The church is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way (Ephesians 1:23).
Last week when I was visiting our homebound members, I asked them, “Where do you see darkness in our culture?” They said they see darkness in how everything seems to be about politics, race and sex. They talked about the darkness of divisiveness and the ever-present darkness of abortion in our country.
Then I asked them, “How have you experienced darkness in your life? Many of them said they feel darkness with their constant pain and consistent loneliness. They felt darkness with the death of a child or a spouse. One said she feels the darkness with her child and grandchild leaving the Christian faith.
Where do you see darkness in our culture? We talked in our latest Thirsty podcast how we are not so much living in an immoral culture as an amoral culture. The difference is that in an immoral culture, people know right from wrong, but they choose to do what’s wrong. In an amoral culture, people don’t know what is right or wrong, so they gleefully choose what feels good based on their sinful nature.
They welcome the darkness. And they want us Christians to not only tolerate their amoral behavior, we must accept and promote it.
How have you experienced darkness in your life? Perhaps it is constant pain, depression and desperation. Or maybe it is the loss of a family member or a close friend. Maybe it is the break-up of your marriage or your family.
The people of the northern kingdom of Israel experienced darkness in their culture. It was a spiritual darkness they brought on themselves as they consulted mediums and spiritists (Isaiah 8:19) and worshiped Baal, Asherah, Molech and other false gods. So God allowed the Assyrian empire to conquer and deport the Israelites to other areas within their empire.
They experienced physical darkness as they were permanently deported from their homeland. Assyria then imported heathen non-Jews – Gentiles – to fill the northern region of the Promised Land.
Yet, in this darkness, God promised light. “There will be no more gloom for the land that was in anguish. In former times, he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will cause it to be glorious, along the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. For those living in the land of the shadow of death, the light has dawned.”
To a land that should never see the dawn again, the Lord offers the hope of light. To the two tribes laid lowest by oppression – Zebulun and Naphtali – the Lord promises the greatest honor.
This Light would come in the person of Jesus Christ. St. John wrote of Jesus, “5The light is shining in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). Where did Jesus do the bulk of his ministry? Up north in Galilee of the Gentiles.
There was darkness in Israel. There is darkness in our culture. There is darkness in your life. This darkness is felt in the hearts of the elderly abandoned in the nursing homes. This darkness is experienced by children living in broken homes. This darkness is suffered by parents who lose their child to drugs or cancer or death. This darkness is endured by all of us as we live in a broken and desperate world.
God did not leave the earth wrapped in darkness. He said, “Let there be light,” and there was light that pushed against the darkness (Genesis 1:3). Nor did God abandon his children to sin’s darkness, either. Since the darkness isn’t disappearing, our Savior Jesus stepped into the darkness. “[God] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13,14).
But the spiritual darkness was not about to go quietly. It stirred King Herod to try to slaughter the young child among the young boys in Bethlehem. Throughout the days of his public ministry, it tried to silence Jesus through threats and persecution. Finally, on the cross and in the sealed grave, it looked as though darkness had snuffed out the Light. But on the third day Christ arose, shining his light of victory over sin, Satan, death, and hell forever.
Jesus was born in the darkness so that he could die in the darkness. He was betrayed, arrested and denied in the darkness so that he might overcome the plague of darkness that allowed this injustice. The darkness of anger grabbed hold of the Jewish religious leaders so they demanded Jesus’ crucifixion; the darkness of fear gripped Pontius Pilate so that he handed Jesus over to be crucified; the darkness of unbelief seized the Roman soldiers as they crucified the Son of God. But Jesus endured all of this spiritual darkness so that by his innocent suffering and substitutionary death, he could pay the price for anger, fear, and unbelief. He could shine the light of his salvation upon those who put him to death. He was raised to life on Easter dawn, so that the dawn of a new resurrection day would shine its light on all those who believe.
But this light of salvation did not just dawn in Galilee of the Gentiles. “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” That’s us. That’s our community. That’s our culture.
The Bible encourages: “You were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (Ephesians 5:8).
