Episode Transcript
Have you ever tried to untangle Christmas lights?
Speaker 2 (00:05):
You start and you're patient, and you're optimistic, and then
after about five minutes, after thinking it won't take.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Long, you're saying words that need.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Confessing, and then when you plug it in.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Half of them won't work. It's frustrating.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
But here's kind of the funny thing of the light experience.
Even one small bulb that lights, that'll make a difference.
It makes a difference, just one. And I don't think
(00:56):
you have to go too far in your imagination to kind.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Of connect that that. That's kind of what the message
of Christmas is about. Even one light can change the darkness,
just one. And we hear that and the reading this morning, Eddie,
(01:26):
you always do such a great job. Thank you, Eddie.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Yeah, wonderful. Where again it stakes through him. All things
were made without him, nothing was made that has been made.
In him was life, and the life was the what
the light of all one light?
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Now, if you think.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
About it, the world we live in, it offers a
whole stream of lights, a whole string of lights. There's
the light bulb of success, the light of relationships, the
light of achievements, and on that string and you could
(02:18):
fill in the light bulb that you could could want
a place there, and they will shine.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Of course, it'll shine for a wall.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
But the light of Christ is a very different kind
of light. He doesn't just point the way as a
light would do of illuminating something. He is the way,
not just a source of light, but is the way.
He says, I am the light of the world. We're
(02:47):
gonna be connecting biblical dots of light. He later he said,
I am the light of the world, and whoever follows
me will what.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
You'll never walk in darkness, imagine that, but will.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Have the light of life, light of life.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
And that essentially means.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
That no matter how dark your situation may feel, regardless
of how dark is it may.
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Feel, his light will still work. It will still work.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
And the reality is you can't blow it out. You
can't dim the light of Christ. Case in point, what
was the Crucifixion all about, but saying we want to
demolish this light, we want to put it to death.
(03:53):
We don't want the challenge that it has in my
life and the decisions I make. And even the cross
and the Crucifixion could not keep the light out.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
It is as bright as today as.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Ever, when we think of Easter, and even when life
gets tangled like a string of lights, can.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Get that light still shining.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
A few years ago, you know, before I go for
a study break, go to punt.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Aloya, Nicaragua.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
My wife's near the city where she's from in Leone,
and it's a small little fishing village on the Pacific,
real smaller.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
It's not a tourist place, and we hope to keep
it that way.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
And there's a there's a handful of internationals, people from
various countries who have a place there, and I will
never forget one. Once there, there was this huge storm
and there was total blackout on.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
The that area. There.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
There was no WiFi, no air conditioning, no fans, no.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Lights, nothing, It was total darkness. But one house down
the way on the beach, they had a generator. They
had a generator and it was kind of interesting. That
house glowed and they had a lot of company that night.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
In a way, that's kind of what it means when
you follow Jesus. The world may be dark, but his
light keeps on shining. You don't have to light up
the whole world either, just to shine right where you
(05:53):
are now, I think it is significant to note and
to underscore as we revisit these classic readings during event,
it is significant to note that the light shines in
the darkness, not apart from it. It is intermingled in
(06:14):
the stuff where we live. In John's Gospel, Jesus doesn't
say says that the light shines after the darkness.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
He says, the light shines in the darkness.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
So we can also contextualize this light of Christ. It's
in the midst of even the messiness of our lives.
It means that God does not wait for your life
to be perfect to show up. He's right there in
the middle of your life. He steps into our chaos,
(06:51):
into the mess, into the grief, into the sin, into
the fear.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
And what does he say?
Speaker 2 (07:03):
I'm here, I'm here. He is here now. I don't
care how dark you think the world is. The light
is here in the middle of it, and the sooner
we recognize that and allow that to illumine our life.
(07:24):
That is where hope has all of its purpose. So
when Jesus enters your life, he doesn't just make you
feel better.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
He makes you new.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
We become new creations in Christ. Light can reveal what
is hidden. It shows truth, It brings growth. You can't
follow Jesus and.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Just stay the same.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
His life transforms. But maybe you've been walking in the shadows.
It's the shadows that's been orchestrating what you're about.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Maybe it could be the shadow of shame.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Sometimes we deal with bad decisions, or there could be
the shadow of doubt.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Or the shadow of disappointment.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
It just didn't turn out the way I had hoped,
and that can become a darkening shadow. But the good
news is Jesus isn't afraid of your darkness.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
He came to drive it out. He did that from Christmas.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
We find these words from Paul and Corinthians, where he
connects the dos even further. He says, if anyone is
in you are a new creation has come. The Ode
has gone.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
The New is here.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
This very moment, this very time that we gather together.
