Lent Midweek 4

Lent Midweek 4 – April 2, 2025

Psalm 122; Ezekiel 36:23a, 23c-28

St. John 9:1-38

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

When the disciples as Jesus, ‘Who sinned? This man or his parents that he was born blind?” they are asking Him to explain the Law. It is as though they were asking, “Teacher, what does the bible say about this man’s condition? Is it the result of his sin or his parents’ sin?” Their question is understandable. In the 5^th chapter of St. John’s gospel, they saw Christ heal a paralytic who had been lying by the pool of Bethesda. When the miracle was complete, Christ said, “Go and sin no more.”[1] It was a natural conclusion for the disciples that this man’s blindness is also related to sin.

Christ’s response to the disciples tells us that the disciples are on the right track but have made a slight error. The man’s blindness is related to sin, but not to sins committed by this man nor his parents. This blindness is related to original sin, the sinful condition of man, the opposition to faith.

In fact, this miracle stands in the middle of the long-standing debate between Christ and the Pharisees over who Christ is. The miracle then stands as a testament to the work of God, namely, the recreation of man in the image and righteousness of Christ.

The Holy Spirit, working through St. John, has already set this Gospel in the context of creation when the first chapter begins with a summary of creation focused on Christ. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”[2] This Word is the light of the world, something Christ applies to Himself in our text.[3]

The theme of light and darkness, also present at creation, serves for the distinction between the absence and the presence of God. The wicked “do not know, nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness.”[4] “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness.”[5] “In that day, [the day of the Lord], the deaf shall hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness.”[6] “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”[7]

This light and darkness is manifest in sight and blindness. Those who see rightly, see by the light of Christ. Their eyes are open to the glory of God, manifest in the person of Jesus Christ. This Word of God is the light to our feet and the lamp to our path.[8] Darkness is blindness, a complete lack of sight, not to mention seeing rightly. It is a confusion of vision. Our first parents’ eyes were open to their nakedness and sin at the same time that they were closed to the righteousness of God. In seeing, they became blind. Christ will say the same of the Pharisees who condemn the man born blind when they refuse to acknowledge that He is the Son of God.[9]

As Christ goes to heal the man, there is no discussion of what the blind man desires nor what he would have the Christ do. Our Lord simply spits on the ground, makes clay, anoints the man’s eyes, and tells him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. Our Lord’s conduct in this miracle is very revealing. This man was born blind, born dead in trespass and sin. Being dead in sin, he could not plea for his salvation. He could not make a decision to be relieved from sin. The Lord is the first and only actor in the man’s salvation.

And how does He do it? He mixes water and clay, the very elements of the first creation, then speaks to the man. In the beginning, God formed Adam out of the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.[10] Our Lord is signifying that He has done much more than heal this man’s malformed body. He has called this man to faith, bestowed faith upon him. He has recreated this man in the righteousness of Christ. The miracle comes to fruition when the man washes himself in the waters of Siloam. This washing signifies Holy Baptism, when the man made of dirt is washed clean of his sins.

The event which follow the miracle are also very instructive for the life of the Christian. We see that the man does not immediately comprehend everything that has happened to him. His faith is not entirely formed. His sins are forgiven but he does not understand the source of that forgiveness, not entirely. We could liken this to the faith of a child but a better comparison would be the faith of the saints of the Old Testament. They looked to God for salvation but until the time of Moses, they did not have His name. Even then, they had a title for God, “I AM,” but they did not know His personal name.

Over time, more was revealed of precisely how God would save them from their sins. They looked forward to the birth of the Christ, the very Son of God, but they did not know His personal name. He would be Immanuel, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace.[11] It was not until a lowly virgin gave birth to the Son of God that the world would know the Christ, that we would know Jesus, the name at which every knee in heaven and on earth will bow.[12] This revelation of the name of Christ is the light to lighten all the nations of the earth.[13] In the name of Christ, man is reborn through the waters of Holy Baptism, born from above, born a child of the Heavenly Father.

Just as it took time for this revelation to come to the people of God in the Old Testament, so too it took time for the man born blind to see Who it was that restored his sight. Even then, it is not until Christ reveals Himself to the man that he fully understands what has happened. And immediately, the man confesses “I believe!” and bows before Christ in worship.

