Turn off the Dark

Shane Willard

Hebrew people believe that unity, or Ahad, was the force holding the universe together. The Bible says it this way: that God is holding the universe together. So if God is Ahad, and God is holding the universe together, then what force is holding the universe together? Ahad. So the principle is: you can't come against the very force that holds the universe together. Anything you're doing, that sets itself in opposition to Ahad, is setting you in opposition to the very thing that holds the universe together - and you can't do that.

That's the problem with adultery. The problem with adultery is not sex, for goodness sake. Two consenting adults, coming together in a pleasurable way - honestly, is that really the problem with adultery? No. The problem with adultery is, you're setting yourself in opposition to someone else's unity; and when you set yourself in opposition to someone else's unity, you're setting yourself in opposition to the very force that holds the universe together. If you set yourself in opposition to the force that holds the universe together, does it stand to reason that you yourself will be torn apart? That is Ahad.

The other thing is light and dark, which we already talked about. Light is anything that brings you to wholeness, and away from disrepair; Darkness is anything that brings you towards disrepair, and away from wholeness. Now let's look into this further. John 17:20, He says this: My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message - that's us - that all of them may be one. Ahad. Father, just as you are in Me, and I am in You, may they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. I love that. Father, as you are in Me and I am in You, let them be in Us so that they can have great church services. No! So that they could have powerful meetings. No! So that they could have great Bible studies. No! He says: as You are in Me, and I am in You, let them be in Us, so that the world might believe. For followers of Jesus, our focus has to always be outward.

Now there's another problem with this. If we are Ahad, and all of us are living in this unity, then if one person goes awry - it creates a problem with our community doesn't it, just like in your body. If one part of your body goes awry - it's a real problem. Paul uses the body as an example, in Corinthians. He says: we are all like one body, and if one part suffers, the whole part suffers; and if one part wins, the whole part wins. So we have to look at ourself that way.

So here's the problem in that. When someone is acting in such a way that destroys their life, and someone says: I need to talk to you about this, you're destroying your life. If your response is: it is none of your business, it's just between me and God, it's my problem, then are you right? No. No. It's almost never between you and God. If it's just between you and God, then do whatever you'd like - God can handle you. It is never between you and God; it's between you and God, and your wife, and your children, and your co-workers, and your family, and your fellow church members, and your fellow believers in Jesus Christ, and the people close to you. It's between you and God, and everyone who touches you; that the ripples of it go further and further and further. If darkness is encompassing you, then it's affecting the entire environment of which you're in. Now if it affects you, then it affects them. Now let's talk through this, because these are some big concepts; so let's talk through it, and break it down to something that's more workable.

The life Jesus speaks of, in terms of establishing the kingdom here, assumes a couple of things, one being that people are willing to engage the darkness of others, without judgement or perpetuity. That you are so connected with fellow followers of Jesus, that you can openly talk about your faults, and vice versa. That there is a humility, and heart, to restore everyone - never judgement and hypocrisy - but love, for we are commanded to treat people as tax collectors and sinners - even in the worst case scenarios - which means to love them and be their friend.

What if we did this tomorrow? What if our life - now once again these are narrow-roads stuff - that people are willing to flood light into darkness with the purpose of restoration. If Jesus assumes a community that's so open, that when we see each other operating in darkness, that there can be an open dialogue between two people - and it's not for judgement, and it's not for elitism, and it's not for powering-up, and it's surely not for putting on Facebook or Twitter. Jesus assumes a community that can talk through darkness, and with the sole purpose of bringing light to it.