Central to the Christian faith is the idea of “glory.” The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Chirst mean glory for all who trust in him. Most, if not all, Christians would agree on that. But just when does the glorious life begin? There are some who believe that the Christian life here-and-now will become “glorious” and virtually problem-free. Maybe you have heard of the “health and wealth” gospel. Those who believe this believe that Christians will be healthy and rich in this life! “Name-it-and-claim-it” theology says if you see something and want it, pray for it and God will give it to you. Martin Luther called such people “theologians of glory.”

Paul had come to the Greek city of Athens to do mission work. Athens was a major city of its time. It was a center of politics and arts and philosophy…and religion. As Paul walked around the city, he observed that it was a very religious place. He would have seen the Parthenon temple set high on the Acropolis. There was the temple of Athena Nike. In the marketplace of Athens there were the Temple of Hephaestus, the Temple of Ares, the Temple of Apollo Patroos, and a temple for the mother goddess. Some archaeologists believe at the time of Paul there may have been as many as 40 major temples to Roman deities in Athens. In addition to the major temples, there were shrines and tens of thousands of statues for the gods. One second-century geographer, Pausanias, described Athens as having more religious images than all other Greek cities combined. It was to this city that Paul came preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. (Acts 17:18)

There is a very important backstory to our text. In John 9, Jesus opened the eyes of a man born blind. It was a wonderful, gracious miracle of healing! Who wouldn’t be thrilled about that? The religious leadership! You see, the day on which Jesus performed this miracle was a Sabbath Day. No work was to be done on the Sabbath. And the leadership had a graceless and merciless interpretation of this. They were incensed that Jesus would do such “work” on a Sabbath! They interrogate the man Jesus healed. When the man would not say a bad word about Jesus, but instead continued to give praise and glory to Jesus, the leaders threw the man out. They “excommunicated” the man, if you will. These leaders hated Jesus and they hated any “sheep” who followed Jesus.

Peter had quite the Easter Sunday. It began early with the return of Mary Magdalene from the tomb of Jesus. She breathlessly reported to him and John, They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him! (John 20:2) Peter and John race out to the tomb. John was faster than Peter and got to the tomb first. He paused at the entrance. Peter caught up and blew by him right into the tomb! He saw the strips of cloth lying there. Later, at some point on Easter, the risen Jesus makes a one-on-one personal appearance to Peter! We don’t know anything about it except that the risen Jesus appeared to Peter alone. In the evening, Peter is with the rest of the disciples in that upper room when Jesus appears to them all. Can you even begin to imagine Peter’s emotions on Easter?

The Service of Darkness centers on a series of lessons, psalms, and liturgical texts that reflect on the Lord’s crucifixion and our repentance. As the service progresses, the candles of a sevenfold candelabrum are extinguished until only one remains. This candle is not extinguished but is removed from the chancel, leaving the church in darkness. The service is closed by a loud noise (known as the strepitus) that foreshadows the rending of Jesus’ tomb on Easter. After the strepitus, the last candle, still burning, is returned to the chancel. It thus anticipates the light of the paschal candle. The service ends without a benediction. We exit in silence to reassemble on the Festival.