The journey of the now seeing man is analogous to the life of the Christian, especially in enduring affliction. From the time of his healing to his confession of Christ, he is bombarded by interrogations, first by his neighbors and then twice by the Pharisees. Each time he speaks, his confession of the miracle he has received becomes clearer, more specific. In the history of the church, it was always times of persecution and controversy that led to a greater understanding of God’s Word. The creeds were written against heretics. The Reformation occurred to correct the errors of the medieval Roman church and under constant threat of death. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.

So too, as we face physical pain, sadness at the loss or suffering of loved ones, and persecution in our jobs, communities, and families, we find opportunity for faith to grow. The affliction of this man was so that the works of God would be revealed, made manifest in him.[14] Pain and suffering are real but Christ is the greater reality, the light no darkness can comprehend, let alone overcome.

In Holy Baptism, we are not just made new creations set loose to wander in the world. We are created new in Christ. We are grafted into His Body, the Church, wherein we find our home. We are made new as the Old Adam is drowned and washed away. He is our light and our sight. Being made new in Him, we have new sight to see and receive the mighty blessings of God, even if our eyes of flesh see only the pain and suffering of this world. You have been given the new eyes of faith, that with the man born blind, you might confess, “Lord, I believe.” In that confession, you have more than anything in this world can give you. You have the Christ. You have the mercy, grace, and love of God, who is the light of the world. You have the name of Jesus, who is present with you always, to light even the darkest of places.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. John 5:14.

[2] St. John 1:1.

[3] St. John 1:4-5; 9:5.

[4] Psalm 82:5.

[5] Isaiah 5:20.

[6] Isaiah 29:18.

[7] 1 John 1:5.

[8] Psalm 119:105.

[9] St. John 9:41.

[10] Genesis 2:7.

[11] Isaiah 9:6.

[12] Philippians 2:10.

[13] St. Luke 2:32.

[14] St. John 9:3.

Christmas Day

The Nativity of our Lord (Christmas Day) – December 25, 2022

Psalm 98; Isaiah 52:6-10; Hebrews 1:1-12

St. John 1:1-14

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In the very familiar words of the beginning of St. John’s Gospel, there is a phrase that sticks out. I think many people pass over it without understanding and don’t give it a second thought. There are also many who have noticed the various translations of the phrase but again, do not bother to inquire. Then, there are those who puzzle over this phrase’s meaning but find so much more to ponder in the rest of the chapter that one confusing phrase is not worth the time to understand.

The phrase of which I speak is “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”[1] You may have read or heard it read as “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”[2] In order to understand this sentence, we must identify the light; identify the darkness; and finally, understand the relationship between this darkness and the light. The particular difficulty in this sentence is the word translated either as “comprehend” or “overcome.” Both are valid translations of the Greek word, but neither is particularly helpful in understanding what is being said about the light, the darkness, or their relationship.

First, who or what is the light? The previous sentence tells us that in the Word of God, that is, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, is life and this life is the light of men.[3] Generally speaking, light reveals what is hidden, guides one who is lost, and communicates over distance. In the Son is life, and this life is the light of men. The Life that is in Christ reveals what is hidden in man, guides man who is lost, and communicates to us over the distant gulf created between God and man.

We have already been told that Jesus is the Word of God, who was in the beginning with God and was God. A Word is only beneficial if it is spoken, and used to communicate. In this way, we can see the relationship between Word and Light. If words are taken to heart, if they are received and the one speaking is trusted by the one hearing, then these words will also guide the hearer, just as light guides the one who is lost. Words can also be said to illuminate the mind, revealing knowledge and wisdom that were once hidden. Again, there is a similarity between Word and Light.

But what of life, the life that is in the Son and is the Light of men? The life in the Son is ζωη, the fundamental term for life, without which there is no existence.[4] St. John especially takes this word and turns it into a theological term for that eternal existence which God has placed into creation; that which makes you exist. Hence the life that is in the Son is that essence that gives life to all mankind. It could, quite possibly, be a reference to the Holy Spirit or simply a reference to the origin of all life being within the Godhead, the Holy Trinity.

