Help them see the Light
John 3:16-21
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (18) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (19) And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (20) For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. (21) But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
I. The world has created a narrative that God is a cranky old man that looks at this world as His grass and we need to stay off it. That He is only angry, controlling, and is just waiting for us to get out of line so He can punish us. 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God loves this world, He loves the people of this world, He doesn’t love the sin of this world, but He loves us enough to send His Son to die for us.
A. Darkness is a product of the fall. When God created the world everything, He spoke into existence was good. When He created man, He said let us make man in our image and He reached into the ground of this world, placing His fingers to the earth and from that handful of dust formed man and breathed the breath of life into him. It was from that breath God imparted His DNA upon us. Establishing us as His children. Even after Adam and Eve disobeyed God and brought darkness into the world, He didn’t abort His children. Being without sin God could no longer walk with His children but He had a plan to restore that relationship so that He could. Paul said in Galatians 4, Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
B. This world is consumed in darkness because of that act of disobedience. The World calls evil good, and good evil; they put darkness for light, and light for darkness; they put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
1. Paul would say in Romans 3 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat [is] an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps [is] under their lips: Whose mouth [is] full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet [are] swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery [are] in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known:
2. Those in the world see only darkness and can only see that they are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight. They see nothing wrong with late term abortion; they say you have the right to choose when they want to give life. What I don’t get is if you take a life on the streets, you are a murderer but if you take a life in a doctor’s office it is your right to choose.
3. Parents use their children as props or extras in their social media pages. They now want their 15 minutes of fame and celebrate their child’s choice to swap genders by having gender reveal parties and photo shoots; just as those that reveal the gender of their baby they are expecting. What the LGBQT community fells to tell those that transition to another sex is that among the transgender community the suicide rate is at its highest because no matter if you change your name, appearance, how you dress, what restroom you go to, forms and applications may let you choose, but your DNA will always tell on you. No amount of hormones and surgeries can change your DNA, and they struggle with that, they know that when they die their DNA and their skeletal system will always tell on them.
a. Mr. Rogers an ordained Presbyterian Minister was commissioned to do his ministry not behind a pulpit but to work with families through mass media. He was America’s Children’s Pastor and everything he showed on his program was inspired by scripture. He wrote a song in 1967 called Everybody’s Fancy and on the Johnny Carson show he sang the song but said the second verse is the most important, he says, Boys are boys from the beginning. Girls are girls right from the start. Everybody's fancy. Everybody's fine. Your body's fancy and so is mine. Only girls can be mommies. Only boys can be daddies. Everybody's fancy. Everybody's fine. Your body's fancy and so is mine.
b. God said, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee. Ge 1:27 So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Jesus said in Mr 10:6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
4. Scholars and elitist claim to uncover the truth about Homosexuality and that as the Bible was being retranslated in 1946 they intentional mistranslated God’s Word to create hate against homosexuals that the inclusion of it as a sin was the result of angry Christians and not from God. They claim that since the word homosexual didn’t appear in the Bible until 1946 that the rise of hate didn’t begin until then and that other scriptures in the Bible about sodomites and man lying with man were taken out of context to fuel and weaponize a hate movement. Le 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them. The LGBTQ community will point to David and Jonathan as gay lovers. All I can say to that is nope, that was just a strong brotherly bond. It is evident that David loved the ladies. David didn’t call Bathsheba over to try on her clothes. She became his 8th named wife not to mention he had other unnamed wives plus several unknown concubines.
a. You need to read Leviticus 20, just because it is the Old Testament doesn’t mean God has changed His mind on sexual debauchery. He was preparing the Children of Israel for what they were about to see in Canaan and warning them to not be polluted by their immorality. The people of Canaan were known to corrupt anyone they encountered with their decadent culture. The same warning applies to the church today that we need to steer clear of the thoughts and ways of this world. There are already to many that are giving in to public pressures to accept lifestyles that are contrary to the Word of God. There is a pressure movement to make darkness into light. Churches are voting on matters of sin that have already been determined by God. We are not to add to or take away from this book just because of social pressures.
