BRIGHT SUNDAY

"A Light Faith But Not A 'Lite' Faith"

By Rev. Billy D. Strayhorn

(1 John 1:1-2:2)

[1:1] We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-- [2] this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us-- [3] we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. [4] We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

[5] This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. [6] If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; [7] but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. [8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

[2:1] My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; [2] and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

(NRSV)

INTRODUCTION:

Do you know what kind of lights Noah's ark had? Flood lights.

Did you hear about the little boy who said: "The Epistles are the wives of the Apostles?"

Or how about the little girl who was in Church for the first time. After the service the preacher asked her, "So, what did you think of your first Church service?" She smiled and said, "Well, I liked the music but the commercials were too long." (1)

I promise you that today's commercial won't be too long. Just long enough to get said what needs to be said. And just to let you know, I haven't suddenly become a stand up comedian, that's even harder than preaching. But today is a special day in the life of the Church. It's the Second Sunday of Easter or Bright Sunday as it was called in the early Church.

It originally started out being celebrated on Monday. The faithful would gather for a day of joy and laughter with picnics and parties, to celebrate the Resurrection. They played tricks on each other, told jokes, laughed, sang and danced. This may be the actual origin of April Fool's day. Why? Because early church theologians like Augustine, Gregory of Nyssay and John Chrysotom said, "God played a practical joke on the devil by raising Jesus from the dead. The resurrection was God's supreme joke played on sin and death."

Think about it, a joke is something that turns the tables or reveals the unexpected. There was nothing more unexpected than the resurrection and the defeat of sin and death. Easter is the morning when Jesus laughed out loud at all the things that snuff out joy. Jesus laughed at all the things that pretend to be all powerful. Things like cruelty, despair, greed, evil, sin and the great pretender: death. With one roll of the stone and one joyous laugh of resurrection, Jesus swept all of those away and replaced them with light and life. (2)

I. JESUS IS THE LIGHT:

A.Jesus is the light and because the light has overcome the darkness and taken away our fear of the darkness, we can laugh. In an old routine as the Hippy Dippy Weatherman, George Carlin said: "Tonight's forecast: Dark. Continued mostly dark, with scattered light by midmorning."

Because of Jesus, today we can reverse that "Today's forecast: Light. Continued mostly light, with scattered dark trying to break in by morning. But the brief darkness will be followed by more light."

Jesus, the Son of God, the light of the world, has overcome the darkness with His light. John is very clear about that. Jesus is very clear about that. The light of Christ will never be over come by the darkness. Nor will those who live in the light.

B. A preacher had just finished a scathing sermon on sin. One of the local gossips slipped up next to him and whispered: "I know everyone of those people you were talking about, and you didn't exaggerate a bit." (3)

This passage reminds us of a very great truth. "9If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." It's also clear about being truthful and honest with ourselves and with God for the passage also says: "10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

Jesus didn't come to make light of our burdens but instead to make our burdens light. That's why he comes with forgiveness, in order to dispel the darkness of sin; the darkness that creeps in and keeps us separated from God. Jesus offers us forgiveness and calls us to become his disciples.

II. WE ARE PEOPLE OF THE LIGHT:

We are called to be the people of light. We're can't take this calling lightly. Our faith is not less filling but fulfilling. As a consequence, it illuminates. It spreads the light.

There was a young minister who was doing a children's sermon and using a flashlight as a visual aid for being "the light of the world." He had filled the inside of the flashlight, not with batteries but with all kinds of other junk which he proceeded to get rid of and the replace with batteries. He had labeled the batteries, "Jesus" and told the kids, "When we have Jesus in our hearts, we become lights." Then he turned on the flashlight, but nothing happened.

One of the little boys hollered: "It won't work unless you screw the head on straight."

He was right. We have to have our head screwed on straight, too. Jesus in our hearts and our head screwed on straight. That's what John Wesley called "knowledge and vital piety." With those two active in our lives, then we can reflect the light of Christ for others to see. We can reflect Christ's love and grace and be light to the world, showing the way to Christ.

CONCLUSION:

A Church bulletin ran this notice: "Someone has taken the paper cutter from the church office, and we are in dire need of it. Please bear in mind, without the paper cutter, the sermons will get longer and longer." (4)

I told you at the beginning that today's commercial, or the Word from our Sponsor wouldn't be very long. So I guess I better cut it off. But remember, Jesus is the light of the world who came to lighten our load and bring light for our lives. And we are called to be light for others.

As you come for Holy Communion this morning, feed on the grace of Christ. Accept His light in your life. And then reflect His light so others may come to him also.

CLOSE WITH CLOWN'S PRAYER:

"Lord, as I stumble through this life, help me to create more laughter than tears, dispense more happiness than gloom, spread more cheer than despair. Never let me become so indifferent that I will fail to see the wonder in the eyes of a child or the twinkle in the eyes of the aged. Never let me forget that my total effort is to cheer people, make the happy and forget at least for a moment all the unpleasant things in their lives. And Lord, in my final moment, may I hear You whisper: 'When you made My people smile, you made Me smile.'" (5)

1. Autoillustrator

2. Holy Humor, pp. 65-71

3. Capper's Weekly

4. Capper's Weekly

5. Holy Humor, p. 79