All life proceeds from God—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is nothing in the cosmos that did not originate in God. He created the heavens and the earth. He created you and me. He continues to sustain you, me, the heavens, the earth, and everything that fills them. If it were not for God sustaining the universe, it would cease to exist at this very moment.

“In [the Son of God] was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness.”[5] Who, or what is the darkness? The clearest answer is the darkness of the sinful world. The problem with this answer is that this darkness is then personified, treated like a person, that can either comprehend or overcome.

It is difficult to imagine, but in the beginning, there was nothing, not even darkness. The “nothingness” into which God called creation was not dark. It wasn’t anything. It was not a thing. Into this darkness, God spoke a Word and called forth light. This is the beginning of all things.

Human logic and the world today insist that the world is made of dualities. Everything must be in balance. If there is light, there must be darkness. If there is up, there must be down. If there is life, there must be death. This is the fundamental theology of both Star Wars and the Marvel Universe. If there is Good, there must be equal and opposite Evil. Everything must be in balance.

With God, it is not so. There is no equal but opposite Evil to oppose God. Just so, in the beginning, when God created light, there was no darkness. There was only light. As the week of creation came to an end, certainly, there was a division between day and night, a division between days and seasons. The sun certainly cast shadows from the trees over the fields. Yet these shadows are not the darkness of John’s Gospel.

The darkness into which the Light of Life shines is certainly the sinful world, but it is not an abstract sinful world. Sin did not enter the world as a lifeless contagion, floating on the air and hoping to be breathed in by a passerby. Sin was not an idle thing, activated by the actions of first Eve and then Adam. The first sin was an act of man. Sin is always an act of man. The fall of man introduced sin into the world and the rest of creation fell because of the actions of men.

This is how darkness is personified in the first chapter of John. The darkness is not sin as an abstract concept, personified for the sake of poetry. The darkness is the sin dwelling in the hands and hearts of man. The darkness is the desire to sin, inherited by every son of Adam and daughter of Eve.

If you sit in deep, deep darkness for any length of time, and then someone turns on a bright light, your eyes will burn and immediately you will shut your eyes. Even if the darkness was that of a prisoner’s cell and the light was brought by your liberators, the darkness of your eyelids is more appealing than the light of your salvation.

This is the relationship between the darkness of the sin in your hearts and the light of life that is in Christ Jesus. No one is born inclined toward God. No one is born indifferent to God. All mankind is born hostile to God and His light. Such hostility is against everything God has given to creation.

We, who were born in darkness, are incapable of opening our eyes to the light and desire nothing more than to crawl back into the darkness of our cave. Thus the One in whom dwells the substance of Life, through Whom creation was spoken into existence, has come to dwell in your flesh. He has come into the cave to dwell with you and the darkness of your sin cannot comprehend nor overcome His light.

The word translated as either “comprehend” or “overcome” is based in the word which means “to take” or “to receive.” However, it has a prefix that intensifies the word. When put together, the word καταλαμβανω means “to take or receive from top to bottom; to understand fully; to overtake fully.” The prefix also possibly hints at a level of hostility. Thus, the darkness of sin is hostile toward the Christ, even as it is impossible for sinners to fully understand, fully defeat, or even fully receive Him.

There are those in the world who have refused to receive the light. They prefer to sit in the darkness and dwell in the cave. They are truly God’s own, for all of creation belongs to the Creator. They are His own, but they do not receive Him. They refuse to receive Him. These are not only in the darkness, but by refusing the light, they are of the darkness.

But as many have received this light, all those into whom the Light has shined and not been refused, these have the right to be called children of God. Those who know themselves to be lost in the darkness and welcome the light of life to lead them on the path away from the darkness are given such desire not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but from God. These children of God have believed in the Name of the Son of God, the Name of the Word, the Name of Jesus Christ.

These children have received, believed, and trusted the Light that would never lead them into darkness. These children have trusted the light such that what they might perceive as painful, unpleasant, or even contrary to their own will, so long as the light is leading them, they will submit themselves to Him.

The darkness tried to overcome the Light. Men believed they had killed the light after only a few hours upon a cross. Yet the darkness cannot overcome the light. The darkness cannot comprehend the light. The Light cannot be contained by the darkness for He preexisted the darkness. The Light became flesh and dwelt among man not only to overcome the darkness, but to share His Light with you. He comes to you today that you would edge ever more closely to the Light, leaving the darkness behind.

