Fellowship With The Light of the World

Title:  FELLOWSHIP WITH THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Text: John 1:1, 4-5, 9, 12, 14

Introduction:

            Text: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it…There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man…But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name…And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

            Common to all mankind is the desperate need for light.  We fumble in the darkness…evil lurks there…and it sucks us into a downward spiral away from our Creator, the Light of the World.  Entering into fellowship with the Light is our greatest need, but it carries with it our greatest threat…coming clean in the light of Him who sees and knows all things about us.

            What a wonder…God sent us the Prince of Peace as a baby.  The light of a very special star guided men across many miles to the stable where the Christ child lay.  Radiant angels heralded His arrival to shepherds who were invited to come see Him who was born a Savior, Christ the Lord.  Of this coming Savior, Isaiah foretold: “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light.  Those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.”   (Isa. 9:2)  Just a few days after His birth, Jesus was presented in the Temple and aged Simon recognized the Child as “A light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.” (Lk. 2:32)

            The metaphor of light is central to our celebration of Christmas.  Ushering others into fellowship with the Light is the greatest Christmas gift we could ever give…it’s a gift that will bless them for the rest of their life.

1.       Our text equates light with life in verse 4.  Why do you think they are equated this way?  (The darkness is our place of death; it’s in the light of Jesus that we find life; plants don’t grow in the darkness; life is in the light.) 

2.       Living in darkness has it’s own culture.  What’s that culture like?  Job 24:13-17

3.       According to Ps. 107:10-14, there are specific deeds done in the darkness that keeps people living there.  What are they?  (Rebelling against the words of God; spurning the counsel of the Lord.)

4.       Our text says, “the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it.”  Why does the darkness not comprehend God’s light?  Jn. 3:19-21; Matt. 6:22-23; 1 Cor. 2:14-15  (Men love the darkness; the darkness covers their deeds; they avoid the light because it exposes them.  The lamp of the body is the eye; if the eye is dark, the whole body is dark.)

5.       Obviously the Prince of Darkness does not want us fellowshipping with the Light.  What does he do to diminish or extinguish the Light in our soul?

6.       Since the darkness is hostile to the child of God, what can we do to keep the light shinning?  Jn. 12:36, 46;
1 Thess 5:4-8

7.       Verse 9 of our text mentions that Jesus is the “true light.”  Are there false lights?  (Matt. 7:15-16 – false prophets.)       How can we distinguish these false lights?  1 Jn. 4:1-3

8.       Verses 11-13 of our text describe someone who is fellowshipping in the Light.  What are the qualifiers for fellowshipping in the Light?  (Receive Jesus, believe in him, be born of the will of God. Jn. 3:6; 1 Jn. 2:28-29)  See also 1 Jn. 2:8-11

9.       “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory.”  What glimpses of that glory has God revealed to you?       Why only a glimpse?  Ex. 33:20;  1 Tim. 6:14-16

10.   If anyone in the darkness is to come to the light, someone must take it to them.  What is your biggest struggle with letting your light shine in the darkness?   Isa. 49:6;  42:6-7

Conclusion:

            Fellowshipping in the Light means we must become a child of the Light.  His light must break through our darkness and penetrate our world and banish the deeds of darkness within.  That fellowship has its risks, but the reward is far greater than the exposure.  Certainly we can testify that coming into the Light is a good thing and we can heartily encourage others to do so.  That’s our calling.  Even though misery loves company, it can’t hold a candle against the love that draws us to the Light of the World who yearns for the fellowship of new believers.  There’s one last verse that beautifully expresses the results of fellowshipping in the Light.

Isaiah 60:1-5