WITNESS TO THE LIGHT
By Deb Peterson
John 1:6-13 -- 12/28/03
Helen Keller tells of that dramatic moment when Anne Sullivan first broke through her dark, silent world with the illumination of language: “We walked down the path to the well house, attracted by the fragrance of the honeysuckle with which it was covered. Some one was drawing water and my teacher placed my hand under the spout. As the cool stream gushed over one hand she spelled into the other the word water, first slowly, then rapidly. I stood still, my whole attention fixed upon the motion of her fingers. Suddenly I felt a misty consciousness as of something forgotten—a thrill of returning thought; and somehow the mystery of language was revealed to me. I knew then that “w-a-t-e-r” meant that wonderful cool something that was flowing over my hand. That living word awakened my soul, gave it light, hope, joy, set it free!”
The moment Helen Keller describes is that moment her world of darkness was shattered with the light of language. Although she was the same person physically, her life was transformed. She now had a way she could see and understand.
Spiritually speaking, people are living in a world of darkness. Some of you may recognize the words to the Simon and Carbuncle song from the 70’s, The Sounds of Silence: “Hello darkness, my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again.” This is an accurate description of the way many people feel today—they are living in spiritual darkness. What is worse, they are so used to living in that spiritual darkness, that it has become the norm, an “old friend.” The world is in need of spiritual illumination, a divine light.
I wish I could pour out that light on you, let you feel its transforming power, in the same way water became three-dimensional as Helen Keller felt it but this time also recognized its connection to language as Anne Sullivan spelled it into her hands. I wish each of you could have that awakening in your soul. It is interesting to me that Helen described her revelation as the living word that awakened (her) soul, giving her light, hope and joy.
When we see the Living Word—the Bible—as three-dimensional, connected to and including the Father God, the Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, all separate but also one, then our darkness is shattered and our souls are awakened and we have light and hope and joy. This moment happened for me after reading John 1:1 about 50 times. One day it just clicked, like it did for Helen Keller and water.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (italics mine). John 1:1. God is Jesus and God is the Holy Spirit and God is the Word and the Word is God and the Spirit is God and Jesus is the Word and…see how they are all connected and all inseparable? I was SO EXCITED in that one moment when it all became clear to me through these 17 words! The darkness was shattered! I had the light!
These first few verses of the Book of John also tell us, in verse 3, that all things came into being through him (which would be God/Jesus/the Word/), and without him not one thing was created. And verse 4 says what has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. Well, we were created weren’t we? So we too are connected to God/Jesus/the Word/Life.
It means every person entering life can also be brought into the Light, meaning Jesus, who is the Light of all of us. Yet some choose to live in darkness because they don’t know this, or they know it, in an intellectual way but they don’t understand it. I want this to CLICK for you! Because verse 5 says “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness (does not) overcome it.
And that brings us to verse 6: “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.” God’s assigned mission for John the Baptist, John’s sole purpose for existence, is further explained in verses 7, 8, and 9: (John) came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
John was sent as a “witness” to the light and to tell people that the “true light” – Jesus Christ – was coming into the world. By his witness people might believe in the light. Through his testimony, others could be delivered from spiritual darkness.
John writes of himself in the third person and uses courtroom language here: he says he was a witness, a testimony, of the true light. What are the traits of a witness?
- a witness has seen/experienced something firsthand
- a witness is willing to testify to what he/she has seen/experienced
- a witness commits oneself to that truth. He/she is no longer neutral.
He or she has an opinion one way or another.
John is a witness of Jesus, the true light. He is a testimony of what he has experienced. He is willing to tell others (no matter what the cost—and it eventually cost him his own head, which was chopped off). And he has committed himself to sharing what he has experienced.
This text is clear that the roles of the Word (capital W) and the witness are not to be confused. John reminds us, “I’m not the light, but I was sent to tell about the light.” His God-given mission was to be the preparer, the forerunner, the one who paved the way. John’s Gospel makes it clear that John the Baptist saw his role as a servant. He just wanted to point others to Jesus.
According to Acts 18.25 and 19.1-3, the disciples of John the Baptist continued to exist alongside the early church. Yet John’s purpose was not to attract and have a flock of followers. He just wanted to do the task he was given-- to direct people to Jesus. He was not the light. He was merely a witness to the light.
What a privilege—to be a witness of the light—of the Christ! What an honor—to point others to the Light! We cannot bring light to their darkness, their sorrow, their emptiness, but we can direct them toward the light that can. And we can reflect the true light. We can be representatives of the light. We can give witness and testimonies about how Jesus brought light to our lives because we have experienced it. It’s not hearsay, which wouldn’t be accepted in a court of law is it? No! We should always be ready to share our witness and testimony.
