SPSA Church — The Light Is Still With Us!

In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One God. Amen.

My beloved brothers and sisters,

I want to begin today by speaking honestly to you—as your priest, and as your brother.

This past week, when I saw what happened to our church, I felt heavy. I felt shaken. I felt protective—not only of the church building, but of you.

And I know many of you felt the same.

A church is not just walls and ceilings. It is memories. It is fellowship, Sunday School, festivals, baptisms, weddings, and feasts. It is prayers whispered and tears shed in confession. It is our home.

So yes… this week hurt.

The Gospel Lifted My Eyes

As I prepared for today’s sermon, I opened the Gospel.

And suddenly, the Gospel did not ignore my feelings—it lifted my eyes.

We heard in the Gospel about a blind man who received sight. And I found myself asking: What light did he see? Was it the light of the sun… or the light of the Son of Man?

Then my heart was drawn to the words of our Lord in John 12:35–36 (NKJV):

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.’ These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.”

When I read those words, it felt as if Christ was speaking directly to my heart.

Not explaining why this happened. Not answering every question. But saying something deeper: “I am still here.”

1. The Light Has Not Left Us

Today, we are praying in a hall, not in our church building.

But let me say this clearly: The Light did not stay behind in the building.

Jesus did not say, “I am the light of a place.” He said, “I am the Light of the world.”

Light moves. Light follows. Light cannot be locked out.

The early Church prayed in homes, in caves, and even in prisons—and Christ was fully present.

So today, this hall is not temporary ground. It is holy ground, because Christ is here.

2. Darkness Does Not Mean God Is Absent

When the Gospel speaks about darkness, it is not always talking about sin.

Sometimes darkness is uncertainty.

Darkness is what happens when you cannot see the next step. You are not sure how long this will take. You are not sure what the future holds. You are not sure what comes next.

That uncertainty itself can feel like darkness.

And Christ does not shame us for feeling that. He speaks directly into it.

3. The Gospel Changed My Perspective

I want to tell you honestly what changed inside me when I read the Gospel.

I realized: the building is precious… but Christ is greater.

The church is sacred… but the Church is alive.

And suddenly my prayer changed from: “Lord, why did this happen?” to “Lord, walk with us through this.”

That is what it means to walk in the light—not to deny pain, but to refuse to walk alone.

4. Walking in the Light Means Trusting God’s Presence, Not Our Circumstances

Walking in the light does not mean everything feels bright.

It means we trust who walks with us, even when the path feels unclear.

The light of Christ does not remove every obstacle. It gives direction.

It reminds us: God is still leading. God is still providing. God is still building His Church—even now.

5. This Moment Is Meant to Unite Us, Not Shake Us Apart

I know there are worries—about repairs, about costs, about timing, about the future.

But hear this carefully:

Fear divides. Light unites.

The enemy uses disruption to scatter hearts. Christ uses disruption to draw hearts together.

Now is the time to protect unity, to speak encouragement, to pray more (not less), and to hold one another and support one another.

This is how we walk in the light together.

6. We Are Called to Be the Light for One Another

Our Lord says:

“You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14, NKJV)

That means your calm gives someone peace. Your patience gives someone strength. Your prayer carries someone who feels weak.

As long as the building is strong, we don’t always notice the Body. We come, we pray, we leave. The walls quietly do their job.

But when the building is wounded, something changes. We suddenly see each other. We check on one another. We pray for one another. We carry one another.

And that is when the Church becomes visible.

Saint Paul says:

“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” (1 Corinthians 12:27, NKJV)

The Church is strongest not when walls are perfect, but when hearts are connected.

Right now, the building is resting… but the Church is standing.

This is not a setback. It is a testimony.

7. Hope: God Will Restore More Than What Was Touched

Smoke touched walls. Soot touched ceilings.

What was visible was shaken. What carried our memories was affected.

But God’s work has never been limited to stone and paint.

God restores hearts before He restores walls. God heals people before He repairs places.

And often, when hardship passes through a church, faith grows deeper, prayer becomes more sincere, and unity becomes stronger.

What rises after struggle is not weaker. It is more faithful. More grounded. More aware of what truly matters.

We believe in a God who rebuilds, a God who renews, a God who takes what was shaken and turns it into testimony.

Closing

My beloved,

If you feel unsettled today, you are not weak. You are human.

But we will not stay in fear.

Because Christ says to us today: “The light is still with you.”

So let us walk in the light—even here, even now, even through uncertainty.

And the God of light will lead us from disruption to restoration to glory.

To Him be glory forever. Amen.

May the Lord bless us, transform our hearts and minds, that our homes may stand on the Rock, our hands serve in the harvest, and our hearts long for Heaven. Amen.