A Light in the Darkness

Ephesians 5:8–14 NKJV

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”

Matthew 5:13–16 NKJV

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Introduction

Ephesians 5 is a contrast passage.

Paul is drawing a distinction between what we were before Christ and what we are now because of Christ.

He says in verse 8:

Ephesians 5:8 NKJV

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

Notice Paul does not say we were merely in darkness, He says we were darkness.

2 Corinthians 6:14 NKJV

14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

Darkness was our nature. Darkness was our condition. Darkness was our direction apart from Christ.

But salvation changed us.

Now Paul says: “you are light in the Lord.”

That phrase matters because the light is not naturally ours. It comes from Him.

And because Christ has changed us inwardly, there ought to be evidence outwardly.

Paul says: “Walk as children of light.”

The Christian life is not merely about believing differently. It is about living differently.

And throughout this passage Paul deals with both the darkness of the world and the danger of darkness creeping back into the life of the believer.

Before salvation, darkness defined us. After salvation, darkness still fights against us.

That is why Paul says in verse 11:

Ephesians 5:11 NKJV

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

Paul understood something we must never forget: darkness spreads.

I. Light Produces Fruit

Ephesians 5:9 NKJV

(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),

Paul says light produces visible fruit.

Real Christianity is not simply agreement with doctrine. It changes the life.

Just as light changes a room, Christ changes a person.

A. Goodness

There begins to be genuine concern for others.

The selfish heart begins to soften. The hard heart begins to change.

Because when Christ changes the inner man, it eventually affects how we treat people.

Goodness, is more than an attitude, it is a behavior.

We see an example of this in the good Samaritan. The Samaritan didn’t just think good thoughts, he did good deeds.

B. Righteousness

There becomes a growing desire for holiness.

Perfection and sinless living is the desire of the believer and conviction begins to increase.

The believer no longer becomes comfortable living in darkness because the Spirit of God within them creates tension with sin.

And the closer we grow to God, the further we live from sin.

C. Truth

The believer begins to love truth, not just publicly, but privately.

Darkness survives in secrecy and deception. Light exposes things for what they truly are.

That is why Paul says in verse 10:

Ephesians 5:10 NKJV

finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.

The light is not the light of our own understanding, rather it is the light of Jesus shining through us.

Because walking in the light creates sensitivity toward God.

True Christianity leads the believer to a life of transparency and light, not darkness.

Why, because darkness corrupts.

II. Darkness Corrupts

Ephesians 5:11 NKJV

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

Paul now shifts from what light produces to what darkness does.

Darkness corrupts. Darkness spreads. Darkness desensitizes.

And Paul warns believers not to fellowship with it.

The word fellowship means participation, partnership, shared agreement.

Paul is not saying believers should isolate from lost people.

He is saying we must not allow darkness to become normalized within us.

One of the dangers of darkness is that it rarely announces itself openly.

Culture does not usually move from truth to rebellion overnight.

It happens gradually.

Now, one may ask, “How are we to win against such a system?”

We stay faithful to God with the faith that light always wins.

Darkness does not over come light, light always overcomes darkness. The only way for darkness to win, is if the light goes out.

It is the decrease of light, that allows darkness to win.

People will say, “Pastor, we are living in dark times.” And while this may be true, it is only because the light has dimmed.

What one generation condemns, the next generation tolerates, and the following generation celebrates.

If you were here on Wednesday then you heard me talk about Hegel’s dialectic.

The philosopher Hegel described what many call a dialectical process:

With the dialectic, society moves through a continual cycle of thesis, antithesis, and finally a Synthesis that ultimately becomes the new thesis and the process continues.

an idea is introduced, conflict follows, then eventually compromise produces a new normal.

Whether people know Hegel’s name or not, the pattern is visible everywhere in culture today.

Something shocking is introduced. People resist it. Then eventually society adjusts to it.

And slowly darkness becomes normalized.

Isaiah warned: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil.”

That is exactly where our culture increasingly finds itself.

