WE NEED CHRISTMAS BECAUSE MAN HAS A PROBLEM WITH DARKNESS
Colossians 1:13 (NIV) For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
Ephesians 6:12 (NIV) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
John 1:1-5 (NIV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
John 3:19 (NIV) This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
John 8:12 (NIV) When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
2 Corinthians 4:4 (NIV) The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
I. CHRIST CAME TO PERSONIFY THE LIGHT TO THOSE WHO DID NOT KNOW HIM
John 1:1-5 (NIV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
Colossians 1:13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
a. THE LIGHT THAT GOD GAVE TO MAN WAS NOT UNDERSTOOD
i. KATALAMBANO – TO POSSES AS ONES OWN, TAKE POSSESSION OF
b. LIGHT AND DARKNESS COEXIST IN OUR WORLD WITH EACH OTHER
i. AN ETERNAL STRUGGLE
ii. LIGHT DOES NOT BANISH DARKNESS
iii. DARKNESS DOES NOT OVER POWER THE LIGHT
c. THE DARKNESS OF THIS WORLD KNOWS THE LIGHT OF GOD ALL TOO WELL
i. DEMONS CRIED OUT CONCERNING THE BUSINESS JESUS HAD WITH THEM
ii. JESUS CAST OUT DEMONS AND FORBID THEM TO SPEAK BECAUSE THEY KNEW WHO HE WAS
iii. JAMES WOULD ALLUDE TO THE KNOWLEDGE DEMONS HAD OF JESUS. THEIR KNOWLEDGE BROUGHT THE TO SHUDDER
d. IN THE TEXT, THE WORD DARKNESS IS ALMOST PERSONIFIED
i. THINGS DO NOT UNDERSTAND OR NOT UNDERSTAND.
ii. ONLY PEOPLE HAVE THE QUALITY OF UNDERSTANDING
e. MAN DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THE LIGHT OF GOD BECAUSE ITS MEANING IS HIDDEN
2 Corinthians 4:4 (NIV) The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Proverbs 4:19 (NIV) But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
Psalm 82:5 (NIV) "They know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
i. SATAN UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF LIGHT OF GOD
ii. SATAN ACTIVELY SEEKS TO KEEP MEN BLIND TO THE LIGHT OF GOD
iii. SATAN HAS BEEN VERY GOOD AT TAKING WHAT GOD USED TO REVEAL HIMSELF BEFORE JESUS AND TURNING IT AROUND.
1. THE BOOK OF ROMANS SPEAKS ABOUT MAN WORSHIPPING THE CREATED OVER OR INSTEAD OF THE CREATOR.
a. IDOLS OF WOOD AND STONE
b. NATURE
c. EVOLUTION
2. AND BY ACTION DENYING THE IMAGE OF GOD BY THEIR ACTIONS
a. ABORTION
b. EUTHANASIA
f. THE LIGHT COULD NOT BE FULLY UNDERSTOOD UNTIL THE INCARNATION OF JESUS CHRIST
Romans 1:20 (NIV) For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
i. THE NATURE OF LIGHT IS TO DISPEL DARKNESS
ii. SATAN CAN RESIST THE LIGHT, BUT WILL NEVER OVERCOME IT
iii. DARKNESS REPRESENTS DEATH, IGNORANCE, SIN, AND SEPARATION FROM GOD
g. SATAN’S PRIMARY TASK WITH THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW CHRIST IS TO KEEP THEM IN DARKNESS
i. FALSE RELIGION
ii. PHILOSOPHY
iii. SATANISM
iv. EVERY OTHER ISM
h. LIGHT PROVIDES AN ALTERNATIVE
i. MAKES THE DARKNESS FELT
ii. LEAVES MAN WITH TWO CHOICES
1. EMBRACE THE LIGHT
2. EXTINGUISH THE LIGHT
John 3:20 (NIV)
20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
WE HAVE A CHRISTMAS BECAUSE MAN NEEDED THE LIGHT OF CHRIST TO HAVE ANY HOPE OF REJECTING THE DARKNESS AND RETURNING TO GOD!
BUT THE LIGHT OF CHRIST DOES NOT STOP WITH OUR SALVATION. THAT SAME LIGHT IS ALSO ACTIVE –
II. CHRIST CAME TO GIVE US VICTORY OVER THE DARKNESS
Ephesians 6:11-12 (NIV) Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Colossians 1:13 (NIV) For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
Ephesians 5:8 (NIV) For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
a. CHRIST IS ALSO CAME TO ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO HAVE VICTORY OVER THE DARKNESS THAT ONCE COVERED US
b. UNDERSTAND THAT THE DARKNESS HAS NO POWER OVER US.
i. ONLY THE POWER WE GIVE IT
c. UNDERSTAND THAT SPIRITUAL BATTLES ARE FOUGHT WITH SPIRITUAL WEAPONS
i. THE WORD OF GOD
ii. THE POWER OF PRAYER
iii. THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
d. UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO
i. GOD WANTS US TO STAND AGAINST THE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL
ii. OUR JOB IS NOT TO ATTACK SATAN
iii. OUR JOB IS NOT TO ADVANCE AGAINST HIM
iv. OUR JOB IS TO DEFEND AND HOLD WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN US
v. GOD WILL DO THE ADVANCING IN HIS TIME – REMEMBER, ACCORDING TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION, WE WIN!
e. UNDERSTAND THE TACTICS SATAN WILL USE
i. HE WILL TRY TO GET YOU TO DOUBT GOD’S CHARACTER AND CREDIBILITY. WORKED WITH EVE, WILL IT WORK WITH YOU
ii. HE WILL TRY TO GET US TO DISTRUST OR DOUBT GOD
iii. HE WILL TRY TO KEEP US FROM RECOGNIZING OR ACCEPTING GOD’S FORGIVENESS
iv. HE WILL TRY TO GET US TO BLAME GOD
v. HE WILL BRING TROUBLE INTO OUR LIVES WITH THE HOPE OF GETTING IS TO FORSAKE GOD
vi. HE WILL TRY TO GET US TO GET CONFUSED CONCERNING GOD’S WORD; SCRIPTURE IS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. SO, IF YOU CAN’T MAKE SENSE OF IT, YOU GIVE UP TRYING, OR START FOLLOWING THOSE WHO WOULD LEAD YOU ASTRAY
vii. HE WILL TRY TO DIVIDE THE BODY OF CHRIST, AND BREAK OUR UNITY
viii. HE WILL TRY TO GET US TO TRUST IN OUR OWN RESOURCES, AND THEREFORE NOT NEED GOD. DID IT WITH KING DAVID BY GETTING HIM TO COUNT HIS ARMY INSTEAD OF TRUSTING GOD FOR VICTORY
ix. HE WILL TRY AND GET US TO LIVE HYPOCRITICAL LIVES, COVERING OUR SINS WITH “CHURCHNESS” INSTEAD OF CONFESSING OUR SINS AND GETTING RIGHT WITH GOD
x. HE WILL TRY AND GET US TO BE ENTICED BY MATERIALISM
xi. HE WILL TRY TO GET US TO DISOBEY GOD’S WORD
SO, WHY DO WE HAVE A CHRISTMAS? BECAUSE MAN HAD A DARKNESS PROBLEM THAT THE COMING OF CHRIST SOLVED, AND WE HAVE A CONTINUAL PROBLEM WITH DARKNESS SEEKING TO INVADE OUR LIVES AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST.