The darkness that shaded Israel and shadows our current culture was just as prevalent in the 1920’s. That was when plans were made to start a new mission church to bring the light of Christ all the way to the western edge of Racine. Back then, there were farmers fields west of West Blvd.
In the 1920’s, First Evan was still conducting its worship services in German. There were mission-minded members who wanted to do outreach to the English-speaking population of Racine. So, in October of 1926, the Mission Board of the Joint Synod of Wisconsin (before it became known as only the Wisconsin Synod) decided to launch a new church in the mission field of Taylor Avenue. A vacant shop at 1861 Taylor Avenue was soon converted into a chapel, complete with altar, pulpit, pews, and piano. The mission church held its opening service on Sunday evening, January 30, 1927.
Since the church started during the Epiphany season and was created to do mission work to the English-speaking residents of Racine, the official name of the church was “The English Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Epiphany.”
It doesn’t seem like such a great idea today, but the church was built in the middle of a brand-new neighborhood. The new church was purposefully designed in the Old English style of architecture and was in keeping with the small homes of the vicinity. It was purposely built to look like a large English Tudor home to visually express the mission work to the English, but also to express invitation and friendliness by making it appear like a home.
The fledgling congregation appealed to the Mission board for a loan to purchase its own church property. Five lots were purchased between Olive and Bate Streets at the cost of $5,000. On June 19, 1927, ground was broken for the new church. At that time, this section of the city was newly subdivided and at the cornerstone laying on July 31, there were no paved streets nor cement sidewalks in existence. Members who attended the dedication relate how they walked on planks to enter the church.
The church was completed on November 6, 1927 at the cost of $16,000. It was estimated to seat 300. (I think people must have been skinnier and willing to sit more closely together than they are today.) The church stood ready to be dedicated to the service of the Triune God, with the purpose of proclaiming the light of salvation to the nations gathered in West Racine.
By God’s grace, Christ’s light of salvation has been shining from Epiphany Lutheran Church among the saints and citizens of Racine for over 90 years. By that same grace, the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ has been going forth from New Hope Lutheran Church to the members and residents of Caledonia for over 40 years.
In talking with members of Epiphany and New Hope, I know some have said, “It will always be Epiphany or New Hope to me.” And that’s fine. It’s great that people love their church! We have been blessed to have great moments of faith at Epiphany and New Hope – baptisms, confirmations, weddings, anniversaries, and even funerals.
In our Gospel lesson, Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” Peter replies for the group, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus commends him, “On the rock of your confession of faith, I will build my Christian Church” (Matthew 16:18).
It is hard to give up the names of Epiphany and New Hope. There are only two New Hope Lutheran Churches in the WELS. There is only one Epiphany Lutheran Church in the WELS. I’m guessing that there may be no other English Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Epiphany in the world. But the name doesn’t make it a church. Nor is the church the building. Jesus and his Word are the foundation of the Church. You and I and our fellow saints who have gone before us and those who come after us are the Church.
As we stop using the name of Epiphany for our church, we aren’t going to stop shining Christ’s light into the world. As we stop using the name of New Hope, we aren’t going to stop giving people the hope of Jesus. We are just changing the light and hope to water. Water poured over the head in baptism. Water poured into the ears, mind and heart in God’s Word and Sacrament.
Whether it is Light or Hope or Water, it is the same Jesus. Whether it is Epiphany or New Hope or Water of Life – it is the same Holy Christian Church.
By God’s grace, you have seen a great light (Isaiah 9:2)
By God’s grace, you know the hope to which he has called you (Ephesians 1:18).
By God’s grace, you may drink freely from the spring of the water of life (Revelation 21:6).
By God’s grace, you are a part of Christ’s church, and the gates of hell will not overpower it (Matthew 16:18).
Today we thank God for the many generations who have seen the Light of Christ in their personal and cultural darkness over the past 90 years. We thank God for the many generations who have received hope through Christ, despite living in a world without hope. We pray that the Lord of the Church will bless Water of Life Lutheran Church – one church on two campuses – with sharing the water of life of Jesus for many generations to come. Amen.
As we sang today in Psalm 118: “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!” Amen.