Light in the Darkness

This past week I read about a mountain village in Europe where a wealthy nobleman lived
several centuries ago.  He wondered what legacy he should leave to his townspeople. He made a
good decision when he decided to build them a church. No one was permitted to see the plans or
the inside of the church until it was finished. At its grand opening, the people gathered and
marveled at the beauty of the new church. It was a masterpiece.   But as the people admired the
new church someone said, "Wait a minute! Where are the lamps? It is really quite dark in here.
How will the church be lighted?" The nobleman pointed to some brackets in the walls, and then
he gave each family a lamp with the instruction that they must bring it each time they came to
worship.  "Each time you are here'" the nobleman said, "the place where you are seated will be
lighted. Each time you are not here, that place will be dark."
  
What a cute idea!  But, oh what a rotten trick.  That means that I am responsible.  Everyone
else is depending on me.  Without my light the whole place is just a little bit darker.   Will we
take up our cross [and our light] and follow Christ so that light is brought into the kingdom?

[from the sermon, "Choosing to Pay the Cost" by Pastor Glenn A. Berge: http://www.bottineauflc.org/archived%20sermon.htm]