Easter MattersSample

Written by Ben Hewitt - Lead Pastor of City on a Hill Ballarat

My family loves going camping, and among all the jobs we do to get ready, checking that the torches have batteries is one of the most important. Even my kids know, the only way to cope with the darkness is with light! How foolish it would be to try and dispel darkness with more darkness.

Night has fallen in this scene in the gospel of Luke, the physical darkness matching the darkened hearts of most of the characters. Jesus points out to his enemies that they have had plenty of opportunities to arrest him lawfully, in daylight hours. Yet like cowards they’ve waited till nightfall and come for him armed to the teeth. Even Jesus’ own followers get sucked in by the mood, striking out with swords, cutting off a servant’s ear - darkness met with more darkness.

Only Jesus stays calm in the chaos. He heals the servant’s ear, one commentator writing: ‘Cosmic power flashed bright under the stars at the tips of Jesus’ fingers.’ You can’t drive out darkness with more darkness, only with light. Do you know this in your own life? One lie turns to another as we try to cover our tracks. Pride and arrogance left unchecked are addictive. Greed is cancerous, taking hold of our hearts. Sin snowballs. Darkness is powerful, but Jesus is more powerful: "Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12, ESV)

Today ponder this:

What parts of your life are still shrouded in darkness? Do you trust Jesus to dispel the darkness in your life?