I Am the Light of the World

Jesus said, “I am the light of the World”

In our modern world, we have gotten so used to having access to an abundance of light. We can turn on lights in the middle of the night, there are lamp posts littering our streets, and we can read, make food, and even grow plants in the middle of the night. Do you remember a moment in your life when you felt trapped or lost in darkness? Do you remember the straining to see, the feeling around in the darkness, the way even simply good things became dangerous, the way the world seemed turned upside down and your brain couldn’t put together the pieces of what was right in front of you? Do you remember how that darkness seemed to be shaped by a cold emptiness? It is quite the experience and good to hold onto because it helps us to understand how Jesus is the light in our world and life. It is Jesus who casts out that darkness. It is Jesus that shows the way and reveals the truth. It is Jesus who gives things their beauty and goodness. It is Jesus who goes with us and makes us shine. It is Jesus who is the light that gives life to the world.

There are any number of reasons that we might feel like we are surrounded by darkness. We could be experiencing death or separation from those we love, we could be unsure of what is going to happen, or what is the right choice, or we might be in a moment where things seem very dangerous and scary. Whatever the reason, darkness has an eerie reality that it can hang over us, even while the sun is shining. Yet, Jesus tells us today that He is the light of the world that has overcome the darkness, He is the light that will cast out that darkness so that we never have to walk in it. This is an amazing gift, if we are willing to trust it and if we open our eyes to see it. Jesus’ light has overcome all that darkness, which we feel like we walk in. Death no longer has any dominion over us. Even if we feel separate from others, God is always with us. Even when we don’t know what will happen, we don’t have to be afraid, because God is guiding it all for good. His light is far greater than the sun and far greater than any darkness. We don’t have to walk in that darkness.

A big part of any darkness is the unknown. The world is so vast, our human structures are so fickle, and humanity can turn on a dime. There is a lot we don’t know and some we can’t know. Yet God does. He knit us together in our mother’s womb, he knows the human heart, he knows the order of creation, he knows and he is working to shape our past, present, and future. With all of this knowledge, God also loves us as his children so he will do something with that knowledge. This means that even if we don’t know what lies in front of us, we can trust and follow him, knowing that he will lead us on the best path that leads to more than we could plan. This has happened to me numerous times in my life. If it wasn’t for prayer and God’s guidance, I wouldn’t have ended up here at St. Matthew’s. I had been interviewing around and every time after prayer God led me to pull out of the running for everyone. My job was ending at St. Bride’s and I had one last interview, yet even before I went in God said I have something else waiting for you. I thought this other church was a good opportunity, but God kept insisting, even though I wasn’t sure about any other opportunity. It was a few days later I got a call from bishop Jenny asking if I would meet with the St. Matthew’s warden team at the time, Lianne, Stuart, Karen, and Shantelle. God led me here, to an opportunity I couldn’t know existed and I am so thankful that I followed his lead.

Part of God showing us the way is that he also wants to reveal what is true. The first and primary truth that we need to see, should be obvious: it is that Jesus Himself is the truth - he is more than just honest, but he knows what is true and good in all realities of that word. He knows what is true and good in science, but also in faith, in relationships, in life, and how they all fit together. We too often make it about one or the other, but Jesus is directing us to a whole and full life. In our gospel reading we hear these pharisee’s challenging Jesus. “You are witnessing to yourself, that isn’t valid”. In a broken world, they had a good idea. If I say I have jumped over the CN tower, that already seems ridiculous but it would be good not to believe me. If more people come forward who have witnessed it then it seems for valid. Yet, we know me jumping over the CN tower is ridiculous. It doesn’t matter how many people saw it, what is true is more important than how many people believe something. That is what Jesus is saying to them and us. We are meant to be a people of truth, searching for the truth. It doesn’t matter if one person or a million people believe in something, if it is true, it is true. Jesus is the only one that knows what is true and he tells us why: “I know where I have come from and where I am going”. A bit of a strange argument, but Jesus is arguing for a greater truth. He is arguing for what was and will always be true, not just true in this moment, or true to me. Jesus knows why things come into being, what they are, and where they are going. This is a much grander truth then we can often perceive, but this is the kind of truth we need, because we want light and understanding in our life, not just for a moment, but for the whole trajectory of our relationships and time.

