December 2, 2018 - The Light Shines in Darkness

All right. Today we're starting. A new series called the light has come and we're going to be taking you on a four-week journey leading up to December 23rd leading up to that son. That's the Sunday right before Christmas and will be reading from John chapter 1 but will also be looking at other traditional narratives of the Christmas story as well. And I hope that you will get a fresh look at the light of the world coming in invading this Dark World to bring us salvation, which is the best gift of all a man. I think we can all agree that salvation is the best gift. There's no greater gift. There's no better gift than anybody could ever give you then the salvation Salvation that that Jesus came to give us so to start out today. how to make each each week I want to give every family that comes a little special gift so bracken's going to be coming around and handed out every family a gift if I have an extra I'll give more out but these are Little flashlights and they do work there pretty good little flashlights. If somebody could get those lights for me. Anda

You're scared of the dark. We won't leave the lights off for too long.

But I probably the only actually get that dark in here.

I want to hear all the time in the dark.

Stalking you.

Am I go ahead and take your flashlight turn it on. You need a flashlight. You can raise your hand Brackins coming around to get you a flashlight.

Did you know that John's gospel is the only gospel that begins with the story of Jesus Christ. Not as he appears on the Earth, but as he existed before time, did you know that?

John called him logos logos logos, which means the intelligence of God. Who gave birth to everything that exists and who also became the word? And this explains that there is intelligence which is undiscoverable except through God's word and works. So before the creation of The World God had a plan. Did you know that before the creation of The World God had a plan he knew that his children would need rescuing someday. And so the father's good plan for rescuing. His children was to send Jesus to earth now. We've got the lights turned out and if I got your flashlight on I wasn't so cool. It's so cold out there. If you got your flashlight, I'm going to read to you John chapter 1 verses 1 through 5. It's on the screen to be able to sit back there. But John uses the imagery of dark and light to explain the significance of Jesus's coming. Hopefully these flashlights will illustrate this point. So let's look at it John chapter 1 verse 1 says in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning through him. All things were made without him. Nothing was made that has been made in him was life. And that life was the light of all mankind the light shines in the darkness and the Darkness has not overcome it. Now. Look at Marsh five again to read it one more time. It says the light shines in darkness. And the Darkness has not overcome it. So look at your flashlight for a moment to look at you. Got you still got your flashlight here. And so you look at it. And when you look around no Darkness can distinguish this light can turn this light out, right? I have to actually turn I have to physically turn the flashlight off this darkness that is surrounding us cannot put out the light. It can't at all it keeps it for we can still see it.

The word translated overcome in verse 5 in the NIV is translated comprehend in the nkjv, which is the new King James. Jesus came as the light into a world that was overwhelmed with the darkness of sin just say the world did not fully recognize Jesus or comprehend. His mission is true yet to say the darkness was not able to overcome him is also true in light of his victory over death and the prevalence of his message across the ages the LIE of Christ and I want to listen to spare carefully the Light of Christ. It shines in an evil and sinful world what how did the world get that way? The world has chosen to go its own way. They have rebelled against God they have strong opposition against God. So the simple world is controlled by Satan. He was or he has been given just a little bit of authority over this world. He is doing everything that he can before his time is up. He wants nothing more than to deceive God's people.

I don't know if you've ever noticed. But it seems like the majority of people in the world have not accepted. Jesus is life or his light because these qualities they expose their sinful ways now. I know this splashlights not a very good example, but do you see you can see my palm hats red I was ever had an x-ray anybody. Yeah, if you go if you break a bone or something you go in the doctor does white they they going they take an x-ray of it, which they take me on what radiation and high beams of light to shine through to see to see your bones makes everything else around transparent and translucent that right or wrong words, but it makes it to where you can see the bone see any fracture see anything that's wrong and that's kind of what the light does for our sins that Jesus is light it shines and anybody that is

Exposed to light the light or the anybody that is living in sin the light exposes that sin. We don't like it when our faults are revealed, right? We don't like it at all. I want somebody to look at me, right how many we want to hide in the closet. Let's just keep those in the closet. Let nobody know about them less. You know, I'm perfectly fine out here. I'll let you see what I want you to see I'll let you imagine what you want to Matt Wright and so light exposes sin. Human nature is drawn toward and prefers to remain in spiritual Darkness. But the darkness has not accepted the light or as verse 5 says it has not overcoming but Darkness cannot overcome this light. The darkness can try all it wants till this will put this light as if I turn it off or if I do what take batteries out of the right. I took the batteries out of it or if there was the light bulbs went out. Any. That's the only thing you have to be a flaw in the light be the light will continue to shine the darkness cannot quench that light.

So as long as these flashlights are on there is no Darkness. No matter what Darkness may try to do it cannot consume the light.

You know, it's not just here in the Book of John were John's explanation of Jesus's existence and the Plan of Redemption before the world was even met was even made is emphasized. You know that it's also found in 1st Peter chapter 1 verses 20 and 21 and it says this he has chosen before the creation of the world but was revealed and these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God. Who raised him from the dead and glorified him and so your Faith and Hope are in God? You see God's plan of spiritual salvation. It wasn't just an afterthought. It wasn't just one day. He was sitting here thinking. Well, you know, these people aren't doing what I want to do science. How much come with a plan B. You know his Plan of Salvation wasn't just an afterthought nor did it come to God only after the first humans chose to disobey God and needed rescue and Restoration in relation to God. His plan was laid out even before creation or human history began.

The word translated chosen carries the meaning of God's foreknowledge. He knew this guy knew that in creating humans with free will see that's that's the question. That's the thing that we have to understand. It's all about free will we can't have it both ways. You can either have a free will and be able to choose and do the things that you want to do now. If we don't obey God there are consequences for doing those things, but God is giving us free will he's giving us the right to choose or we can have a perfect world. We can have it both ways. We can't have a perfect world and free will. It wouldn't work. That's why God chose to give his people the free will. But God knew that in creating humans with Freewheel the ability to choose whether or not to love obey and worship him that they would inevitably choose to go their own way and defy him. So he had already set in order the plan to rescue people from the Final Consequence of their sin, which was spiritual death and eternal separation from God and so in order to restore them to a right relationship with him he had to do what he had send the light. The light of the world and that light was here long before he came in human form. Jesus is always been here. He was a lot of the war. He was so like that had to come and shine and darkness and had to come and overtake the darkness. You see that plan was for God himself to make a personal sacrifice to cover the extreme penalty warranted by Cent Only He could provide a perfect means of spiritual salvation, which he did through his son Jesus Christ. Sweat just the right time in human history. God sent Christ in the world to finalize and fulfill his perfect plan of forgiveness new life and an eternal relationship with God through faith in Christ. It was that that perfect timing that perfect moment. God said, okay now so time she had this planned all along. He was just waiting for the right moment. He was waiting for that opportunity whenever he sent the light of the world in the form of a baby. He came humbly and we came to a a simple manger and can I tell you that is why we celebrate Christmas. Week we can have all the other fun things and it can I tell you Christmas is fun. Right? We enjoy Christmas. We enjoyed getting together with family. We enjoy going and doing things. We enjoy the food. Hey, man, we need it. We enjoy the presents. We enjoy giving presents. We enjoyed all these things at Christmas time that comes with Christmas and these things are fun. And there's nothing wrong with those things as long as we continue to remember The real reason that we celebrate Christmas it's the light of the world Jesus. Jesus is the light he came to this earth. He came to be what we needed at that moment at that time. It was perfect timing. It was perfect plan.

You see Killing. Jesus was not a plan B for Redemption. It was the original plan all along the Son of God. The word of God would have to come to Earth and die in order to redeem Humanity. So have you ever taken a trip? Because someone wanted to go on that trip, maybe maybe you had experience something that you enjoyed it and you wanted someone to experience that Joe as well. I remember a few years ago. We are whole family. I mean all of us went to Disney World there was I was me and Kelly and the girls and then my mom and dad and Greta and Michael went and in this what's this about what 8 years ago really snow brother will be able to see it was 7 years almost 7 years ago. So six and a half years ago. There you go together and we went down and went to Disney and we did the whole. I mean the whole everything we went all four parks and you know, we park hopped and all I did all that we had a blast we had a great time. Can I tell you that leading up to the trip took longer the planning stages took longer than the actual trip itself? The trip was only a week-long maybe about 10 days. Joint in Detroit one very long, but it was the planning that took all the time and all the energy and all the effort and everything that we did and we playing out where we were going to go on what days we're going to go to these things and and and where we're going to eat at and how are we going to eat? And do we need the meal plan? And do we need how many rooms do we need? Do we want joining rooms? It would do we need you know, whatever else are we going to take us stroller? Are we going to rent a stroller whatever, you know, I went and we just went through all those details but the planning took longer than the whole trip itself name ever had one of those, you know, I'm talking about. I mean just one of those trips that just in the planning just took a while.

God have been planning for the moment that Jesus would arrive since the beginning of time. He knew that there would need to be that right moment. He did all this planning. He did it all for you and he did it all for me. And why did he do this? He did all this because he loves each and every one of us. He loves us. He cares for He wants the best for us.

And it is because of this planning that we can be victorious over our own darkness by receiving Jesus as the word of God for ourselves a man. So Jesus is the light he's coming to this world to overcome the darkness that is here. And I want you to know that if you need a Victorious Life over your own Darkness anything that might be Then I want you know that you can receive Jesus. Has the word of God this morning. Hey man, it's Jesus. That can bring it. He's the light and we can have that light in our life and we have the lights on at least those two back lights.

God is good. Amen.

He is the light of the world. And we started this series is series is going to be over the next.

Will today plus 3 more weeks? We're going to end we're going to end the series with a special candlelight communion service on the 23rd till the go along with the message. Next week. We'll talk about something even about sharing our light stepping out of our comfort zone doing some things that are that may be different than what we are used to work Custom to Can I tell you everything that we do this year? It's about the light. It's about Jesus a man. It's about him and it's going to be easy to get wrapped. It's kind of like I'm on I got to speak at our section wide Christmas.

Party this week and I'm only talking about the if you think if you look at a Christmas tree, what is the most important thing on that Christmas tree anybody or gas? Can anybody else? Anybody else? The base think about that it is if there is no base that tree doesn't stand does it you can put all the beautiful decorations on it. You can make it gorgeous. You can do everything. But if you don't have a base at trees only what you write it's going to fall over. So think about that. What is our foundation? What is our foundation in life? It's Jesus and if we don't get the foundation, right if we don't get the base, right? It doesn't matter how beautiful we make the outside of us it how beautiful we make everything. If it if we could buy the best clothes we can wear the the nicest jewelry. We can have the best hairstyle we can wear these beautiful ugly sweaters. But if we don't get the base, right if we don't get our hearts, right, right. No, that's going to matter. And that's what's so hard about sometimes during this Christmas season is we get so wrapped up in everything that's going on right? I've got to be here. I got to go do this. I got to do this. I got to do this and the next thing we know we forgotten the most important thing. Taking that time just to celebrate Jesus. Let me encourage you this this year, and I think I've said this multiple years. Let me encourage you this year when you get up on Christmas morning, December 25th, make the first things out of your mouth. Happy birthday Jesus. Can can I tell you there's going to a lot going on for you? If you're like us you open presents at home and then go somewhere else and open presents and then you get to come home and finally chill out. But you're gone for price you'll several hours during the day or what have you and your spending time with family and hanging out or whatever and just make that first moment is Tom. It's his birthday, right? I mean you got people probably in your life on your birthday call you first thing that morning. I will send you a text or the wish you a happy birthday on Facebook, right? I'll let you know. Happy birthday to your birthday. Happy birthday. December 25th is Jesus's birthday. You say well, I don't think he was necessarily born on that day. That's fine. I don't care you can believe whatever you want. The whole fact is we celebrate his birthday on that day. I don't know what day he was born on. I'm not that much of a scholar.

But all I know is that we celebrate on that day, and that's what we need to do is we need to celebrate him on that day until when you get up that morning just say Happy Birthday Jesus and then go back to rest today. Just let me know you can take a moment and just thank you for 2:30 minutes. Thank you for this wonderful time this wonderful day that you've given me for the family and just go through all your whole list, right? But it's all about the light or we talkin about this week. This this the rest of this series is all about the light has come. I'm going to be singing that song.

Was it called? I just forgot it a king like this. Oh my goodness. It just went blank singing that song for every every Sunday leading up cuz it just talks the light the light has come. Why does come so I hope that you'll be able to put that into your heart and your mind?

Can we pray?

Lord I just thank you for this time that We've been able to be here in your presence got here in just a moment. We're going to go and have some time of Fellowship God and we're going to just have a good time with some you know, some Christmas stories and stuff. I mean just some games and some and just being together as a church family in and just celebrating you until God. I pray for I pray for the individuals that are here God. I pray that you would go with us each step that we take today God I pray that we help us to understand and know that you are the light and you were the light that came to this earth came to this world and you did it for us. There was no plan B, it was the plan all along. And God you sent your son to come and die for us. We thank you. We praise you for that and we ask these things in Jesus name. Amen. Hey, man.

Last week for those of you that weren't able to be here. I just would be the last time I say anything.

I had talked to everybody and just kind of tell him a little bit briefly about where are ties and offerings going and where the church have been in and we had pay off our debt and it but it took everything. I mean it wiped us out. I mean it took everything that we had and so we've been kind of just struggling limp along. You know what I took her I needed to figure out a way to lack of better terms boost the church's economy. Y'all understand y'all heard that mentioned on the news and stuff about our nation's economy. And so so try to figure out what I can do. And so what are things that I did was I I I took a paycut we've cut everything that we done but I just want you to know that we are at a point that we are trying to get caught back up get back ahead. I believe that God has a plan for us and there are several that have already given Urban generous and I guess I just wanted to come with one last for those that weren't able to be here last week and just say if you can at all this month, if you could give a little extra to help get us back going in the right direction. I believe that we're headed there. I believe that God has a plan for us. I'm excited with what direction God wants us to go in we've got lots of stuff planned not only for finishing up this year. But Fitbit starting the new year we're going to be taking that note the paper that I have that says we paid off our debt and we're going to be burning that note at the end of January at a special time and so excited about that and I believe that I believe that was the first step. The seeing God do some amazing things here in our church is getting that that monkey off our back if you would that debt, right it's gone in that in that amazing and so excited about that. But if you can give a little extra this month, it would be appreciated. I want to ask her Usher's if they could come. This morning to receive our ties and offerings that you brought with you. God's doing something special in our church. And I'm excited about it. And I believe that I believe that it's only going to go up from here. You know what I mean? I just I'm really excited. Let's pray but we just thank you for this time. We can come here and being your house. I pray for each other person that gives today God I pray that you bless each and every gift that is given God I pray that you would help him to go forward in the dude your work for your kingdom help us to be the church that you've called us to be God and God will give you all the praise we give you all the glory in Jesus name. Amen. Amen.

Oh, by the way, these flashlights are yours to keep take those with you put in a glove box or some you always need a flashlight. Right? I mean if electricity goes out to get to have a little flashlight. So that's my gift from me to you a merry Christmas and I'll have a different gift each week. So you don't want to miss each week get a new gift each week, so