LONGINGS TO BE FOLLOWED-III—John 8:12
Attention:
!NO OPENER!
There are many things we long for...
Things that may or may not be Christ honoring, such as...
Personal recognition, Power over others, Overly expensive vehicle(s), Expansive house(s) & lands, Personal comfort, Statement clothing, Fine clothing, Prejudicial relationships, ...
When the brilliant undiminished light of Christ shines upon your longings, what is actually revealed about them...about your own heart?
Jesus invited His audience to accept Him as the Light that everyone/all should follow.
Jesus is the Light that all should follow.
What should we follow?
OR
Why should we follow Jesus?
4 Longings worthy of following...
We have found that A Longing to follow, is one that fulfills the need for...
1. REPETITION Of TRUTH(:12a)Repetition/Reiteration/Re-Emphasis
2. EXPOSURE To TRUTH(:12b)“I am the light of the world”
Furthermore...
3—A longing to be followed fulfills the need for...
An APPROPRIATE WALK/Path(:12c)
Explanation:(:12c)Godly Lifestyle/Walk with God
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.””
“Just as Israel followed the pillar of fire in the wilderness(Ex. 40:36-38), so Jesus called men to follow Him(Jn. 1:43; 10:4, 27; 12:26; 21:19, 22; Matt. 4:19; 8:22; 9:9; 10:38; 16:24; 19:21).”—MNTC
Jesus now fleshes out His “light” statement...
Jesus invites any & everyone(“He who”) who will choose to—to take it upon themselves—to “follow” Him. Christians can only lead others to Jesus. Only Jesus can save them.
Personal effort—trust/faith—must be initially made & consecutively maintained on the part of anyone “following” Jesus. Such personal choice & effort is borne out in Jn. 1:12-13. Those who “follow,” can only follow by faith in the Christ of the Bible, the Cross, Resurrection, & Ascension, Eternity.
*Jn. 1:12-13—“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
*Jn. 8:23-24—“And He said to them[Pharisees], “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
If you do not believe that He is “the Light of the World,”...“The Light” for you,...Then you too will die in your sins, & spend eternity in hell!
*Lk. 9:23-24—“Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, & take up his cross daily, & follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.”
Acts 18:27-28—“... when he[Apollos] arrived[in Achaia], he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.”
*“Followers” of Jesus by faith, make up a select group of individuals to whom Jesus promises something of great significance. He promises that should they[all, of every time/generation] choose to “follow” Him, they “shall not walk in darkness.”
This assumes that the majority of people, are unknowingly caught-up in a process of living out their lives “in darkness” even though they may live out their days in the physical sunshine & living enjoyably. Yet such are ‘walking dead’ men, women & children.
In contrast to the walking dead, true actual “followers” of Jesus(Jesus’ actuality—the true Jesus), will at no time, be considered as “walking in darkness.” Thus “walking in darkness” will never characterize Jesus’ “followers.”
Thereby, Jesus’ followers will “walk” “in”the One who is the “light of the world.” These will “walk in” Jesus’ “light”! All they do, they willingly surrender to God’s exposing light, gladly choosing & going where God leads! Knowing their ideal & potential will be met there!
Ps. 119:105—“Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”
Jn. 1:1, 14—“In the beginning was the Word, & the Word was with God, & the Word was God.”..... “And the Word became flesh & dwelt among us, & we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace & truth.”
“Follows”—akolouyew—Present Active Participle Nominative Sing. Masc.—1) To follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant, accompany him; 2) To join one as a disciple, become or be his disciple—2a) Side with his party. Strong—from A(as a particle of union) & keleuyov(a road); properly--To be in the same way with, i.e. To accompany(specially, as a disciple).
“Not”—ou mh—Particle—1) Never, certainly not, not at all, by no means. Strong—a double negative strengthening the denial; Not at all.
From—ou, ouk, or ouc—1) No, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer. Strong—a primary word; the absolute negative [compare mh] adverb; No or not.—&—mh—Particle—1) No, not lest. Strong—a primary particle of qualified negation(whereas ou, ouk, ouc expresses an absolute denial); adverbially--Not, conjunctionally--Lest; also(as an interrogative implying a negative answer[whereas ou expects an affirmative one])--Whether.
“Walk”—peripatew—Future Active Indicative 3rd Sing.—1) To walk—1a) To make one's way, progress; to make due use of opportunities, 1b) Hebrew for, to live—1b1) To regulate one's life, 1b2) To conduct one's self, 1b3) To pass one's life. Strong—To tread all around, i.e. Walk at large(especially as proof of ability); figuratively--To live, deport oneself, follow(as a companion or votary).
“Darkness”—skotia—Noun Fem.—1) Darkness; 2) The darkness due to want of light; 3) metaph.--Used of ignorance of divine things, & its associated wickedness, & the resultant misery in hell. Strong—Dimness, obscurity(literally or figuratively). Used 16X.
