In the Light

In 1975 the greatest rock band in history, Led Zeppelin, released arguably their most epic album Physical Graffiti. Most people remember it for the admittedly amazing Kashmir, but both lead singer, Robert Plant, and lead guitarist, Jimmy Page, named In the Light as one of their favorites from their entire catalogue. Plant called it one of their “finest moments.” More fun facts: much of the music was written by bassist, John Paul Jones (who is the most under-appreciated member of the band, but also a musical genius in his own right)…AND the heavily synthesized and layered opening was too complicated to replicate faithfully live, so they never played it in concert. It’s a journey of a song from that trippy opening, moving into a hard-driving riffs, and then ends in cheerful major chords. Listen to it immediately.

Ok…enough of me geeking out on Zeppelin. As you can tell they are one of my favorite bands…when I was a teenager they were the only band.

The point of all of this is that Robert Plant was obviously reading through Ephesians 5 when he wrote the lyrics for In the Light:

And if you feel that you can't go on

In the light you will find the road

Though the winds of change may blow around you

But that will always be so

Whoa whoa, when love is pain it can devour you, but you are never alone

I will share your load, I will share your load

In the light

Everybody needs the light

Paul says, “But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light” (Eph. 5:13-14, emphasis mine). This comes after he has just gotten into more detail about what went on in the pagan worship at the Temple of Artemis. He highlights the sexual immortality and drunken debauchery in which the Ephesian culture was saturated calling it filthy and shameful…effectively bringing the law to bear on the Ephesian world exposing sin for what it is. Exposing their pain that’s devouring them, their “load” as Robert Plant sang. BUT (that is such an important word), like we have said in our videos (here) the purpose of the law is not to expose sin just to leave you in it. If the law was all we had, then that is exactly what would happen…we’d be condemned. However, the true purpose of the law is to drive you to the gospel…to Jesus.

This whole passage is in the context of forgiveness at the end of chapter 4. It’s important to remember that the chapter breaks were not there when Paul wrote this. It was a letter, to be read as a whole and not broken up in the way that we often do. Paul is calling us to forgive as we have been forgiven. That’s what he means by “walking in love as Christ loved us…” (Eph. 5:2). We have been forgiven much, and so we will forgive much. Just like Jesus taught when the “sinful woman” washed his feet with her tears and her hair…that amazing display of worship and adoration. He explained that she loves much because she has been forgiven much (Luke 7:36-49). Her sin had been exposed, brought into the light…the Pharisee hosting Jesus knew her reputation…hence the description “a woman of the city, who was a sinner” (Luke 7:37). BUT (there’s that word again), Jesus didn’t leave her there. He knew her sin better than anyone, as he does mine, as he does yours. He spoke right into her reputation, right into her shame, right into her exposure and proclaimed her forgiven.

In doing so, he made her brokenness, her sin, light. Light for you and me. A testimony that Luke wrote down so that no one would ever forget her…so that you and I might hear the same word from him where we have been exposed. “In the light you will find the road.” The things we have tried to hide, tried to deny, tried to cover up with make-up or success or exercise, or have tried to drown with food or drink or sex or drugs or all of the above…only compiling the shame, compiling the filth…just like so many of the Ephesians’ stories. Jesus sees it. He knows it. It is all visible to him. And he proclaims the same word to you. You are forgiven!

Thankfully, he goes way farther than Zeppelin. He doesn’t just share your load. He takes it from you and never gives it back (Micah 7:19). He makes your story, your brokenness, your sin, light. Light for others who are still hiding. Light that testifies to the greatness of the Lord Jesus Christ who forgives sinners like you, like me…and sets us free. “Everybody needs the light!” Praise God! Amen!

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