#2614: The Light That Leads To Life

[Music] [Music] All right, happy Easter everyone. The Lord is risen. He is risen indeed. You know, for followers of Jesus Easter is our most special day. It's a celebration. We honor the cross, but we celebrate Easter. Why? You know, because it's a celebration of life, a joyful celebration of life where we declare emphatically that certain things are true and beautiful. One, that, for example, because of Jesus and the empty tomb, death is not the end. Life is. Think about that. Death is not the end. Life is. Life wins because of Jesus. Two, that God's love is greater than our sin. Just as much as light is greater than darkness. Indeed, we're told in John 316 that God's the love the world that he gave his only son, his only big God son, whoever believes in him should not perish. That our life would not end in death and disappointment, but that we would have eternal life. That is access to overflowing and abundance. The overflowing and abundant life in God. It is our blessed hope that because Jesus lives, we too can live. That is, if we will accept his offer, love one, he will not force us to accept him because love doesn't force his way, but he invites us to choose him. God is vulnerable enough to let us choose. Then another emphatic truth we declare is that because Jesus is a live-listened, we, you and I are forbidden to live in hopelessness. That is, if we've accepted him. Instead, we are to live in a threefold way at peace with our past, right? Even the past we don't want. We can be at peace with it. We are to live with gratitude in our present, choosing optimism as our dominant way of life and then also that we can live with trust for our tomorrow's. In this life in the next, we are safe with Christ. So peace with our past, grateful for our today and trustful for our tomorrow's. And then lastly, we declare that what awaits us in life is a life that is truly life, that though death is at most times undesired and something of which we are afraid that in Christ there is a promise of not just a renewed body which is huge, but also of expanded mind, right? That our creativity just goes beyond anything we can imagine. Lord, in the minutes we are ahead, we just, we just ask that you speak to us as we ponder the cross and the resurrection. Stir in us a holy hunger and an awakened imagination in Jesus' name we pray. All right, as many of you are aware, not everyone, of course, our series is the cost of love. He's been leading up to this Easter Sunday. We've been focusing on the 12th chapter of the Gospel of John and specifically on the controversial, but utterly profound words that Jesus declared concerning himself about who he was and about what he had come to do. And also what he said he didn't come to do. At the end of the chapter, John 12, we are told that Jesus shouted to the crowds that he shouted words that may be regarded as the last public, at least the last recorded public declaration of his ministry. Now just think about that, right? These are his last words prior to the cross and resurrection that he declared. In John 12, verse 44, we read that Jesus shouted to the crowds, and I just tried to imagine in my mind's eye, if you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. That is an incredible claim. Then Jesus said, I have come as a light to shine in this dark world so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. Wow, what an invitation. What an invitation. This is as Jesus declared a dark world. It's a broken world. We understand that not only in a big way, but also sometimes in our own heart, but there is a way. There is a light that shines in the darkness. That's what Jesus was saying. The key he said is something we touched on earlier is our willingness to put our trust in him, right? Our willingness to believe and commit to that belief. That's so important to believe and commit to that belief. Have we done that? Will we do that? Are we doing that? Jesus went on to say, I will not judge those who hear me, but don't obey me. For I have come to save the world and not to judge it. What Jesus was saying is, I've come as the Savior. Judgment will come from God, but listen, it will be on the basis of what you do with me. That's what Jesus was saying, which is why he added, but all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken. So even though Jesus was saying, I have come to save, it doesn't mean that you won't be held accountable for what you do with me. He says, I don't speak on my own authority. The Father who has sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. I speak God's words to you. In fact, when you've seen me, you are seeing God before you. I guess it was an audacious claim that we must either cling to or push away from. Jesus said this, I know His commands lead to eternal life. So I say, whatever the Father tells me to say, think of what Jesus is saying, my words lead to eternal life. My commands lead to eternal life. It's