Easter
By Pastor Steve
“You have to see it to believe it!” How many of us have used that phrase to describe some place or product that truly amazed us? The visual faculty may be our strongest sense. We are moved and convinced by the phrase: ”I saw it with my own two eyes!”
In the gospel of John, “seeing is believing,” but it can also come without seeing all there is to see. This is faith. Faith is a filter that helps us see correctly; it adjusts our vision. John’s message of resurrection to the modern church is that the light of Jesus needs to be seen. Jesus said, “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me will not remain in darkness…for a little while longer the Light is among you…while you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.” Jesus is no longer physically present with us, but His Light has not gone out. One Light has become many–you are the light of the world! Resurrection teaches us that people can see Jesus by our light.
Last time I flew into Ontario airport I was struck by the stark contrast of the landscape below the plane. It was night, and the approach into Ontario from the north took us over the mountains and desert before hitting the runway. The ground beneath turned from black darkness to amazingly brilliant light. As we descended, it became clear that the brilliance of light is caused by “many” single lights. By themselves, those lights may not have been very bright or significant, but together they produced a radiant span of light that was awesome to see. This is a marvelous picture of the nature of the church. You are the light of the world.
