JESUS LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS! – MARCH 14, 2021

There’s a fascinating recurring theme woven throughout the Bible. It’s the theme of light and darkness. We begin with darkness in only the second verse of the entire Bible.

• Genesis 1:2 – ² And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. ³ Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ⁴ And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. ⁵ God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.”

And in describing the coming of Jesus, the gospel writer John echoes that same theme from Genesis – but this time in the New Testament. John, chapter 1

• John 1:1-5 –In the beginning, the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. ⁴…A fountain of life was in him, for his life is LIGHT for all humanity. ⁵ And this LIGHT never fails to shine through darkness — LIGHT that darkness could not overcome!
• MATTHEW 6:23 –…the light cannot penetrate and darkness takes its place. How profound will be the darkness within you if the light of truth cannot enter!

And even the Apostle Paul wrote,

• 2 CORINTHIANS 6:14 –Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?
• EPHESIANS 5:8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!

Isaiah foretold

• ISAIAH 9:2 –The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.

And Jesus personalized that prophecy when He declared…

• JOHN 8:12 – “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF LIFE BECAUSE HE IS LIFE-GIVING

HE IS THE FOUNTAIN OF LIGHT AND LIFE!!!

IN HIM WE HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE!!!

IN HIM WE NOT ONLY HAVE TRUE LIFE WE SEE TRUE LIFE!!!

JOHN 1:4 – The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.

JOHN 1:9 – The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

• THE COMING OF THE LIGHT INTO THE WORLD MARKED THE DAWN OF SALVATION!

JOHN 3:14-21 – ¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life ¹⁶ “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. ¹⁹ And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.  ²⁰ All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. ²¹ But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” what the darkness does to us. It robs us of faith.

People loved darkness rather than light!

ISAIAH 60:1 – “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.”

2 CORINTHIANS 4:6 – For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

BUT YOU SHINE AS BRIGHT AS GOD MADE YOU TO RIGHT WHERE HE PLACED YOU TO BE HIS LIGHT…

• Some places in the world are brightly lit; while others are dimly lit.
• Some cities have many bright lights, other cities have only a few bright lights. Some homes have strong light, while other homes have weak light.
• Every city, every home, and every business, every place on this earth where there is a witness of a Christian believer–has some light. It may be weak or it may be strong but there is light. Sometimes I wonder if God puts the brightest lights in the darkest places. If that is you then ask yourself this question, “Am I shining to the best of my ability?” Maybe we’re like those stained glass windows but the light can’t get through because someone forgot to keep the glass clean. Maybe we need to wash our windows so His light can penetrate the darkness around us.
• Light can become weak and useless. I had a spotlight that would light up the tops of the tallest tree around but it quit. It didn’t quit suddenly but over time it gave up. There was nothing wrong with the bulb and I couldn’t really blame the battery.
• What caused the light to quit was this. I failed to keep it connected to the power source.
• The instructions for this light plainly stated that it had to remain connected to the charger unless it was being used. I allowed my light to be disconnected and put in a closet. No one is to be blamed for that but me. I knew what the instructions said and did nothing…
• Many believers are like my spotlight, either dead or dying because they failed to stay connected to their source of power…
• Stay connected to the power so you don’t end up like that light. For some, it’s laziness that causes them to fail to stay connected. For others, it may be just too hard or inconvenient for them. Please don’t let serving the Lord be an inconvenience to you. “Well pastor, right now is just not a good time for me.” If not now, when? If not right where you are then where? When will the time ever be right? When will the place ever be perfect?

• A light is meant to be seen and given.
• Your light is to be visible so many can see it but more than just to admire how marvelous your light is. They need to see it, admire it, and receive it. The light we display should be so awesome that people around us would seek it out to be their very own. Your light should draw them so they desire to walk in the light and reap the benefits of the light.

Ephesians 5:13-14 – ¹³ But everything exposed by the light becomes visible–and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. ¹⁴ This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

1. Believers are to let their light shine in order to show forth good works.

• The command “Let your light so shine” means let your good works be seen. The believer is to show good works to the world, but at the same time we must be careful how we do these works before others
• James 3:13 – If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.
• Titus 2:7 – And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.

2. Believers are to let their light shine in order to glorify God.

• This is the ultimate reason we are to place our light before people: to cause people around us to glorify God.
• God is glorified when believers get out into the darkness where the lost are.
• The good works of believers are NOT to be done within sheltered walls with other lights BUT out in the darkness where it will do the best!
• Light is not seen unless it is placed in front of people.

WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPEN WHEN JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD.

SOMETHING THAT TOTALLY REVOLUTIONIZED MAN’S RELATIONSHIP

THE LIGHT OF CHRIST CHANGES THE WAY YOU LOOK AT YOUR LIFE – YOUR PURPOSE AND THE PROBLEMS YOU FACE

JOHN 1:4 – The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.

LIGHT HAS GREAT POWER!

THE DARKNESS AROUND US CAN BE OVERWHELMING!!

THE GOOD NEWS…WE CAN CONTINUALLY SEEK THE HELP OF JESUS CHRIST TO FIND LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS, HOPE AMIDST DESPAIR, AND FORGIVENESS IN SPITE OF SIN.

HOW ABOUT YOU?

HAS JESUS BRIGHTENED YOUR LIFE?

HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED JESUS IN A PERSONAL WAY?

IS THERE LIGHT IN YOUR LIFE THAT KEEPS YOU FROM STUMBLING IN THIS SIN-DARKENED WORLD?

THERE IS HOPE, FOR THE LIGHT STILL SHINES.