Series: Be Genuine [#2]
LIVE IN THE LIGHT
1 John 1:5-7
Introduction:
Every time I talk about light and darkness, I have an automatic go to example in Tharon. With his being blind, I can tell you numerous stories; but over the last few days I have thought of something different. I enjoy watching Reality TV shows about living in Alaska; but I am pretty sure that I couldn’t live there myself.
I remember Dr. Braswell telling me that Alaska has the highest suicide rate in the Nation; and I was surprised. The reason is because during the Wintertime, there is not much sunlight. In Anchorage, they get 5 hours of sunlight a day; but in Northern Alaska, they have 67 days of darkness. The darkness can become depressing. That is why when Tharon completely lost his sight, he cried.
I have been asked many times through the years, “Why does it matter how I live as a Christian, if once saved always saved”? It matters more for others than it does for you. We have talked about the fact that people are looking to Christians to just be real and your decision to walk in darkness or in the Light will determine what they find. How do you walk in the Light of Jesus?
1 John 1:5
In order to live in the Light, you must…
1. Allow the Light to shine.
It is made clear that God is light. Sometimes I will ask the kids questions that although the answers seem obvious, they can’t get it right; but I bet when I ask the adults the same question, they can’t give an answer either. What is light? To be honest with you, I didn’t have an answer either, so I looked it up. One of the definitions made a lot of sense to me- “Light is something that makes vision possible." In other words, light makes it possible for us to see. Light reveals. To "bring something to light" is to make it known and this is what John is getting at here in this passage of Scripture. God reveals. God exposes. God makes it possible for us to see clearly- Things as they really are. Now, how do you compare light with darkness? Again, if you look at the dictionary, you will find this definition: "Devoid or partially devoid of light- Not receiving, reflecting, transmitting, or radiating light." Simply put, darkness is the absence of light. Light and darkness are opposites. In the Scriptures, light refers to truth, purity and holiness. Darkness refers to error, ignorance, sin and evil.
I have said that in order to live in the Light of Jesus you have to allow the Light to shine; but you need to realize that you can’t do that apart from Jesus. Meaning, that you must be a Christian to be able to live in the Light of God- In fact, as a child of God, you are light. Whether you allow your light to shine is up to you. When you are living and doing things like the world, you are living in darkness; and when you are allowing God to direct your life, you are living in Light.
Allowing the Light of Jesus to shine is a choice that you make. You have to be intentional about your decisions and when the Light exposes your sins, you have to deal with it.
1 John 1:6
In order to live in the Light, you must…
2. Avoid the darkness.
As I said earlier, living in the Light is a choice and you make that choice by avoiding the darkness. We as Christians who believe in the “Security of the Believer”, (you can’t be saved, lose it, and get it back); tend to struggle with this. It is easy to get the attitude that I’m saved and going to Heaven so it doesn’t matter how I live; but that is untrue. It is untrue because your life affects other’s lives and because there are consequences to walking in darkness. In those times that I can’t see, I am at a high risk of being injured and the same thing applies to us spiritually.
You can tell the whole world that you’re a Christian; but the things you do, the places you go, etc… speak much louder than what you say. Be careful with the situations you put yourself in. Pay attention to what you watch and what you listen to.
Conclusion:
1 John 1:7
* The result of walking in the Light is fellowship.
This fellowship is with Jesus Christ and therefore with one another as Christians. Please never forget that the only reason that we can have fellowship with God the Father is because of the blood of Jesus. When God the Father looks upon His children, He sees the blood of Jesus which makes us perfect. Live in the Light for the glory of God.