The Ode is gone. You left that at home, you
left it outside the door.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
The new is here. This is the day the Lord
has made. Now having said that, there's there's some place
else to go with the two. And it's what I
would call the best part of it all.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Jesus doesn't just bring light to us, He puts the
light in us, in us, not just illuminating somewhere there too,
as oh, you could see me flicker over there. No,
there's something about the gospel that is internalized.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
And Jesus was very clear that if you look at.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Matthew's gospel as he begins the Sermon on the Mount
in those beatitudes, he said.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
You are the light of the world. You are the
light of the world.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
You might say me, I'm no spotlight, but Jesus doesn't
need the sun. He just wants you to be a reflection,
a reflection of that light. So every time you forgive,
(10:40):
every time you serve, every time you share and give,
every time you love someone.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
That maybe others overlook, you're shining. You're shining.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
I many respects. Those ten individuals who signed up to
be part of the Caricre, they're going to be shining.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
We invite you to share and care as well. Well.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
In just a few days, this Wednesday, we'll be back here.
It's Christmas Eve service. We use real candles. That's the
wax you see on the chairs. It's from years past.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Christmas Eve.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
And we know that towards the end of the service,
the sanctuary is darkened, and one small candle is lit
from the christ candle of the Advent wreath, and then
that one light will light the candles of others, and
(12:05):
then another, and then another, until this whole room will glow.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
And that's the gospel.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
I don't think there is more sacred moment in the
year than that moment on Christmas Eve when we sing
Silent Night and the light is shared, and that is
the light that is heaven on earth.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
That is one moment, one moment.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
And I think we're able to see what it's all about.
So some of you might say, Okay, Lonnie, how do
I how do I let the light in?
Speaker 1 (13:07):
I'm here? What do I do? Well?
Speaker 2 (13:13):
I got some ideas. You know, you want something practice,
you want some homework, here's some homework. Don't hide your story, okay,
be real, be authentic.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
You know there was that that statement. I think it
was Toffer's book or no, but there's.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Another book where it's this, I'm okay and you're okay,
I'm okay, you're okay, I'm okay, And then someone came
out with probably more accurate version, I'm not okay and
you're not okay.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
But that's okay. Cool.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
We don't have to be okay, be authentic, don't hide
your story. You can even use your pain or your
ask pain to bring someone else some home to say
it's okay, it's okay.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
God is with us. So you don't.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
Don't hide a story, but who you are, be real,
don't don't be a faky person. And then just I'll say,
stay plugged in. Okay, we talked about light, Stay plugged in.
A Light obviously can only shine when it's connected to power,
(14:34):
and our power source is the Christ. Yes, you know,
someone said, well, Lonnie, can you be a Christian and
not go to church? Well, of course you can be
a Christian and not go to church.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
But I would then.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Say why why why would you want to do that?
Speaker 1 (14:58):
That doesn't sound very wise. And here's why.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
We've got got a big, big fireplace at the parsage.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
I love that. It's a monster fireplace. I mean it's great.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
And you know, I could take an amber piece of wood,
take it out of the fireplace and set it down
and before long it's gonna go out.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
It's by itself. It needs that that that gathering.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
That needs to be with others where they could the
illumination together.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
So yeah, you you know you you could, you could, You.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Probably burn out if you're isolated and alone and not
around fellowship.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Why would you want to do that?
Speaker 2 (15:55):
How can you develop a love for someone you don't
hang out with. It's like saying let's get married and
then never living together. If you say you want to
be a Christian, participate, get involved.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
So state plugged in.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
And then finally just thinking of staying connected.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Light one life this week.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
And that's just a way of saying, encourage, forgive, invite
or help someone else. Some small act can spark hope.
I like to think Eddie inaugurated here a few years ago.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
It's the pay It Forward project.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
We got some of these cards at the fellowship hall
and it's one of those things where you'll want, like
buy a meal for someone and they give them this,
and it's an outreach thing saying saying.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Here here, pay it forward. I'm from the church.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Do something good for another person, and he quotes one
Corinthians thirteen.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Great, Eddie, love is patient, love is kind, So light
one light this week.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Do that be a blessing. Encourage and forgive? Would you
please stand for prayer? Let us pray together.
Speaker 1 (17:25):
As we conclude, well.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Jesus, we thank you for being the light, a light
that never goes out. When we feel tangled, when the
world feels dark, remind us that you are still shining.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
In us, through us, and for us.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Make us reflect your light this Christmas and beyond.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Amen. M.
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