Being The Light In A Dark World

Being the light in a dark world

1 John 15-10

Prayer-

If you would turn to 1 John Chapter One.

Have you ever wondered if you have had or if you will make a difference in life?

When I was a kid I thought of all the cool jobs I would like to do, Jobs where you save someone’s life, protecting life, serving for those who can’t help themselves.

Superman, Batman, some kind of cape crusaders. SUPER HERO.

Then maybe Fireman, Policeman, Doctor or Nurse.

My mind wandered to jobs where everyone knows your name because you are famous.

Sports Athlete- For me catching in the big league or Movie Star Co-starring with another big name.

I thought that is the way you make a difference. But is it?

Is it?

I guess it would depend who you were asking-

The world would probably say yes- these are the ways that you make an impact and the way you get noticed by the world.

But if you ask the Lord what would He tell you?

Nothing wrong with any of those professions- I think the Lord would agree.

He would add that these are not the only way!

Doing what God called you to do.

Using what God has given you.

Being sensitive and open with your heart, willing to share your resources.

Not making everything all about you and caring for others.

That may not make the top 5 in the world but it would on God’s list.

1 John is about knowing who Jesus is, what Jesus has saved you from and what a believer would look like being active in any community in the world.

If you claim to know Jesus, live like you know Jesus.

If your life was on trial, would they have enough evidence to proof that you were a Christian?

Jesus went as far to say that if you have resources and you see your brother in need, but have no pity on them, how can the love of God be in you?

Preacher John Wesley preached a lot of sermons from 1 John.

One of his best was from 1 John 3:9- “Those who have been born of God do not sin, because God’s seed abides in them; they cannot sin, because they have been born of God.”

It is possible to live a life without sinning on a daily basis- you would have to be walking with Jesus that close.

According to Wesley and based upon scripture the bible teaches that the new birth (born again) The Holy Spirit of God dwelling in us daily makes inward changes in our life. It changes the manner of our existence.

Before the new birth, we are separated from God and doing our own thing which is without spiritual senses and without the realization of spiritual consequences for our actions.

Separated from God and not hearing or listening to God.

In this state, we have no desire to serve God or hear His voice.

We are disconnected to the things of God and are too foolish to realize that in that state of being we are lost for eternity.

Now, let’s read the text

1 John 1:5-10 Read from Bible

There are three things that I want you to see from this passage-

Knowing the light

Walking in the light

Being the light

There are a lot of dualistic passages in our text-

Lies/truth

Light/darkness

Messiah coming/ Messiah coming back

Good/evil

Scripture shows us that everyone belongs to a family.

The question for eternity is what family do you belong too?

In our fallen state without Christ, we are born in sin and are broken and in need of a savior.

You must be born again, leave that spiritual family without Christ and be born spiritually in the family of God because of what Christ did for you.

You leave the Father of lies and born into the heavenly Father of Truth.

Once we are forgiven of our sins, we by choice walk with Christ and away from the things that are against God.

We abide in Christ.

We are linked to Christ and choose not to sin.

When we do sin, we quickly need to ask forgiveness and restore a right relationship with Him.

3:9:- “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he is born of God.”

We do not continue in known sin or displeasing acts against God.

We do not choose sin- we choose holiness and Christ-likeness.

(V1) “This is the message we have heard from him and declare unto you.”

I don’t know about you but I can tell if someone has been with Jesus!

There is something anointed about someone who has Christ all over them!