Behold the glory of God, the glory of the only begotten of the Father. Behold His glory in the flesh given for you and the blood shed for you. Behold the glory of the Light that is the Life of men. Behold the glory of Jesus Christ.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. John 1:5.

[2] Such as in the NIV or ESV.

[3] St. John 1:4.

[4] BDAG, 430-431.

[5] St. John 1:4-5.

The Last Sunday in the Church Year

The Last Sunday in the Church Year – November 20, 2022

Psalm 39; Isaiah 65:17-25; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

St. Matthew 25:1-13

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Wisdom requires effort. The wisdom of the five virgins consists of both knowledge and the ability to put that knowledge into action. We’ve all heard the platitude, “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.” The Book of Proverbs begins with a similar exhortation, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction;”[1] that is, the receiving of knowledge and wisdom includes effort, the willingness to bring wisdom into your heart, knowledge into your soul, and produce change. “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”[2]

This is the wisdom of the virgins. They do not have secret knowledge that is unavailable to the foolish virgins. The foolish virgins have simply despised wisdom and instruction. The foolish virgins believe there is nothing they must ever do to enter the wedding feast. They know who the Bridegroom is and that is enough. The rest of their lives is spent in sloth—being lazy because nothing is expected of them.

The wise virgins have received the knowledge and wisdom of the Bridegroom and put it into practice. They have allowed this knowledge and wisdom to transform their hearts such that they are now new creations. They believe that when the Bridegroom says is true and they act accordingly.

Before you begin to think that you, or the wise virgins, are brought into the wedding hall by the Bridegroom because of your actions, merits, thoughts, or worthiness, stop. That is the thinking of the foolish virgins. They want to know the lowest common denominator. They want to know the easiest way to salvation. If that means a certain type of works, fine. If that means knowing a certain formula, fine. The foolish virgins want to know the lifehack that will guarantee success; the shortest route between where they are and where they want to be.

Such foolishness can even parade as gaining knowledge. This is the pursuit of facts without any idea of how such knowledge affects the world, your neighbor, or your heart. In our world, this is the proliferation of trivia. Social media, especially forms with video, are constantly moving toward shorter and shorter clips. Things like Youtube and Tiktok want you to believe that it is important for you to know a little about a lot of things; and when they say “things,” they mean everything from current geopolitics to the origin of a viral dance. The question we ought to be asking of such platforms is, “Does this knowledge help me or my neighbor? Does it affect the world that actually exists or only the world created by this knowledge itself?”

The wisdom of the wise virgins is quite simple. The Bridegroom has said that He is coming. From these words, the wise virgins believe the Bridegroom is coming, though they don’t know when. They then draw the conclusion that if these words are true, then it would be important to bring extra oil. If the Bridegroom is delayed, we might run out of oil. Therefore, we should bring extra. When the foolish virgins ask for their oil, the wise virgins again exercise their wisdom. “No, lest there should not be enough for us and you.”[3] They are not being rude, mean, or withholding. They are exercising wisdom. If there is only so much additional oil, and the Bridegroom is near but still delayed, we could all run out of oil. Therefore, we need the extra oil for ourselves.

The thought, and action, of bringing additional oil is not what saves the wise virgins. The Word of the Bridegroom saves them. The extra oil is only a consequence, a working out of that promise. Thus, the wisdom of the virgins originates in the Word of the Bridegroom that then transforms their minds such that their actions would prove the truth of that Word.

What then of you? What consequence does this parable have for you? In one sense, it is a call to wisdom. All ten virgins are Christians in the earthly sense. They are all members of the Church on earth. They are all probably baptized. Yet some are called foolish and some wise. All have received the same promise of Christ: He is returning to gather His people into the eternal wedding feast. Jesus is the Bridegroom and the Church is His bride. These virgins stand, somewhat mysteriously, as both the attendants to the Bride and the Bride herself, since the Church, the Bride, is the saints God gathered to hear His Word and receive His sacraments.

The foolish believe that since they have received Baptism, since they have been present when the Word of God was read aloud, they are then entitled to receive a seat at the banquet hall. Nothing more is required. They have despised wisdom and instruction.