5. Boys and Girls are now swapping locker rooms and sports, children are encouraged to determine their own gender based upon their emotional state at any time, transgenders and homosexuals are holding offices in the highest places of our nation, suicide is at an all-time high in our country, deviation, and outright devil worship is glorified on national television and we are told that it is merely art, we are told that a man can menstruate, and become pregnant, violence in our cities has doubled and tripled, theft, rape, and murder is off the charts, prescription drug and alcohol abuse is seen among young and old, fentanyl poisoning is killing hundreds or more people a day, but yet the church of the Lord Jesus Christ is seen as the greatest threat.
a. Social media has become satan’s piped piper and is leading this generation to hell by exposing them to every manner of perversion and wickedness. They are watching videos of real murders and think nothing of it, since it’s on a screen. They are being fed lies as truth. These so-called influencers are influencing your children straight to hell. People like Mr. Beast that supported his friend in leaving his wife and young son because during the pandemic after consuming hours of Tik Tok videos realized he was supposed to be a woman and now it has come out that he was meeting up with young boys. Popular apps like Roblux are being used by perverts and pedophiles to expose and lure children into perversion.
6. Whenever an article is written about abortion, LGBTQ+, or about Christians in general I go to the comment section and there you can read repeatedly that they blame Christians for always making who they love and choice into something nefarious. The comment section becomes a toxic place of hate against Christians. The world sees Christians as being the problem, they see the church as darkness that is trying to keep them from their light. They don’t know that the light they seek is an artificial light, 2Co 11:14… for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
II. While the world is cast in darkness there is an ever-present light. There is a thought in the scientific community that there is no real darkness but rather an inability to comprehend light. Light has complexity to it since there is visible light which is what we can see and light that we cannot see. Light can be seen in different wavelengths which are radio, infrared, optical, X-ray, and gamma-ray. The thought is light is always present in one form or another, but it must be comprehended to be seen.
A. I agree with science on this one because Jesus said in John 8:12 I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. In Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (5) And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. This world needs Jesus, He is the light of the world. As the church, it is our mandate to help them comprehend the light. Ac 13:47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, [saying], I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. Mr 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
B. This past Easter Sunday while we were celebrating and commemorating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God, the president of this nation declared Easter Transgender Visibility Day. Just this past week we watched the opening of the Olympic games where imagery of what looked to be death from Revelation and the mocking of the Last Supper with drag queens, and other LGBTQ representation and some had even had themselves exposed while a child was in front of them. I just got to ask some of you, how did that make you feel. Did it just gas light you to make a post on your socials or did it stir something within you to go to your prayer closet and call on the name of Lord. 2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
1. It’s not us versus them, it’s us versus sin. It is us against the god of this world. Paul tells us in Ephesians 6 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. We are to be Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.(14) How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
a. Paul said 2Co 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: (4) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. More than ever, we need a revival.
2. The Bible says, I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; I am not worried about a having a few because through the power of the Holy Ghost 120 men and woman changed the course of nations, and the Church grew by leaps and bounds from 120, 3,120, 8,120. Little is much when God is it in, one can whip a thousand and two can take on ten thousand.
3. The words of Joel the prophet ring loud. Joel 3:13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness [is] great. (14) Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD [is] near in the valley of decision. This is no decision between a donkey and an elephant, this is a decision to choose the Lamb, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This world needs Jesus and Jesus needs us helping those in the valley of decision to make the choice to serve the Lord. For God so loved this world, this world that is soon to pass away, this world that turned its back on God, but He didn’t turn His back on us. David said, Ps 36:9 For with thee [is] the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
III. Matthew 5:(14) Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. (15) Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. (16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
A. The candle in the night represents the Child of God who shines in the midst of a God-less people, an apostate world, an anti-Christian, anti-biblical, anti-God world. Php 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Ps 112:4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: [he is] gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
1. The candle of the night is what changes the world. It is at this very time when it's hardest to shine the light, that it is most crucial that you do. It is then that the light is most needed. Eph. 5:13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.(14) Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. And that is when the light becomes its most powerful.
a. We should not fear the darkness. You're a light. Shine into it, especially into the night…and you'll light up the world. Ac 26:18 To open their eyes, [and] to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
b. 1 Thess 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. (2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (3) For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (4) But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. (5) Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. (6) Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober. (7) For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. (8) But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. (9) For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, (10) Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
c. Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. (2) For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. (3) And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. This little light of mine, I am going to let it shine, For God so loved this world that He gave His Only Son for it!
