he came proclaiming spiritual light.  “How can he be the Messiah?  He is spending most of his time up north in Galilee and has only made a few visits in Jerusalem!  If God were to send a Messiah, wouldn’t that Messiah grow up in Jerusalem, go to the U of Judah, and run for office here in the capital city?”

            So Matthew penned an important message for those Israelites and for us.  “If you really want to be sure of the truth, if you want certainty to fill your hearts and erase your doubts, check your Bibles.  You will see that Jesus is the One.  He spent most of his ministry time up north in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali – to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah.  Fulfillment of a prophecy that was laid down centuries before the event took place is one of the best flares sent up from the pages of Scripture and circling over Jesus’ head, “He’s the right Savior!  He’s the One!”

            Some of you might not see this as all that big a deal.  “You don’t have to tell us that Jesus is the world’s Savior.  We already know that.”  But have you looked around lately?  Have you listened to people and heard the cynicism and skepticism?  Have you had your belief system challenged by people who buy into the idea that lies are the same as the truth?  It’s not just a few politicians who have that disease.  There are tons of folks all around who actually believe that all religions lead to the same goal, when, in fact, that simply is not the case.  When you think about it, there are only two religions in the whole world – the right one and all the wrong ones.  Only the holy God in heaven above as he speaks to us through Scripture gives us the sure-fire way and the truth and the life.  Anything contradictory to Scripture is a lie and can lead a person to hell.

           Would you like to be sure that you are standing on solid ground?  Would you like a little more certainty that you are on the right track – not to gloat, “I’m right, and you’re not,” but to get on your knees in humble joy, saying, “Thank you, Lord Jesus, for having mercy on my poor, pitiful soul”?  Then look in your Bible, listen to Matthew, and rejoice that Jesus is the One who brings light.  Have no doubts because this light was foretold by the prophets and fulfilled in our Lord Christ.  Jesus brings light – for sure! 

For us

            But someone might say, “Maybe others who are emotional cripples need that, but not me.  I have a little pen light of goodness in my pocket, a little clip-on book-light of worth in my drawer.  I’ll pull them out when I need them.  There may be others who are stumbling in spiritual darkness, but not me.  I’m OK with the light I can generate to find my way.  Maybe others wrestle with temptation, but not me.”

            The people living in northern Palestine in the centuries before Christ sounded like that.  OK!  Our heart goes out to them.  When fierce enemies and big armies attacked, they always marched in from the north.  So the tribes positioned in the north were always the first to get hit.  The people living in the land of Zebulun and Naphtali were always the first to get their towns burned, or the first to pay half their harvest in taxes to an enemy king, or the first to be subjected to forced labor.  Oh, the gloom, doom, and despair when an enemy army would swoop over the hills from the north!  Our heart goes out to them – kind of.  You see, there was a far greater tragedy that had taken place within their hearts long before enemy armies attacked.  They had fallen prey to the lure of self-delusion.  They thought they could generate enough spiritual light on their own, and did not come to grips with the fact that they desperately needed spiritual light.  But they did need light.

             And what they needed, God supplied.  The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.  Jesus, the Light of the world, made his home up north in the land of Zebulun and Naphtali.  The people who deserved to be wiped out first had the Savior in their midst.  The people who were lost in the darkness of sin could listen to him proclaim the light of heaven.  In their towns he changed water into wine, healed a centurion’s servant, healed a paralyzed man, raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead, fed over five thousand people, and preached about the Bread of life.  He was right in their midst offering the light of forgiveness to those who needed it most.

             Flick a switch, push a button, just walk past a sensor, and lights go on.  It’s hard to realize that we need light.  But we do.  What about that time you sat at your desk, staring at the computer screen, knowing that you made a mistake that affected others, and you couldn’t keep your mind on the task at hand?  What about the hurtful statement you made, and you were afraid to face up to it?  And what about all those good and kind things we should have done which we just forgot about or ignored while God was making black marks in his book?