A name recorded on the membership list of a congregation is not a “get out of hell free” card; nor are a clerical collar, vestments, a position on a church board, or a family name on the founding documents. Holy Baptism is not a “get out of hell free” card. Holy Baptism bestows the very faith which also receives this most holy sacrament. It is a beautiful gift of God, a true miracle every time it occurs. Yet wisdom is required even of the Baptized. “Those who believe and are Baptized shall be saved. Those who do not believe shall be condemned.”[4]

The faith given in Holy Baptism must be nurtured and fed by the Word of God. This Word must be received throughout the life of the Christian, not just heard. When it is received, it will enter the heart of the Christian and transform his mind. It will renew his soul such that he desires to act in accord with the Word of God. His actions will then prove the truth and beauty of the death of Jesus, which has saved the Christian from his sins and bought him a seat at the eternal wedding feast.

This transformation involves wisdom. Wisdom requires effort. God clearly states, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”[5] God does not state when it is appropriate for a child to have her first cell phone. God does not state whether children should ever have a cell phone. The wise Christian must put in the effort to receive God’s Word, let it transform her mind, and then draw the appropriate consequences therefrom. The Bridegroom did not tell the virgins how long to wait. He did not tell them how long oil lasts in a lamp. He told them He was coming. Wisdom said they should bring some extra oil.

Another consequence of this parable for you is to console your heart. All ten virgins fell asleep. All ten lamps went out. Why do the virgins have lamps in the first place? They are waiting at night. There are no streetlamps. It is dark. It is so dark, should the Bridegroom arrive, He would not see their faces. If He does not see their faces, He cannot know who they are and will not bring them into the wedding hall.

And yet all ten virgins become drowsy, fall asleep, and let their lights go out. Clearly, all ten virgins fall into sin. All Christians sin. All Christians sin daily and much. Your lamp goes out every time you sin. Temptation besets all Christians and when you give in to those temptations, you are ignoring the Light of Christ, that which God Himself has placed within you. You are turning your back on your Redeemer, choosing that which is easy and provides immediate pleasure. But the pleasure of sin is fleeting. It causes you pain in the long run. Sin leads to more sin. More sin leads to greater sin and soon, you are not even able to kindle the small light of a lamp anymore.

 Consolation comes first from the idea that there is no temptation, no sin, that you experience that is not common to man. You are not the first man to cheat on his wife. You are not the first woman to reject the authority of your husband. You are not the first child to talk back to your parents or outright disobey them. This consolation only goes so far. It provides you with comradery, but it does not remove the sin plaguing your soul.

This comes when the coming of the Bridegroom is proclaimed. The virgins are forewarned of His imminent arrival. The cry goes out, “Behold, the Bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!”[6] The virgins are roused from their sleep in time to light their lamps. The Bridegroom could have arrived in silence. He could have snuck past the sleeping virgins and left all ten in the outer darkness. He did not. This cry is the proclamation of God’s Word. It is the public reading of God’s Word in the services of the Church. It is contained in the printing dies which have made the bible available to you in every imaginable medium. The cry is sounded by those sent by the Bridegroom to raise awareness.

Me, speaking to you right now, is the cry heard in the middle of the night. Jesus Christ has promised to return, and He has promised to return at a time unknown by man. He will return suddenly but not without warning. You are hearing the warning right now. Such a warning is not strictly to inform you of danger, but to call you to vigilance. The Word you have heard proclaimed, the promise of the return of the Savior in judgement is true. The Body and Blood of Christ, given and shed for your forgiveness is a sign of His coming. The very clouds of the sky are a sign of His coming for He will return on a cloud, just as He ascended into heaven.

This is a cry of consolation because our Lord does not want you to be unawares. It is the opportunity to repent. It is the opportunity to light your lamp that the Lord of all will see your face as He enters the wedding hall. This is a cry of consolation because Jesus Christ loves His Church such that He would never sneak past her while she sleeps. He would never leave her in the outer darkness. It is only the foolish, those who refuse to receive the Word of God who will be left in the darkness.

