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John 1.1-7 "... and the light shines on in the darkness and the darkness shall not overcome it." I. This is one of the most powerful affirmations ever spoken on planet earth. It is a promise that God makes in the midst of evolving galaxies, orbiting planets, and a spinning globe. It is written in the network of historical settings whether it be the Soviet Union, Romania, Czechoslovakia, South Africa, East Germany, wherever men and wo men have lived in the dark shadows of walls that partition human beings from one another. "and the light shines on in the darkness and the darkness shall not overcome it." II. This story begins in the far reaches of creation. Long before dreams of reaching the moon, or of cloning, or of organ transplants, or mega-power were dreamt. There in everyone's Garden called Eden, man and woman were promised that the spoiler of life would be conquered. This promise focused one year when, according to astronomers interviewed on New Radio 78, Jupiter aligned itself with another star and created a brightness in the sky not often seen. In those days shortly after the baby J esus was born Herod sought to destroy him, and his mother and father fled to Egypt to keep him in safety. "and the light shines on in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it." IV. Later Jesus returned to his home town where he grew up. The neighbor's called him Jesus the carpenter's son. One day he began his prophetic mission of preaching the Kingdom of God. "What shall it profit anyone, if the whole world is gained, and one's soul is lost?" While theologians were trying to figure out whose sin caused the blindness of a man born that way, Jesus healed him. What everyone learned including the most religious was the human family had strayed far and long from God's ways. V. It was said of him that he was the light of the world and its life. Yet he was put to death by crucifixion. Death always puts out light and life. But to his story God adds an Easter. "and the light shines on in the darkness and the darkness shall not overcome it." VI. Those disciples who followed him were put to death for proclaiming the Kingdom of God which they understood to have come in the birth of the Messiah Jesus, each were put to death. By the end of the first century, 50 years after the first Christians gathered into enclaves called churches the emperor determined to wipe them from the face of the earth. Domitian instituted persecutions that made famous the arenas in which gladiators made sport of Christians. And from which another emperor Decius would hear those being burned at the stake singing praises to the one whose birth had changed their lives... "and the light shines on 1
Object Description
Title of Sermon | And the Darkness Shall Not Overcome It (2) |
Author | Landwehr, Arthur |
Subject | Persistence of Good, Evil |
Date of sermon | n/a |
Type | Text |
Format | |
Number of Pages | 2 |
Language | English |
Biblical Book | John |
Verses | 1:1-7 |
Rights | For permission to reproduce, distribute, or otherwise use this image, please contact The Styberg Library by phone (847)866-3909 or email styberg.library@garrett.edu |
Collection | The Arthur Landwehr Sermon Collection (Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary) |
Identifier | 479 And the Darkness Shall Not Overcome it (2).pdf |
Description
Title of Sermon | Page 1 |
Biblical Book | Biblical Book |
Collection | The Arthur Landwehr Sermon Collection (Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary) |
Transcript | John 1.1-7 "... and the light shines on in the darkness and the darkness shall not overcome it." I. This is one of the most powerful affirmations ever spoken on planet earth. It is a promise that God makes in the midst of evolving galaxies, orbiting planets, and a spinning globe. It is written in the network of historical settings whether it be the Soviet Union, Romania, Czechoslovakia, South Africa, East Germany, wherever men and wo men have lived in the dark shadows of walls that partition human beings from one another. "and the light shines on in the darkness and the darkness shall not overcome it." II. This story begins in the far reaches of creation. Long before dreams of reaching the moon, or of cloning, or of organ transplants, or mega-power were dreamt. There in everyone's Garden called Eden, man and woman were promised that the spoiler of life would be conquered. This promise focused one year when, according to astronomers interviewed on New Radio 78, Jupiter aligned itself with another star and created a brightness in the sky not often seen. In those days shortly after the baby J esus was born Herod sought to destroy him, and his mother and father fled to Egypt to keep him in safety. "and the light shines on in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it." IV. Later Jesus returned to his home town where he grew up. The neighbor's called him Jesus the carpenter's son. One day he began his prophetic mission of preaching the Kingdom of God. "What shall it profit anyone, if the whole world is gained, and one's soul is lost?" While theologians were trying to figure out whose sin caused the blindness of a man born that way, Jesus healed him. What everyone learned including the most religious was the human family had strayed far and long from God's ways. V. It was said of him that he was the light of the world and its life. Yet he was put to death by crucifixion. Death always puts out light and life. But to his story God adds an Easter. "and the light shines on in the darkness and the darkness shall not overcome it." VI. Those disciples who followed him were put to death for proclaiming the Kingdom of God which they understood to have come in the birth of the Messiah Jesus, each were put to death. By the end of the first century, 50 years after the first Christians gathered into enclaves called churches the emperor determined to wipe them from the face of the earth. Domitian instituted persecutions that made famous the arenas in which gladiators made sport of Christians. And from which another emperor Decius would hear those being burned at the stake singing praises to the one whose birth had changed their lives... "and the light shines on 1 |