             Thank God that Jesus proclaims the light of heaven.  Thank God that Jesus lifts the burden of guilt off of our shoulders.  Thank God that Jesus places the pure blood prints of his hands over our black marks.  Thank God that Jesus brightens our day with the news that he has changed our status before God from shameful to special.  Thank God that Jesus brings light – for us. 

For right now

            Even though it was way past bedtime, Dad could hear his little boy whimpering in his bedroom.  Dad tiptoed down the hall, peaked in, and whispered, “What’s wrong?”  “I’m scared,” came the little voice, “It’s so dark in here.”  Dad sat down on the edge of the bed, flicked on the little night-light near the bed stand, and said, “Is that better?”  The little boy replied, “No!  It’s still so dark in here.”  Dad could see his little face now in the glow of the night-light and replied, “Maybe you should open your eyes.”

            There were plenty of opportunities for Israelites living up north in Galilee to hear Jesus preach.  But sad to say many of them closed their eyes and plugged their ears.  They liked his miracles.  They liked getting their tummies filled at his free fish-buffet without having to pick up the tab or tip the disciples.  But that’s about it.  They hated hearing Jesus tell them that their hearts were in spiritual darkness, so they kept their spiritual eyes squeezed shut.

            That’s why Matthew wrote down the Savior’s theme, “Repent!  For the kingdom of heaven is near.”   In other words, “Take to heart the sad news about your hearts being darkened by sin.  Then appreciate my message about the light of forgiveness.  And don’t just do that once.  Do it every day, just like turning on the lights each day when you awake, because the light of my love will make a difference in your life right now.  Look what happened in Capernaum.”  As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.  They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”  At once they left their nets and followed him.  Going on from there he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John.  They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets.  Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.  Four fishermen had seen the Light.  Peter and Andrew looked at each other and said, “Jesus has given our life new meaning.  Let’s give him our lives.”  And notice that Zebedee, the father of the other two boys, didn’t shout, “Hey!  Where do you think you two are going?  Come back here, and pick up your nets!”  No!  He also understood what a huge difference Jesus’ light means.  It formed a part of his daily life also.  Even though old Zebedee stayed with his boat, you can bet that he was also fishing for people.  I imagine that every day people asked, “Where are your sons?” and he would smile and say, “Let me tell you.  They are following the Son, God’s Son!  His light has brightened the path of their lives, and his light is making me smile.  That light is also shining on you right now!”

            Some say that the tragic shooting in Tucson has led people in Congress to treat each other with more civility and brought a little light into dark political discussions.  But you and I don’t need a tragedy to produce light amid darkness.  I’m looking at a couple hundred shining faces right now, and I know why.  It’s not because you washed up and put on your Sunday best.  It’s because Jesus proclaimed light from heaven which brightens your every day and forms a part of your daily lives.  You are God’s lights shining in this world.  Open your eyes.  Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).  Open your hearts like Zebedee, and think of the thrill of telling a neighbor about why you encouraged your son or daughter to pursue fulltime ministry as a pastor or teacher.  Open your eyes, and see the opportunities that God gives for you and me to shine that light into the lives of others.  Jesus brings light – right now!

            Some people might try to fool you as they go about fooling themselves, “I can find my own way in life.  I made it this far, and if I need God’s help, I’ll let you know.  Besides, as long as I claim to be spiritual, I’m enlightened.”  But sooner or later that fake light will fade like a flashlight with dying batteries.  Then the darkness of confusion, frustration and fear will settle in.  You know what to do.  Keep smiling with your light, and reflect Jesus’ light from heaven.  Pretty soon someone you never expect will say, “You’ve not only brightened my day.  I can see the path all the way to heaven!”   Amen.

Preached at Grace Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, WI (www.gracedowntown.org) on January 23, 2011

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Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church | 1209 North Broadway Milwaukee, WI 53202 | (414) 271-3006

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