Our Sermons

Bible Passage: Isaiah 60:1-6
Pastor: Pastor Berg
Sermon Date:  January 6, 2019

One of my family’s favorite things to do in the warmer months of the year is to go camping. For us, there’s something peaceful and relaxing about being outside, sitting around the campfire. Something that usually accompanies us on our camping trips are fun things that glow in the dark. Whether it be bouncy balls or glow sticks, there’s something fun and fascinating about things that glow in the dark. Kids love those things…whether it be fireflies, stars on their bedroom ceilings, discs for night disc golfing…even glow in the dark pajamas. Kids…and maybe not just kids…are fascinated with things that glow in the dark.

Today, the prophet Isaiah talks about light and darkness. But specifically, he encourages us to shine, to glow in the darkness. May the Holy Spirit bless us through this Word of God to see how Eastside Glows in the Dark!

Scientifically speaking, darkness is the absence of light. Spiritually speaking, darkness is the absence of Jesus Christ. When Isaiah wrote these words, he was warning of a time when Israel would be taken captive into Babylon. It would be a time of great spiritual darkness. For many in Israel, that darkness had already begun. Many had already been walking in the darkness of their sins. This captivity in Babylon was God’s way to show them their sin and their need for a Savior, their need for light. So picture in your mind a people who are sitting in complete darkness. They have reached the point of despondency and despair. They’ve just about given up all hope. And then they hear these words from Isaiah: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord is dawning upon you.” With two strong verbs, two urgent commands Isaiah wakes these people up out of their stupor. “Get up! Stop wallowing in your despair! Stop floundering in your sin. Arise! Don’t “mope” around! Shine! Your light has come!”

Notice how certain Isaiah is as he makes this command. Even though Christ would not come for another 750 years, Isaiah pictures it as though it has already happened. “Your light has come.” he says. As it it with all of God’s promises, one they are made, they are as good as done. Isaiah’s faith and his heart rejoice as he grasps the beauty of the message he’s sharing with them. The bright light of Christ our Redeemer is coming.

Living in this urban and suburban area, we can’t really appreciate what darkness really is like. We have lights everywhere, even if we live out in the country. But if you’ve ever been in a cave, you know what it’s like. When all the lights are out, when it’s so dark that you can’t even see your hand in front of your face, when the darkness is so thick, you can feel it. That’s the kind of darkness that Isaiah talks about today. “Look, darkness covers the earth, and deep darkness covers the peoples…” That kind of darkness is paralyzing. If you were standing in a cave with that kind of darkness, you’d be terrified to move. You’d have no idea where you were going. No matter how hard you tried to see, you’d be hopeless to know where you were going without a light.

Like darkness, sin is paralyzing. Just think about what keeps you from dedicating your life more to the Lord. What sinful choices from your past have left you with spiritual scars that make it hard to share your faith? Maybe your life hasn’t always reflected the light of Christ and so we’re hesitant to talk about our relationship to Jesus, we’re tentative to talk about a Christian lifestyle…after all, who am I to tell someone else how to live when I can’t even do it all the time myself? Yes, sin can be paralyzing, like being in total darkness. But what if in that total darkness, suddenly a pinhole of light appeared. What would you do? Wouldn’t you naturally gravitate toward that light? Would you follow that light that finally showed you the way to go? How foolish would we be if we refused to open our eyes to see the light and follow the light to safety. If a light shines on your in the darkness of your sin, don’t you look to that Light for your escape? Isaiah tells us today: “Arise, shine, for your light has come…” The darkness of sin that covered you and paralyzed you is no more. You are forgiven. Light has come into your dark world and driven away the hopelessness of sin. The darkness of sin and unbelief no longer hang over us. Jesus says: “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” Through Word and Sacrament, Christ has brought life and light to our sin-darkened world. So rise and shine with that Light! Glow in the Dark! We shine because our Light is bright!

But that’s not the case throughout the world. Isaiah turns our attention to a world covered in darkness. “Look, darkness covers the earth, and deep darkness covers the peoples…” Everyone in our world is guilty of sin. No one escapes. And whether they realize what they are feeling or not, sin creates a trapped, suffocating feeling. Apart from Christ, there is no light, no hope, no peace, no joy. Spiritual ignorance, sorrow, and death threaten to overwhelm and overcome the world. Apart from the light, people will die.

But we have the light. As Christians, as members of Eastside, we reflect the light of Christ. We Glow in the Dark. And God guarantees that when we let our light shine, when we glow in the dark, people will see it and be attracted to it. “Nations will walk to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Look up. Look all around and see! All of them have been gathered. They are coming to you. Your sons will come from far away, and people will carry your daughters on their side.”

How many of you have one of those bug zappers that you use during the summer? Aren’t those things great…mean but great! You attract the bug with this wonderfully glowing ultraviolet light. As the bug approaches that beautiful blue light, it flies through the mesh wire that surrounds the light, thus completing the current that is pulsing through the wire and ZAP…the end of the bug. Isaiah pictures us like that bug zapper…of course without the zapping and killing part! When the light of Christ shines in our hearts and lives, people will be attracted to that light. When light shines in spiritual darkness, the light is noticed and it’s attractive. The Gospel draws people universally. It doesn’t distinguish between race or gender or age. It’s promises of forgiveness, peace, and life are for all. But doesn’t this promise seem to good to be true? Will unbelievers really flock to the Light, like bugs? Isaiah says, open your eyes and take notice of it! Look all around and see! All of them have been gathered. They are coming to you. Your sons will come from far away, and people will carry your daughters on their side.” Do you doubt? Look around you. What brought you all here today? It wasn’t donuts and coffee. Wasn’t it the promise of sins forgiven in Word and Sacrament? If you would drive around Madison this morning, you would notice something that every church parking lot would have in common. They have cars in them. Don’t fail to see the power of the Gospel at work. It draws people out of their snuggly warm beads early on Sunday mornings in the middle of our wonder Wisconsin winter to gather with other fellow Christians to be comforted with the news that Christ is their Savior from sin…their light in this sin darkened world. That light is attractive.

One of the really neat pictures of Isaiah’s prophecy is that these people who are attracted to the Light of the Gospel come bearing gifts. “Then you will look and be radiant. Your heart will race with excitement and burst with joy. For great riches from the sea will be delivered to you. The wealth of the nations will come to you. Caravans of camels will cover your land, young camels from Midian and Ephah. All those from Sheba will come. They will carry gold and incense, and they will announce the good news of the praise of the Lord.” These Gentiles who knew nothing of their Savior responded when they were exposed to the Light by bringing gifts and singing praises of joy. The Wise Men in our Gospel lesson saw the star in the East and came to worship their Savior, bringing gifts. The same happens today. You have seen the Light. You live in that light. And you respond to that Light with thank offerings for the gifts the Light brings you. And so far, the members of Eastside have increased their giving nearly 10% out of thanks as gifts for their King. There is no doubt in my mind that Eastside Glows in the Dark!

What do you think it would look like if we all made the conscious effort to let our light shine in this sin-darkened world? What would it look like if we all shared the Light that shines in the darkness? Would cars be lined up on Sunday morning to see what the light was all about? I can’t say for sure. But I do know that Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city on the hill cannot be hidden. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Amen