1. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. The message from God’s Word this 4th Sunday in Lent is taken from Ephesians 5:8-14, it’s entitled, “Children of Light,” dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
2. In the third century before Christ, the people of Alexandria, Egypt faced a serious problem—actually two problems. First, sailors had difficulty finding the harbor of Alexandria because the coastline of Egypt was very flat. There were no tall mountains or obvious landmarks to guide ships and say, “Here is Alexandria.” Second, the waters along that coast were dangerous. Hidden sandbars lay just beneath the surface, and ships could easily run aground without warning. To solve both problems, the ruler of Egypt, Ptolemy Soter, ordered the construction of a massive lighthouse—the Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria. It became one of the wonders of the ancient world. By day, sunlight reflected off its white marble exterior and polished mirrors, and by night a great fire burned at the top. Its light could reportedly be seen nearly thirty miles out to sea. That lighthouse did two things: it warned sailors about dangers hidden beneath the water, and it pointed them safely into the harbor.
3. In many ways, that is exactly the picture God gives us of the Christian life. Christians do not create the light, but we shine the light of Christ. As St. Paul writes in our text, “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). Today we hear this truth: Christ sends us, as children of light, to shine His light in a dark world.
4. Paul begins by reminding us who we once were. Notice he does not simply say we lived in darkness. He says something even stronger: “You were darkness” (Ephesians 5:8). Apart from Christ, darkness is not just around us—it is within us. Earlier in this same letter Paul describes our condition by saying, “You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked” (Ephesians 2:1–2). We were separated from God and “having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). This spiritual blindness is reflected in the Gospel reading for today, where Jesus encounters a man who had been blind from birth (John 9:1). That man lived his entire life in physical darkness, which is also a picture of humanity’s spiritual condition apart from Christ.
5. But something remarkable has happened to us. Paul continues, “But now you are light in the Lord” (Ephesians 5:8). Notice he does not say we merely found the light. He says we are light in the Lord. This is a change of nature. How did that happen? It happened through Christ. Jesus Himself says, “I am the light of the world” (John 9:5). The Son of God entered our darkness. He took our sin upon Himself and carried it to the cross. As Scripture says, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). There on Calvary, the Light of the world allowed Himself to be covered by darkness for our sake. But death could not hold Him. Christ rose again from the grave. Through faith—through the gift of Baptism—His light has been given to you. You are no longer what you once were. You are now children of light.
6. Therefore Paul says, “Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). The Christian life is not passive. Light produces fruit. Paul explains, “The fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true” (Ephesians 5:9). In other words, our lives begin to reflect Christ. We pursue what is good, we seek what is right, and we speak what is true. We do this not because we are trying to earn God’s love. That battle has already been won by Christ on the cross. Instead, as beloved children we seek to please our heavenly Father. Paul says we are now able to “discern what is pleasing to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:10). This is the work of the Holy Spirit within us, guiding our lives according to God’s Word.
7. Paul also tells us that children of light do not participate in the works of darkness. He writes, “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Ephesians 5:11). Notice how Paul describes darkness. He does not call them the “fruit” of darkness, but the “unfruitful works of darkness.” Darkness destroys rather than produces. As Paul writes elsewhere, there are the “works of the flesh” contrasted with the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:19, 22). Yet our purpose is not simply to condemn others. Paul even cautions us, saying, “It is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret” (Ephesians 5:12). Our goal is not humiliation—it is rescue.
8. This is where the lighthouse illustration becomes helpful again. A lighthouse stands where it has been placed and shines its light. By shining, it accomplishes two things. First, it warns of danger. Hidden sandbars threaten ships traveling in darkness. If a ship sails blindly ahead, it may crash. In the same way, sometimes Christians must warn others about the dangers of sin. Scripture tells us to restore one another “in a spirit of gentleness” (Galatians 6:1). Our purpose is not judgment for its own sake but loving concern for those who are in danger.
9. But the lighthouse does something even more important than warning of danger—it points the way to safety. It guides ships into the harbor. In the same way, our calling is not merely to say what is wrong but to point people to Christ. We show them the Savior who forgives sins and welcomes sinners. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden… Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14, 16). Sometimes we feel unqualified to share Christ with others. We may think we do not know enough or fear saying the wrong thing. But remember something simple: the lighthouse does not create the light—it reflects it. In the same way, Christians reflect the light of Christ through their words and actions.
10. Paul concludes our text with what many believe was an early Christian hymn: “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” (Ephesians 5:14). Notice who does the shining. Christ does. We are simply the lampstand. Christ is the light. Sometimes when that light shines through us, people awaken from spiritual darkness and come to faith. We ourselves are examples of that very miracle. But sometimes people refuse the light. Even in Jesus’ own ministry some rejected Him. As Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind” (John 9:39). When people reject the light, they are rejecting Christ, not you.
11. Long ago the lighthouse at Alexandria guided sailors safely home through dangerous waters. In the same way, Christ has placed His people as lights in this world. You are not darkness anymore. You are light in the Lord. So walk as children of light. Shine in your homes. Shine among your neighbors. Shine in the quiet faithfulness of daily life. And trust that Christ—the true Light of the world—will use that light to awaken the sleeping, rescue the lost, and guide many safely into His eternal harbor. Amen. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, until life everlasting. Amen.
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