LIGHT SHINING OUT OF DARKNESS
[p. 88] LIGHT SHINING OUT OF DARKNESS
Matthew 27: 19; Luke 23: 39 - 43; Matthew 27: 54
With the Lord’s help, I desire to show from these few passages how light shines out of the midst of darkness. In the second epistle to the Corinthians (chapter 4: 6), the apostle recalls that “it is the God who spoke that out of darkness light should shine who has shone in our hearts for the shining forth of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”, in order that there should now be a light down here.
When the Lord Jesus left Nazareth and went to live at Capernaum, a great light shone in that dark city, as it is said in the prophets: “The people sitting in darkness has seen a great light, and to those sitting in the country and shadow of death, to them has light sprung up”, Matthew 4: 13 - 16.
Thus it is with each one of us, it will be found that at the moment of the greatest darkness, light has shone. We must therefore not be discouraged; the very darkness shows that the light is going to shine: the darkest hour is that which precedes the dawn.
In the period before the Reformation there was intense darkness; but it was not long before the light shone, a light from which we all benefit now. And is it not the same in the history of certain meetings with which we are in fellowship? Some have very dark periods, and the enemy seeks to discourage the saints, so that they may, give everything up. And again it is the same in the history of our souls. The darkness is evidently the devil’s work, but God makes light to shine out of the midst of that darkness.
The night in which Israel was delivered out of Egypt was outwardly a night of profound darkness, but the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
When David numbered Israel, it was a dark period, but God spoke to David through Gad. What God desires [p. 89] is to bring in light. Each has his different way of seeing. Now David had Gad as a prophet; 2 Samuel 24.
It may be that, through our own will, darkness has entered into our souls, but if we truly belong to the Lord He has means of reaching our consciences; David was convicted and light shone into his soul.
Now I wish to present to you three persons for whom light shone out of darkness. How sad, in the history of this world, was the moment when the Lord Jesus, who had walked and shone down here, stood before Pilate to be judged and crucified! And darker than any other was the hour of the cross. The world then did its best to extinguish the greatest possible light that has ever shone; it could not succeed. Jesus was put to death; but He was raised, to shine more wonderfully than ever. The fact of trying to extinguish the light by putting Jesus to death was as absurd an act as if men agreed together to try and suppress the sun. The Lord was brought before Pilate and condemned to death. Indeed a very dark moment, but one in which the light shone. The heart of man was in profound darkness: “This is your hour and the power of darkness” Luke 22:53; but Jesus shone before Pilate. At such a moment God spoke, and the first person to attract our attention is Pilate’s wife (now Pilate had authority to put our Lord to death). She had a dream, and God spoke to her soul while she slept. He had already done that previously. God sometimes uses dreams to speak to men and women. “In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men”, then He speaks to them. “For God speaketh once, and twice — and man perceiveth it not”, Job 33: 14, 15. But there are cases where He gets a response. He had one that night from Pilate’s wife, and in the dream she suffered much. It is important to notice that she suffered: “I have suffered today many things in a dream because of him”. Among those who obtain light from God and are counted as christians, there is a great number who are very superficial, because [p. 90] they did not suffer at their conversion. Perhaps many among us have not suffered because of Jesus; but Pilate’s wife suffered much.
He was Himself going to suffer on account of her; she suffered on account of Him. Her sufferings were feeble in comparison with the Lord’s sufferings, which were infinite. Nevertheless, she “suffered many things”. One would like to ask: What did she suffer? We can be assured she did not sleep in peace that night, and it was because God had the blessing of her soul in view. If God works in us, there will be suffering because of Jesus, so that we might be able to appreciate what He suffered for us. Perhaps no one suffered more than Paul, and he often speaks of the sufferings of Christ, in which he had a great part. Pilate’s wife does not say that the Lord suffered for her, but that she suffered because of Him. One cannot doubt that she was converted and that she knew that He suffered for her.
She could not enjoy the blessing before she knew that Christ suffered for her; His sufferings for her saved her. “Himself bore our sins” — her sins — “in his body on the tree”, 1 Peter 2: 24. We present to you the same Saviour.
