Sunday's Message: Easter in Seven Words - Light

There are many words and images that we associate with Easter, both secular and sacred. During the Sundays leading up to Easter, we'll focus on seven words that the Apostle Paul used when he described the importance of the crucifixion and resurrection. We'll consider the following:

• February 26 – Grace (Romans 5:12-19)
• March 5 – Faith (Romans 4:1-5)
• March 12 – Peace (Romans 5:1-11)
• March 19 – Light (Ephesians 5:8-14)
• March 26 – Spirit (Romans 8:6-11)
• April 2 – Humility (Philippians 2:5-11)
• April 9 – Life (Colossians 3:1-4)

During the fourth message in this series, we used Ephesians 5:8-14 to consider the word LIGHT. Below is a copy and a recording of the sermon. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel at 10:00 a.m.

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Of course, as everyone here knows, last Sunday morning, at 2:00 a.m., we went on daylight-saving time. As a matter of fact, I think I complained about it during the service last week. Now, just in case y’all don’t know, in the United States, we didn’t move the clocks forward an hour until 1918, you know, during World War 1, and it was done to save energy at home while our boys were fighting the Boche in France. And for that same reason, it was also done during the Second World War. But we didn’t actually change our clocks back and forth until 1966, and so we’ve been springing ahead and falling back for about fifty-five years. And even though the Senate passed legislation making daylight-saving time permanent last March about this time last year, the House of Representatives has never even considered the bill. And you know, I think that’s kind of interesting, because polls show that about 60% of Americans want to the end this back and forth business, with a whopping 44% wanting to go with daylight-saving time all year long. And I think the reason is pretty clear; most folks would rather have an hour’s worth of light in the evening even if it stays dark a little later in the morning. I guess most Americans would prefer to be people of the light.

And of course, that’s what we’re going to be talking about this morning. Now, as y’all know, we’re on the fourth message in a series we started a few weeks ago entitled Easter in Seven Words. And during the last three weeks, we’ve used some passages from the Apostle Paul to look at several words that he sort of connected with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For example, we’ve looked at the word GRACE and how grace is a gift given to us by God. And then we talked about the word FAITH and how faith is our response to grace, something that completes our relationship with God. And then last week, we considered PEACE, something that comes to us when we realize that, thanks to God’s grace and our faith, our relationship with God is right. Now, that’s what we’ve been doing.

And this morning, we’re going to focus on another word that seems to be important to Paul, namely LIGHT. But you know, it’s interesting, the way Paul used the word was a little different from what we find in other places in the New Testament. You see, according to what he wrote, it’s not so much that we’re in the light, but rather that the light is in us and shines through us. In other words, it’s sort of like grace; it’s a gift given by God that we can share with others. Now that would seem to be how Paul viewed light. And I’ll tell you, almost every time he used the word, he contrasted it with darkness. For example, he wrote this to the Corinthians:

The god who rules this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers. They cannot see the light, which is the good news about our glorious Christ, who shows what God is like. We are not preaching about ourselves. Our message is that Jesus Christ is Lord. He also sent us to be your servants. The Scriptures say, “God commanded light to shine in the dark.” Now God is shining in our hearts to let you know that his glory is seen in Jesus Christ. [2 Corinthians 4:4-6, CEV]

Now that’s what he wrote. And so, in a real sense, we’re people of the light, shining in a dark world, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ to those around us. 

And since this was what Paul was talking about in the passage we’re looking at today, you know, the one from Ephesians, that’s going to be our focus this morning. You see, for the next ten minutes or so, we’re going to go through Ephesians 5:6-13 and look at what it means to be people of the light. And to do that, we’re going to focus on four commands that Paul gave to Ephesians and, through them, to us. In other words, we’ll consider four things that we should do, if we’re serious about shining God’s light to and for others.

And according to what Paul wrote in this passage, I think it starts with this: if we want to be people of the light, we should evaluate what we hear. That’s the first thing Paul tells us to do. I mean, instead of assuming that all those Nigerian princes really want us to be rich or that our social security account is about to be suspended unless we call the number, we should probably stay on the turnip truck and act like we’ve got some sense. And I think that was what Paul was getting at when he wrote this: 

Don't let anyone trick you with foolish talk. God punishes everyone who disobeys him and says foolish things. [Ephesians 5:6, CEV] 

Now that’s what he said.

