Even a casual reader of the Gospel of John will most likely identify one of its key themes: Light vs. Darkness.  God and the things of God are illuminated with divine light.  Satan, evil, and worldly things slink about in utter darkness.  John begins this pattern in the very beginning.  Chapter 1, verse 4 says: “Everything that was created received its life from Him, and His life gave LIGHT to everyone.  The light keeps shining in the darkness, and darkness has never put it out.”  Then, toward the end of his Gospel, John tells us the story of the gathering in the Upper Room, at Mary’s house.  He writes: “Judas took a piece of bread and went out.  And it was dark.”

     Now, we might assume that John was describing daytime vs. nighttime.  And I believe he was.  However, I also believe that John was using nightfall as a literary devise to describe Judas’ heart.  How dark must one be to betray the best thing that has ever happened to you?  How dark must your thinking be when turning against one of your best friends appears to be your best option?   As I’ve wrestled with Judas’ behavior over the years, I can’t escape the feeling in my soul that Judas was in a very dark place.  In fact, Luke tells us: “Then, Satan entered into the heart of Judas.”  Judas had gone to a very dark place, a place where he no longer thought properly or acted with integrity.  It was dark!

     When I consider the dark places in my own life, I’m greatly troubled.  I learned very early in my walk with Christ that no one wants to see all the clutter I carry around – the scars of my sins and shortcomings, the pain of unrealized dreams, the strain of broken relationships, etc.!  I learned to wear the mask, to hide my pain, to stuff it in the closet where it is dark, and no one can see it.  And once hidden away, I could go about my “Christian Life,” pretending it wasn’t there, and it wasn’t dark.  But when you’ve hidden things away, then you have to protect the hiding place so that no one happens upon it unawares.  And that binds you to the dark place and limits your freedom.

     Freedom!  That’s a word, isn’t it?  That word means so much to us because of our national heritage.  But for Christians, it means even more.  It’s much deeper than our rights as citizens of the USA.  Christian Freedom is began – not in darkness, but – in the light.  Christian freedom began – not on a cross, but – in an empty tomb.  Since the grave couldn’t hold our Lord, since He came forth in dazzling light, the dark closet no longer holds us.  We need not be protective of that dark place; we merely need to open the door so that others can see what we already know.  We are forgiven!  We are cleansed!  We no longer walk in darkness, but in the light. O thanks be to God who gives us the victory of sin and darkness through Jesus Christ our Lord.

                                                                                                                Pastor Tucker