”The true light, which enlightens everyone…” (v. 9) The light has been born as a human baby—GOD has been born as a human baby—JESUS has been born as a human baby—LIGHT. And LIGHT is LIFE.
But then we have verses 10 and 11, perhaps the saddest words in the entire New Testament.
“He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.”
Do you know what? It is still sad today! God created the world—the world came into being through him—yet the world STILL doesn’t know him! And worse, when He comes to His own chosen people, even they—we--people reject Him. Not to strangers or foreigners. He came to his own. They should recognize him, yet they did not and do not accept him.
It is one thing to be rejected by people who don’t know you. But it’s another when your own family rejects you, turns their backs on you. Indeed.
At the time these scriptures were written, it was about the Jewish people who would not accept that Jesus was the Messiah. But we all know people who know who Jesus is, know that God created the world and everything in it and created even them, but they live their lives as though He is not their Savior.
Why do God’s people run from the light, preferring to live in the darkness? The darkness of a chronic illness, the darkness of having an adult child fighting a war in a foreign land for a cause no one really understands, the darkness of grief, the darkness of addiction—maybe addiction to work, to money and the things it can buy but never really satisfy, or the addiction to drugs or alcohol. The darkness of an habitual sin that holds you tight in its grip.
Yet verses 12 and 13 give us hope, power, another chance…hope. “But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.”
Even while the majority of the world rejects, some believe, some receive…….the Light.
J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is very popular now, but I first read the trilogy when I was in my teens. In one of the book’s bleakest moments, Sam and Frodo are deep in the dark land of Mordor—with little food and water and little light to lead their way. Their heroic but seemingly hopeless mission hangs on a slender thread.
Listen to these words from The Lord of the Rings: “The night sky was still dim and pale. There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, and as he looked up out of the forsaken land, hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end, the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty forever beyond its reach.” This scene captures for me the essence of life in the Light of Christ. Far from being quenched by the sorrows of life, the dark spots of life, the promises of God shine their brightest when we can see past them into the blackest night. Hope. Whatever shadow has currently invaded our lives, there is the Light that overcomes all darkness.
These wonderful first verses of the Book of John leaves us with much food for thought. First, are we living in the light? Are we following Christ? Are we acting as though we are His children and reflecting Who he is? And are we telling others what we have experienced? Are we sharing what we have witnessed, the answered prayers, the healing and wholeness? Are we admitting to knowing Him or are we rejecting him? In other words, do those around you at work, in the grocery or your friends know that you are a child of God?
There was a gift for each of us left under the tree of life 2000 years ago by the one whose birthday we now celebrate. The gift was withheld from no one. Some have left their packages unclaimed. Some have accepted the gift and carried it around, but have failed to remove the wrappings and look inside to discover the hidden splendor.
And then we have the hope—the hope that came to us that first Christmas under the light of a solitary, bright star, assuring us always that the shadow, though it may be deep and dark, is only a small and passing thing. Unto us a child is born, a child who called himself the Light of the World.
This morning we are going to share holy communion as a fresh new beginning for each life as we enter into a fresh new year. I invite each of you to step out of your darkness, whatever it may be, and come into the light. And each time you look up on a deep, dark night and see the stars, may you be reminded of our God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness, his light has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Cor 4:6). And may starlit hope dance in your hearts at Christmas and all year long. Please pray with me:
I praise you, O God, for your desire to save us. I thank you for demanding holiness from us to save us from the havoc sin causes in our lives. Thank you for calling us to righteousness, so that our lives will be a blessing to others and not a burden. Thank you for challenging us to have your character, so that others can see your glory in us. Use us, Father. We know we are flawed, but we want to be one of your tools letting those living in the darkness about your light. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen
COMMUNION: (Will the ushers come forward, please?)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) But God's message wasn't content to stay confined to a book. This Message, this Word, this Light, took on flesh and blood and bones! He came to us in human flesh, bringing us life and love, hope and joy. And by his death, he brought us redemption and salvation. As you eat the bread and drink of the cup, remember the blessing in Jesus, who came and lived in our world so we can one day make our home in his. Please, eat and drink of the Body and the Blood of the One True Light. (The communion bread is in the shape of a star, made with a cookie cutter.)
Let us pray: Star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright, westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to your perfect light. Amen.
Benediction
The Christmas birthing is over, a new life has been released to the world. Shepherds and magi have come and gone, their news of wonder still plays in our hearts. Herod’s soldiers have failed to thwart God’s efforts. Let our compassion be awakened, our yearnings for peace be inflamed. The Christmas birthing is over, let its new life of love begin in us. Amen.
