The light which John talks about in today’s scripture is the Light of the World. It is an invitation to allow our journeys through life to serve as a witness for others. Rather than following the narrative of this world that tells us to hide our imperfections, to deny our fully human selves, it invites us to share our light with others. This Light of the World invites us to be up to something good in our community. This Light of God’s love and grace invites us, no it tells us, to let our light shine.
March 10, 2024
God is Doing Something Amazing! Are You UP For It?
“Light Up”
John 3: 14-21
Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl
John 3: 14-21
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned, but those who do not believe are condemned already because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, 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.”
Light Up John 3: 14-21
Our Scripture contains probably one of the best known Bible verses. Most everyone knows it. Even if people do not claim the Christian faith as their own, they are probably still able to quote it because this particular Bible verse finds its way to us through billboards, signs nailed to trees, even sneaking in at various sporting events. My guess is that all I would have to say is “For God so loved the world, and most of us would be able to complete the sentence without too much prompting.
But that verse is not where the Spirit led me this week. The Spirit kept bringing me back to the second part of our Scripture text, the part which talks about the light, the part which talks about those who do what is true coming to the light, the part which reminds us again that as people of faith, we are called to walk in the light of God.
I really don’t need to go into an explanation about what is the light of God. The author of John has been pretty clear about that. Since the first Chapter, John has described an understanding of how we as Jesus’ followers are called to view the world. He has told us that what came into being was life, and that life was the light of and for all people. John has told us that the light shines in the darkness and that the darkness does not and will not overtake it. The author of John reminds us that this light brings with it a powerful transformation, a transformation which shapes us, which helps us become the people that God created and calls us to be.
This light is the love of God. This light is the grace of God. This light is the hope of God. This light is the promise given to us by our God who loved us so much that God sent God’s only Son not to condemn the world but to save it. This light shows us a different way to be. This light shows a different way to be in relationship with one another. It shows us how to center ourselves in the presence of God. This light calls for us to recognize, to claim, to proclaim the light of God which resides in all of God’s people. This light beckons us to come where the dewdrops of mercy shine bright. This light reminds us that this world with not have the last word, that the vision of God’s Peaceable Kingdom shines bright for all of God’s creation.
This light of God which John has been talking about since the beginning of his Gospel has been around since the beginning of time. It is there to guide us. It is there to lead us. It is there to help us walk the path which will bring healing and wholeness for all of God’s people. This light is there to shine bright and to show this world that it will not overtake it.
This light which John talks about is the Light of the World. It is an invitation to allow our journeys through this life to serve as a witness for others. Rather than following the narrative of this world, which tells us to hide our imperfections, which tells us to deny our fully human selves, this light invites us to share our light with others. This Light of the World invites us to be up to something good in our community. This Light of God’s love and grace invites us, no it tells us to let our light shine.
Or let me say it this way…On Wednesday, after dropping Hannah off at track practice, I discovered that my battery was dead, both literally and figuratively. My car battery would not start but I will also name that I was exhausted, mentally, physically and emotionally. There was no spark. There was no light shining bright.
After getting the car jumped, I made my way to a store in Versailles. It was there I found my spark, again both literally and figuratively. It was there I discovered the light of God shining bright. As I was getting the battery replaced in my car, I began talking with the attendant. The conversation took an odd turn when he said, and I quote, “I don’t think I have ever met a woman pastor.”
I assumed this would be like every other conversation I have ever had when I heard that statement so I simply said, Well, we exist, thinking this would be the end of the conversation.
But much to my surprise, the attendant continued the conversation and said something which absolutely broke my heart. He said, “I don’t go to church. I haven’t been to church since I was kicked out at the age of 16 for having tattoos. The youth minister saw the ink on my arm and asked me to never return. He also didn’t like my multiple piercings either. So I left and never returned.”
I let that sink in for a bit. Then looked this young man in the eyes and said, “I am so sorry that happened. That was not right. I’m so sorry you went through that.” Then he said, “Well, the youth minister told me that having a tattoo was a sin but I didn’t think so. There was a lot of other stuff I could have been doing but at least I was in church, at least I was trying to learn about God.”
I pointed out that I had a different definition of sin than that youth minister. For example, if we really wanted to take the Bible literally and start naming sins, if that youth minister was wearing clothing made from more than one type of materials, then that youth minister was just as much a sinner. And I think I remember somewhere in the Bible it saying, one who hadn’t sinned could cast the first stone.
This began our theological discussion in the parking lot while this young man was changing out the battery in my car. We talked about church. He shared his life story with me. We talked about where I see Jesus in the world.
Now this young man didn’t preach at me yet he shared with me his testimony of God’s grace and love. Through this young man, who could have easily been terse because of his experience with the institutional church, who could have easily gone about business as usual because it was 5 o’clock on a Wednesday evening, but he didn’t and through this young man, I experienced the Light of God. He was kind. He was gracious. He was sincere and authentic about his life and his experiences. Even when the crazy security system on my car prevented everything from turning on and lighting up, he was patient. He googled how to fix it and then had the kindness to say to me, “How about you stay for a bit, just to make sure everything is working?”
Through a conversation with this young man, my battery was recharged both literally and figuratively. In this conversation, I found my spark. Through the kindness and grace of this young man, I find the light of God shining bright.
Me, the one with the theological background, the one who is supposed to be creating opportunities for people to experience God’s love, I was the one transformed. I was the one recharged. I was the one invited to light up, to let my light shine all because through this young man I encountered the Jesus the institutional church rejected and continues to reject. Through this young man, I encountered the Jesus we know is at work in this world, bringing healing and wholeness. I encountered the Jesus who came so that we might have eternal life.
Who knew? We all thought we had to go to some exotic place to experience the mystery and wonder of God when in reality, all it took was an encounter at the Advance Auto Parts store in Versailles?
Amen.
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