Jesus’ light that reveals the truth isn’t just good because it helps us understand, but think about the light on a lovely spring day vs. that of an overcast day. Think of what that does to the world around you. The light literally reveals and creates beauty in the things around you. The grass looks a little greener, the flowers come to life, the sky is a little bluer, the birds come out and sing, and so do we. That is another reality of when we make Jesus the light of our life. We see the true beauty of everything around us. The closer we grow to Jesus the more lovely everything becomes, because you see it for what it is, you see it for what it was created to be and that is true for people too. The ultimate reason that things become more beautiful when we are closer to God, is because he is beautiful. Jesus is what is wonderful and good in all things. The closer we are to him, means the more we can understand and see him in everything else and the more that these things can reflect his beauty to us. It’s as C.S. Lewis once said, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else”

When we realize all of this one of the greatest gifts is that God’s light goes with us and we can dwell in that light. However, we have to be faithful in asking for, seeking, and following him. In our Exodus reading, which comes right after Israel’s idolatry with the golden calf, God says that he will send an angel to lead Israel, but Moses knows that it is and has always been God that makes the difference, so Moses intercedes on behalf of Israel and says we need you to go with us, this is how we know your favor, your love, this is how others will see that we are different. We also get these beautiful images in this reading and our psalm of what it means to dwell in God’s presence and to see his glory. We see Israel’s great awe and wonder as the pillar of smoke and fire descends upon the tent of meeting. We see the overcoming reality of God’s glorious presence as he passes Moses by. We see the sheer delight in our psalmist wanting to be close to and see God face to face. Jesus has invited us into his tent, he has invited us to follow him, so we can live in and bask in his great and glorious light all our days.

God’s light also changes us. Jesus told us that he is the light of the world, but in the gospel of Matthew, we are also told that the followers of Jesus are also the light of the world. Like Moses who talked face to face with God and found his face was shining, so when we spend time and learn from Jesus, then our lives, actions, words and thoughts can radiate out God’s amazing life that brings with it all the bounty that we have already talked about. This light that we are given to share is what we all need, because we all need to cast out the darkness and walk in light. Yet, we know that people can be afraid of the light. We don’t want to stare at the sun, Moses had to shroud his face, and people can reject the light of Jesus in us. That doesn’t mean that the sun should stop shining and we shouldn’t either. We are called to be Jesus’ light in this world for all those who walk in darkness.

Lastly, Jesus tells us that he is the light of life. This is central to everything. What would the world do without the sun? Even if we didn’t have light, our lives would become a lot less and everything would become more dangerous, there would be less connection and so much more. If we didn’t have the sun though, it would be impossible for any life to have been created. Plants couldn’t grow and this world would be a barren and frozen land. Jesus is greater than the sun. He is the light that gives us our life. He is the light that brings order and life to this world. He is the light that gives us a full and lasting life. Jesus says, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’ Let us all follow his light.

Structure:

The Light of the World

A light that casts out darkness

A light that shows the way

A light that reveals the truth

A light that shows beauty - its own

A light of goodness

A light that goes with us

A light by which we shine

A light that brings life

Notes:

By His Light I see everything else

Behold his face

Beauty

Do not hide your face from me

Consumed

Tent of meeting

Make our faces shine

His presence - Go with us - make us stand out -

Guide us

We need to know your way

Following shall never walk in darkness

Truth - It doesn’t matter the number of witnesses, what matters is the truth

Not just what is true right now, but what has come and what will

Judging by the flesh vs. not judging

Knowing the Father

Goodness - even if my mother and father forsake me - he will take me up

The light of life