Today's sermon title is
somewhat strange I admit. It comes from a wonderful story written
by George McDonald in 1882. The complete title is The
Day Boy and the Night Girl: The Romance of Photogen and Nycteris which
is too long for a sermon title. I was recently reminded of the
story which I read years ago. There was an article in the January
2005 issue of Emphasis Magazine telling about the story which
is too long to tell in its entirety but I would like to quote
the article.
In McDonald's fable a witch steals a newborn girl
and raises her in the total darkness of a cave. The witch
experiences both light and darkness, but not the girl. She
is completely immersed in the world of darkness. Even as the
girl grows, the witch will only allow her to step outside during
the nighttime hours. Long before dawn's graying blush, Nycteris
would be back inside her dark cave home. Although she may have
been meant for light by birth, the witch's training kept her
continually in the dark. In fact, one night when she strayed
unusually far, her running steps were driven by fear of pursuing
light as she fled home near daybreak.
There was another young person in the same world. His name
was Photogen and he had been raised to experience only the bright
light of day. His guardians insured that he was never in the
dark, not even to sleep. By the time the sun set, bright lights
burned in the castle where he was raised.
Yet there came a day when Photogen hunted too far, and was
caught beyond the point of no return when dusk filtered the skies
and darkness crept on. In terror Photogen stumbled into a garden
and hugged himself in distress. Fortunately, this happened to
be on a night and in the vicinity where Nycteris' nocturnal
roaming brought them together. Nycteris comforted Photogen, and
helped him understand the world of night. Intrigued, Photogen
began to plan forays that prevented his daylight return home,
and Nycteris became his nighttime guide and friend.
Friendship grew into love, (we all knew it would) and eventually
Photogen helped Nycteris endure the blazing sun of the day.
In the end they were married, each appreciating the world of
the other yet both gravitating toward the day and the light.
The tale ends with Nycteris expressing confidence that ever
greater light will lead them forward.
The reason I chose to tell this lengthy story is it illustrates
so well the story of how Jesus, the Light of the world, enters
into our world of darkness. The author of the Gospel of John
states, in verse 5 of chapter 1, "The light shines in the
darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it."
In this season of Epiphany we seek to reveal Jesus for whom
HE is. He is the One who comes to bring us from darkness into
the light. He is the One who comes to bring us from ignorance
and prejudice into truth and acceptance. He is the One who shares
with us who He is so that He can tell us in Matthew 5:14 that, "we
are to be the light of the world" on His behalf.
The many authors of the various books of the Bible often use
the light vs. darkness analogy. Isaiah is one such author. Isaiah
describes many different ways humans seek answers in darkness
only to become frustrated and/or injured. However, there is always
a choice. We can always choose the way of the Light. When we
do the Light does not forsake us or disappoint us. What does
it mean to choose the Light?
Whether they knew it or not that is what the first disciples
of Jesus were doing. They were responding to the Light's
invitation. That is what true disciples of Jesus in every age
have done. Martin Luther King, Jr. describes what it means to
come to the Light of the world and then to reveal that Light
to others. "If you want to be important that is wonderful.
If you want to be recognized that is also wonderful. If you want
to be great, that too, is wonderful. But accept that the one
who is the greatest among you shall be the servant of all." When
you come to the Light of the world you come to servanthood at
its finest.
Throughout the centuries since the advent of Christianity that
servanthood has taken many forms as differing needs and situations
have dictated. The call to servanthood is a call to be God's
light to the world. There have been periods when great evangelism
was needed as people had to be told the story of God and then
be invited to accept it. There have been periods where hospitals
and schools were built in order to treat people's illnesses
and to provide quality education. There have been periods when
social action was necessary in order to address and correct the
injustices of the day. No one period was ever exclusively one
type of ministry although various periods and places have for
a time required special emphasis.
Today being the Light means we have to learn how to tell God's
story in relevant ways that will impact adults who have never
really heard it. No longer can we count on the entire community
for support in this task because the community has become so
diverse.
More than ever in history we are living in a global world where
events can be reported within seconds of their happening. We
can no longer live in splendid isolation. Our next-door neighbors
and people on the other side of the planet practice differing
religions which means we will increasingly have to learn how
to live side by side while supporting each one's right
to practice their own faith.
In The Haunt of Grace Ted Loder reports that, "More than
one-third of the populations of the world's poorest countries
are under 15 years old. They see a bleak future for themselves
which makes them easy recruits for suicide bombing missions.
Terrorism is fed by poverty, hunger and disease. It is fed by
the despair of being marginalized, dehumanized and exploited."
These people no longer live in isolations with no knowledge
of how others live. They have access to at least knowing how
the rich ones of the world experience life and it is something
they increasingly desire and are willing to fight and die in
order to obtain it.
Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr states: "Self-righteous people
are guilty of history's greatest cruelties. Most evil is
done by good people who do not know they are not good."
Jesus, the Light of the world, brings a Truth that challenges
the self-righteous. Some of them attempted to put Jesus to death.
However, the Light still overcomes the darkness where people
are willing to come to the Light.
Nycteris put it best when she said, "Ever increasing
Light will continue to lead us forward."
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