Allowing Darkness In?

Many of you know the tragedy that happened early Friday morning when a 24 year old man went on a shooting spree in a theater full of people watching the opening of the Batman movie. 12 innocent people were killed and many were injured including many children!

We get shocked of course from these tragic events. They are random acts of evil but, we really should not be surprised of evil amongst us. Jesus warns us of this over 2000 years ago. How does one become so evil? And how are Christians to handle evil around us?

Please open your Bibles to Luke 11….

In our passage today, we will note that Jesus calls people to not only be in the light but be a light in this dark world.

Let us pray our commitment to God’s Word before reading our passage….

Read along with me now Luke 11:33-36…..

Let us close our eyes for a moment and think about this question,

How important is light??

Some of you have been studying the Book of Genesis with me and we have noted that when God created the earth initially, the earth was formless, empty, and dark. You know God could have kept everything in the dark but let us note that God sees everything even in the dark. But because God planned on creating people to love on earth, God created light by simply saying, “Let there be light!” and there was light!

And so, the first thing we need to note is,

1. Light is God’s idea and it’s a necessity for people!

God actually said He is light! Here are a couple of verses about God and light:

Turn with me for a moment to 1 John 1:3-5….

2 Samuel 22:29 - You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light.

And let us note what God said in the beginning of Luke’s Gospel;

turn with me to Luke 2:29-32….

And so, God is light! Jesus Christ is light!

Now, let’s go back to our passage. What is Jesus saying in Luke 11:33? It is simply this, isn’t it?

2. Light is to be revealed, not hidden!

Now, along with these truths so far, let us note the orginal Greek word and meaning of light in this passage. The original Greek word for light in Luke 11 is phos – meaning a light, a source of light, and radiance!

Based on Luke 11:34-36, what does God desire for every human being?

3. God desires for every human being to be full of light!

Why is this God’s desire?

Based on the context of Luke 11, darkness signifies wickedness which results in unhealthy conditions!

Does anyone like to be in the dark? Yes, we can get fascinated with a “Batman”, but that is all fantasy not reality. Be careful of getting them mixed up.

How many of you remember having a nightlight in your bedroom when you were a kid?? Some of you still sleep with one don’t you?

It is weird to be in the dark! You never know what’s creeping in the dark!

That mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado was not only tragic but so creepy that the shooter was so calm about what he did. One news headline stated about the killer “It almost seemed fun to him”. That shooter allowed darkness into his world that he was so comfortable with evil.

How comfortable are we with evil? – the movies and TV shows we watch, the books we read, the websites we go to on the Internet, the music we listen to..?

Remember how the “angler fish” operate? The devil is like that, luring you to something which looks fun and attractive, when he is actually ready to swallow you alive!

What does a Holy, Perfect, Powerful, Loving God desires for people?

God desires for people to be in the light not in darkness and evil!

God desires for us to be full of light! How is this to happen?

4. How can a person be full of light and not darkness?

Let me read again 3 verses: 2 Samuel 22:9, Luke 2:3 , and Luke 11:36…..

God is the source of everything, He is the Lamp where light comes from, and Jesus Christ is the light available to all people! And so, we can only be full of light if we,

a. Believe in God and Jesus Christ!

And based on Luke 11:34, what are we supposed to do? We are to be careful with our eyes for through our eyes we can allow darkness in our lives! And so, we can only be full of light if we have good eyes, in other words,

b. Filter what we allow into our lives!

Do we focus on godly things or do we allow darkness to creep into our lives?