Easter Vigil 2000: Dark to Light, Death to Life

The Rev. Lynn Oldham Robinett

Tonight we celebrate the passing from dark to light, from death to life. The Paschal candle that led our way into the church this night will grow even brighter as the night wears on. In this time of darkness, when the one we call the Christ has been crucified, the Paschal candle shines brightly in order that we might remember the light that God sent to us. For those of you who have been present this week as we experienced the most Holy week in the Christian calendar, the light is a welcome sight. It reminds us that even in the darkness, the light is there to guide us and show us the way. This night, the most holy night of the year for Christians, begins in the darkness that resulted from the crucifixion.

In that darkness, we light a fire to symbolize the brightness of Christ's light. The light of Christ that we thought was extinguished with the crucifixion. It is striking, that the last time we saw a fire was when we read the Passion narrative, and Peter was warming himself after Jesus had been taken away. It was at this fire that Peter denied knowing Jesus. He did so he thought, to save his own skin. Through his denial, Peter denied the truth of Christ in his life and by so doing, denied who God created him to be. How many times have we done the same? How many times have each of us denied God the opportunity to deepen God's relationship with us? God gave Peter another chance, and tonight God gives us a new chance. A new opportunity to establish a deeper relationship with God and each other. The fire that warmed Peter in the courtyard warmed little more than his physical being. But the fire that burns tonight, that led our way into the church, provides more than just warmth to our bodies. It is a sign of God's love for us. A love surrounds us even if we deny our relationship. It is this love that created us. It is this love that sent Jesus to us to show us a new way. It is this love that did not let Christ's death be the end, but rather a new beginning.The story of Jesus and his death and resurrection, is not a story that begins and ends with him. God continually seeks to renew God's relationship with us even when we reject God. The stories of God's relationship with humankind are our stories. God's stories tell of the struggle of a people to stay true to whom God created them to be. Over and over again, we read of our abandoning God and God seeking us out again. We are on a journey of faith, and our reading of the lessons tonight reminds us of this journey.

From the story of creation to the story of Jesus' death and resurrection, we hear God's love for us. When God is finished creating the world, God declares that it is good. When Abraham is chosen to be the father of God's people, Isaac, his son, is given God's protection so that the nation of Israel might multiply and be faithful. When the Israelites are suffering the pain, degradation, and humiliation of slavery, God leads them to freedom. When they later reject God's relationship with them, God promises to give them a new heart and a new spirit. When the prophet Ezekiel finds himself in a valley of dry bones, God promises that those bones will again have life. When in Zephaniah God's people have once again strayed from a path of righteousness, God promises to gather them together for restoration. When Jesus was sent to us and we crucified him, he rose again to new life.

Do you see a pattern here? The Israelites, God's chosen people, continually veer away from the path that would lead them closer to the one who created them, and every time, God is right there to bring them back. The story of the Israelites is our story. How many times have we strayed from the path that leads to God? How often do we find ourselves further away from those we love as a result of the choices we make? Our stories are continuations of and additions to the story of God's chosen people. Each and every one of us is chosen. Chosen to be the distinct individual that God created us to be. Each of us has a unique story and a unique path to God. Whether or not we choose to respond to God's invitation to relationship is up to us. It is our choice. But the invitation is always there.

Everyday we encounter situations that hinder our ability to maintain a steady relationship with God. Life can be very overwhelming at times, especially in the high-paced, success-driven society in which we live. We find ourselves doing things, saying things, that do more harm than good, that serve our needs rather than God's needs. It is inevitable. It is a part of our fallible human nature. And it is for that reason that the resurrection of Jesus is the central piece of our salvation history. Christ overcame death on a cross to give us new life. Our misdoings, our sins, are very real and very personal, yet they are also a part of the nature that God created. The story of our relationship with God is a process that is constantly renewed because God desires it to be so. God knows our sins, and God knows that we are creatures who often miss the mark and fall short of our true being. So God sent Jesus to redeem us from ourselves. Through redemption Christ restores to life all that was once alive but has become dead.

Again and again we fall into darkness, and again and again Christ illuminates the way back to God. Out of the darkness of the tomb comes light. It is the light that guides us when we can't find the path. It is the light that warms our bodies and souls from the coolness of an often-indifferent world. It is the light that shines as a beacon to of hope to all who are weary and don't know where to turn. It is this light, Christ's light, that is the focal point of our service tonight and remains central to our life together as a community of faith.

In a little while, we will go to the back of the church to renew our baptismal vows and to baptize two new members of the congregation and welcome them into the Christian community. With every baptism that we witness, we remember and recommit to the life God has chosen for us, regardless of how often we have forgotten and ignored God's calling us closer. Claire Louise Smythe and my daughter, Helen Gabriela Robinett have been brought here by us, their parents, to become part of a community of faith. Their lives will join ours, as we are one body of faith. We will share a set of stories that proclaim the history of our relationship with God. It is a history of salvation granted to us by a God who sent his only son to redeem his people. The stories that make up our history continue to grow and change as we do. Our stories are still in process of being written. Those who are to be baptized this night are just beginning to tell their stories. As they grow, their stories will be added to the ones we already know, just as ours are. The paths they choose will at times lead them away from God. But God will always be there waiting for the opportunity to bring them back. The Paschal candle reminds us of that.

So let us tonight celebrate the life and death of the one whose story we already know. The one who led us here tonight because of the actions of the past week. The light of Christ is present among us.