A Light In The Darkness

INTRODUCTION

• SLIDE #1

• As we have been examining the concept of being a Masterpiece in Progress, last week, we examined the importance of having the correct attitude concerning life.

• What we think eventually becomes what we do.

• Listen, we live in a world that is full of bad things.

• We live in a world that is not too keen on following the ways of God.

• When you look at our country, morality seems to be becoming a thing of the past.

• When you turn on the news, it usually is not full of good news.

• Let me ask you a question, do you long for the world, for our society to become a better place while we are on this earth, or do you want to continue to see it get worse and worse.

• If history teaches us anything, it is that society will fall when it has no moral underpinning.

• That leads us to the question, whose job is it to help shine a light into the dark world?

• The Church has lost a great deal of her influence on our society.

• Our Founding Fathers understood that for our society to work, Christianity needed to be the glue that kept this nation together.

• We are fed and believe the false narrative of separation of Church and state to the point that Christians are being actively discouraged from participating in the public arena.

• Something needs to change.

• Then you look at organizations like Chick-Fil-A, who because their founder has biblical views on life, (which by the way have not led the organization to discriminate in any way, become).

• They have been the victims of scorn and discrimination, despite the fact they are usually one of the first organizations to be first on the scene when disasters strike to offer food to help the relief efforts.

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• So why is the Church as well as biblical standards losing impact on our society?

• It is because of politics? That is a part of the problem.

• There is a much deeper issue that is plaguing the Church that needs to be called out and corrected if we ever hope to be able to influence society as well as to reach the dying world in which we live.

• Today we will be in Ephesians 5:3-20. Let’s turn there together as we will begin with verses 3-7.

• SLIDE #2

• Ephesians 5:3–7 (CSB) — 3 But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints. 4 Obscene and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. 5 For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things. 7 Therefore, do not become their partners.

• SLIDE #3

SERMON

I. Bringing darkness in the darkness.

• Last week we looked at how we are called to be imitators of God.

• Today’s passage ties back into that thought.

• Since we are called to be imitators of God, what we find in verses 3-7 are things we are called to avoid.

• Before we dig into this, we need to consider something significant.

• When you go into a dark place, a place so dark that you cannot see your hand in from of your face, what do you do to be able to see?

• You bring some sort of light.

• You do not bring more darkness into a dark room.

• I believe one of the biggest reasons the Church has lost a great deal of influence in our society is that too many of us are bringing more darkness into the darkness.

• Instead of being a city on a hill, or a light shining in the darkness, we live as if we are just as lost as the lost world.

• I am not trying to beat anyone up over this, I am also looking in the mirror.

• But think about it. How many things as Christians do we KNOW God does not want us doing, yet we do it and excuse it.

• Some things we do people do not see, now that is still not an excuse to do them, but many other things we do, we sin in a very public way.

• So, when we bring more darkness into darkness, how can we lead anyone?

• If I am cheating on my wife and others know it, how can I possibly lead them to Jesus?