Children of Light (John 12:35-36)
Many expect to be given God than they are to search for God. They want to be handed all the blessings of peace, prosperity, and providence which somehow they think God represents but they fall short of diligently seeking Him. That if I do what the pastor tells me – be kind, be generous, be good, then God is with me, my family. All that I do will be success. Yes, that’s the God I want. Give me this God. I hope and pray that’s not you.
The moral of the story is not about spending an enormous time of your life to find God. Rather, it is to ask if you are wasting away tremendous amount of time looking for what you have already have – GRACE. God is not this marvelous yet mysterious secretly locked up in a treasure chest. We can’t “find God”. God is not missing and He doesn’t need to be located. Besides, if you think you can find God than that makes you god. And I’d be standing here saying, “You guys are lucky cause if it isn’t for me who found God for you …” We didn’t find Him, He found us! That’s GRACE.
Are you still searching how many leaves and how many grains of sand to get access behind heavily locked doors to finally discover the source of beauty and meaning of life? (Illustration story - Bingham, DTS.edu).
Consumerism has long found its way into the institution of our Christian religion. An article in Christianity Today says (and I quote):
We find ourselves in a culture that defines our relationships and actions primarily through a matrix of consumption. As one philosopher explains, "Consumption is a system of meaning." We assign value to ourselves and others based on the goods we purchase. One's identity is now constructed by the clothes you wear, the vehicle you drive, and the music on your playlist. In short, you are what you consume.
This explains why shopping is the number one leisure activity of Americans. It occupies a role in society that once belonged only to religion - the power to give meaning and construct identity. Consumerism, as Pete Ward (expert?) correctly concludes, "represents an alternative source of meaning to the Christian gospel." No longer merely an economic system, consumerism has become the American worldview - the framework through which we interpret everything else, including God, the gospel, and church.” (end quote)
The article goes on to say – When we approach Christianity as consumers rather than seeing it as a way of life, Christianity becomes just one more brand we consume along with Gap, Apple, and Starbucks to express identity. And the demotion of Jesus Christ from Lord to label means to live as a Christian no longer carries an expectation of obedience and good works, but rather the perpetual consumption of Christian merchandise and experiences – music, books, t-shirts, conferences, and jewelry (Christianitytoday.com).
Turn your Bibles to John 12. We should be as Martha, Mary and Lazarus in verse 1-3 - Serving the Lord; Enjoying in the Lord’s presence; Loving with affection towards the Lord; Anointing the Lord with our deepest treasure as if knowing no matter how good we think it is, nothing is good enough to bless the Lord other than what we think is the very best. Serving God with our personal best.
Caution - When we should be offering our best, the best often robs the would-be-giver and reduces him into a self-absorbed, self-centered, and self-concerned victim. Sin is a disorder. Sin takes what is righteous and distorts the view of goodness, then turn whatever is honorable into an entitlement of perhaps it is “ME” who is most deserving of the gift.
Judas Iscariot panicked when Mary emptied an entire bottle of – “What are you doing? Are you out of your mind? Do you know how much this is worth?” (Most expensive perfume DKNY Golden Delicious $1 million; Clive Christian No.1 $12,721.89 per ounce.) v6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief who helped himself to what was put into the money bag which he was in charge of.
Entitlement becomes our constant companion to rationalize what’s right is wrong and unless I am the beneficiary of love, peace and joy then something is terribly wrong with the Church.
Can the local church feed into the tendencies of her congregants to develop an appetite for religious entitlement? Does the local church educate and emphasize the very purpose of its existence is not an accomplishment of people, planning and popularity but the very passion of Christ for His bride – the Church – to proclaim repentance as the means for eternal Salvation?
The fact that we sometimes miss the point of our gathering is outrageous. The point of our assembly is to fulfill the command of pointing eyes toward the towering source of light, turning hearts toward the transformational effect of the Word, and cultivating the terrains of faithful living in a frightful world, we are failing to uphold our calling and commitment towards the need for evangelism. Instead of evangelism it becomes entertainmentism one after another. We entertain to your hurt by offering healing; sadness with cheer; pain with promise; boredom with comedy; loneliness with community. Not that this is all bad but it is sad when Christ is left out in our faculty to glorify Him for the conditions you are in.
Pay attention to how Jesus rebuked Judas in verse 7 and 8. “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended, that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” Jesus was addressing an economic reality – the poor. He may also be referring to the spiritually deprived. More importantly, Jesus is saying to stop exploiting those who come to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul and mind. To let that be the foundation of how we are to prepare for the fulfillment of Jesus Christ which also includes His second coming.
