Video
Welcome…Guests/ Holy grounds
Slide #1
This past Wednesday I was blessed by being asked to preach the final Chapel service at the USW before the Christmas break. (University of the Southwest)
When Kenny Reed the campus pastor…originally called me in September and asked if I would be interested in speaking.
He shared with me that all semester long the chapel speakers had been asked to structure messages around one major theme...
Torch Bearer’s from the Bible…
Immediately I began to think about what it truly meant to be a Torch Bearer …
A Torch Bearer is someone who puts others before themselves.
A Torch Bearer changes people’s lives for the better wherever they travel in life.
And I came to the conclusion that being a Torch Bearer from the Bible meant sacrificing of your time to serve another.
The torch bearer I was asked to speak about was one of my favorite Characters from the Bible.
Everywhere this Torch Bearer went…He did change people’s lives.
His only goal in life was to please the one who created him.
Because of His life…He left behind leadership characteristics that each of us… can to apply to our lives.
Pray
Slide #2
Let’s begin this morning by first thinking about the torch itself...
What is a torch’s main purpose…simply… it sheds light on things in the dark?
How many of you know who this guy is?
Bear Grills…Man vs. Wild (Shiela will one day thank me…scorpion)
Kids like candy don’t they? They can’t keep away from it.
Many times while Bear is visiting unexplored territories …he comes across a cave and just like a kid in the candy jar… he can’t keep away from it.
Before Bear enters any cave…he first…always makes a torch.
Many times while he’s in the cave…his torch burns out…
Most commonly when that happens he grabs for the infer-red lens from his camera crew… to help him find his way of the darkness of the cave.
I remember on one episode I was watching…Bear was lowering himself down into a lower cavern of the cave…and his torch was un-intentionally put out by a waterfall.
As a result of this he was left helpless in the dark trying to find his way out.
(Sounds like many people living their daily live…walking around in the dark trying to find their way)
I often wonder what was going thru Bear’s mind
At the moment his torch went out…?
I imagine he was thinking thoughts like…
Well… that didn’t work out quite like I planned…
Maybe I should a thought that one through a little better…
But I’m sure at that he was thinking…man this is almost impossible to go on without a light.
How many of us here have found ourselves there?
Trying to make it through this life on our own in the dark?
When Nolan turned 11…My Brother-In-Law worked for a Lime Company…He took us underground into a mine. (Flashlight)
A torch’s’ illuminating power is a pretty incredible thing…it gives people peace about the direction they should travel on.
I think that ever person would agree that when we find ourselves in a darkness situation…like deep in a cave… (We get a little uncomfortable)
Snipe Hunting…
Most of us…if were willing to admit it…are a little scared of the dark.
And if you’re not afraid of the dark…if you read this book at all…darkness is a place that you do not want to associate with.
Christians need to pay attention to what the Bible says about darkness. (Read II Corinthians 4:3-4)
Now think back to the statement I just shared with you originally about the main purpose of a torch…
“A torch’s main purpose is to shed light”
Who is the only one from the Bible who was referred to as light? (Jesus)
So why would following a torch/Jesus in our world today be so important?
Millions of people walk through life without the light of Jesus.
Slide #3
Just like Bear Grills in the cave without his torch…The world outside the church is saturated with darkness and despair.
We…the Church…we understand that Jesus represents life/light…but those who are confused about the existence of God.
Are daily found…helplessly wandering around in this world…making statements like this.
I recently got in a conversation with a few people I know and here’s what we were discussing.
The first person began with a question…Begin quote…
“The existence of God? Why does it matter one way or the other? What would be different?”
The second person who clearly has not clue about the reason for Gods’ existence…said…
I look at the world and I see Christians and Jews and Muslims, all believers in the same god, consistently acting as though there is no god, as though they will not be held accountable for their actions… their taxing thefts, their murders of innocent villagers, their terrorist bombings, their torture of good Samaritans—
And I also think what does it matter, they are all going to hell anyway.