Things that once brought shame are now applauded. Biblical truth is treated as offensive. And righteousness is often mocked.

But the danger is not merely darkness in culture.

The greater danger is darkness creeping into the church unnoticed.

Bitterness. Pride. Compromise. Lust. Hypocrisy. Coldness. Spiritual apathy.

That is why Paul says: “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.”

Darkness not only exists around the believer. It tries to operate within the believer.

And if we are not careful, our testimony begins to fade.

Jesus addressed this very issue when He said:

Matthew 5:13

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?”

Salt becomes ineffective when it becomes contaminated.

And Satan’s strategy is often not to destroy the believer immediately… but to dilute the believer gradually.

There are several ways this happens.

A. Externalism

Galatians 1:10 NKJV

For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Everything becomes centered on appearances.

What people think becomes more important than what God thinks.

Even spiritual things become performance-driven.

B. Ritualism

Ritualism convinces us that outward activity automatically equals inward spirituality.

But attendance is not intimacy. Routine is not revival.

Some of the most wicked people in history were steeped in rituals.

C. Narcissism

Titus 1:6 NKJV

if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.

James 4:6 NKJV

6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

Religious pride convinces people they are spiritually mature because they are religiously active.

But activity is not always spirituality.

Just because you are active in the church doesn’t mean you are right with God.

Just because you give doesn’t mean you are holy.

Pride will convince us that we are something we are not.

D. Legalism

Legalism takes good standards and turns them into the source of righteousness.

But holiness is not produced merely by rule-keeping.

Holiness flows from walking with Christ.

And when these things creep into our lives, the testimony begins to fade.

Let me help this make since.

There is a true story about a train rushing toward a collapsed bridge.

An engineer stood beside the tracks waving a warning flag.

The conductor saw the flag but failed to stop the train.

The train crashed into the river below.

Later investigators discovered the problem: the red warning flag had faded so badly that from a distance it appeared white.

And that is exactly what has happened to many believers.

The testimony has faded. The distinction has weakened. The world no longer sees the difference.

We started off well, but the rule becomes the motive.

III. Light Must Shine

Ephesians 5:13 NKJV

But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.

Light reveals. Light exposes. Light makes things visible.

And Jesus said:

Ephesians 5:14 NKJV

Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”

The believer is called to shine in darkness.

Matthew 5:13–14 NKJV

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

But notice the connection Jesus makes.

First salt. Then light.

Because when the salt loses its savor, eventually the light grows dim.

This morning I want to show you something simple.

(Bring out demonstration)

This container represents a life.

The water represents a person.

This light represents the visible testimony and power of Christ shining through a believer.

(Attempt demonstration without salt)

Nothing happens.

Everything may appear normal externally… but there is no current flowing.

No power. No effectiveness. No visible light.

And that is the condition of many believers and many churches.

Religious activity without spiritual power.

Church attendance without transformation.

Gathering without glow.

Now watch what happens when salt is introduced.

(Add salt and light comes on)

The moment the salt enters the water, the current flows and the light shines.

Salt changes the environment.

And when the people of God become what Christ has called them to be, the light becomes visible again.

Maybe the reason the light has grown dim is because compromise has diluted the salt.

Maybe we have become too comfortable with darkness. Too comfortable with compromise. Too concerned with fitting in.

Illustration:

But Paul says:

Ephesians 5:14 NKJV

Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”

Paul is calling believers to wake up spiritually.

To wake up from spiritual drift. To wake up from compromise. To wake up from becoming too comfortable in a dark world.

Because this world desperately needs the light of Christ.

What our families need… what our community needs… what this generation needs… is not a church that blends into darkness.

It needs believers who shine.

Believers who walk closely with Jesus. Believers filled with truth and grace. Believers whose lives clearly reflect the light of Christ.

So maybe this morning the prayer needs to be:

“Lord, remove whatever is dimming my testimony.”

“Lord, let Your light shine clearly through my life again.”

“And Lord, help me walk as a child of light.”