Light in the DarkSample

In Him was life...

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5 NIV

Subverting expectations and surprise twists have all become pretty popular storytelling techniques in movies and shows today. Sometimes, they work really well. Other times, not so much.

But still to this day, nobody has done it better than Jesus.

From the start, rumors were going around that this wandering rabbi from Nazareth with His ragtag band of followers might be the Messiah, the Savior King promised by God. And the more things He did, the greater His influence grew, and the more convinced people became that He was the promised deliverer they had been waiting for. A ruler who would kick out the Romans and restore the glory of their nation.

But not everyone was convinced. Some thought He was an impostor. They saw Him as a threat. So they did what sinful, selfish, and scared people often do. In order to protect themselves, they came up with a plan to eliminate Him. In collaboration with Rome, the oppressive empire they hoped the Messiah would overthrow, they had Jesus killed. Brutally. Without mercy.

This wasn’t what anyone expected. It was a twist nobody saw coming.

Well, nobody but Jesus. Which is why He didn’t resist. He didn’t fight back. To all the people watching, the death of Jesus looked like a massive failure. But from God’s perspective, the crucifixion was actually a decisive victory. The Apostle Paul describes it this way:

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Colossians 2:13-15 NIV

The crucifixion of Jesus proved, once and for all, that love really does conquer all. Because of His sacrifice, an act of pure love, our sins have been forgiven, our debt has been paid, and the forces of darkness have been disarmed.

Here’s where it gets even wilder. Because God’s plan didn’t just catch us by surprise. His plan caught sin, death, and the devil on their heels and put them in their place. The Apostle Paul hints at this when he wrote:

None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Corinthians 2:8 NIV

The enemies of God had no idea what they were doing when they crucified Jesus. They thought they had secured a great victory, but instead they sealed their own fate. Because without the crucifixion, there would be no resurrection. Another plot twist that nobody saw coming.

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. John 20:1 NIV

Mary, alongside a handful of Jesus’ other female followers, arrived at the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body with burial spices. When they got there, the stone had been moved and His corpse was missing.

They were devastated. Not only was their friend, their teacher, and the one they hoped was the Messiah dead, but now, someone had come along and stolen His body so they can’t even honor Him properly.

But then, everything changed. Because a man who was dead was calling Mary’s name.

Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). John 20:16 NIV

Jesus, the light of the world, the God who put on skin and bones, walked on two legs, worked under the Galilean sun, and left His footprints in the sands of Judea, who, just days ago was hanging lifeless on a Roman cross, and just that morning was buried in the ground, was now alive and well. Blood was once again coursing through His veins. Breath filled His lungs. And when He spoke, His words brought life and light into the darkness of Mary’s despair.

Jesus is the light of the world. He shines in the darkness and gives light to everyone.

This was true at the moment of creation when light first flooded God’s creation. And it was true here, at the Resurrection, when buried under the earth, the very place where darkness and death are most present, light burst forth once again. And just like He brought hope and life to Mary, He wants to bring hope and life to you too.

When you join your life to Jesus, His love covers you and His life fills you. When you believe in Him, you receive His grace and your sins are forgiven. When you commit to following Him, your story changes for the better because He redeems your past and restores your purpose.

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14 NIV