Who Turned On The Lights! Series

Intro: WHO TURNED ON THE LIGHTS!

1. The city of Rattenburg, Austria is in the dark from November to February each year. The city was built in the 1300’s behind a 3,000-foot mountain to protect it from ma-raud-ers [people in search of plunder]. Since the lack of winter sunshine was a small price to pay for safety then, no one worried about it.

Times have changed though, current residents list the lack of winter sun as one of the biggest drawbacks to living in the village.

Since sunshine is plentiful just a ten-minute walk from town, residents are warming up to an idea of bringing in some sun!

An Austrian company proposes using a series of rotating mirrors mounted on the hillside to reflect light from a neighboring village.

The technology requires pinpoint beaming. The company says to light up the entire village would require a mirror the size of a football field. Instead, they will use smaller mirrors to create "hotspots," areas about the size of a front yard where people can gather and soak up rays.

The director of the mirror company, Markus Peskoller, says at least 6 other towns in Austria and neighboring Switzerland have expressed interest in reflected sunlight.

2. Man was never meant to live in darkness, so God turns on the light.

3. First day - a day of Exposure.

Trans:We have looked at the Introduction which can best be summarized by the word Existence. Now we come to the first day, a day of Exposure.

Gen. 1:3-5

I. FIRST, THE SPEAKING WHICH BROUGHT THE EXPOSURE. 1:3a

Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light - we have looked at the idea of a Divine fiat before. What incredible power God has that He can just speak things into existence!

God’s Word created light. The phrase "let there be" is one word in the Hebrew (hayah). It is a strong, active imperative. God is commanding "light to become," to come into existence. Light is not eternal; it has not always been in existence. Light came into existence just like everything else in the universe. God created light. [Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible]

Evans notes, "In the beginning, the Bible says, God commanded, "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3). No meeting was held after that, no committee vote. When God called for light, "there was light." Period. That’s it. Because when God speaks, something happens. The Bible says that when God speaks, He creates.

When God commands, He brings things into existence.

’15 He sends forth His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly. 16 He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes. 17 He casts forth His ice as fragments; Who can stand before His cold? 18 He sends forth His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow." Psalm 147:15-18

Thus God controls the weather by His word. I know meteorologists account for the rain by explaining how this front mixes with that front and by showing the movement of air and all of that. But they are only investigating the speech of God. God says that when it rains, it does so because He says so. The elements come under His control.

Likewise the nations are controlled by God’s Word!

"See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To pluck up and to break down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant." Jeremiah 1:10

When God speaks, He can raise up and tear down nations. He splits Berlin Walls, dismantles Soviet Unions—and if we don’t watch out, He can take down America. God works His will among the nations simply by the word of His power.

God’s Word is also the only thing that can deal with the demonic realm. Many of the negative things we experience are the result of activity by the demonic world opposing and attacking us. This world is the realm of Satan’s influence, "2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Ephesians 2:2

But the Bible shows us again and again that the demons have to obey God when He merely utters the word. Mark 5:1-20 is a great example."

II. NEXT, THE STATING OF THAT WHICH EXPOSES EVERYTHING. 1:3b

..."Let there be light"; and there was light - What exactly is light? Darkness is usally defined as "the absence of light." Not overly helpful!

But defining light is even harder!

"light’ (lit) n. 1. Physics. Electronmagnetic radiation that has a wave-length in the range from about 4,000 (violet) to about 7,700 (red) angstorms and may be perceived by the normal unaided human eye."