And I’ll tell you, I think this is something we need to remember, but not just as it relates to our dollars and sense. I also believe it applies to social values and political beliefs, even faith in Jesus Christ. You see, according to Paul, there have been, there are right now and there will always be people who, for their own reasons, are trying their hardest to trick us, to deceive us, to entice us by telling us all kinds of nonsense that often draws us in because they’re generally telling us stuff we want to hear. Of course, in the end, they won’t get away with dishing out their empty words and foolish promises. I mean, God isn’t stupid, and so we can trust that what goes around, comes around. They’ll be held accountable by him if not by us. But although knowing that might offer the hope of eventual satisfaction, it doesn’t do much when we’re ready to send that money order or go to make that call. 

But personally, I don’t believe we’re helpless. I mean, to do what Paul commanded us to do or maybe better “not do,” in other words, not to let anyone trick us, we can make the conscious decision to use three of the most important gifts God has given us, and I’m talking about our two ears and one brain. Man, we can listen and we can think. And I don’t believe it matters whether it’s a preacher talking or a politician promising or a Nigerian prince e-mailing, we can deliberately listen and we can carefully think. In other words, we can use some basic common sense, remembering that if it sounds too good to be true or if it sounds too scary to be possible, it probably isn’t. Like it or not, there are people who are constantly trying to trick us with a whole bunch of foolish talk. And so, if we want to be people of the light, we’d better evaluate what we hear. And that’s the first thing we’re told to do.

But pushing it a little farther, Paul also wrote that we should avoid those who are trying to deceive us. In other words, we should steer clear of those who are trying to manipulate us for their own reasons, and I think we should do it physically and emotionally and even spiritually, if necessary. Now as I read what he wrote, that’s his second command. I mean, just listen to what he said to the Ephesians:

So don't have anything to do with anyone like that. You used to be like people living in the dark, but now you are people of the light because you belong to the Lord. [Ephesians 5:7-8a, CEV]

Of course, for a lot of us, this may be one of those “duh” statements. But for others, well, it might sound kind of harsh, particularly for Christians. I mean, it sure appears as though he’s saying that there may be times when we need to break off fellowship with someone whom we probably trusted and for whom Jesus Christ died. But let’s be honest, doing something like that, as uncomfortable and difficult as it may be, still, it just might be necessary. You see, in the past, we may have been a lot like them, sharing all their opinions and prejudices and claiming all their assumptions and values. In other words, there was a time when we were in the dark too and loved being there. But that’s just not the case any more, because now we are people of the light. Simply put, we belong to God. And a lot of those opinions and prejudices, those assumptions and values that we shared and claimed, man, they were nailed on the cross with Jesus Christ, and we’ve been set free. In other words, what we were, we no longer are. That’s just the way it is. 

But I’ll tell you, knowing that, man, it still doesn’t make it easy to break some of our connections with folks whom we know are feeding us a line but whom we also may have respected and admired and maybe even loved in the past. That’s just plain hard to do. And you know, personally, I think it can only be done effectively with humility, believing that who we now is the result of God’s gracious gift and our faithful response, and not our superior spirituality and intelligence and morality. If we want to pull this off, I think we’ve got to humble, right along with being faithful. You see, we can trust that God holds both us and them in his gracious and merciful hands, but those who try to trick and deceive, well, they may not know that yet. But who knows, the time may come, even for Nigerian princes. I’ll tell you, if we want to be people of the light, we may have to avoid those who are trying to deceive us. And I think that’s the second thing we’re told to do.

And third, according to Paul, we should reflect the light to others, and I’m talking about the light that was given to us, you know, God’s light that should shine through us to others. And you know, when you get right down to it, isn’t that what people of the light are expected to do? Well, I don’t know about y’all, but that sure seems to be what Paul had in mind when he wrote this:

So act like people of the light and make your light shine. Be good and honest and truthful, as you try to please the Lord. [Ephesians 5:8b-10, CEV]

