Lent 3 2023
Notes
Transcript
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
One of the great thematic contrasts in the Bible is one that is referred to here in our text. The contrast between darkness and light. A quick search of the NIV bible reveals 149 times when the terms darkness and light are used in the same passage The first in Genesis 1:3–5 (NIV84)
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
In our gospel lesson Jesus refers to himself as the light of the world. He had also said this in the previous chapter: John 8:12 (NIV84)
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
St. Paul uses a similar expression to the one in our text when he writes: Romans 13:11–14 (NIV84)
11 And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
We can understand the reason for the contrast.
Darkness is often regarded as something that is bad or undesirable. One of my hobbies is photography. Photography means drawing pictures with light. Hard to do in the dark. You need light and the right kind of light to create the image that you want. Insufficient light, dark shadows, and incorrect settings on the camera result in images that are just too dark to appreciate.
Before the creation of artificial light, darkness had a greater impact on the amount of time people could work. John 9:4–5 (NIV84) 4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
As a child, I more enjoyed the use of light to play outside. Many was the time when we would play softball outdoors and try to get just one more inning in before it was too dark to see the ball. On several occasions I would try to get in one more hole of golf before the same thing happened. Darkness was not my old friend.
Not only does darkness obscure our ability to see, it obscures criminal activity. It is “easier” to commit crimes of theft and property damage under the cover of darkness than in broad daylight or in a brightly illuminated part of the city. Darkness can also refer to concealment in that certain things (which are too shameful to mention) are done behind closed doors or in cities where what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. This is why the Bible sometimes refers to sins as “deeds of darkness”. Ephesians 5:11 (NIV84)
11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
I would think that as God’s children, we would prefer the light and doing good things openly than being obscured by darkness and indulging in covert, sinful activities.
This is the encouragement that St. Paul gives to the Ephesians here and in the almost parallel commands in Romans 13.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
He reminds them that before they became Christians, they had been living in the darkness of sin and unbelief. We may not recall such a situation for us. By God’s grace, we were brought into the light in our baptism and raised with the light of the Gospel. Nevertheless (describe the impact of sin in our lives tempting us to commit covert sins). Because we are by nature sinful, even the most sanctified person must still be on guard against the darkness of sin. St. Paul admitted that he didn’t always live in the light as the good he should do he didn’t always do and the opposite. The many warnings to be on guard against temptation should remind us that we are vulnerable. Our own track record of sinning would confirm this.
As those who are light in the Lord, we are encouraged to live according to the light. What does this mean?
Description: Goodness, righteousness, and truth. These are all good qualities and to be pursued.
Find out what pleases the Lord. (Illustration of pleasing people, ourselves, and God.)
Garden Party by Ricky Nelson. “You can’t please everybody so you’ve got to please yourself.” Selfishness and inconsideration.
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
1 You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. 2 We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. 3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you,
11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
We are not to engage in sinful activities.
And we are to expose them even though it is shameful to mention publicly sinful activities that are done in private.
Why expose them? Illustration of a doctor revealing the cause of symptoms you are experiencing.
Not judgmentally with an attitude I’m better than you are but with a curative approach that exposes the sin so that it can be dealt with.
Use of the Law: Mirror.
5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
15 “Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.”
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Teaching Point: God already knows everything everyone is doing. Nothing is hidden from him. He warns that those who continue to conceal their sin and refuse to confess them will be punished when they exposed by God. But if we confess our sins (expose them openly to God), then we receive forgiveness and will not be judged and condemned. St. Paul is writing to Christians who live in the light to lovingly open the eyes of those who are sinning so that they will repent and trust in Jesus for forgiveness rather than die in their sins.
We can compare it to the work of the doctor. It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but those who are sick and injured. So you slip and fall on the ice (a common occurrence.) You have a pain that wasn’t their before. How much damage was done? A bruise, a contusion, a torn meniscus or ligament, a broken bone. What can you do to find out? Have it exposed by an X-ray or MRI. The tests expose what lies beneath so that the doctor can treat it to help the healing process. The same can be said for other symptoms which indicate you have some disease or illness but are not sure. Tests are meant to expose the cause to hopefully aid in a cure.
By nature, we are deadly sick with sin. We were in darkness and needed to be exposed. The Law serving as a mirror does that. As those who are exposed we can openly come to God trusting in Jesus, the Light of the Word, and be assured we are saved.
As those who are now children of the light, we have a responsibility to shed light on the truth and help those we see living in the darkness of sin and unbelief so that they can also come to the Light and be saved.
