“BLINDED BY DARKNESS”
Rev. Mike Reed, Winter Haven, Florida
March 2014
1 John 2:9-11
1 John 2:14
Psalm 112:4
Proverbs 4:18-20
John 8:12
Luke 11:34-35
Psalm 18:28
1 Peter 2:9-10
1 John 2:9-11, 14 (New Living Translation)
9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness. 10 Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. 11 But anyone who hates another brother or sister is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.
Sometimes a person makes a decision to do something that is just mean, disrespectful, perhaps socially unacceptable toward another person, and it just leaves you shaking your head and saying, “I can’t believe someone would do something like that.” When we lived in the little town of Coleman, Florida (pop. 874) in the 1990’s, there was a nice little wooden house on the main road into town that became the center of attention for everyone in town. The owner wanted to make a change to the house but because of some zoning law was denied the permit by the city council. In frustration the man decided to paint the house with awful, bright, neon type paint. It was hideous. He wasn’t even going to live in it, so the yard became an overgrown mess. It was one of the first houses you saw as you entered our quaint little town, and those who lived around it were upset for obvious reasons. Some of our best friends lived across the street in a beautiful house and they hated having that ugly mess to look at every day. Many times I heard them say, “I wish there was something we could do about it.” Most states enacted “Spite Laws” in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Florida, however, doesn’t have any spite laws regarding fences or houses.
“Spite Laws” prohibited people from doing things on their property just to be mean to their neighbors. These laws became necessary as incidents occurred across the U.S. with people building houses or fences to make life miserable for a neighbor. Here are a few accounts:
The “Spite House” in Alexandria, VA, is only 7 feet wide and 25 feet deep. Built in 1830 by the owner of the adjacent house to keep horse-drawn carts and people from using his alley. The present owners bought it in 1990 for $130,000.00. It is two-stories and has 325 square feet.
In 1925, a spat between two neighbors over a tiny sliver of land resulted in one neighbor building a “spite house” only 5 feet wide.
Frederick, Maryland. 1814. Dr. John Tyler owned a plot of land which the city planned to take and build a road on, connecting two downtown roads. He fought it, but lost. In his search for a way to keep his property, Dr. Tyler found an old law which prohibited the city from building a road on private property if a home existed or if construction of a home was in progress. The night before road crews arrived to begin work on his property, Dr. Tyler had workmen pour the foundation for a house. He poured the foundation for a room on the side so as not to leave enough space for a road beside his house. It’s been called the “Spite House” ever since.
States also have laws prohibiting “Spite Fences.” These are much more common because they’re faster and cheaper. Here are some examples:
(Go to pics)
Things like “Spite Houses” and Spite Fences” happen because people can’t work out their differences and somebody reacts in a less-than-Godly manner. These things probably wouldn’t happen if both parties had been acting more Christ-like and less selfishly. However, spite fences (especially) probably are built because tempers flare, words are said, and somebody just can’t bring themselves to simply make an effort to talk to their neighbor and resolve a difference. They have been blinded by all the unChristlike action and words thus far and all that can be seen is to build fences. Thus, the darkness has blinded them. The “Light” says, “Talk to your neighbor. Forgive your neighbor. Be kind to your neighbor.” But the darkness says, “Build a big fence and teach them a lesson!"
As I was reading the book of 1st John recently, a verse in chapter 2 jumped out at me. It caught me as kind of strange because it refers to causing a person to be blinded by darkness. Now we all know the account of Paul being blinded by an extremely bright light on the road to Damascus and having his conversion experience. We know how you can suffer eye damage by staring into the sun. Extreme brightness can cause blindness. But darkness? Darkness causes your eyes to be more sensitive to light – it doesn’t usually blind a person.
1 John 2:9-11, 14 (New Living Translation)
9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness. 10 Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. 11 But anyone who hates another brother or sister is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.
14 I have written to you who are God’s children because you know the Father. I have written to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I have written to you who are young in the faith because you are strong. God’s word lives in your hearts and you have won your battle with the evil one.
Throughout the Bible there are 141 verses that use the word “darkness.” Some verses literally refer to the darkness of night, and it’s obvious when that’s the case. In other places the darkness spoken of is an “evil,” and the writer is drawing a contrast between the goodness of God and the darkness of Satan. These verses bring into focus a battle that is ever present within each of us. As we learn more about God and strive to live our lives in accordance with His will, the Bible teaches that He brings “light” to our eyes. The transformation that takes places when you become more like Jesus is in the eyes. You see people, the world, and all things differently because of your relationship with Jesus. Also, people see in your eyes your relationship with Jesus. It’s either there or it isn’t.
You’ve seen how knowing Jesus Christ can literally change a person. Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, takes a life and transforms it into His likeness. That’s the process the Bible calls “sanctification.”
• A person who was bitter becomes pleasant.
• A person who was prejudiced comes to accept and even love those he used to hate.
• A person who never had any use for church finds a longing to attend worship services.
• A person who never wanted to read the Bible now reads for hours and doesn’t want to watch TV or do some other past-time he used to enjoy.
That’s “sanctification.” That’s Jesus slowly changing your heart from a heart of spiritual darkness into a heart of light.
Psalm 112:4
Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
Proverbs 4:18-20
18 But the path of the just is like the shining sun,[a]
That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know what makes them stumble.
John 8:12
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
Jesus taught that whether your heart is filled with light or filled with darkness depends upon what your eye is looking for. And what does your eye search for? Your eye searches for what you will for it to look for. If there is a movie you’re interested in seeing, but you find that it is rated “R” with warnings regarding language and sexual content, you have a decision to make. If sanctification is important to you, if being more like Christ tomorrow than you are today is important to you, then you would make the decision to not see the movie. Why? Because you are allowing darkness into your heart when as a Christian you have made the decision to pursue light. Remember, the eye is the lamp. What the eye sees determines in large part the balance of spiritual darkness and light within your heart.