I should also like you to notice that she calls the Lord Jesus “that righteous man”. Nearly everyone in Jerusalem was saying that He was unrighteous and ought to be put to death as a malefactor; but she says to her husband, who was about to send Him to the cross: “Have thou nothing to do with that righteous man”. What a testimony to Pilate! He should have listened to his wife, since she said she had suffered because of Jesus. Without doubt he desired to grant her request, in setting Jesus free if he had been able. But he represents a man to whom the testimony is presented and who refuses it. Instead of accepting the testimony with regard to Jesus, he refuses it and has Him put to death.
That is what I had to say as to Pilate’s wife. She called Jesus “that righteous man”; she suffered because [p. 91] of Him; she was ready to send a message to her husband who was already on the judgment-seat. When Pilate is brought before the great white throne, he will remember that, and will not be able to deny it. The same applies to you: if you reject Christ now, you will have to appear before the throne of God; Revelation 20. Many meetings at which you have been present will then come to your memory. Are you, like Pilate, going to continue to reject the testimony? God presents to you Christ as Saviour and whosoever believes on Him has life eternal; he has passed from death unto life. It is a solemn thing if there is anyone here who has not confessed the Lord. This meeting will stand out against you at the day of judgment. As to Pilate’s wife, she shone distinctly in that hour of deep darkness.
In Luke 23, another light shone, and only a few hours after the events of which we have spoken. The two malefactors were hanging on the cross on either side of Jesus. What a dark picture outwardly! Three men, nailed on the cross, were enduring the most atrocious sufferings; and One of them was “just”.
The fact that He was there makes the scene still darker. And then one of the malefactors spoke insultingly to Jesus, which adds still more to the sadness of the moment. The other evangelists tell us that both the malefactors insulted Him, which shows how quickly the work of God can be done in a soul. Shortly after, one of the two calls Him “Lord”. Pilate’s wife had confessed Him as “that righteous man”, and the malefactor calls Him “Lord” shortly after having insulted Him. His mind was quite changed. Who made him do that? The Spirit of God. Do not think it needs long years to be converted; it is a thing that comes to pass instantaneously. It was so with the malefactor; a ray of light shone into his soul while he was hanging by the side of Jesus. What joy that must have brought to the heart of the Lord! I am sure that the moment that this [p. 92] passage that we have read depicts, was an important moment for heaven and earth.
While Jesus, the perfect Man, was ranked with malefactors, and during three hours there was darkness over the whole land, the conversion of a sinner had been noted in heaven and there had been joy before the angels of God.
I would beseech you this evening to confess the Lord Jesus; in that you will give much joy to His heart and to the heart of each one of us. The malefactor made a request to the Lord: “Remember me, Lord, when thou comest in thy kingdom”. He answered him that He would do something for him that very day: “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise”. He was going to leave that body of suffering, to enter into paradise, into the company of His Saviour.
What a gospel! Jesus did not die a natural death; He expired full of power; He cried with a loud voice and delivered up His spirit. His death preceded that of the malefactor. It is possible for a crucified man to live several days, for nothing vital is affected; but Jesus did not remain long in life on the cross; He remained there the necessary time to make propitiation. He cried with a loud voice: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46 Then He delivered up His spirit, according as He had said, speaking of His life: “I lay it down of myself” John 10:18. He did not die the same death as the malefactors. When Pilate sent the soldiers, they were astonished to find Jesus already dead. The malefactors were not dead; that is why the soldiers broke their legs; but of the bones of Jesus, not one was broken. Thus Jesus entered paradise before the malefactor.
The third person of whom I wish to speak is the centurion, a Roman officer who, with some soldiers whom he commanded, kept guard over Jesus. He represented the authority of Rome. Is it possible for such a man to be converted? Yes, God can convert a [p. 93] man in military uniform. If He can convert and take a malefactor to heaven, He can also convert a centurion, who was only maintaining order and keeping watch. The soldiers with him were also all affected; they feared greatly; Matthew 27: 54. Do you think you would have been able to stand near the cross and witness all that took place there, without fearing? And now, do you not fear to miss the opportunity which is presented? Do you not fear the consequences? The centurion had had to do with the death of the Son of God. He was only doing his duty, but he feared. I have no doubt he had seen men put to death without thinking much of their sufferings, but this time they “feared greatly, saying, Truly this man was Son of God”.
Notice that they confessed the Son of God, and the Son of God alone could produce such a result. We see Jesus confessed as “righteous”, as “Lord” and as “Son of God”.
Every believer should confess Him in these three aspects. The gospel is presented to you, that you may confess Him thus; then joy will enter into your soul and will be with you for ever.