Jesus’ guiding principle: to lift people up! Then as now, Christ reaches out His hand, helps us to our feet, and encourages us to be a light for others.
“Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.” With these words from Isaiah 60: 1, Chief Apostle Helge Mutschler began a divine service in Luanda, Angola on Sunday, 7 June 2026.
Around 2,500 years ago, the people of Israel were living in Babylonian captivity, and their joy was immense when they were finally permitted to return to Jerusalem. Upon their arrival, however, that joy turned to bitter disappointment because everything lay in ruins. The prophet Isaiah had foreseen this moment long beforehand. Through him, God’s voice had spoken these words in Hebrew: “Kumi! Ori!
Arise! Shine!
“Kumi— Arise! Ori— Shine!” This is exactly what happened as the people looked out over the ruins of Jerusalem. They rose and rebuilt the city and the temple, and the light began to shine once more. “We are not perfect. We are all sinners,” the Chief Apostle said. “We fail, and we fall. But falling is not the problem—the problem is staying down.”
“Kumi—Arise!”: We cannot rise by our own strength, but through the power of God. Just think of Elijah. He was exhausted and ready to die, and the angel of the Lord came and said, “Arise and eat!” Or think of Jesus’ crucifixion. “His ‘fall’ was the greatest fall imaginable.” He had dwelled in heaven and had come down to this earth. Or consider the disciples who had locked themselves away in fear: “It is all over. We have failed completely,” they thought.
However, “Jesus Christ is the power of the resurrection.” His guiding principle was to encourage people to rise again. “And He raises you as well.”
“Ori—Shine!”: “‘Let there be light,’ God said at the beginning of all things,” Chief Apostle Mutschler recalled. There was light in Paradise, but the fall into sin plunged the world into darkness. Jesus, however, conquered sin and death. And He not only declared, “I am the light of the world,” but also told His followers, “You are the light of the world.”
Rise up and shine in everyday life
And what does it mean, in practical terms, to arise and shine in the various aspects of our own lives?
Faith. Our faith can falter time and again. “Jesus Christ reaches out His hand to each one of us,” the Chief Apostle said, calling us to begin anew: to pray again, read the Bible again, and attend the divine services again. “But we are called to do more than simply rise. We must also shine,” the Chief Apostle said. This means: “Fight for your Lord, Jesus Christ. Remain true to His gospel and refuse to compromise.”
Sin: In a sinful world, one falls. Jesus encourages us to stand up and fight against sin: let us recognise and acknowledge it, regret it, and repent. “Start over again. Receive the forgiveness of sins.” And then shine by extending that same forgiveness to your neighbour.
Suffering: Sometimes we are utterly devastated and are overwhelmed by our suffering because we persist in anger, adopt a victim mentality, or cling to a false image of God. Then God reaches out His hand, comforts us, and helps us to stand up. The Chief Apostle’s appeal is clear: Shine! Go to your neighbour. Listen, be there for them, accompany them, and comfort them.
Conflicts: Disputes and conflicts can arise. “The problem begins when I say, ‘I will never forgive you. I have formed an image of you, and I will never change it.’” The same is true when we remain silent in someone’s presence but speak negatively about them behind their back. Christ helps us to take the first step so that we can shine and bring peace.
Hope and joy: Joy can fade, and weariness can take its place. “When we think about the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, do we lie down and take a little nap?” After all, we have been waiting for so long. “Wake up, arise, and go out to meet the Lord. Let us not merely get up, but let us also shine.” There is reason for hope and joy: Jesus Christ will come again.
Photo: INA Angola
