The theme of darkness and light resonates powerfully at this time of year. Last night was Halloween, which becomes a bigger and more extravagant celebration each year it seems. One of my neighbours even decorated a tree with orange lights, spider-webs, and witch’s hat! It has a dark side, (at least in the UK), where ghouls, ghosts, witches, magic, horror, demons and evil are celebrated. In the cold light of day, such a celebration is very odd, but to most people these things are considered superstitious and ‘a bit of fun’.
Of course, as Christians we hold that this darkness is not mere superstition or something playful, rather it is real, dangerous, powerful, and exists solely in opposition to the goodness of God. The Bible is somewhat silent on the origin and nature of evil, but rather deals with human struggle against it, and God’s ultimate victory over it.
This should be kept in mind when we lay hold of Halloween, (with its associated celebration of darkness), hosting alternative ‘light parties’, or decorating the public face of the Tab with pumpkins, redeemed from carvings of evil spirits and instead bearing the image of Jesus. It is right that we have fun, (and carving the pumpkins, decorating the church steps and the colour party were fantastic fun). We enjoy these things, but that shouldn’t detract from the significance of what we are doing; we are opposing darkness and we act in freedom and without fear because our Jesus stands in triumph over them at the cross.
In a world of darkness, Jesus is the light that “shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). The word ‘overcome’ here carries ideas of seizing by force, grasping and owning something. The darkness cannot lay claim or capture Jesus. He is the light of life, declaring good news to the poor, release for the captive, sight for the blind, freedom for the oppressed. He is the light that burst open the grave, and restores broken human beings to eternal life with the Father. In him is the light of life, and we are his.
This was brought home to me last night. After the colour party, I received a phone call to tell me that the alarm was sounding at the Tab building. I went over, and found it was the fire alarm sounding. I turned off the alarm and discovered that it was one of the manual call points that had triggered it, although the glass wasn’t broken. Strange? Immediately popping into my mind was the thought that this could be spiritual and mischievous, after all the lit pumpkins on the steps outside clearly declared Jesus as the light of the world and the source of joy, surely this would be the site of a spiritual battle? I yelled into the darkness: “In the name of Jesus Christ I tell any malignant spirit be gone from this place. You are not welcome here.” I felt pretty stupid, but as I turned by back the intruder alarm activated (I’d unset it on entering the building). My back tingled. I yelled with greater force and confidence: “Be gone, in the name of Jesus”. I felt a peace descend. I reset the alarms and returned home, to find Elaine had been praying for my safety, with a fearful sense that I had been ‘lured’ out into the darkness. Of course, it could have been dodgy electrics in a damp building and my overactive imagination, but let’s not underestimate the significance of placing carved pumpkins that publicly declare Jesus and his cross to a dark world.
Of course, this light is not just for Halloween. Jesus said: "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5:14-16). Yesterday morning I had dropped off some treats to a family from church. The weather was gloomy and grey, yet as I turned onto their street the world seemed somehow to get brighter, the colours of the houses more vibrant, and I felt a lightness in my spirit. Maybe there was something spiritual in it, or perhaps it was just a thinning in the cloud. Perhaps both! Importantly, I was reminded of this activity that we once did in the Tab, were we each placed a candle on the places we lived, worked, and went to school.
Jesus’ words are clear, in these places we are to be light. We are to bring the presence and knowledge of God in how we behave. We are to be the ones that bring good news to the poor, release for the captive, sight for the blind, freedom for the oppressed. We do so in Jesus name, and carrying all of his authority. Halloween is gone for another year, but the darkness hasn’t. Don’t underestimate even a small act. Let’s let our light shine, that those walking in darkness might turn and give glory to our Father in heaven.
Of course, as Christians we hold that this darkness is not mere superstition or something playful, rather it is real, dangerous, powerful, and exists solely in opposition to the goodness of God. The Bible is somewhat silent on the origin and nature of evil, but rather deals with human struggle against it, and God’s ultimate victory over it.
This should be kept in mind when we lay hold of Halloween, (with its associated celebration of darkness), hosting alternative ‘light parties’, or decorating the public face of the Tab with pumpkins, redeemed from carvings of evil spirits and instead bearing the image of Jesus. It is right that we have fun, (and carving the pumpkins, decorating the church steps and the colour party were fantastic fun). We enjoy these things, but that shouldn’t detract from the significance of what we are doing; we are opposing darkness and we act in freedom and without fear because our Jesus stands in triumph over them at the cross.
In a world of darkness, Jesus is the light that “shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). The word ‘overcome’ here carries ideas of seizing by force, grasping and owning something. The darkness cannot lay claim or capture Jesus. He is the light of life, declaring good news to the poor, release for the captive, sight for the blind, freedom for the oppressed. He is the light that burst open the grave, and restores broken human beings to eternal life with the Father. In him is the light of life, and we are his.
This was brought home to me last night. After the colour party, I received a phone call to tell me that the alarm was sounding at the Tab building. I went over, and found it was the fire alarm sounding. I turned off the alarm and discovered that it was one of the manual call points that had triggered it, although the glass wasn’t broken. Strange? Immediately popping into my mind was the thought that this could be spiritual and mischievous, after all the lit pumpkins on the steps outside clearly declared Jesus as the light of the world and the source of joy, surely this would be the site of a spiritual battle? I yelled into the darkness: “In the name of Jesus Christ I tell any malignant spirit be gone from this place. You are not welcome here.” I felt pretty stupid, but as I turned by back the intruder alarm activated (I’d unset it on entering the building). My back tingled. I yelled with greater force and confidence: “Be gone, in the name of Jesus”. I felt a peace descend. I reset the alarms and returned home, to find Elaine had been praying for my safety, with a fearful sense that I had been ‘lured’ out into the darkness. Of course, it could have been dodgy electrics in a damp building and my overactive imagination, but let’s not underestimate the significance of placing carved pumpkins that publicly declare Jesus and his cross to a dark world.
Of course, this light is not just for Halloween. Jesus said: "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5:14-16). Yesterday morning I had dropped off some treats to a family from church. The weather was gloomy and grey, yet as I turned onto their street the world seemed somehow to get brighter, the colours of the houses more vibrant, and I felt a lightness in my spirit. Maybe there was something spiritual in it, or perhaps it was just a thinning in the cloud. Perhaps both! Importantly, I was reminded of this activity that we once did in the Tab, were we each placed a candle on the places we lived, worked, and went to school.
Jesus’ words are clear, in these places we are to be light. We are to bring the presence and knowledge of God in how we behave. We are to be the ones that bring good news to the poor, release for the captive, sight for the blind, freedom for the oppressed. We do so in Jesus name, and carrying all of his authority. Halloween is gone for another year, but the darkness hasn’t. Don’t underestimate even a small act. Let’s let our light shine, that those walking in darkness might turn and give glory to our Father in heaven.
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