John 3:16-21 - "God Is Light" (6-7-09)

Samuel Miller had a chance to watch Karl Valletin in Munich Germany, the last metaphysical clowns. As the curtain lifted, the stage was completely dark. In the darkness was a solitary circle of light in the middle of the stage. Vallentin appeared in his clown costume and began to intently look around the circle of light. A policeman appeared on the scene and inquired if he lost something. The clown replied, “Yes the key to my house. The policeman joined him in the search for a long time and finally asked, “Are you sure you lost it here?” The clown answered, “No, I lost it over there”, pointing to a dark corner of the stage. “Why”, asked the exasperated policeman, “Are you looking for it here? To which the clowned shrugged his shoulders, “Because there is no light over there!”
Today is Trinity Sunday and it may seem foolish to try to talk about the trinity. The book The Shack attempts to personalize this theological principle of the Christian faith. But often God is not center stage. By shining light on such a topic, we discover the floodlight of God’s love for living which is often not very center stage in our lives. Recently I read regarding the trinity, “You will lose our soul if you don’t believe it and you will lose your mind if you try to explain it.” So today let us get lost in the light of the glory and grace of God as we think about God as light. We read in 1 John 1:5, “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
God is light and the Greek word for light is “phoes” which we get the word photo, photon and photosynthesis? This is the process by which sunlight is turned into energy that is converted into other, different, forms of energy by biological systems. It's an amazing process. Our vegetation needs the light of the sun. We need sunlight otherwise we get SAD, Seasonal Affect Disorder. Light is very important.
So how does God as light relate to our growing in this light in relationship to the Trinity? Christian Schwarz wrote a book called the Threefold Art of Experiencing God. The book shines light upon the various ways we view and experience God in the trinity. God the creator enlightens our minds. Light is the natural symbol and expression of truth. No good work can be done without light. Genesis 1 said that in the beginning God said, “Let there be light.” God created light first in the explosion and bang of creation. The first reflection of uncreated light came first from God and it come first for us and to us. When Isaiah is exposed in the temple before God, he admits he is a man of unclean lips for he has been blinded by this majestic light of God’s presence. In Christ, we remember that John the Baptist came to bear witness to the light and that light shines in the darkness and the darkness shall never overcome the light of Christ. In the Holy Spirit, we remember the fire of Pentecost and the fire that led Israel through the wilderness. God’s light shines in these three forms of the creator and nothing defeats this light.
I’d like you to think of the opposite of light. What is the opposite of up? Down! The opposite of west is east. The opposite of Cubs is Sox. What is the opposite of light? Darkness!? No! There is no equal force or power than light! Darkness is just the absence of light. They are not equal or opposite forces. Even just the smallest amount of light cannot be overcome by darkness. Darkness is just the absence of light; it does not even exist on its own.
Now we might be afraid of the dark or we forget that God is with us even in the valley of the shadow of death. But we don’t need to be afraid to walk into the light of God’s love and grace. John 3:16 says God So Loved the world - You and Me - that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” God didn’t do this to condemn us but that we might have life. Yet even though the light is available and salvation is at hand, there will still be times when we stay in darkness and the shadows. We may carry the darkness of the past. There may be shadowy pain that we have never spoken of before that once exposed to the light will cause us to see that it is no our identity.
This light is a love that shines upon us and everything. God is inviting us into the light, and the darkness can’t overcome it. Darkness in our lives occurs when something is covered over or covered up. We have an easier time recognizing the darkness in others or we can see what is covered up in them, their lack of love or kindness or patience. We often have greater trouble acknowledging the shadows in our own lives.
We sometimes cover for one another because we don’t want to be exposed to the light. But John 3:19-21 remind us that “the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.” We are those people do not want to be exposed.
God is inviting us into the light of his love! There will be times when you do not want your whole life to be flooded with light. Some things--secrets, sins, and relationships--we do not want to let go. They shape our identity! There are things that we would rather not deal with; would rather not have God shine any light upon. When we see such darkness, we usually hide in the shadows. But the light of Christ shines in the darkness and the darkness shall never overcome it. Living in the light calls us to surrender to the light of God, capturing our hearts and fears and allow God’s light to heal and restore.
There was once a battleship heading straight towards a light in the distance that was coming up in its path and seemed to be awfully close. The captain of this battleship had the signalman send a message out to this on-coming vessel, telling them to veer ten degrees to the starboard. A reply came back from the source of light, saying, "You veer ten degrees to the starboard." Well, the captain of the battleship didn't rise up in the ranks for no good reason -- he was incensed at this challenge to his authority. So he sent a message back saying, "I am a captain. You veer ten degrees to the starboard." The reply came back, “I have no rank. You veer ten degrees to the starboard." And all of this was escalating. The captain pulled out his big one, he said, "I'm in a battleship. You veer ten degrees towards starboard." The reply came back, "I'm in a lighthouse."
God is light and is guiding us through the storms of life safely into through the rough seas of life. God’s light continues to enlighten us and heal and restore us today.
Let us pray: Gracious God, you are the light of the world so guide us through the shadows of life. As you were with Jesus when darkness covered the whole earth on the day of his death, shine upon us today that we may walk in the light of your love, we pray in Jesus name, Amen.