For five weeks we have going on a fast paced journey through the Bible and it all culminates today. If you've been watching the Bible miniseries you've seen many of the major stories of the Bible and you have probably noticed that this series was targeted not so much at people who know the Bible well, but more to help those who don't know it and haven't had an interest in knowing it.
And though it has taken some liberties, and dramatized things a little, I think they did a good job of getting the meaning of the stories across, and causing an interest in the Bible for those who haven't had it before. And they have made it all lead up to the most important part, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. None of the rest of it would really matter if it weren't for what we are remembering this weekend. Let's watch our clip for this week.
When I title this message journey from darkness to light, I am talking about that on two levels. The obvious one being Jesus walking out of the tomb from darkness to light. But much more it is about us walking from spiritual darkness to incredible light as we trust in and walk with Jesus. John says it well in his first letter chapter 1 verses 5-7:
5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
And there's a passage back in verse 2 of that chapter 9 in Isaiah that says, "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of deep darkness, on them has light shined".
The people who walked in darkness refers to those who refused the appeal in Isaiah 2:5 "… come let's walk in the light of the Lord". To those who accept that the light has come into the world they have great joy as they experience the grace of God falling upon them.
The famous first chapter of the book of John, which is a bit of a mirror of the first chapter of Genesis also exlains this, and is our primary passage for thise morning. Read Jn 1:1-18.
In verse 14 John clearly identifies Jesus as the word who became flesh. So as we return to verse 1 we see that John is making it clear that Jesus is definitely divine, that in every way he is God, he was with God and was God even in the beginning, he was never not God. All things were made through him including light. Without him not anything was made. He is not a created being, he is the creator and sustainer off all things, nothing can exist without his will. In him was life - eternal life, and that life was the light of men.
Ok what is the light? It is this eternal life that is in Jesus. From that we can conclude that light here refers to hope and darkness refers to death. If we take that back to the Isaiah passage we see that the people walked in death. Death is the destiny of all human beings since the fall in the Garden of Eden. Jesus Christ gave us this life, this light, when he died on the cross, because only he can give this life.
But not only is this light eternal life, it is also illumination. You may recall that when I spoke about creation in the past that this word for light in Genesis can mean literal light, but it can also mean the illumination of awareness. We have the expression, "let me shine some light on that for you", in the sense of understanding and knowledge.
So this light also brings understanding and awareness to a dark or deceived world. That is why Jesus says I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me. Why does he make that arrogant statement? Because it's true, no one can know the true God without the light of Christ shining in the darkness of ignorance. The truth is in Jesus and no one else.
Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness of death because the darkness has not overcome it. The apostle John goes on to talk about John the Baptist being a witness of the light that all may believe through Him.
Verse 9, "The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world". But the world did not know him, his own people did not receive him. But there were some who did receive or associate with him and they were given the right to be children of God, who were born again supernaturally.
A few chapters later right after "God so loved the world" in chapter 3, we hear, "And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God".
So whether we look at darkness as death or as ignorance about God, either way Jesus here is saying that people tend to choose the darkness rather than the light, because to come to the light will expose us and let us know we are naked and lost, which then would require repentance. But whoever does what is true comes to the light.
So the light also acts as a judge to shine the light on dark places and expose sin for what it is. Not necessarily to condemn, but to save a person who is courageous enough to come out into the light and be exposed by the truth of what they are in relation to God.
In that way, even though we have been skulking around in the dark, if we are willing to come out squinting in his marvellous light we will find not condemnation, but salvation and freedom, and truth.
One of my favourite passages is from 1 Peter 2 verse 4-10:
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."
He is not talking to Jews there, there may be some believing Jews, but he is talking to the Gentile church, that is now a royal priesthood and a holy nation. Paul says something similar in Ephesians 5
"Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God's people. 4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes-these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. 5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
6 Don't be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. 7 Don't participate in the things these people do. 8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. 11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said by the prophet Isaiah,
"Awake, O sleeper,
rise up from the dead,
and Christ will give you light."
These are such beautiful passages, but they're also tough passages. These writers, inspired by the Spirit of God are calling God's children to live as children of the light, just as all the prophets in Israel in Old Testament times called the people to obedience. Once you have seen the light, there's no turning back.
Let's look at one more passage now from the book of Revelation in chapters 21 and 22 talking about our future eternal residence with Jesus,
"And I saw no temple in this city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day - and there will be no night there (we will never see darkness again).
They will bring into it the glory and the honour of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false (remember earlier in John we heard that only those who do what is true will come to the light?), but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life (only those he knows) will be there.
… No longer will anything be accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship Him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever."
This light thing is a big deal, it's mentioned so often. And it seems to me that God is saying it will be future, but you also have the light nowinside you, you don't have to wait to live in it. Did you notice in that passage that the Glory of God is the light, but the lamp is the Lamb? The source of the light is God the Father, but the light is manifest in Jesus the Son.
We are talking about the resurrection of Jesus Christ today at Easter. And I admit that it has become somewhat old hat for a lot of Christians. We are desensitized to the utter impossibility and awesomeness of it, maybe because we have never seen someone rise from the dead. It's just something that happened in history that we read about. But can we put ourselves there and realize what it would have been like to see this.
First we would have seen Lazarus walk out the tomb even though he stinketh, after being in there for four days. Listen to what Jesus says as he delays going to Lazarus when he finds out about his illness, first he says:
"This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the son of God may be glorified through it." Yeah but Jesus he did die. Then he says:
"Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." Then, ..."Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him."
The disciples were confused about this, then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe." Do you get that, he's dead and for your sake I am going to amaze you by bringing him back to life so you will believe who I am. And he has implied that Lazarus does believe and has the light in him, that he cannot really die.
Then if that isn't enough he does it again with himself a few days later. Imagine if one of your loved ones came out of the grave and started eating supper with you. Do you think you would ever be the same?
He closes that passage with, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though they die, yet they shall live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"
That is the big question to our world today. Do you believe that Jesus was resurrected, do you believe that he is alive and is the only one who can give eternal life, and do you believe that if you believe, he will also raise you from the dead?
That is also on two levels because we know that Lazarus did indeed die again, that all Christian believers die physically, but Jesus is also talking about our spiritual resurrection the day we believe. That even now in these decaying bodies we have spiritual eternal life, and that one day he will give us new bodies to go with these eternal spirits.
But the Bible is very clear that even once these bodies have the light of eternal life dwelling in them, we can already live as children of the light, walking by the spirit and not the flesh, so that we can do what Paul said earlier in Ephesians with an exclamation mark, "Live as children of the light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true."
By the Spirit of God we already have the power of His resurrection in us, do you believe that? This power can cause you to live as a child of God in this world, in these bodies. That is how the light shines in the world today, because my friends, Jesus said, "You are the light of the world and you are not to be hidden. And this light shines through your love, goodness and truth". How about we light up this world and show this resurrected Saviour to everyone.
