Keep Shining!

Opening Story

Living in downtown Minneapolis I didn’t see too many stars. Getting out of the city and heading north I saw stars in the sky like I’ve never experienced before.

Keeping busy can distract to what is really out there, what is really going on in the world.

Going to church is not what you were made to do. 1st you are the church, you don’t go to church. 2nd, you were made to shine in the darkness.

Question

Is there darkness in the world today?

It is not hard to find is it. It is everywhere unless we stay in the church building. But being in this building with other lights, you will never know how bright you are and how you will light up the darkness.

Text

John 1:1 CSB

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

“In the beginning” as seen in Genesis 1:1. So “the Word” - Logos - Christ was around since the beginning.

John 1:2–3 CSB

2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.

“All things were created through him”

Doesn’t that mean that evil was created by Christ?

Everything was perfect that was created and when sin entered the scene, we’ve been dying ever since.

John 1:4 CSB

4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 1

1:4 In him was life The Word is the source of life, both physical through the creation of all things (looking back to John 1:3; compare Col 1:17) and spiritual (looking ahead to John 1:4; compare 6:35).

the life A key word for John; it is used 36 times in the Gospel. This Gospel and other NT writings associated with John account for more than 40 percent of the total occurrences of this word in the NT. For John, Jesus’ ability to grant life to those who walked in “darkness” or “death” is the key issue at stake. Jesus has the ability and authority to do so because He was there in the beginning when God’s creative works took place.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 1

was the light of humanity John alludes to the initial act of creation involving light (Gen 1:3) and invokes the association of light with divine glory (Isa 60:19). Light is often used in the OT as a metaphor for salvation and spiritual awakening (see note on Isa 51:4).

humanity This Greek term can refer generically to the human race. That this is a reference to all humanity is made clear from Jesus’ statement in John 8:12. Compare the “light for the nations” idea in Isa 42:6; 49:6.

John 1:5 CSB

5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.

I hear day in and day people giving up on our country, our world, and even our neighbors.

1st of all, none of those things is what gives your life purpose. None of things is what offers you forgiveness and salvation. That comes from Christ and Christ alone.

Do you believe anything in this world caught God off guard?

Application

What should you do about this?

Shine in the darkness.

I work in the hospital and it is a nightmare.

Shine in the darkness.

I work here…or there...

Shine in the darkness.

Challenge

How can we all live this out together?