There are two key words in the question. The first word is Escape and the second is Darkness. People want to and try to escape from terrible circumstances by numbing out pain, by overworking, spending countless hours in fantasies, or even by using alcohol and mind altering drugs. This is temporary at best and harmful at worst.
There are inner prisons as well as outer prisons of darkness. Some people who break out of prison have devised elaborate and ingenious escape plans. Some prison breaks have been successful, most have not. For those who reject Christ in this life there will not be any escape, but eternal darkness in the next.
Darkness is a terrible thing to experience even temporarily. In 1914 Earnest Shackleton took a ship to Antarctica, but their ship the Endurance got caught in polar ice and was crushed. One of his biographers said that of all the difficulties they faced, including starvation and frigid temperatures, the worst difficulty was the Darkness. It almost drove them mad.
There is only one thing worse than physical darkness and that is Spiritual Darkness. When people turn away from God as their true Light, they are in deep spiritual darkness whether they realize it or not. Did you know that Jesus took your darkness and mine on the Cross?
He alone experienced untold agony physically but especially spiritually, as is evidenced by His words when He cried out “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” (Matthew 27 vs 46) This sinless substitute took all the cesspool of all the world’s sin upon Him.
There is a warning here, with an urgency attached to it. Do not procrastinate and think that you can party hard then get saved at the last second, for no one is guaranteed that they will see tomorrow.
That repentant thief on the cross was forgiven and said (Luke 23 vs 42) “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” In verse 43 Jesus answered him “I tell you the truth, TODAY you will be with me in paradise.” (heaven) The thief had one opportunity and he took it.
It is only by repenting of your sins now that you can escape HELL by escaping into the forgiving arms of Jesus. It is only by coming to Jesus now that you can escape Spiritual Darkness now and Eternal Darkness later. Not only that, but have Jesus as the Light of the world immediately.
Jesus said, “I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but have the Light of Life.”
Do it Now. This is the only way. Anyone can ESCAPE THE DARKNESS AND RECEIVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE.
Pastor Gary Tomiuck
Wainfleet Congregational Christian Church