a life that I want to give you. Now, nobody knew at that time that the way he was going to give us that life was going to be by giving his life. And this, and by the way, his claim to be the light of the world reminded me of something he has said earlier in his ministry, just a few chapters earlier in John 8. Jesus had declared, well, he talked about himself as being the light of the world. Verse 12, John 8, he says that Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness because you will have the light that leads to life. Love ones, this is the offer of Jesus to anyone who will receive it. To follow Him, walk out of the darkness and into the light that leads to life. Basically, that is the message of Easter in a nutshell. [Music] When we wander into valleys far from home, where shadows hover over our souls. Find us in your mercy, Savior of the world. You are the light of the world. Jesus is your light. Jesus is the light. Jesus is alive. He is out of darkness, into your marvelous life. The Pharisees replied, "You are making those claims about yourself such testimony is not valid." You're just talking about yourself, they were saying. Jesus told them, "These claims are valid, even though I make them about myself where I know where I came from and where I am going. But you don't know this about me. You have no idea who I really am. You do not believe what I'm saying about who I am. You judge me." Jesus says, "By human standards, but I did not judge anyone." Again, he didn't come to judge. He came to save. Judgment will be on the basis of what people do with him. He says, "And if I did, my judgment would be correct in every respect because I am not alone. The Father who sent me is with me." Again, Jesus saying, "If I did want to judge you in this moment, I could." But I've come to save. Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact, as this valid. Jesus said, "I am one witness and my father who sent me is the other." I was like, "Remember, okay, it's actually quite a statement Jesus making." They were trying to say his claims were invalid because it was only his claim, just what he was saying about himself, and that no one of credibility was affirming it. And they were referring to the law that God had given Moses, that out of the mouth of two or three witnesses, let it be established. So what Jesus is doing is he's meeting them exactly in that place. He says, "Listen, I do have another witness besides myself." They said, "Who?" He said, "My father." They said, "Where is your father?" They asked. Jesus answered, "Since you don't know who I am, you don't know who my father is. If you knew me, you would also know my father." And then we're told that Jesus made these statements while he was teaching in the section of the temple that was known as the treasury, but he was not arrested because his time had not yet come. Jesus would always talk about his time, the time of his coming, the time of his suffering, the time of the cross, as that hour. But at this moment, he said that hour had not come. Later, Jesus said to them, "Again, I am going away. You will search for me, but will die in your sin. You cannot go, well, you cannot come where I am going." And the people asked, "What is he talking about?" Jesus didn't make sense to them. They said, "Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean? You cannot come where I am going." Jesus continued, "You are from below. You think at an earthly plane, I am from above. I'm coming from a heavenly plane. You belong to this world. I do not. This is why I said that you will die in your sins, where unless you believe that I am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins." By the way, that is the truth for every human being. What are we going to do with Jesus? Who are you? They demanded it. It's a great question. Who is Jesus? How we answer that question determines everything. Jesus replied, "The one I have always claimed to be is who I am. I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won't do it for I say only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he is completely truthful." But they still didn't understand that he was talking about his father. Jesus, again, is talking about his role as the redeemer, as the Savior, as the one who would die for us. That was his purpose in coming. Judgment would be later, but this was an opportunity. Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of man on the cross, then you will understand that I am him. What I have come to do. I do nothing on my own, but say only what the Father taught me, and the one who sent me is with me. He has not deserted me, for I always do what pleases him." And then many who heard him say these things believed in him. Jesus, you have lifted up the Son of man on the cross. You have lifted up the Son of man on the cross. And I fall to my knees so it's you that they see not I. ♪ The beauty that may ♪ ♪ Is heart adore you ♪ ♪ Hope of a life spent with you ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Here I am to worship ♪ ♪ Here I am to bow down ♪ ♪ Here I am to say that ♪ ♪ You're my God ♪ ♪ You're all together loving ♪ ♪ All together worthy ♪ ♪ All together wonderful to me ♪ ♪ Oh here I am to worship ♪ ♪ Here I am to bow down ♪ ♪ Here I am to say that ♪ ♪ You're my God ♪ ♪ You're all together loving ♪ ♪ All together worthy ♪ ♪ All together wonderful to me ♪ ♪ And I'll never know how much it cost ♪ ♪ To see my sin upon thy cross ♪ You know, it's fascinating to connect what Jesus said with what happens on the first Easter morning at the tomb. It was on the third day after Jesus' crucifixion that he said he had to enter into. The Son of man had to be lifted up, but it was on the third day we are told that Mary Magdalene made her way to the tomb while it was still dark. You know, their dreams were dashed, but they still wanted to honor Jesus and hoping to honor him one last time she made her way to the tomb where Jesus had been placed. We read about it on this Easter day, on that first Easter day. Now, on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early while it was still dark and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. It was rolled away. And so she ran and she even went, she just ran and went, "Simon Peter and the other disciple." That would be John, the one whom Jesus loved. That's how John talked about himself and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we do not know where they have laid him." We don't know what they have done with them, and so Peter went out with the other disciple and they were going towards the tomb. And then we are told in verse 4 that both of them were running together, but that the other disciple, John, writing about himself, out ran Peter and reached the tomb first. John puts it in there that he got there before Peter, younger and faster, and stupid to look and he saw the linen cloth lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, no doubt, breathing deep, following him and went into the tomb. And he saw the linen cloths lying there and the face cloth which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloth which just folded up in a place by itself. And then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in and he saw and believed. Right? I remember, let's just. a simple account. But I remember reading a wonderful devotional written by a pastor named Joseph Pryor that just tied all the themes that we've been sitting with together in a just a beautiful way, the themes of light and darkness and the life of Jesus and just I want to share with you. He writes this and I'm just again thinking about darkness and light and how Jesus said he was a light of the world and the resurrection Sunday and the darkness getting overwhelmed by the light. Anyway, it says the movement from darkness to light from death to life is captured as the disciples witnessed the empty tomb. Think about this. He says, Mary arrives early in the morning while it was still dark. Darkness has enveloped the disciples in sorrow and fear. Like they're afraid. They don't understand. Mary and the beloved disciple were there at the cross. They had witnessed the passion, the suffering and the death of the Lord. Peter and the others had just fled and fear. But the loss of the Lord filled them all with grief. They were confused. They were lost. They were alone. They were in the dark as it were to what was really happening. They didn't understand the cross and understand how this could be anything but awful. It was not good. The darkness that engulfed them are symbolized by the darkness of the early morning when Mary arrives at the tomb. She comes to the tomb. She doesn't see what God has actually done. At this point, all she can see is the stone having been rolled back. It's too dark to see into the tomb. Darkness is precluding inhibiting what has actually happened. By the time she returns with Peter and the beloved disciple is light. The new light of morning fills the sky. The light allows them to see into the tomb. They see burial cloths. The beloved disciple sees with his own eyes the empty tomb. The burial cloths and the one rolled up in a separate place. He sees and believes the movement from darkness to light is now realized in faith. The darkness is overwhelmed by the light. And then he says, "Jesus' resurrection is the victory of light over darkness." The victory of life over death, the victory of mercy over sin. Isn't that beautiful? In the beginning, there was darkness. A void, empty, silent. His voice spoke through the nothingness. Let there be light and there was. Energy and heat racing at 186,000 miles per second, illuminating the vast expanse. A flaming sword piercing through the darkness. His voice tamed the light, settled it, and sent it to give life. A fiery tempest and gentle yet powerful, breathing life into every molecule. And he saw that it was good. But then the darkness crept back, took a