Look at the words of Jesus regarding the eyes, the will, and sanctification:
Luke 11:34-35
34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.
There is always a battle going on for the heart of the Christian. Satan has lost your soul, but he knows that your testimony is up for the taking for the rest of your life. Therefore, he is always looking for a way to test you and to get you to bend toward the darkness. Satan wants to keep as much “spiritual darkness” in your heart as he possibly can so that your testimony can suffer at the right time.
“Sanctification” is the process of becoming more like Jesus. That means there’s more spiritual light going into your heart and pushing out the spiritual darkness that is there. It’s the process of Satan losing ground to Jesus in your heart. The Bible doesn’t really have a good term for the opposite – Jesus losing ground to Satan in your heart, but that’s exactly what Jesus was warning against. I suppose our best term would be “backsliding.”
Psalm 18:28
For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
Picture your heart as a glass half filled with dark fluid and half filled with clear, pure water. The dark fluid represents the evil that Satan is constantly trying to put into your heart, while the pure water represents the Spirit of God that Jesus is offering to you. Neither Jesus nor Satan will put their influence into your heart – that’s up to you. It all depends on what you decide you want in your life – in your heart. You have to make the decision, and it’s a daily decision.
HOW DOES JESUS OFFER YOU THE MEANS TO BECOME MORE LIKE HIM?
1. Through the constant influence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our constant reminder of all things Godly. We can count on Him to direct us in our decisions as we have to make choices in how we act.
2. Through the influence of the Bible. God’s Word gives us direction on how to live according to the will of God. As you read it, you will find exactly how God desires for you to treat others, to spend your money, to love your spouse, etc.
3. Through the influence of Christian friends. You know it’s easier to live a Godly lifestyle around other Christians than it is when you’re in the company of non-Christians. That’s why it is so vitally important to keep the company of Christians. When you’re in the company of lost people you should always be in “witness” mode, but when in the company of other Christians you can be relaxed and allow more and more of the light of Christ to fill you.
4. Through the influence of worship. Weekly worship times with other Christians is like taking a spiritual bath and washing off the dirt Satan has thrown on you all week. Satan has been putting more and more “black water” in your heart since your last worship experience, and it’s through the worship of our Lord that the Holy Spirit can add more pure water and push out the black water of the heart.
5. Witnessing. However you impact someone else’s life for Christ during the week does more to push the “black water” of Satan’s influence from your heart than anything else. Once you share from the “pure water” that is in your heart and see the blessing to another person, Satan loses more of your heart and Christ gains a little more ground.
HOW DOES SATAN TRY TO NEGATIVELY AFFECT YOUR HEART?
1. Lost companions. Satan wants you to have lost friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, spouses, family members, people at work, etc. He wants you surrounded by lost, unsaved people.
2. Entertainment. Satan puts morally offensive entertainment at your fingertips in an effort to entice Christians to taste what the lost enjoy. Each time he adds a little more “black water” to your heart.
3. Financial stress. Satan loves credit cards. Most Americans live far beyond their means and work the extra hours to try to pay for it. We have an epidemic of people not having time for church because of their jobs which they have no choice but to work because of debts they can’t pay. There is great comfort in living within your means.
4. Immoral opportunities. Many Christians are taken down each year because of moral failure. It may be a premarital affair, a marital affair, pornography, drug use, alcoholism, gambling, or any number of activities that Satan can dangle in front of you. If you’re not equipped and prepared to say “no” before the temptation hits, you’re in trouble.
5. Illegal activity. Each year Christians are caught in illegal activity when those who know them never suspected. Satan knows that the lure of quick financial gain or sometimes revenge can draw the Christian to risk their reputation thinking they probably won’t get caught.
As a child of God, a Christian, you are faced each day with decisions that non-Christians do not have. You have to weigh each decision in light of your relationship with Jesus Christ. You have to base your actions on your continuous effort to maintain your testimony so that your witness for the Lord is not compromised. The Bible says that the eyes are the “Lamp to the soul.” John wrote that if we look into the spiritual darkness long enough our eyes will be blinded to the light of Christ. This simply means that once a person looks into the darkness long enough, then he/she will turn away from the “light” that Jesus gives whenever it is shown to them. They will no longer be receptive to it. It is so sad when this happens to someone who has claimed Jesus as their Lord, to lose spiritual ground and to become blinded to His direction in their life. You have been called out of spiritual darkness for a purpose: to bring praise to God through your life, as was written by Peter:
1 Peter 2:9
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
The non-Christian, the person who is spiritually lost, is already in spiritual darkness. However, God’s Holy Spirit calls to them and offers them a choice to live in spiritual darkness or spiritual light. The life of spiritual darkness ends with the soul being cast into Hell, eternally separated from God. The life of spiritual light ends with the soul forgiven of sin and allowed into Heaven for eternity – but it gets better! Our life in Christ doesn’t begin in Heaven, it begins on earth. The Christian is blessed to know God and have a personal relationship with the creator of all things during this life! It is our purpose for being created.
As we close today let me ask you a question: how is your heart? Is it full of the pure water which is the spirit of God? Or does part of it contain the spiritually contaminated “black water” that you’ve allowed Satan to pour into you? There’s only one way to remove the “black water” in the heart – you’ve got to add pure water. It begins with repentance. Ask God to forgive you for the wrong spiritual choices that allowed the “black water” in to begin with. Second, you have to make the decision and the choices to live in God’s “wonderful light.”
HOW IS YOUR HEART?
I will be glad to email you the powerpoint for this sermon which includes the great shots of "spite" houses and "spite" fences which are mentioned at the beginning of the sermon. Drop me an email at (mkr4162@live.com).
