Overcoming Darkness

It was during Advent.

As usual, I was a bit late getting to church on a Sunday morning.

When I pulled into the parking lot, there were about five people chatting before they entered through the door. But by the time I parked my car and walked to the door, they had gone inside.

The door was shut. I was the only one who hadn’t gone inside.

When I tried the latch on the door, it didn’t work. I panicked! I worried, “Have I been locked out!!!”.

Fortunately, after I jiggled the latch a few times, the door opened. I entered the church and scurried to a pew, beginning to sing with the congregation.

My thoughts turned to the times that Jesus warned against being locked out, unable to enter his Presence.

The most obvious example is the parable of the Ten Virgins. Five of them were ready. They were on time to go inside.

When the bridegroom (symbolizing Jesus) arrived, “the five who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.” (Matthew 25:10).

By the time that the other five arrived to go to the wedding banquet, it was too late.  The door was shut. They asked for the door to be opened, but they were told they couldn’t come in. (Matthew 25:11-13).

How horrible!

The parable stresses that each of us must be ready whenever Jesus comes to save us.

How do we get ready? And stay ready!

Many learned books and wise sermons have told us how to be saved by Jesus. But I prefer the simple, straightforward answer that the Apostle Paul gave to the jailer in Philippi.

The jailer was so distraught by the circumstances of his life that he was about to commit suicide. “Paul shouted, ‘Don’t harm yourself!’”.

The jailer asked Paul, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul answered: “Believe in the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 16:27-34).

The jailer immediately showed that the Presence of the LORD had entered his heart now that he believed in Jesus.

The jailer became compassionate (Exodus 34:6.) He took Paul and washed his wounds (Acts 16:33).

The jailer became gracious (Exodus 34:6). He brought Paul into his house and set a meal before him (Acts 16:34).

Although many learned books and wise sermons have tried to explain what it means to believe in Jesus, I prefer the answers given by the example of the jailer—becoming compassionate and gracious—and by Jesus in the two parables that he told immediately after his parable of the Ten Virgins.

In his Parable of the Bags of Gold, Jesus commands us to use whatever gifts God gives us. According to this parable, if we are good and faithful servants, God will give us even more gifts. (Matthew 25:14-30).

In his Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, Jesus commands us to use our gifts in this life to do forothers what we would want them to do for us. (Matthew 7:11-12). Specifically, Jesus commands us to use our God-given gifts to help the hungry, the thirsty, the refugees, the ill-clothed, the sick, and the imprisoned.

Taking these three Parables together, Jesus is urging us:  “Get ready! Don’t delay! Don’t be late! Start today to show the Presence of the LORD in your life by using your God-given gifts to be compassionate and gracious.” (Psalm 95:7-8; Isaiah 49:8)

Christmas is a wonderful time to commit (or to renew our commitment) to follow this Way of Jesus that does for others during this life what we would want them to do for us.

Why?

Because the music reminds us to spread Peace and Joy to the World in the Way of Jesus. (“Silent Night” and “Joy to the World”).

Why?

Because the LORD has come, embodied in the Baby Jesus. (“Silent Night” and “Joy to the World”)

So don’t be late. Don’t be locked out. Enter quickly.

Start singing in the Presence of the LORD and in the Presence of Jesus with “a great multitude that no one [can] count from every nation, tribe, people and language (Revelation 7:9):

King of kings and Lord of lords.

King of kings and Lord of lords.

He shall reign forever and ever!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

(Handel’s Messiah)

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Have you ever felt “locked out”, unable to enter the Presence of the LORD and the Presence of Jesus? How? Why?

Have you been using all your God-given gifts to help others? How? By doing for others what you would like them to do for you?

Have you ever received additional God-given gifts because you’ve been a good and faithful servant who has been using all your God-given gifts? How? Why?

Have you ever shown the Presence of the LORD in your life? How? By being compassionate? By being gracious? Why?

READ MORE

For my discussion of celebrating Christmas by singing “”Silent Night” and “Joy to the World”, please read the chapter “Celebrating” in my book Visions of the Church (published in one volume together with my book Visions of America), at pages 211-212.