Light In The Darkness Part 2 Series

Introduction

Last Sunday we began a new four-part series “Light in the Darkness”. And I introduced the series by saying that we live in a spiritual dark and evil world. But the Good News for those of us who are Christian is that with God we don’t have to walk in that darkness.

And I shared with you three ways how God keeps us from walking in that darkness. Today, I want to expound on that third way that I mentioned last week. And that third way to refresh our memories is this: God keeps me in His light by shinning His light on the right path I should take.

So, to begin our study, we head back to the Old Testament and to the longest Psalm in the Bible- Psalm 119 for one verse- verse 105. And then we will go over to the words of a song King David composed after God had delivered him from his enemies. And that is in 2 Samuel 22:29. So please stand for the reading of those two Scriptures.

Scripture

Psalm 119:105 (NKJV)

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet

And a light to my path.

2 Samuel 22:29 (NKJV)

29 “For You are my lamp, O Lord.

The Lord shall enlighten my darkness.

King David tells us very clearly that Jesus Christ and His Word are the lights to our path in this dark world. Now, I know in the darkness I can see nothing. I got bruises to confirm that fact. But now that I have God’s light, what am I able to see?

Point #1

With Jesus and His Word shinning its’ light, I can see my present situation not only from this world’s perspective, but I can also see what God is doing in my life spiritually.

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 (NKJV)

Seeing the Invisible

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

What we see in the natural, with these eyes, is not necessarily the way things really are. And so, God shines His Light on that situation so that we get a fuller picture of what is going on.

As an example, take Jesus’ death on the cross. If we look at it with these natural eyes, we will say that a great teacher died on the cross that day. But God and His Word sheds light on that situation so we know that the God-Man Jesus in His death was reconciling us to God by paying the price for our sins. That’s a whole lot more than my natural eyes saw. God’s light gave me a fuller picture.

Another example would be the death of Lazarus. Mary and Martha called for Jesus to come heal their brother, but Jesus was three days late on purpose. With their natural eyes, all they could see is that Lazarus had died, and Jesus did not make it there on time. When Jesus arrived, He raised Lazarus from the grave showing to his disciples and to the sisters of Lazarus that nothing is impossible with God. They got to see a whole lot more going on because Jesus shined a light on the situation.

And God does the same things in our lives. One of our own, Pepper, had a surgery and after the surgery there have been complications. If Pepper looked at the situation from her natural eyes, she would say that she experienced a surgery gone bad. But I have heard Bro. Greg say several times from this pulpit, Pepper has got a lot closer to God during this time. When Pepper expands her vision to see not only the natural but the spiritual, there is a whole lot more going than just surgery complications.

So, my word to you is this: in your situations that you find yourself in always look for the spiritual. You should be able to see it because God is shining His light on it.

Point #2

With Jesus and His Word shinning its’ light, I can see dimly what the future holds after my death.

1 Corinthians 13:11–12 (NKJV)

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.