Light it up!!!

Introduction

Brothers and Sisters, I have taken time to consider the world in which we are surrounded by and living in. The fact of the matter is that we are living in some dark times. And I do not have to look at other parts of the world, I can hone my focus right here in Sampson County. 4 young men from Clinton, Faison, Newton Grove, ages 16, 17, 18, and 21 shot and one killed is a sign that we are living in dark times. This isn’t new, it’s becoming so normal that it doesn’t even shock us. It happens we shake our head and we move on waiting on the next bad news. This is a sign that we are living in dark times, but my question is where is the light?

750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers and Writers 384: Light

Bob Woods, in Pulpit Digest, tells the story of a couple who took their son, 11, and daughter, 7, to Carlsbad Caverns. As always, when the tour reached the deepest point in the cavern, the guide turned off all the lights to dramatize how completely dark and silent it is below the earth’s surface.

The little girl, suddenly enveloped in utter darkness, was frightened and began to cry.

Immediately was heard the voice of her brother: “Don’t cry. Somebody here knows how to turn on the lights.”

In a real sense, that is the message of the gospel: light is available, even when darkness seems overwhelming.

So I’ve come to this branch of Zion strategically placed by God on the Corner of Butler Ave. and Lisbon Street. to tell someone that it’s time for Union Grove to turn on the lights. Look at somebody near you and tell them, LIGHT IT UP.

Introduction

Body

When you are lighting it up, you recognize the need of light

The world we live in is in need of light. Where there is no light there is utter darkness. It doesn’t matter what is there, if there is no light. There is no value in something that cannot be seen. My dream car is a Brand New pearl white Caddy. That’s my dream car. If a person comes to me and says, I have a brand new, pearl white, 2024 Cadillac but it’s not materialized, it’s not where I can see it. That caddy, no matter how much I want it does not have value. Likewise the light does not have value when it is not seen. Therefore where light cannot be seen there is nothing there but darkness. The world thrives in darkness, John 3:19 says, men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. The World thrives in darkness, and darkness is absolutely

When we are lighting it up, you have to know who we are

When you are lighting it up, you need to know your purpose for shining