Overcoming Darkness (or the Dark Side)

Disclaimer: If you are not a Star Wars fan, do not bother reading this post.

As a wedding present, my wife and I received Episodes I, II, and III of Star Wars, so we took our gift cards and made sure we bought IV, V, and VI as well. And of course, we’ve watched them all already. I’m sure in the 12 plus hours of movie watching you could find many things that would connect Star Wars to the Christian faith, but this is the theme that I think is most prevalent.

Reference: John 1:1-14

I’m primarily going to focus on verse 5 – "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it."

I’ll explain connections after you watch these two clips.

From Episode VI - Return of the Jedi watch from 1:23:38-1:25:41.

So here we see Luke attempting to convince his father to come back to the side of good. To let go of his hate, and return to his former self. But Vader says it is too late for him. He feels as though the darkness of the dark side has consumed him completely.

From Episode VI - Return of the Jedi watch from 1:55:52-1:57:30 (and beyond if you like)

And so we see that Luke was right, Vader could be turned. Throughout the series as we learn that Darth Vader is evil, people close to him, namely his wife, Senator Amidala (in Episode III) and his son, Luke (in Episode VI) defend Darth Vader, saying, "I know there is still good in him." For whatever reason they were able to see a light somewhere amidst the darkness of this machine-man.

It seems in our lives, it is exceptionally difficult to find the good or the light in certain people. Sin clouds our vision terribly, both our own sin, and the sin of other people around us, to the point where we often forget that each person we see each day was died for by the same Jesus who died and was raised for me and for you.
This light shining in the darkness of Darth Vader seems to be an internal goodness.
But the light that shines in each of us, in all of us, is a much more important light, a light that is much more difficult to extinguish, it is the light of Christ.

While it is of great importance to recognize this light in others, for the sake of community, reconciliation, and peace, it is as important and perhaps more difficult at times, to see that light in yourself. It’s so easy to beat ourselves up over the sins we commit on a daily, even hourly basis. So many people in this world, when met with the Gospel message seem too ashamed to realize that "yes, this can still speak to me." Rather they think as Darth Vader did, it is too late for me.
But it is not too late! The light of Christ shines in the darkness of our lives and the darkness has not overcome that light.

I don’t know Greek all that well anymore, but I know a few translations have translated this verse into English as, The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not understood it. Overcome and understood are very different terms in English, but I’m assuming in the Greek that there is a certain sense of intentional ambiguity. I think that works quite well for this illustration.
The darkness has not overcome the light of Christ in our lives. But for many people. They are excessively conflicted, much like Darth Vader. The darkness can’t understand this light that is inside them. They feel it, but they don’t know how to pay attention to it. They can’t figure out how to make it work for them, when the truth of the matter is, they don’t have to do the work. The Holy Spirit at work in our lives, helps us with this understanding.
While it is not easy by any means, we need to let go. Let go of trying to figure it out for ourselves and let God help. Let that light come forth and shine, stop holding it back, stop assuming it’s too late, stop hiding that light.
The light will continue to shine in the darkness and the darkness will not overcome it. Let it shine for others to see and for yourself to see.

Delivered May 23, 2008