Argumentation:
WALKING In DARKNESS:
Jn. 3:19—“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, & men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
Many who darken the doors of churches do so only as long as they are not confronted with God’s truth! If they are not brought into the throne room of God, then they are comfortable. But the moment the relationship with the church gets personal regarding spiritual matters—the moment they are personally brought to account before God rather than merely before men—they skedaddle!
**Jn. 12:44-48—“Then Jesus cried out & said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words & does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, & does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.”
God’s word, Jesus’ Message is a double-edged sword!(Rev. 1:12-16). What saves on the one hand, condemns on the other. Jesus is the Agent upon whom every person’s self-chosen destiny(to follow Jesus or not to follow Jesus) turns!
**Jn. 1:4-5—“In Him was life, & the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, & the darkness did not comprehend it.”
**Jn. 9:39-41—“And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, & that those who see may be made blind.” Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, & said to Him, “Are we blind also?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.”
**Mat. 6:21-24—““For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one & love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one & despise the other. You cannot serve God & mammon.”
As a “lamp,” the eye illuminates the path for the body. Such an eye brings in or draws in what the heart & mind truly seek & allow to be brought in...either evil or goodness!
WALKING In LIGHT:
Gen. 5:22-24—“After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, & had sons & daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred & sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; & he was not, for God took him.”
Gen. 6:8-9—“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.”
**Eph. 2:4-10—“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), & raised us up together, & made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, & that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
**Eph. 5:1-16—“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us & given Himself for us, an offering & a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication & all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ & God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, & truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” See then that you walk circumspectly[exactly, accurately], not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
**Rom. 12:1-2—“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good & acceptable & perfect will of God.”
**Again—Mat. 6:21-24—““For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one & love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one & despise the other. You cannot serve God & mammon.”
Mat. 5:38-48—“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye & a tooth for a tooth.’ “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you & take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, & from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor & hate your enemy.’ “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, & pray for those who spitefully use you & persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil & on the good, & sends rain on the just & on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
**Lk. 6:26-38—“Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets. But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, & pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, & lend, hoping for nothing in return; & your reward will be great, & you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful & evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, & you shall not be judged. Condemn not, & you shall not be condemned. Forgive, & you will be forgiven. Give, & it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, & running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.””
Some think themselves justified in what they ‘do’, but our walk is not primarily about what we ‘do’ but begins with who we ‘are,’ because of ‘whose’ we are!
**Php. 2:12-13—“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear & trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will & to do for His good pleasure.”
**1Pet. 2:15-16—“For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men-- as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.” **Php. 1:27-30—“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come & see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, & not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, & that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me & now hear is in me.”
**Mat. 7:13, 14—“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate & broad is the way that leads to destruction, & there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate & difficult is the way which leads to life, & there are few who find it.”
**Lk. 13:24—“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter & will not be able.”
**1Cor. 9:24—“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.”
**1Cor. 15:58—“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
Illustration:
*Tues June 14, 2016, A little 2yr-old boy(Lane Graves) was killed by an alligator in the lake bordering Disney-World’s Grand Floridian Resort/A fresh-water beach is maintained there for guests, but signs warn visitors that no swimming is allowed/The family being from Elkhorn, Nebraska, was unfamiliar with & unaware of the threat of alligators/They were attending an outdoor movie night at the resort/Around 9 p.m. the boy waded into about a foot of water in the Seven Seas Lagoon(also borders the Magic Kingdom, Polynesian Village & Contemporary Resorts)/There he was attacked & killed(drowned) by an alligator!/The boy wandered in the ‘darkness’ of ignorance/An APPROPRIATE WALK/Path
Linville Caverns is located in the Pisgah National Forest near Linville Falls, NC/Its an active limestone cavern system which is not very extensive but has large, unusual, & beautiful stalactite & stalagmite formations, all of which are lighted/It remains 52ยบ year-round/It has an active bat population & fish swim in & out of the caverns via a small stream that flows through it/At one point where the path is very narrow, the tour group is instructed & warned to find sure footing & stay perfectly still!/They then turn out all lights!...It is scarily, eerily, & perfectly pitch black!/Your eyes do not adjust & it would be impossible to find your way out by sight!/It is a truly welcome event when the lights come back on!!/An APPROPRIATE WALK/Path
There are many who, when pressed to share their belief, reveal an obvious distance from God personally...an obvious distance from truth...they never make the connection between what is revealed to them & its application to their lives—That potential is always before them thru telling circumstances, from the church or from individual Christian witness/Thus their lifestyle reveals their walk is undertaken in darkness/An APPROPRIATE WALK/Path
Not all Christians are ‘technical’ evangelists, but every Christian is a ‘practical’ evangelist.
Application:
?Has your Longing fulfilled your need for An APPROPRIATE WALK/Path?
?You Longing for Jesus, the Light for this World?
CONCLUSION:
Action:
A Longing to be followed, fulfills the need for...
3. An APPROPRIATE WALK/Path(:12c)
1. REPETITION Of TRUTH(:12a)Repetition/Reiteration/Re-Emphasis
2. EXPOSURE To TRUTH(:12b)
Pts. 3 only! presented 07/31/2016am to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave. SW(SE Ave. ‘A’)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
