You are not the Light

A sermon based on John 1:1-14
January 3, 2016

A few weeks ago, I risked arrest with members of New Sanctuary Movement at City Hall. We were concerned about a change of policy from the Nutter administration in its treatment of immigrants in our city. I haven’t talked publicly about the action—partially because it was a very difficult experience for me, and partially because while it was a public action it was a very personal decision.

But, I do think I need to talk about it.

Here’s something you may be surpised about–I don’t like marches. I don’t like rallies. I don’t enjoy the chants and spectacle that go along with all of it. And I definitely don’t enjoy participating in acts of civil disobedience.

I don’t really enjoy putting myself out there on the front lines of these social issues. But, over the last few years, I’ve really felt called to show up at these events–I’ve felt called to stand in front of gun shops; I’ve felt called to march in the streets after the Mike Brown Verdict, and show up at Occupy Philadelphia events as a peaceful presence.

But I don’t like it. It’s nowhere close to my comfort zone.

In fact, after the action a few weeks ago, a few folks said, “Amy you are so brave!” “You are tough!”–and I had no idea what to say. I don’t feel tough or brave. I felt scared to death. I questioned myself the entire time I sat on the steps of city hall. I question myself every time I march in the streets.

I usually feel like the biggest phony out there–who do I think I am protesting? It is an internal struggle the entire time I’m marching or sitting in protest.

So–you may be wondering–why do I do this?

And the reason is very simple to me–I feel called to do this. In all of the places where I’m standing or sitting, I’m not the one that is directly impacted by the event–gun violence has not a direct impact on me, nor has immigration or unfair treatment by authorities. But, I know people for whom it has. And I have felt called to stand with them in this way.

This is not something I do to seek attention for myself but for the people the issue impacts. And, it’s something that I do in prayer and in consultation with my family. With every action I ask–”Does this make sense for me to put my body in this place?” and “What are the potential consequences” and “Am I willing to risk it?’ And most importantly, I pray, “God, is this where you want me?”

Every action like this is a reminder that I am not Jesus–I can’t save the whole world–but I can point to the light of Christ in my words and actions.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.”

2015 was a hard year. We’ve been beaten down by bad news. I had conversations with some of you about the sense of helplessness you feel about the world, and I’ve seen the looks in people’s eyes that say the same thing–we feel helpless to make the world better. Our hearts have been broken by the brutality of the world this year.

Many of you are doing difficult jobs during the week–working with children in the foster care system, teaching in troubled Philadelphia schools, providing health care for underserved populations–you are working too many hours for too little pay. You bring your clients home in your heart. They keep you up at night with worry and sadness.

Your job is your vocation, that thing you are called to devote your life to–at least for now. And that means that your worship and prayers may look like calls to God for help with that client that keeps you up at night, prayers for an end to suffering for a dying patient, or prayers for strength to get through the next few weeks in your classroom.

Others of us come to church with energy to engage in the issues with a bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other. For many of you faith and practice looks like praying with your feet, marching in the streets and chanting.

But no matter what type of person you are, and what type of work you do, 2015 has been tough. I can see it in all of us.

Working in our little corner of the world, in whatever we do, feels like a drop in the bucket. The problems are too big, and our role in turning it around feels so insignificant. How do we make this world better? Can we? Is it even worth it to try?

In our text from John, the gospel is writer is talking to a persecuted, beaten down church.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.”

That is a message to a worn out people.

The word today feels like an important one for this congregation to hear. You are not the light. Christ is the light. You do not have to do the work of fixing every single broken thing. All you have to do is point to the light. All you have to do is testify to the light of God.

So, how are we called to point to the light? How are we called to bear witness to the light?

Often when we gather, and hear the difficulties and challenges in this world, we ask ourselves the question, “What can I possibly do?” We see a problem, we want to fix it. But perhaps the question is not one about doing, but one about calling. Where is God calling me?

Sometimes that calling involves marching in the street. And sometimes that calling involves a gentle hospitality, bringing people together, building relationships.

Sometimes that calling involves the front line work of standing against the principalities and powers, and sometimes the call looks like studying the word together in small groups, to strengthen ourselves for the work we do.

We are not Jesus. We only point to Jesus. We only follow Jesus.

In the work of Jesus that we read about in the gospels, not everyone that followed him was going around preaching and teaching. Many were following Jesus by sharing hospitality, but doing what they could, by saying yes to those things they felt called to do. But most of Jesus’ followers weren’t on the front lines–they were supporting the work. They were pointing to the light.

They knew they were not Jesus. But, they were pointing to Jesus.

I hope you hear this text as a moment of grace in a difficult time in our nation and world. You are not Jesus, but you are called to point to Jesus. You are not Jesus. You cannot fix all the problems of the world.

I’ve felt called in these last few years to march, and engage in acts of civil disobedience. But, I could do these things without other Jesus followers supporting me, and testing that call with me. My acts of resistance are just a drop on the bucket. My sitting at city hall didn’t change the Mayor’s mind–he changed his policy anyway. And even in my internal tensions and doubt, I know that calling to be real.

The question is not, “What can I do?” or “What is the most effective thing?”but “How am I called?” How are you called to point to Jesus? How do you point to the reign of God among you? Let that be our grace filled question in 2016. AMEN.