No god in his right mind would let such nasty wicked creatures into his house.
If there is a heaven… it will be full of atheists and Buddhists. (...and Deists, of course.)
The key is to live your life as if it does matter, because then it won't.
A Deists is a person who believes that God created the Universe…but then He abandoned it…
There are literally millions of people who are curelessly wandering around this world in the dark… looking for a way out…and without Jesus direction…His light…they have no hope of survival.
I hope and pray that you make a different kind of New Year’s resolution this coming January.
How many of us here claim that we know who God is…and how many of us here claim that we love Him?
As a Christian you need to show God that you mean it…(The apologetics class)
Why am I pushing it week after week? …because those two people who share with us… who they think God is…and if He even exists…are my cousin…and my brother.
Slide #4
For Christians…Christmas is a time for rejoicing and remembrance.
We all know the story about the baby who came into this world…As the Savior for mankind.
But for the millions who do not know about Jesus… and the life changing story of the cross…
Life itself is dark…and just like a cave… the Christmas holiday is no more than a time of spending and regret!
The world outside the church looks at Christmas as a time of obligation (if someone gives you a gift…you feel obligated to return the favor.)
This was and still is the main reason that God sent Jesus into this world.
Without Jesus…there is no hope for mankind… and No hope for a future.
We read in the book John 12:35. (turn to)
One of the reasons that Jesus came into this world…He was born into this world to be the light (Or the torch) of the world…
Slide #5 Jesus was the Light of the world!
In John 12…Verse 35…Jesus says…
“The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light
…lest darkness overtake you.
The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
Clearly Jesus was sent into this world to shed His light… with the hope… that all mankind would see…that all would understand…and that all would transform (change) from living in darkness to living in light.
Jesus was sent to this earth to be a Torch Bearer… so that His disciples…
People like…you and I… would daily pick up our cross and follow in His foot-steps.
We need to not only be the guides that help to lead people out of the darkness of this life… but we also have to be prepared to do it.
Whether or not you are willing to admit it or not…Jesus expects each of us to be difference makers (expedition-ists) in this life.
Jesus was sent to this world to demonstrate (as an example) to us that He was the light that was sent from God… to save the world from its darkness.
Just like Jesus…
Slide #6 Torch Bearers Seek-out Darkness
Because of sin…every person who is born into this world… enters it in darkness.
And without Jesus’ (torch) placed firmly in your hand…they will never find the light.
As God’s people…we have a responsibility to go and share the good news.
Let me remind you what Jesus shares about the gift of serving Him...Matthew 22:14… “14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
The sweetest thing about understanding Jesus is the more I learn…the more I desire to become like Him.
He promises us in His word that as we go out in the world and share His love with those who don’t know… that He will be right by our side.
The Apostle Paul shares some truth of this in…
Philippians 1:6…, “And I am sure of this, that He (referring to Christ) who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
When God begins a project…He finishes it.
If you’re here today and are still living in darkness…be assured that God sent Jesus into this world for you.
Read John 14:1-3
That night in Bethlehem when God sent Jesus into this dark world…
He did it with the intention of reaching all those who are in darkness(Lost).
From that night… for the next 33 years…Jesus lived His life as an example for us to follow.
Being a Christian is more than just adopting a title or a name.
It’s becoming obedient by faithful church attendance…by participating in Wednesday night Bible studies…and maybe even by starting a small group study in your home for those who don’t feel comfortable here.
I lost half of you right here.
Your thinking…Pastor Bret…there is no way that I could lead a Bible Study in my Home.
Or I don’t know enough about God to sit in the Wednesday night Bible study.
Do not take for granted the power of the light (Jesus) that each of you hold… in your hands.
One thing that I have learned about serving Jesus is to never say NEVER.
God still has the power over Darkness
2 Samuel 22:29
“For you are my lamp, O LORD, and my God lightens my darkness.
The paths that you travel down today…will affect the future generations to come.
Slide #7
Prayer
