Are you walking in the Light?
Notes
Transcript
Read 1 John 1:5-2:7
Read 1 John 1:5-2:7
I want to take some time this morning and really look at the concept of “Light vs. Darkness” I want to start with looking at darkness....
If I ask you to make it darker in here this morning... What would he do? Hit the dark switch? No of course not... The only way to make it darker is to block the light... According to my Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, “Darkness has no existence by itself being definable simply as an absence of light!”
I want everyone to close your eyes... okay if total darkness fell
over the world right now... Imagine trying to find the front door of the church in complete darkness... okay now imagine trying to find your car in the parking lot, that is probably going to take a lot longer... Now assume that you find your car in complete darkness... Now imagine finding your way home with no headlights in absolute darkness....
You can open your eyes.... What feelings does total darkness bring? I remember one night, Amber went outside to retrieve something and she was unaware that one of the children had followed her outside in the dark. Amber did not see them when she came back in and shut the door with them still outside alone. She then turned off the porch light. She realized a child had followed her outside when she heard his screams. She quickly opened the door to find him crying on the porch. And do you know what his first word were? “Mommy you shut the light off!!” So with darkness comes fear, hopelessness, uncertainty, stress. See that was the spiritual state of the entire world before Jesus came... Look at the lives of those around you without Christ, look at your own life before Christ shone His light into your dark heart... Was your life full of fear, uncertainty, stress, and hopelessness? And what is the ultimate hopelessness??? It's death without Christ...
Darkness also is a symbol for sin and wickedness...
Listen as I read the words of Jesus From John Chapter 3
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
Listen also to Jesus in Chapter 11
Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”
So What about light? Let's go back to our earlier example, what feelings would you feel if as you were groping around in utter darkness for your car, the sun appeared and you could see exactly where you where and exactly where your car was what feeling would the sudden rush of light bring? Peace, comfort, warmth, joy?
Just as darkness symbolized death, light symbolizes life... listen to these words of Jesus found in John
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Matthew 4:16 (ESV)
the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.”
What did Jesus mean that He was the light of the World? Remember Darkness equals death and we have all sinned and fallen short of The Glory of God and the wages of sin is death... So is Jesus the light of the world? He is the only source of true hope for those lost in darkness.
Isaiah 9:2 (ESV)
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
What did Jesus say?
John 12:35–36 (ESV)
So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”
AND
I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.
So light equals good and dark equals evil,
Isaiah 5:20 (ESV)
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
Which is more powerful light or darkness? We need to be very clear the two are not equal. You can take a candle into the darkest cave and it will continue to give off light. Light always overpowers darkness.
One false teaching is dualism. I want to be sure we understand Dualism... I want to read what theologian Henry Theiessen had to say about The Dualistic View:
This theory assumes that there are two distinct and irreducible substances or principles. In metaphysics, mind and matter; in ethics, good and evil; in religion, good or God, and evil or Satan. The Christian, however, does not believe that Satan is co-eternal with God, but rather a creature of God and subject to him... Okay what did Thiessen just say?? In simple terms we are not part of an eternal struggle between two equal powers that is God and Satan... And we need not to worry or be fearful or nervous about the outcome... The light, Jesus Christ, has always existed... In the cosmic struggle between light and darkness, we do not need to worry who will win... We know the answer... This is another very important point to remember verse 5 of chapter 1 of the gospel of John, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
It is hard to believe that we are in September already and what does that mean? Christmas is getting closer and closer. What makes Christmas the most wonderful time of the year? The true light, Jesus Christ, came to this dark world and conquered the ultimate darkness death... So remember that the only true joy and peace and happiness can be found in Christ and it is our responsibility to let the light of Jesus Christ shine through us and on to those who are still in the darkness. So where in your life are you allowing the darkness to push back the light? What are you worrying about that you need to give to God, what do you fear, or what sin is preventing your light from shining in the darkness? Remember Jesus is the light that has shone in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it!
Our text this morning has a grave warning to us. You will notice a clear distinction. We are warned that there is a serious distinction between saying the right thing and doing the right thing. Look at verse 6 of chapter 1
1 John 1:6–9 (ESV)
If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. So if we say one thing “that we have fellowship with God but we walk in darkness we lie. Then John counters with “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” You see the action here? We don’t just say we are walking in the light we actually do it! You might be asking what does it mean to walk in the light?
John tells us in chapter 2 verse 3
And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.
Walking in the light means that we know and keep the commands of Jesus! Now look at the contrast in verse 8
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we say! It is easy to say the right answer but to know our hearts is difficult.
Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV)
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
No one is free from sin. We will fight sin until the coffin lid closes. But we do not need to be controlled by if. An old puritan writer John Owen said “Either be killing sin or sin will be killing you!” What is the action John gives in contradiction to just saying we have no sin? Verse 9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
John is calling us to action! You must fight sin and not by your own power. This is not a pull yourself up by your boot straps and do better speech. We are far too self reliant in america. We need to rely on the indwelling power of The Holy Spirit. Have you ever stopped and pondered the fact that the God of all creation, if you are a believer, has taken up residence in you. And it is By His Spirit we can be victorious over sin! Not your effort but by His Spirit!
Close with bible study story. About Bob.
