The Light in a World of Darkness
John 8:12
October 27, 2002
Making decisions in the dark can lead to some regrettable consequences. Back in the days before electricity, a tightfisted old farmer was taking his hired man to task for carrying a lighted lantern when he went to call on his best girl. “Why,” he exclaimed, “when I went a-courtin’ I never carried one of them things, I always went in the dark.” “Yes,” the hired man said wryly,” and look at what you got!”
Some people change their ways when they see the light, others only when they feel the heat.
Light is essential to our daily lives; would we try to walk at night on a strange and unfamiliar path with out some source of light? But yet we do as Christians
1. I am the light of the world
John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2. When Christ lives in us, we become the light of the world because of Christ IN us..
a. The Bible says that “No light should be hidden.”
Luke 8:16 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.
b. Don’t hide your light.
c. Let it shine for all the world to see.
d. Light our world for Christ.
While on maneuvers, a battleship lookout noted a light in the dark, foggy night. After noting the light’s coordinates, the captain recognized his ship was on a collision course with the other vessel. The captain instructed, "Signal the ship: We are on a collision course, advise you change course 20 degrees." The return signal countered, "Advisable for you to change course 20 degrees." The captain signaled, "I’m a captain, change course 20 degrees." The response was, "I’m a seaman second class, you’d better change course 20 degrees." By this time the captain was furious. His signal curtly ordered, "I’m a battleship. Change course 20 degrees." The reply: "I’m a lighthouse. You make the call." Allow the light of Christ to be steadfast in your life. Shine where He says shine, Go where He says Go.
I. The world of 2002 is a very dark place.
1. In this world we live in, we must be politically correct, not offend anyone.
a. Millions of people today live in the darkness of witchcraft, drugs, alcohol, violence, gambling, lying, stealing.
2. WHY????
a. Many people are living lives that are contrary to the Word of God
b. They feel that there is nothing wrong with fornication, adultery, murder, hatred, prejudice, planting bombs, shooting people, or failing to serve a Living God.
b. Man loves darkness because their deeds are evil.
Flip to John 3:19 This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
c. Right has become wrong and wrong has become right
Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
d. The reason we see so much sin and evil is because people are in spiritual darkness.
3. But for some reason, we want to live in and be a part of the world.
a. We are to live IN the world and not OF the world.
b. When we let the world come in us, we don’t know the difference between right and wrong.
II. Today there is a need for Light
1. Light is a noun and a verb
a. We are not only to BE the light but we should also SHINE the light.
b. It is something you choose to allow God to do through you.
2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2. We need to bring knowledge of Christ to a world that doesn’t know Him
a. Bring light to a world that lives in darkness.
3. HOW????
a. By sharing Jesus and lighting your world around you.
Tell your friends, family, and acquaintances.
b. By becoming a reflection of Jesus Christ.
c. What does it mean to reflect Christ?
ILLUST: An article in Newsweek titled "The Fall of the Dinosaurs" explored the downfall of corporate giants such as General Motors, IBM, and Sears. Tucked away in the opening remarks were these words: "The institutions of family, church and government have long since lost their luster." Whether the diminished luster is perceived or real, an illustration from Russian scientists may contain the answer. On February 4, 1993, officials at the Flight Control Center near Moscow reported the successful deployment of a space reflector. This aluminum-covered disc was used by cosmonauts in the space station Mir to reflect light from the sun to the dark side of Earth. With a twenty-five-foot disc in space, they were able to produce a two-mile circle of light on earth. Such a move placed Russia in the forefront of this reflective technology. If the church has lost its luster, it may be due to our feeble attempts to produce light rather than reflect the Light. How much greater would be our impact if we started being better mirrors of the Son!
4. That’s what we are about….reflecting the light
5. HE is the light.
But it seems that world is so big and there are so many people….How can we shed light for all of them?
Illust: Boy went to the zoo and saw Zebra’s, Lions, Elephants, etc. Asked the zookeeper “does anyone eat elephants?” Zookeeper…. “One bite at a time.”
6. How do you take a big world who has been blinded by the prince of the air? Satan….
a. One bite at a time.
7. Our world is composed of our families, friends, and acquaintances.
a. For the next 3 weeks, focus on your world one bite at a time.
8. If all of us committed ourselves to bring part of our world to church, we will shed the light of Christ into their lives and see many won to Christ as a result.
9. If you let this opportunity go by, you will miss out on the blessing and others may spend an eternity in hell.
III. As we examine our world, we need to shed light into it.
1. The great commission tells us to GO into ALL the world, baptizing them in the name of the F/S/HS.
a. Will you be the one to begin to shed light into your world?
b. People say “well, it’s bad out there…”
c. Don’t give me that. I don’t want to hear about how bad this world is, but how Good our God is.
2. What can you do to make your world a better place to live?
a. The real question is, “Why haven’t we been doing it?”
b. Jesus took 12 disciples that were to reach the world for Christ.
c. We have the same commission today.
d. Tell it to our families, friends, and acquaintances.
3. The happiest a Christian can be is to see someone saved.
IV. How can we light the world?
1. First, repent. You can’t share what you don’t have.
Pastor Laszlo Tokes became too successful in the eyes of his Romanian government. He preached the gospel boldly and within two years saw his small church grow to 5,000. The authorities confiscated his ration book so he couldn’t buy fuel or food. Then in December 1989, they decided to exile him. When the police arrived they were stopped by an unmovable crowd of people. Members of other churches and denominations stood shoulder to shoulder in protest. All day, the police tried to disperse the crowd, but they wouldn’t budge. Just after midnight a nineteen-year-old Baptist student named Daniel Garva, pulled out a packet of candles. He lit one and passed it to his neighbor. One by one the burning candles were passed through the crowd. The crowd stayed all through that night and the next. The police finally broke through and knocked in the church door. They bloodied Pastor Tokes’ face, then paraded both him and his wife through the crowd. An outcry from the people led them to their city square of Timisoara, where they began a full-scale demonstration against the Communist government. Once again, Daniel Garva passed out his candles. Troops were brought in and ordered to shoot the crowd. Hundreds were shot, and Daniel’s leg was blown off. Their brave example inspired the entire population of Romania, and within days the bloody dictator, Ceausescu, was dead. For the first time in half a century, Romania celebrated Christmas in freedom. In a world of hostile darkness, God has called us to light a candle of love. Although the presentation of God’s Light may not be favorably received, such faithfulness will yield results beyond our grandest dreams.
According to Rick Warren, there are two basic reasons people don’t know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior: (1) they have never met a Christian; and (2) they have met a Christian. Christian influence is no small matter.