Thus, the cry is the absolution of your sins, for having fallen asleep at the watch. It is the absolution for having put your word above His. It is also the call to wisdom. The call to take the Word which has been given to you and let it transform your mind. As your mind is transformed, then take the Word of God and put it into your members, that you would not be caught unawares, or worse, running around town looking for oil when the Bridegroom returns.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] Proverbs 1:7.

[2] Romans 12:2.

[3] St. Matthew 25:9.

[4] St. Mark 16:16.

[5] Proverbs 22:6.

[6] St. Matthew 25:6.

In Memoriam + Alan Kelvin Viets +

In Memoriam + Alan Kelvin Viets + – November 6, 2022

Psalm 23; Genesis 3:8-21; Revelation 21:1-7

St. John 11:17-27

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

It is typical of Near-Eastern, and hence Old Testament, thinking to view time as a cycle. Perhaps an image more familiar to many of us is an extended slinky. Viewed from the top down, you see only a circle. From the side, this circle becomes a continuous spiral. Having that picture in your head, it is quite easy to apply to time. Seasons come and go, always in a cycle. Months begin and then months end – another cycle. We gather every seven days to celebrate the Lord’s Day. In the smallest sense, each day is its own cycle. There is evening and there is morning, another day.

The Holy Spirit has used this cyclical nature of time throughout the Scriptures to teach us concerning salvation. Aside from the repetition of evening and morning in the days of creation, we are not given an indication of when particular events occur until we hear that the Lord came walking in the cool of the day.

The picture painted for us is of a cosmic day. Everything is created through the Word of God in the beginning, that is, the beginning of the cosmic day. It was then during the heat of the day that the serpent, the Ancient Dragon, deceived Eve. The early to mid-afternoon is a particularly vulnerable time for man. He has been tending the garden all day. It is now halfway between lunch and supper. Stomachs begin to rumble, and it is time for a snack.

It is also, as I said, the heat of the day. While the work of Adam and Eve in the garden was no toil, it was still work. They did not ache from their labors, but they certainly grew hungry. Perhaps they grew tired. Whatever they were feeling, we can be relatively certain that Satan waited until Adam and Eve were at their weakest before tempting them with the forbidden fruit.

Such is the way with Satan and temptation. It makes little sense to tempt the strong. That requires too much work. It is far more opportune to attack the weak. Yet even Satan knows not to look at strength and weakness through the eyes of man. The Pharisees would be seen by man to be strong in faith, yet Satan knew the weakness of their hearts. He knew to tempt them with power over their fellow man. The weakness of the Pharisees is the desire to be like God, commanding men and receiving their worship. Such weakness makes them vulnerable to the temptations of Satan.

Having fallen to temptation, Adam and Eve hide among the trees and bushes as they fashion clothing for themselves. The sun begins to set, and the day has become cool. It is then that God comes looking for His beloved creation. The setting of the sun indicates darkness is creeping over the land. God already knew what had happened, yet for love of man He called out that man might return to the Lord, His God.

The cosmic day continues to turn toward evening as God pronounces judgment upon Satan, promising the day when the Seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent, and the serpent would strike His heel. He also curses woman with pain in childbearing and desire for the authority of her husband. The land is cursed because of the man, and he is cursed to labor and toil all the days of his life. He will laud his authority over woman and life in strife because of it. The day grows darker.

Yet even in this darkness, there is the light of promise. There is the lamp of the promised Seed, God’s Anointed One, who at the fullness of time would come to save the world. When Jesus is crucified, as He breathes His last, the sky goes dark. This is often seen as creation itself mourning the death of the Son of God. What’s more is that the cosmic day has reached the darkest night. For those three days of rest for Christ in the tomb, the cosmic day sat at midnight. The light of Christ had gone dark in a tomb of stone.

It is not until the first light on the third day that it is revealed that death could not hold Him. Death could not restrain the Son of God. No one lights a lamp to place it beneath a basket. A lamp is lit to be held high, giving light to all who look upon it. Jesus Christ is the light of the world and darkness cannot overcome Him. The darkest night and deepest tomb cannot hold our God because He is the Almighty Word by which creation came into being. By death, He defeated death. By submitting to the darkness of the tomb, He conquered the night. By rising the third day, He has promised everlasting light to all who receive Him, who believe in His name.

