Walking in the Light

The Word of Life

(NRSV)

The Word of Life

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1 We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—

John is making a case for faith as he reminds us of what we should know from the very beginning. For those of us who believe we believe that the early disciples walked with Jesus. The testimony of those early Christians is what we base our faith on. John is speaking of the other Christians when he says, (NRSV)

3 we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

I want you to understand that the gospel is based on truth. If you want to build a relationship with Jesus you must be truthful about the sin in your lives. This sin is a barrier between you and God. This is not about you but the sin that binds you. Jesus is light and in Him there is no darkness. So what is darkness? Sin is darkness.

Have you ever walked into a dark house and you struggle to find your way to a light switch? Now your own house is a little bit less difficult because you learn how to navigate your own house, even in the dark, you learn to find your way. This is the problem with sin. We often learn to function in the dark and familiarizing yourself takes time but eventually you are finding your way in the dark.

Now imagine you are in a new building, you have never been there before, you did not arrive during the light (Jesus) of day so everything is new and not easy to find your way. You don’t even know where the light switches are located. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just call out to the switch and ask it to turn on? Maybe you can-you try but nothing happens-perhaps you are speaking in the wrong language but you know no other language.

Finally after bumping into and falling over many unknown object throughout your (Life) you finally find a light switch-light appears and the darkness of your life is gone. Where did the darkness go? Remember what John tells us,

God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society. So if light (God) comes into your room (life) darkness flees.

Often times we feel that we can handle navigating the darkness, we can even believe that the hurdles in the room wont hurt us. But having this attitude deceives us, (NRSV)

6 If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true;

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.