form of its own and tried to extinguish the flames of life. A battle was waged in eternal struggle. The dark and the light, death versus life. And as the darkness devoured hope and the shadows snuff the fires within us, the eternal war would claim its casualties, littering the horizon with ashes and embers of what once were flames inside our souls, dreams, hope, goodness, forgot. Time rolled on, day wrestling with night, and yet there was still hope to be found in the light. A nation in exile led by a pillar of fire, a lady with the lamp bringing compassion to war, a slave's last hope following the northern star, countless whispers and timeless reminders that even the smallest of flames can illuminate the darkest of places. His light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it. We cannot live without his light, in the end, and is all that will remain. What was once dark will be brought to light. What was once death will be breathed to life. The relentless war over darkness, vanquished by the perpetual morning star. His light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it. His word is a lamp to illuminate the path, his whispers, a map spread across the stars, his presence, a pillar of fire lighting the way. His light shines in the darkness, in the darkness cannot overcome it. Two more thoughts as we bring our time to a close. Quotes actually that I want to share with you. That means something to me on this Easter Sunday. One is from a poet pastor, a writer who I loved, who since gone to heaven whose words have brought and continue to bring life and joy to me. Kalim Miller wrote these words. He said, "I once scorned every fearful thought of death when it was but the end of pulse and breath. But now my eyes have seen that past the pain, there is a world that's waiting to be claimed. Wow, earthmaker, holy, let me now depart for living's such a temporary art. And dying is but getting dressed for God. Our graves are merely doorways cut inside. Isn't that great? Life is just a temporary art. Dying is but getting dressed for God. Our graves are merely doorways cut inside because of Jesus. The darkness of the grave is overwhelmed by light. He is the light of the world. He is the way the truth and the life. Speaking of who Jesus is and what he reminded us to pursue, C.S. Lewis taught us that the most important thing we can do in this life is aim for heaven. He said, "Amen heaven, you'll get earth thrown in, you'll get the blessing of this life with Christ. But if you aim at earth, you get neither. If this is all we see is this, that's all we'll have and a lot, a lot of death, right? That we don't want. Lord, on this resurrection Sunday, we aim at heaven. The door is open to all of us. If you want to make sure you've accepted Jesus, just pray with me now. Just say, "Yeah, crucified Savior Jesus. I confess you as my Lord. And I believe in my heart that God has raised you from the dead. Help me to surrender and receive your words of love and to follow you as my Lord and shepherd all the days of my life." Yes, Lord, let us follow you all the days of our life, risen Lord, risen Jesus. Hey, let's keep this in mind, as we rejoice together with our risen Lord who's given us the gift of life. And then I want to come back around and give you one more blessing. So here we go. See the tomb where he lay, see the stone rolled away, he is risen, he is risen, he's alive. See his hands, see his feet, touch his scars and believe he is risen, he is risen, he's alive. He lives a lot of power, a lot of resources. ♪ Forever ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ He loves shackles, breaking free ♪ ♪ He loves all of the redeemed ♪ ♪ He is moving, He is moving, He's alive ♪ ♪ Also take this freedom, take this love ♪ ♪ If you feel the rising up, He is here, He is here, He's alive ♪ ♪ Oh, He loves ♪ ♪ A lot of power on Him ♪ ♪ For more me forever ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Oh, He loves ♪ ♪ A lot of power on Him ♪ ♪ For more me forever ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Oh, Jesus ♪ ♪ You took all our shame ♪ ♪ Love did in the grave ♪ ♪ We forgive Him ♪ ♪ We forgive Him ♪ ♪ Though whatever it does ♪ ♪ Only by the blood it is finished ♪ ♪ It is finished ♪ ♪ Oh, He loves ♪ ♪ A lot of power on Him ♪ ♪ Oh, glory forever ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Oh, Jesus ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ He is risen ♪ ♪ He is risen ♪ ♪ He's alive ♪ - Lord, we declare that you are the resurrection and the life. You said you were that death could not hold you, that the cross was the bridge to life. That your sacrificial gift of love has made it possible for us to be with God forever, that because of you and the life you lived and gave we can live, now and forever, life without end. You may be not just the risen Savior, but your risen Savior forevermore, have you Easter loved one. ♪ He is risen ♪ ♪ He is risen ♪ ♪ He's alive ♪ ♪ Oh, He's alive ♪