At the last, when Christ has returned to gather His faithful as a hen gathers her flock, the heavens and the earth will be consumed by fire. When all has been destroyed, a new creation will arise. This new creation will have no need for sun, moon, or stars; no need for lights, lamps, and fire. The Son of God, sitting on the throne, will be all the light we need. He will shine in glory with the radiance glimpsed by Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration. In that day, the faithful will rejoice and sing in the presence of Christ because we shall be like Him, sharing in His glory.

The resurrection of Christ on that first Easter morning was the beginning of a new day. This is the new day of Christ’s church. What was foretold to our fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has come to pass. A new day has dawned. But this new day is not the final dawn. It is not the final day. This new cosmic day is fast waning. We find ourselves already facing the darkening night of the new day. In this sense, we must look to Christ both as our Redeemer and as our example.

When I say example, I don’t mean that you, too, must be crucified for the sins of the world. Nor by your obedience will you merit eternal life for yourself or anyone else. What I mean is that we must take up our cross and follow Him. We must see that on this side of glory, the life of the Christian is to bear a cross. Suffering has been promised to us. Loss has been promised to us.

Being children of Adam and Eve, death will come for us all, so long as Christ waits to return. Death will come for us, and it is never pleasant. We can fool ourselves into thinking that someone died peacefully in her sleep, or that “that was the way he would’ve wanted to go,” but that is not true. No one wants to go. No one wants to die. Death is terrifying because the experience of death is the tearing apart of body and soul. Death comes for you in the darkness of night.

Death is the outcome of the crosses we bear—our own death and the death of loved ones. We ought to mourn Alan and all who have died in Christ because death is painful. It is not good. But we should never mourn without hope. We mourn with hope because we know that dawn is coming. Like the wise virgins, we are prepared for the coming of the Bridegroom. We are prepared the dawning of the final day.

Martha is prepared for the dawning of the final day. She is confident that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who has come into the world.[1] But Martha had also fallen asleep. Remember that in the parable of the ten virgins, both the foolish and the wise fall asleep. All ten virgins fall asleep when they are supposed to be watching for the Bridegroom.

Martha has likewise fallen asleep because in focusing on the dawning of the final day, she has forgotten that the Christ, the Son of the Living God is present with her right now. She is standing in His presence. The Resurrection and the Life is standing before her in flesh. With man, it is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.[2]

It is good, meet, and salutary to look forward to the dawning of the final day, when you will be reunited in the flesh with your father, husband, friend, and brother. That will be a glorious day. You will see Alan’s face by the glorious light of Christ, a light that will never fail nor falter. But do not forget to rejoice in the union you presently have with Alan. You are a member of the Body of Christ. In Holy Baptism, you too were made a member of the Body of Christ. You, Alan, and all the Baptized Saints of God are gathered in the One Body of Christ.

Although there is presently a separation in time and space, there is still unity in Jesus. He is the Resurrection and the Life, something both you and Alan possess. This is especially true during the Divine Service. So much of what we sing is borrowed from those portions of Scripture where visions of the worship in heaven is recorded. We are singing the songs of the heavenly host. We are singing the songs of angels and archangels and all the company of heaven. We are singing them together. We never worship God alone for we are members of His body.

Thus, we boldly confess with Martha that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God who has come into the world. We confess that He is the Light of the world, the Light no darkness can overcome. We also confess that this Light is present with us now. As the world turns toward darkness, as suffering on this side of glory grips our hearts and wearies our souls, we look to the coming of the dawn.

We look to the horizon and eagerly await the coming of the Christ because we have His promise that He will come to gather us home. The promise of the return of Christ is as sure and certain as the promise that He would crush the head of the serpent. The certainty of this promise is written in stone such that it is as good as though it had already happened. We can look to the dawning of that first Easter morning to see what our own resurrection will look like.

And since we know the end of the story, since we know the dawn of the final cosmic day will come, we can bear our crosses, endure suffering, mourn with hope, and travel this world of darkening night in joy. We can go about our days in peace and joy. We can remember Alan and all the departed saints in joy because we know they are not dead but living. We are in the near presence of Christ, and they are in His nearer presence. It is now evening and there will be morning, the final, glorious day.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. John 11:27.

[2] St. Matthew 19:26.