Light in the Midst of Darkness
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Bible Passage
Bible Passage
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Introduction
Introduction
Our text for for consideration issues a mandate to each of us, and calls us to action.
It calls us to be God’s People in this present world!
It calls us to stick out, to make a statement, to live with disdain to the ways of sin.
It calls us to rebuke the status quo, to be abnormal as to the ways of the world and to define our lives, not be the standard of the culture in which we are immersed, but to hold to a Higher Standard, that which will please our Father in Heaven.
Jesus says we are people that must Radiate his light in a dark world.
Jesus calls us to be LIGHT in the MIDST OF DARKNESS.
HOW IS IT THAT WE RADIATE THIS LIGHT?
First we must understand the origins of this Light
1. IN JESUS WE SEE THE LIGHT REVEALED
1. IN JESUS WE SEE THE LIGHT REVEALED
John 3:19 tells us that "Light has come into the world"
We must also understand that it is God who created light!
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
Genesis 1:5 goes on to tell us “God called the light ‘day,’” and light entered creation.
God then is the creator of light!
But in creating light, He was not done.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
John goes on to tell us in Chapter 3 that God loved us so much that He sent HIS Son, and His Son is the light that has shown into the darkness.
Jesus would later testify:
Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”
The Apostle Paul combines the two understanding of the origination of light and Jesus being the light.
For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.
LIGHT HAS COME INTO THE WORLD AND IT IS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS THAT WE SEE THE LIGHT REVEALED!
BUT, In the hearts and minds of mankind we have seen THE LIGHT Rejected
WHY?
THE WORLD LOVES DARKNESS
The word of God sheds light on this by saying, “But men loved darkness in stead of light because their deeds were evil (John 3:19).
Jesus shares:
For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed.
We would rather live in the dark than in the brightness of day.
We have a hunger for the dark and the dark things of life and at its root is Sin.
What we as believers have to understand is God does not associate with darkness!
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in him.
This presents a critical issue.
God cannot tolerate darkness, nor is there any darkness in Him, and yet we love darkness.
Paul tells Timothy, this about God & Light:
God will bring this about in his own time. He is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see, to him be honor and eternal power. Amen.
Paul tells the church at Corinth:
Do not be yoked together with those who do not believe. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?
John clarifies the message by saying:
If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth.
The Key term here is fellowship and it is focused on God.
We find it easy to reject God because we love darkness, but there is another way, a way that leads to life and cleansing and Power!
That way is to walk in the light so that we are able to reflect the light of Christ!
Matthew 5:14
Followers of Christ bear His light!
It is a fact, if you follow Jesus, YOU WILL BE LIGHT!
Here is another important fact, You cannot hide His light if it is within you!
The example is that of a city on a hill, It “cannot be hidden.”
This begs the question, what if I don’t bear light?
The truth is that you are not following HIM!
The question before us this morning is, Is the Light of Christ Shinning through you?
Here is another important thing to note:
Followers of Christ are forbidden to HIDE their light!
Followers of Christ are forbidden to HIDE their light!
No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Jesus tells it doesn’t make sense to light a lamp and then cover it!
If you want to light a room in the darkness, you light a lamp and put it in a prominent position to light the whole room.
The outcome of us being light is so that people will see us and say, “I See The Jesus In You"
When we shine for Jesus, when we serve Him, when we do good deeds, IT IS TO BRING GLORY TO GOD!
THE GOAL IS THAT OTHERS WILL COME TO CHRIST THROUGH OUR WITNESS.
There is even more good news, John teaches us:
If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
Being in the Light IS NOT ONLY THE ANSWER FOR THE WORLD.
It is the answer for the individual.
Being in the light has the net effect of blessing others/ being in fellowship with others, and of being purified “FROM ALL SIN!”
Now this challenges us with a probing question that each of us must grapple with and it is “Are you afraid of the dark?”
While few will admit it, most people are.
Why?
It is hard to see in the dark; both physically and spiritually.
Why?
Because, ‘movement’ is restricted simply because we cannot see!
We have the responsibility to be light so others can see.
Jesus is the light of the world and we as reflectors of his light, we share the great task of illuminating a world shrouded beneath the veil of darkness bringing them the opportunity to come out of darkness and into His Marvelous Light of Holiness.
Closing
Closing
As followers of Christ we have to understand that we were called to be Light
When we are Light we are loving not hateful
When we are Light we have Joy in our hearts
When we are Light we have the peace that passeth all understanding
When we are Light we have a kind heart and a pleasant disposition
When we are Light we offer generosity to those in need
When we are Light we are faithful to our Lord & Savior
When we are light we carry a gentle spirit
When we are light we have self-control
When we are Light we are slow to anger
When we are Light we are patient
Can I come a bit closer?
When we are light, our Bible study is never lacking
When we are light, we don't need the preacher has to preach you happy just so that you can have some kind of experience with God
When we are light, we are solutions and not problems
When we are light, we always have an encouraging word to say and never disparage or put down people.
When we are light, we desire to walk in Gods will and in his way and not just seek his hand when its convenient
When we are light, we can handle accountability when we are given responsibility
When we are light, we don't break up happy homes
When we are light, our attitude never reaches high altitudes
When we are light, we desire breakthroughs and never satisfied in being in bondage
When we are light, we don't need to be poked and prodded to worship the king of kings and the lord of lords.
When we are light, we give more than we take in our personal relationships
When we are light, we never have an unpleasant disposition
When we are light,
we love our enemies
and bless those that curse us,
and do good to those that hate us,
and pray for those who despitefully use us
When we are light, we are light every day and not just between sunsets on Sabbath
Its time to become light
How do we know if we are not illuminating the light?
When God's people are silent about systemic inequality, we are walking in darkness
When Black homes find normalcy with having single mothers and absentee fathers, we are walking in darkness
When we are Woke about critical issues in our community but don't vote to make those necessary changes, we are walking in darkness
When you rather act like a "Karen" than be a Christian, we are walking in darkness
When God is in control but your children are not, you and your children are walking in darkness
When you have allowed Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Youtube, & Tic Toc to raise your children with no parental instruction or example, you are walking in darkness
If you are spending more than you make, you are walking in darkness
If you call your body a temple but feed it like it’s a mega church, you are walking in darkness
Can I Speak About As God's Church this morning?
When you only desire to come to church when you can have it your own way, you are walking in darkness
If you can outline every misstep your church leadership makes but cannot account for your giving (thither & offerings), you are walking in darkness
When we are comfortable playing devil's advocate in a Godly meeting, you are walking in darkness
When we have learned to do church and not do ministry, we are walking in darkness
When we are comfortable with institutionalize hypocrisy and denominational segregation, you are walking in darkness
If your goal is to make it to the kingdom but you have not been a witness to anybody, you are walking in darkness
If your desire is to play church but go to a real heaven, you are walking in darkness
- Speak about the world, darkness, light & Lightbulbs -