You know, when you think about it, we might be the only way some folks will ever encounter the gospel. I mean, a lot of people now-a-days weren’t raised in the church; therefore, the only thing they know about God and Christ and Spirit is what they hear trumpeted by the world and by people who are far more comfortable in the dark than in the light. And since the likelihood of them ever choosing to step through our doors is slim, because, based on what they’ve been told this is either a place where hypocrites met to feel good about themselves while condemning others or, more likely, it’s a little, sheltered group that may be fine for their grandparents but really doesn’t offer anything worth the couple of hours it’ll take to get ready and to come in and to go home. Let’s just say, “build it and they will come” may be true of old baseball teams and cornfields, but it really doesn’t apply to the churches anymore. I mean, give me a break, And a lot of folks are probably never going to come in here; therefore, we just might have to take the light out there, so that people can see love and mercy and grace. In other words, they’ll see God’s light that he shines through us. And he does it through the words that we use and the work that we do. But you know, I believe he also does it through our values and our assumptions, through our attitude and our opinions, simply put, through our willingness to “love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than [we] do ourselves.” [Romans 12:10, CEV] I’m telling you, this is how we can shine in the darkness. And if we want to be people of the light, we should be willing, ready and able to reflect the light to others. And, in my opinion, that’s the third thing we’re told to do.

And finally, according to Paul, we should also be willing to confront what is false. In other words, it’s really not enough just to evaluate what we hear or to avoid those who are trying to deceive us or to do the best we can in reflecting the light to others. All those things are fine, but the time will come when we’re going to have to stand up for what we believe and say, no. No, those who live through tricks and deception, with all their foolish and empty words, man, they are not right. As a matter of fact, a lot of what they say and do, what they value and assume, they are just plain contrary to the word and to the will of God. Now, for Paul, that’s what people of the light are called to do. And I think that’s why Paul wrote this to the Ephesians:

Don't take part in doing those worthless things that are done in the dark. Instead, show how wrong they are. It is disgusting even to talk about what is done in the dark. But the light will show what these things are really like. Light shows up everything, just as the Scriptures say,

“Wake up from your sleep

    and rise from death.

Then Christ will shine on you.”  [Ephesians 5:11-13, CEV]

Now that’s what Paul said, because that’s what we’ve been called to do. And you know, why shouldn’t this be? Why shouldn’t we be expected to confront what is wrong? I mean, we’re not in the dark anymore. We trust in God’s free and undeserved gift of grace; therefore, we can experience a sense of peace that’s constantly being undermined and manipulated by those who are still in the dark. And just like it was with us shining the light so that God’s love might be revealed, we might also need to shine that same light so that some world’s darkness might be dispelled. For Paul, that’s just part of our job. And when you think about, well, it just makes sense. I mean, how can anyone really know the truth if somebody doesn’t confront the lies? And that somebody may be us, as individuals but better as a community, a body, the Body of Christ. And to do it, man, that’s going to take both courage and wisdom: courage, because it’s really hard to stand up for what’s right when everyone around is saying we’re wrong,  and wisdom, because we better know what we’re talking about before we say a word. I mean, if we don’t, well, our own words can become empty and foolish. And so, I think courage and wisdom are absolute necessities. But so are compassion and love, because without those, nothing we say or do really matters. It’s like what Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

What if I could speak

all languages of humans

    and even of angels?

If I did not love others,

    I would be nothing more

than a noisy gong

    or a clanging cymbal.

What if I could prophesy

and understand all mysteries

    and all knowledge?

And what if I had faith

    that moved mountains?

I would be nothing,

    unless I loved others.

What if I gave away all

    that I owned

and let myself

    be burned alive? 

I would gain nothing,

    unless I loved others. [1 Corinthians 13:1-3, CEV]

Now this is how we can take a stand. You see, if we want to be people of the light, we should also be willing to confront what is false. And, in my opinion, that's the fourth thing we're told to do.

Now, personally, I hope that some day in the next fifty-one weeks, the House of Representatives will pass the bill that’s already cleared the Senate, you know, the one eliminating the falling back but particularly the springing forward. And even though, given the fact that I generally walk Coco Channel at 5:15 every morning, you know, when it’s really dark; therefore, I’d just as soon stay on Eastern Standard Time all year round, I recognize I’m in the minority. Most Americans sure seem to like the sun to be out well into the evening. As a nation, I guess we’re people of the light, and if we decide to save an hour of it every day, well, I can certainly live with it. 

But right here and now, I think we need to remember that we’re focused on and united by a different light, aren’t we: a light given to us by God. And if we want to be people of this light, at least according to Paul, we should evaluate what we hear and we should avoid those who are trying to deceive us and we should reflect the light to others and we should confront what is wrong. You see, for him, that’s what living as light people, man, that’s what it’s all about. And next week, we’ll consider Paul’s fifth word of Easter, namely SPIRIT.