Finding Your Spiritual Journey

“Journey from Darkness to Light”

by Pastor Jerry

John 20:1-29

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The Cornoavirus Pandemic hit the world by storm three months ago.  New York and New Jersey took a massive hit of deaths from the storm. So did several other states in the country. The storm of the Pandemic plunged major American cities into panic … a darkness that is still hanging over the land. This storm of darkness has taken away homes …jobs …health. The darkness that claimed thousands of lives … it’s a darkness that may well scar some individuals, families, communities, cities and countries for many years to come.

Have you ever had dark tragedy strike you or your home? Deep darkness. Crippling darkness. Heart breaking darkness. Lasting darkness. Maybe you have. But I am here today to talk about a light that has come into the world that can dispel any darkness …that can change any darkness into …something new! Something good! Something hopeful!

For the past several weeks, we have been walking through a series of stories from the Scriptures, allowing God to show us how those Bible stories are also our stories.  In our worship experiences these past weeks, we have seen how the redemption God offers to all of us can lead us from despair to hope. And today, we see another episode with the journey from darkness to light.

But the story today begins in darkness. It begins with Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion, a series of incidents that took his friends and followers by surprise. It was a dark time.  Jesus was crucified … when that happened, in Matthew’s words, “darkness came over all the land” (Matthew 27:45b, NIV). And it came over them––over their hearts, minds, and spirits. Maybe you know what darkness feels like. You might even feel that way today. Or you might know someone who does. If that is the case, I want you to know: there is hope.  Why? …because that is not the end of the story. There’s more!`

We’re going to explore the scripture story together to see something wonderful about this “great salvation” we’ve been exploring in the light of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.

What’s wonderful about this salvation that comes through faith in Jesus Christ is this: I am saved from the darkness of confusion, and enter into a new purpose. A new life. In the Gospel of John 20, verse 1, it says this: Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance” (NIV).

Think about Mary’s probable state of mind that Sunday morning.  She had to have been grief-stricken; she had just two days earlier witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus, the man in whom she had placed so much hope. She had seen him suffer things that she probably couldn’t get out of her mind, and would probably never forget.

If you’ve ever lost someone close to you, someone important to you, you know that grief doesn’t go away overnight. It lingers. Sometimes, it even festers. So I think we can be pretty confident that Mary was not whistling a happy tune as she walked to the tomb that day.

She was probably in a very low state of mind, a very dark place. Maybe you can identify right now. But it’s unlikely that many, if any, of us here this morning are much worse off than Mary was that morning.

But look what happens next. The scriptures say John 20:14-16, 18 …

¹⁴ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). ¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.” (NIV)

So, Mary turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. She was confused. Have you ever been confused about who Jesus is?

In any case, Mary’s initial confusion disappeared when Jesus called her by name. Her grief evaporated like the morning fog. Her darkness lifted, and in its place excitement and joy rushed in. Jesus is calling your name this morning …do you hear Him? Folks, so it is with me, and with you. You may be downhearted, confused, even depressed about many things, but if you have invited the risen Christ into your heart and life, many things become clear.

His resurrection tells you, among other things, that THIS life is not all there is. It tells you that death is not the end. It tells you that if you hope in Christ, all your hopes can be revived.

It tells you that your Savior has triumphed over the worst this world can throw at you.

And so it can be for you today.  You can be saved from the darkness of confusion, and enter into the light of a new purpose, …enter into the light of a new beginning. It all happens when your eyes are opened to the risen Christ, when your heart opens to him, when you believe.”  And you say, “I will Follow You!”

I hope that is where you are today.  I hope you will open your heart and life to the risen Christ right now. I hope you will let him guide you from darkness to light, from confusion, fear, and doubt to a new purpose, a new peace in your life, and a new beginning for you.  Will you?

Will you do that? Will you make today an Easter in your heart? I invite you to do it now by praying with me a simple prayer. Just pray this sincerely from your heart:

“Lord Jesus, be risen in my heart today.  Shine your light into my darkness. Dispel my confusion, fear, and doubt. Overcome all my reluctance or procrastination. I confess that I am a sinner and need a Savior. I turn to You right now, and I claim your sacrifice on the cross as payment for all the wrong things I’ve done, and your resurrection from the dead as the basis of my life from this moment on. I ask you to come into my heart, and take charge of my life, I will follow You. ”

“Lord God, thank you for the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.  Thank you for calling us out of darkness and into your wonderful light. Help us to live in the light, day by day and moment by moment, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Make us all, every one, a true bearer of the light, a herald of the resurrection, in Jesus’ name, amen.”