A, Holy Trinity Sunday - Genesis 1:1–5, Matthew 28:20b "Let There Be Light"
Matthew 28:20b (ESV) “And behold, I am with you always, to
the end of the age.”
We saw tree roots from trees above, sending down their
feelers through the roof of the cave for water some twenty metres below. There on the bottom were bones from animals
who had unexpectantly fallen through a hidden hole in the forest floor to their
death in the darkness below.
At the bottom of this large cavity, we walked past the
bones into a smaller area with crystal formations of stalactites growing down
and stalagmites growing up from the bottom.
The light from our headlamps lit up this subterranean wonderland.
We went further and further into the cave, following the
directions, many other tourists had followed before. The light from the
entrance was now far behind us, and the only way we could see was with our head
lamps and torches.
At one point we had to squat, moving nearly on our hands
and knees, to get through the narrows of the cave into the last open section to
explore. In there, we sat on a bench and
marvelled at the rock formations.
It then occurred to
us if our lights went out, we would have been in a bit of bother. There was no one around to show us the way
out, if our five headlamps went out. I
suggested as we sat there in the silence that we should see what the darkness
is like. So, we turned off our lamps.
We had a saying in my family, when I was growing up as a
child, that something is as dark as the inside of a cow! Now I’m not sure how that saying ever came
about! I don’t know of anyone ever going
inside a cow, to know how dark it might be.
But sitting there in that cave, I suggested to my family that this is
what the darkness must be like inside a cow!
It was dark! Usually
after one’s eyes adjust to the darkness you can see something. We sat there for some time, and one couldn’t
even see their hand in front of their face.
It occurred to me that getting out of the labyrinth of tunnels of rock
would be near impossible, even with guided walkways. What would it be like in the darkness with
nothing? There was nothing to see! One could only hear the sound of darkness.
The sound of darkness is deafening silence! But the sound of darkness within myself, my
wife, and children, was a clamouring cry of chaos and uncertainty. It would have been some hundreds of metres of
ups and downs, lefts and rights, ducking under stalactites and steps back up to
the cavern of light and rebirth back into the light of day.
In the beginning God said, “‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the
darkness. God called the light Day, and
the darkness he called Night.”
(Genesis 1:3-5a ESV)
We don’t realise how much we need God to let the light be
light for us. It came very apparent to
us in the bowels of a cave, we needed light.
Even though we had torches and headlamps, the thought of not having them
was frightening.
We take the light of God’s creation for granted. The light God shone to create the first day
of creation was not so much the light we get from the sun, moon, and stars. But rather, the light of time and the light
of God’s presence in time, bringing light to the chaos of darkness. The light of the sun, moon and stars was only
to be created on the third day to order time into the brightness of day, and
the soft night-time light, of stars and reflection from the moon.
But even the lit darkness of night, brings fear, like being
in a cave in the dark with treacherous jagged crystals and rocks lying in wait,
to cause injury to flesh and bone.
Little children are often fearful of the dark, not being
able to see, their imaginations see the worst in what they cannot see. Likewise, the elderly, prefer not to go out
into the night, for fear of falling over, falling into the hands of the ill
repute, or the coldness of the night.
However, since the fall of humanity just after creation,
the opposite is also true. Jesus says, “this is the judgment: the light has come
into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because
their works were evil.” (John 3:19 ESV)
The truth of the matter is, we have become accustomed to
darkness. Then, once the light is
returned, it’s like having a torch shone in our eyes after being in the dark.
Yet, from creation, God has continued to “let there be
light”! Every day that comes to be, God
has let it be. In God’s creation he
provides for us, he uncovers the darkness for us, and he gives us life.
In the beginning of John’s Gospel we hear, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God. He
was in the beginning with God. All
things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was
made. In him was life, and the life was
the light of men. The light shines in
the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:1–5 ESV)
The light that provides for us, uncovers darkness, and
gives life, has not, and will not, become overcome by darkness. This is the light of God’s Word which said,
“let there be light”, and continues to say, “let there be light”, despite the
darkness.
Jesus is the continuing Word of God’s light. He says, “I
am the light of the world. Whoever
follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John
8:12 ESV)
However, the question is, “How do we follow Jesus, when
there is darkness within and all around us?”
We know that no one followed him to the cross! All fell away from supporting Jesus in the
darkness of night, leaving Jesus to bear the darkness of Good Friday alone.
But we also hear, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of
darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV)
Having just passed through Pentecost, we have heard how
after Jesus’ death and resurrection, those who fled from the day of
crucifixion, boldly bore the cross in their conviction and confession, even
unto death! God has sent the Holy
Spirit, to let there be light in us. God is still letting the light shine in
the darkness! God is still saying, “let
there be light!”
The same light of life that sustains all of creation, now
sustains us with the light of his Son. This is not the knowledge of good and evil,
discerned through the human spirit of desire.
But it’s through God giving us the knowledge of God’s glory in the
forgiving face of Jesus Christ, shone in us by the Holy Spirit.
This is why Paul says to the Romans, “The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness
and put on the armour of light.” (Romans 13:12 ESV)
We can do this because the day of our resurrection has been
enlightened within us, casting out the chaos and fear of darkness. The Holy Spirit has ushered in God’s creative
Word, enacting within us God’s baptismal power, which says, “Let there be
light”.
Even when everything around you is suggesting the darkness
is winning, God wants us to remember that the darkness has not overcome the
Light of God. We have a God of Triune
creative and recreative power!
In addition to this, the Son of God, who is the Light of
the World, promises you and me, saying,
“behold, I am with you always, to
the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b ESV)
Even when creation dies, and God promises us that it will, even then, without sun, moon, and stars, the light of eternal life will shine on us, as we glorify the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit forever around the Triune God’s throne of glory. Amen.