Jesus was speaking to Judas the betrayer. Jesus was teaching His followers. Jesus is talking to us today.
35 Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going.36 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
V35 – You are going to have the light just a little while longer (Gr. Mikros – little; Chronos – time/while).
1. Walk in the Light – WAY
2. Believe in the Light – TRUTH
3. Become children of Light – CHANGE
Walk while you have the light just a little while longer, before darkness overtakes you. Stay in the light. Know your way around. Let the light which is God’s Word teach you where to go and what to avoid. When we walk in the light of Jesus Christ we don’t stumble in sinful choices. Being in the light of Jesus Christ reveals the favor of God in our daily walk. The blessing of the light is so much more than material things. (https://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/7-great-bible-verses-about-walking-in-the-light/)
Jesus is not a light from a single source. He is the source to a variety of illumination. Illumination of way. Illumination of truth. Illumination of life. (John 14:6)
I am the way:
• When you follow the way that Jesus wants you to walk on, you are committed to seek His will. You can rest assure that He will accomplish in you a life on earth as it is designed in heaven. Come before the Lord with whatever you have previously arranged for your life. Some of these arrangements are but boulders that weighs heavily preventing you from moving let alone walk. Empty it before the Lord and ask Him to renew your thoughts. Ask Jesus to show you not your way but His way. God may already began to tell you from the ongoing changes in your life. Listen to His voice. Surrender to His guidance. Put on the courage to take charge of a life that God has given you. Walk in the light and in the presence of Jesus Christ.
I am the truth:
• Truth that is taught about Christ truly, not simply or casually, most definitely not recklessly. Because it is Truth that needs to be heard, learned, and practiced. It is to be imparted responsibly both by those who teach and those who receive. Teachers of the Word - Responsibility to study, meditate and communicate. Students of the Word - Responsibility to be instructed, considered and act. Truth that must be valued – something you possess, preserve and proclaim.
The psalmist cries on our behalf (Ps. 25:5) Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Romans 10:14 (Jolene last week) – How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
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I am the life: (Illustration)
So she had just graduated from university on the East Coast and had decided to spend the first two years of her life post college with an engineering degree helping, assisting, working with the people’s group in the deepest part of the Amazon. So she board a plane, took off, said goodbye to mom and dad, hugged them, kissed them, promised that she’d be in touch by email and an occasional phone call. Over the two years that she was there she kept in pretty faithful contact letting mom and dad know what was happening, how her projects were going and of course eventually came that time for her to inform them that somehow in the deepest part of the Amazon jungle she had met the man of her dreams. And she informed them at the same time that by the way she was on the way home and hope that they were able to meet her at the airport looking forward to seeing them again. Of course mom and dad couldn’t wait to get to the airport, couldn’t wait to see her come through the line of people. And as they stood in line waiting to catch their first glimpse of their daughter after two years they were peering this way, peering that way hoping to catch a glimpse of her as she came down with the rest of the passengers. Finally, there she was. She looked exactly the same as she had two years ago. And of course now that they had seen her, they were looking for, him. He didn’t look anything like what they imagine. Of course they never do, do they? Except this one was a little bit more interesting than most. He was wearing a leopard skin. Through his nose he had a bone of some large animal. Hanging from both ears were earrings made out of some exotic bird feathers. In his right hand he carried a pole and his left he carried another pole upon of which sat a shrunken human head. And as he came down to meet his future parents in law for the first time he was doing the most interesting sort of dance. Mom just passes out dead cold right there on the floor. Dad kneels down next to her trying fan her back into some state of consciousness as daughter and future son in law arrive at their side. And he looks up Dad does with a look of total exasperation in his eyes and says “No dear! We said a “rich” doctor.” (Bingham, DTS.edu)
To be children of the light is to learn how to listen well or as someone said, “Listen Christianly”. Both the church and her people carry the responsibility to teach the Word in a way that instructs, builds, and transforms. As Jesus addressed the crowd that they must become children of the light He is also telling them they need to change. Mom and dads; College grads; Career professionals; Retirees; Choir; Brothers and sisters – Becoming children requires change. You are either children of the light or children of darkness.
And oh, when he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them. Just because we can’t see Him doesn’t mean He can’t see us. Just because there are thousands of churches elsewhere doesn’t mean what we do/don’t does not matter. “For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God (1 Peter 4:17)?” Church – We only have the light for a little while.
“From Lord to Label: How Consumerism Undermines Our Faith.” CT Pastors, www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2006/july-online-only/from-lord-to-label-how-consumerism-undermines-our-faith.html.
