3-23-2016

Good Morning All!!

              Luke 22:53b; “But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

    The power of darkness, what does that phrase mean to you?  I have heard this phrase used recently when discussions were being held about the current presidential candidates and the debates going on.  Evil, deceptive, hate-filled, dark powered are a few of the descriptions.  But what does it mean; this hour is your hour, and the power of darkness?

    This verse occurs in the story of the betrayal of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss but this comment was directed to the priests and the teachers of the law who accompanied the Temple guards and the Roman soldiers.  He asked them if they came prepared to capture a robber.  He asked them about the way he had been in the Temple talking to them but now they came with swords, spears and clubs.  Of course there, in the Temple, it would have been daylight and visible to everyone but now, in the darkness, evil can be displayed.

    This is truly how evil is displayed in the hiddenness of darkness.  It can boil out of the darkness of our sinful heart when we strike in anger at a loved one or a neighbor for no reason.  Our jealousy can supply the heat to cook the pot.  Greed, lust, selfishness feed the boil and can erupt in ways we do not expect.  Other times it sort of oozes out.  We might start out in a caring position, perhaps generous supporting a great mission.  But soon, the money isn’t quite as plentiful as before so we cut back.  Do we cut back on the new vehicle, the extra vacation days or our mission support?  Inside the darkness, we think we are being generous at half the support; why should I give something up for others?  From the darkness of our heart, the needs of our brother are suppressed to the wants of our life. 

    This is why Jesus came to be the Light of the world, to shine truth on the ugliness.  To show us the self-inflicted pain that occurs in our selfishness, how our selfishness is never satisfied, never fed.  It grows and overpowers us but Christ came to defeat tis dark passion.  He came to restore us to his holy family, to restore us to our purpose of taking care of each other. 

    Unfortunately, the power of darkness will continue to plague us until Jesus returns and the final victory is ours.  We will battle it and sometimes it will win but God keeps calling us back through Jesus.  Jesus keeps calling back to the light where we see our true purpose, our true peace and where we find our only hope.  Stay in the light where you will know God’s comfort and peace.

Father of all grace, your mercies are new to us each day and they pour over us like a river.  Keep us in your grace; keep us in your light.  Enliven our faith and strengthen our spirit that we may know the warmth and truth of your loving light.  Be with those who are still lost in darkness.  Bring them into your marvelous light.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret