Walking in the Light

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We can find forgiveness and fellowship by walking in the light...

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Walking in the Light

New Series
It’s winter! And we are entering into a new quarter of teaching.
For the winter quarter of teaching, I’m starting a series today, “Walking in the Light”. And that is also my title to kick this thing off. “Walking in the Light”.
We find ourselves in a world of darkness. And we need to see in the scriptures what it is to walk in the light.
And specifically, today, we are met with Paul. He went from walking in darkness to doing an about-face, and walking in the light.

Text

Acts 9:1–5 NKJV
1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
1 John 1:9 NKJV
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Intro

Deer in the Headlights
If you have ever driven down a two-lane country road at night, you may have felt the fear that comes when our of nowhere a deer darts across the road.
Just recently, Sis. LaRue and I were driving down a highway in which for an extended amount of time, there was a dead deer on the side of the road for every mile.
Most deer hunters will tell you that deer are crafty game to go after. They are intelligent and instinctual. They give a challenge. If your phone vibrates as you sit in a stand, deer can run away.
So then why do they stand in the middle of the road and stare at you - as we say: “a deer in the headlights?”
I had a conversation with someone about this recently and looked this up for myself… God created deer to be crepuscular. In other words, they are most active around twilight. Their pupils will fully dilate to take in as much light as possible, even when there is barely any available.
But when a vehicle’s headlight beams splash the road with light, the beams blind the deer because it cannot process a lot of light quickly.
And that’s why deer - though they are intelligent and instinctive - often freeze in the middle of the road.
Sometimes even the most intelligent people of the world are blinded by light. The light of God.
God actually chose light to blind a misdirected Saul. He was living his life in darkness and he didn’t really know it. And it was on a road to Damascus that, while his eyes were filled with rage, God blinded him and brought him to salvation.
And that makes it beautiful to read Paul saying:
Ephesians 5:8 NKJV
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
Contemplating the Topic
So Paul tells us to “walk in the light.”
What does “walking in the light” really mean???
I mean, we surely need to know - we’re told to do it!
What do you think “walking in the light” actually means?
What is light? If we are to walk in it, knowing what it is would definitely be helpful!
See if this helps:
“Light, electromagnetic radiation that can be detected by the human eye” (www.britannica.com)
No, that’s not too helpful to what we’re being told to do...
How about this:
“No single answer to the question ‘What is light?’ satisfies the many contexts in which light is experienced, explored, and exploited” (www.britannica.com)
That’s better.
Here in scripture, we know that light is a metaphor for something else.
Light shows up early in Scripture (Genesis 1:3), and even late in the Bible (Revelation 22:5). And many times in between.
The Old Testament identifies “the Lord” [Jehovah or Yahweh] as the light (Psalm 27:1). Isaiah admonished the house of Jacob to “walk in the light of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:5). Further, he wrote “The Lord shall be thine everlasting light” (Isaiah 60:20). And Micah had similar words: “The Lord shall be a light unto me” (Micah 7:8).
Searching the Scriptures
The New Testament identifies Jesus as “the Light… the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:7, 9). This was not merely the opinion of John the Baptist. Jesus Himself said, “I am the light of the world” (John 9:5).
Since the Incarnation, the light is God Himself as He is manifest in human existence (1 Timothy 3:16). Specifically, Jesus is the light.
So, if Jesus is the light, what does it mean to “walk in the light”?
Jesus answered that question perfectly:
John 8:12 NKJV
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
John 12:46 NKJV
46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.
There you have it, then! To walk in the light is to believe on Jesus and to follow Him. This is illustrated in the life of Saul, who saw the light, believed on Jesus, and followed Him from that moment on.

Saul, the Persecutor of Christians

Background
Saul was a committed enemy of the church.
He thought he was doing the will of God in his attempt to destroy those who believed Jesus was the Messiah. He was a Pharisee, one of those Jesus foretold when He said:
Matthew 23:34 NKJV
34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,
Saul was also one of those whose kind Jesus had in mind when He told His disciples:
John 16:2 NKJV
2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.
Those who did these things were convinced they knew the true God, but Jesus said:
John 16:3 NKJV
3 And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.
Saul first came onto the scene as a young man who was participating in the killing of Stephen by watching over the coats of those who stoned him. (Acts 7:57-59). Saul was comfortable doing this sort of thing...
Acts 8:3 NKJV
3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
After his conversion, Saul confessed to Agrippa, saying:
Acts 26:9–11 NKJV
9 “Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
He was a person who was misguided in his religious zeal. And it resulted in persecuting the church. He breathed threats and murder against the Lord’s disciples, destroying anyone who called on the name of Jesus (Acts 9:1, 21). Saul’s actions struck fear in the hears of people who knew who he was (Acts 9:26).
Left for Damascus
So, when Saul leaves on his trip to Damascus, his intent was to find anyone who was of “this way,” whether men or women, capture them, and return with them to Jerusalem (Acts 9:2).
He was heartless in his efforts, caring nothing about the suffering he inflicted. When he described himself after years after being converted, he said:
Acts 22:4–5 NKJV
4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, 5 as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.
Saul’s salvation experience can only be seen as a miracle.
When he left for Damascus, he had no intention of putting his faith in Jesus and being transformed into a bold Christian. He had one thing on his mind: the belief that Jesus was truly the Messiah must be stamped out, no matter the cost.
Blinded by the Light
As Saul began to get close to Damascus, his life was radically changed.
This is not because he wanted it to happen; he had never prayed to become a believer in Jesus. It was because the Lord had chosen him to be His witness to the Gentiles, kings, and Israelites.
The man who had caused many to suffer for their faith in Jesus would now suffer for the name of the Lord (Acts 9:15-16).
At noon, almost to his destination, Saul and those travelling with him were suddenly struck to the ground by a brilliant light from Heaven, brighter than the sun! (Acts 9:3-4; 22:6-7; 26:13-14)
Saul heard a voice, saying:
Acts 9:4–5 NKJV
4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
And I think it’s so interesting - for one who was convinced that he really knew the Lord and that Jesus was not the Lord, Saul’s response was telling: “Who art thou, Lord?
Hmm...
Saul was a devout Jew. He had been taught a strict version of the law of Moses and he was faithful to it.
As a Jew, Saul treasured the Shema:
Deuteronomy 6:4 NKJV
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!
Before his encounter with the bright light, he had seen no place for Jesus in that verse. But THEN, a voice answered his question: “I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest!”
And I just wonder how many people there are our there who are so convinced that they know God - but truthfully, they are in darkness...
As a matter of fact, I don’t wonder how many there are - I KNOW. There are MANY!
And God wants us to be the lens that he shines the light of truth through - to stop them in their tracks like a deer in the headlights!
And Saul, standing there, understandably trembling and astonished, asked, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”
We should notice that once Saul heard the voice of Jesus identifying Himself as Lord, he immediately accepted that! Moments before, Saul denied that Jesus was Lord. Suddenly, he surrendered fully to the lordship of Jesus, willing to do whatever his Lord required!
The Light Reveals Sin
So, before this moment, Saul actually thought that he was really walking in the light.
As someone who studied the Hebrew Scriptures, he was certainly familiar with the Book of Daniel. He would have known these words:
Daniel 2:22 NKJV
22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.
We have to know that to think one is walking in the light does not make it so!
We have to know the one who is light and in whom is no darkness (1 John 1:5). Jesus is the light of the world! And if we don’t embrace that He is the light of the world, the darkness in us - the sin in us - is revealed.
That’s what happened to Saul. He thought he was serving God. He thought he was on a divine mission to destroy false doctrine. But when he was stricken down by the one who is the light, his true spiritual condition was exposed.
At what point in your life did you realize you were walking in darkness rather than light? How did you respond to that?
From time to time, we need the light of God to search our hearts:
Psalm 139:23–24 NKJV
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
Like a strong flashlight or a spotlight that shoots a beam, we need the light of God to give us a shock and expose what needs to change! And that should happen throughout our relationship with God.

Ananias, the Lord’s Messenger

Found Saul and Prayed for Him
How did Ananias know about Saul’s conversion?
In a vision, the Lord called Ananias by name, and he responded, “Behold, I am here, Lord” (Acts 9:10). In this vision, the Lord informed Ananias of the name of the street where he was to go, the name of the man whose house he was to visit, the name of the person in the house - Saul of Tarsus - for whom he was to inquire, and what Saul was doing.
The Lord also told Ananias that Saul had seen him (Ananias) in a vision, coming into the house and putting his hand on him so Saul could receive his sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
Saul Received Sight and Salvation
The radical turning point in Saul’s life was not complete until Ananias, sent by the Lord, entered the house where Saul was staying, laid his hands on Saul, and said:
Acts 9:17 NKJV
17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
And immediately, Saul received his sight and was baptized!
I want you to notice that Saul had not received the Holy Ghost yet, but Ananias still called him “Brother” Saul!
And another thing: God did the work of shining the bright light into Saul’s life, but Saul still needed somebody to come alongside him and show him the way.
The Light Brings Salvation
Saul’s encounter with the light that turned him from darkness was a preview of what kind of ministry God would give him:
Acts 26:15–18 NKJV
15 So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
That statement: “to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light” reflects Saul’s conversion. Physically, his eyes were opened after having been blinded by Heaven’s brilliant light. Spiritually, he was turned from darkness to light.
As he preached the gospel, he would open the eyes of those who were in darkness, turning them from darkness to light.
And these are meaningful metaphors:
Satan is represented by darkness.
God is represented by light.
To come into the light is to receive forgiveness of sins.
And once we come into the light, we are to reflect that light and to come against the darkness:
Ephesians 6:10–13 NKJV
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

God is Light

Light of the World
As we’ve already read today, God is light.
Since Jesus is God manifested as a man, He is the light of the world.
To believe in Jesus Christ is to walk in the light. If we say we are in fellowship with God but our faith is not in Jesus Christ, we are living a lie. We have to believe on Him!
And if we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves.
And we also know that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.”
Confession of Sin
To confess our sins is to acknowledge we are sinners.
David’s confession of his sin with Bathsheba is a sobering example of confession and repentance.
Cleansing from Sin
To be cleansed from all unrighteousness is another way to say “our sins are forgiven.”
We Must Walk in the Light
To enjoy the spiritual benefits of all Jesus did to atone for us, our faith has to rest exclusively in Jesus for salvation.
As Jesus told Thomas:
John 14:6 NKJV
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Conclusion

Internalizing the Message
We have to ask ourselves some questions:
Is our faith in Jesus alone, or are we also counting on our good works for salvation?
Do we confess our sins daily, as Jesus taught in the Lord’s Prayer, or do we only occasionally recognize our imperfections and confess them to God?
Do we see the life of faith as a growing maturity, or do we think of it as a once and for all event needing little ongoing attention?
To walk in the light describes a journey of faith in Jesus Christ. It means we, ourselves, should daily come closer to the image of Jesus.
This is accomplished as we “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
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