by Pastor Douglas Brauner

Light Wins!

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

How closely light and darkness dwell with each other. In the upper room, as Jesus shared his last meal with his chosen disciples, Light and darkness are in the same room.

“One of you will betray me.” 
Mark 14:18 English Standard Version

If you and I were in that room with Jesus, we would have responded as his disciples did, “Surely not I!” It can’t be me! You are my Messiah! And yet, doubt lingers.

It is the person who dips bread in the bowl with Jesus. That’s not a helpful comment to his faithful followers. How many of them had already dipped their bread in the bowl with Jesus?.

Yet the betrayer is in the room. Light and darkness dwell together.

Isn’t that the way it is with us too? Jesus has taken up residence in our lives through our baptism into his death and resurrection. He has forgiven us, restored us, and continues to dwell with us. Yet, as surely as Jesus dwells with us, darkness is in the same room. We battle the effect of sin in our lives. We know how destructive it can be.

“And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, ‘Take; this is my body.’ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.'”
Mark 14:22-24 English Standard Version

Jesus takes the bread and speaks a blessing to the Father. Jesus takes the cup and gives thanks. Then he gives them to his confused and bewildered disciples. They take it, eat it, and drink it. Mark even leaves the door open that Judas partook of the meal.

In Jesus, light conquers darkness. The light of Jesus that we receive in this meal conquers the darkness of sin, death, and the devil. Though Light and darkness dwell close together, the Light always wins.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado