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The Holy Gospel according to St. John the 18th chapter!

It’s like Bob Dylan sung long ago, “And the first one now / Will later be last / For the times they are a-changin’.” 

In other words, if we’re going to have half a chance of understanding what’s going on all around us, we going to need how to read the times. 

And I don’t just mean just remembering to change our clocks, but discerning the sign of the times themselves…

Like this moment in American and world history, as the question is being put to us over and over again. “What time is it.”

Is it a time of change, or of holding onto old ways?

Or another simple example, the High School walk out. No one seemed quite sure what to make of it. I got the impression not even the students were…

Because that’s the thing, isn’t it? It’s hard to know what time it is. It’s never been easy, and it’s not getting any easier over the years. 

That’s what’s really at stake as Jesus, the Savior of the World, goes to stand trial before the despot Pilate. 

The religious authorities see a time to keep the peace. To do away with a rabble-rouser who could very well provoke the powers of Rome.

*Of course, the cynical among us see their efforts as simply yet another time the powers that be silence some perceived threat to their vested interests.

And Pilate, he sees a time to do the good work of Rome. To remind those Judeans just who’s in charge. To endear respect for the Pax Romana.

*While the enlightened among us see another moment some tyrant used the life of an innocent man to intimidate the rest of the populace.

The wild thing, though, is despite all of us reading the times just a little differently; we all essentially AGREE; actually. 

All we see is a threat to the peace or a hope deferred; but nothing more…

Tonight though, you must learn to see, not with your eyes; but with your ears. Did you notice John’s clue? That little detail he drops?

It’s almost hidden. It’s subtle. Like the first rays of dawn, it’s easy to miss…

Before any action happens, what does John tell you???

Yes! He observes, almost laconically, that it’s just before dawn. It’s early in the morning.

John’s clueing you in! He’s telling you what time it is! Letting you know how to see what’s really happening!

It’s like this memory I have from middle school; my friend and I had a paper route. And most of the time it was cold, early and miserable work. 

But some of my fondest memories, are finishing up with him in the early spring. Those days, when we’d end at his house on the edge of town, we’d walked our bikes to the back of his garage, and look out over the cornfield. Then, we’d wait. Because we knew, in a moment, magic would happen. That the dawn would break! All it took was an instant, a mere moment, and EVERYTHING would be transformed by the light!

When Jesus goes to stand before Pilate for judgement, you need to watch like Jacob and I did those mornings…

Jesus standing before Pilate isn’t the moment the sun first sets, and it’s not the dead of night, either. 

No, it’s the last seconds before the sun rises to dispel all darkness!

Jesus standing before the tyrant, Pilate is not another time some innocent man descends into a darkness from which there was no return. It’s not another time the powers of darkness won the day, leaving nothing in their wake but more shadows.

More is happening!

Not that Pilate saw it…

Questioning Jesus in his headquarters, Pilate stands before a man more powerful than anyone he’s ever met. Only he can’t see it. Because Pilate reckons he can read the writing on the wall. That he knows what time it is.

Questioning Jesus, Pilate grows impatient.“What is truth,” the weary governor scoffs. And he has no time to stick around and hear (or see) the answer. He’s got more pressing matters, as he leaves to go and toy with the crowd a little more…

If we’re being honest; there’s no small part of us that’s tempted to leave along with Pilate. Isn’t there?

We fear there’s nothing more to see than an innocent man being sent to the gallows, one more moment of justice denied. 

But you must learn to see with you ears. To see Jesus standing there with what you’ve been told; that it’s early in the morning. 

Little does anyone know, much less can they see, what time it actually is. What’s really going on.The authorities aren’t just fighting for power; salvation is being worked out under their noses! 

Only we’re all so concerned with the way things are, we can’t see it coming! 

Jesus standing before Pilate, turns out to be the last moments darkness has left. Hidden in that darkness, is The Dawn. 

And not just any dawn either, but The Dawn. The long-awaited dawn. The dawn that will do away with darkness once and for all. The glorious, dawn eternal! 

That night, as far as anyone could see, the forces that be had extinguished the light of the world. But for those who stick around, who look with their ears, something else is happening!

Light isn’t being snuffed out; darkness is!

It’s not the hour of darkness, it’s the hour of dawn!

When you look at this scene, you must see it knowing what time it is.

And you, you have been told. “It was early in the morning.” 

You see! Yes, it was still dark, but for all intents and purposes, it was ALREADY morning! It’s just a matter of time, you understand! Darkness wasn’t winning, it was being driven out once and for all!

Jesus standing before Pilate is a lot like watching the horizon the way my buddy and I did after delivering the paper. In one moment, all you can see is darkness; but in another… Well, in more, you see everything transformed!

The life of faith is a lot like that, a life spent discerning the times. 

And when Jesus stands before Pilate, Jesus takes time itself into his hands! The light of the world, hijacks night itself!

So now, as I stand before you, we must learn to read the times. To hear them. 

So let me give you a clue; and I may not as subtle as John, but neither was Jesus. So I’l just come out and say it: 

for this Jesus was born, and for this he came into the world; 

to bring his light into our darkness! 

And not just a little bit, but all the way! Jesus the light of the world, went to the deepest darkness. And when he did that, he turned all night into day. 

Jesus went to the darkest depth to shine forth vanquishing darkness itself  once and for all! When Jesus went into that night, he left no nook or cranny for darkness to hide in!

It’s like how when you go to show your child there are no monsters hiding in the closet or under the bed. You have to shine the light. And you have to really shine it, too. Into every corner so there’s no place left for the shadows. That’s what Jesus did for you.

And when he did that; he changed the times once and for all. 

Now is the time just before dawn, early in the morning, you might say! 

Yes, there may be shadows left, but now they’re receding. They have no power! Now the spell of the darkness has been broken!

So now we must learn to look at our lives, this present darkness, the way you look at Jesus standing before Pilate. The way Dylan did that day he penned his song. The way Jacob and I did those beautiful, Iowa Spring mornings!

When you look into the darkness, you are to know it’s time’s up. When you feel the shadow creep over you, you are to know full well they can’t take away your hope. 

Now is the time to learn how to sing with your man Martin Luther.

“Though hordes of devils fill the land; all threat'ning to devour us, 

we tremble not unmoved we stand; (but) they cannot overpow'r us! 

Let this world's tyrant rage; in battle we'll engage! 

His might is doomed to fail; God’s judgment must prevail!”

Perhaps you fear this present darkness will last forever. But you’ve got the time all wrong. 

Now that Jesus has stood before Pilate that night, is over! It’s just a matter of time, you understand! Dawn has come, and even now it’s light breaks forth! Do you not see it?

If you don’t then hear it; it’s early morning. Your light has come. Even now he is doing battle with your demons. He comes to bring his light, his light that casts out all darkness. He comes. He comes.