Wednesday, October 31, 2018

“People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” (Luke 21:26, New Revised Standard Version)

                Boo! Did I scare you – after all today is Hallowe’en.

                Our young grandsons are all reacting somewhat differently to Hallowe’en this year. William, age 5, is really getting into the Hallowe’en spirit. He wanted to have a real scary face carved on his jack-o-lantern. He loves the house down their street because it is decorated with lots of real spooky stuff, causing him to think they will give out great Hallowe’en candy, too. Henry, age 3, is less taken with this shrine to Hallowe’en, finding it a bit too scary. His pumpkin has a great big, happy face!

                Spencer, age 2, is OK with Hallowe’en, for the most part.   But he does insist that Mom or Dad close the living room curtains so that he can’t see the skeleton face hanging in the window.

                These three grandsons – our fourth, Declan, is not quite old enough to create his own reaction just yet – seem to represent how any of us might handle our fears and qualms. Some face their fears and deal with them head on, like William. Some put on a happy face and avoid their fears, like Henry. Some pull the curtains on life’s terrors and try to avoid their fears, like Spencer.

                I think I may be with Spencer on this one. During this past week there has been enough horrible, awful, scary, evil, terrifying, dreadful things happening in the world and in our lives that I would just as soon close the curtains on the face of the world and not ever peek behind the drapes for life nor money.  This whole Fall has seemed to be one hellish thing after another.

                Fear can be a good or healthy thing. It can warn us of risks, dangers, problems, threats and menaces. Fear can make us take a more cautious and careful approach to matters - to look before we leap. Fear can even energize us to action and dealing with hazardous life situations.

                But fear can also paralyze, intimidate, disable, or bully us.  Fear can take over our lives or become debilitating phobias. Fear can force us into making bad choices or rash decisions. Fear can make us lose heart, lead us into despair, and give up on hope and drain us of joy and peace.

                Our text is embedded in a passage which forewarns the people about a time in which the world will be in a deep, deep mess. Even heaven is shaken by the events of chaos and upheaval, like a tidal wave of disorder and darkness.

                It seems ominous and foreboding indeed. But there is also a bright light of hope in this passage. There is a fresh, energizing appearance of the “Son of Man”, i.e. Jesus Christ, who takes power over the chaos and turbulence and restores his Shalom (peace) and Creation itself.  We are not abandoned to the evils of this world. We are not left to face the world’s terrors by ourselves.  In fact, the passage ends on a note of encouragement and hopefulness. “When all this starts to happen, up on your feet. Stand tall with your heads high. Help is on the way!" (Luke 21:28, The Message Bible)

                It leads me to the confrontation between Light and Darkness, a theme that runs throughout the Gospel of John. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:5, NRSV) John asserts time and time again that Jesus is that one-of-a-kind light who takes on all various forms of evil, sinfulness and chaos. "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life," (John 8:12, NRSV).  He is ever present in this battle against the deeds and habits of darkness, “I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness.” (John 12:46, NRSV) All those who trust in Christ need to hang on to the hope that “the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.” (1 John 2:8)

                So take that that – you big, scary and chilling masks of darkness. I’ve got your number, and you have no power over me or my family or our friends, or the world for that matter, because perfect love casts out fear. Or as Jesus once said, “But take courage; I have conquered the world!" (John 16:33, NRSV)

Dale