Living In The Light
(John 3:19-21)
Intro:
A. Conflict. We hate it, but everyone faces it. There are personal conflicts that we may have with other people. Sometimes those conflicts literally churn within us. There is the conflict we have internally as we strive to do good and find within ourselves evil. The battle is on.
B. John understands this battle and much of his gospel message has that theme. Remember how John begins his story of Jesus by saying, "In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in darkness, but the darkness has not understood it (John 1:4-5)." John says that the darkness cannot put out the light. Think about the power of light. You can be underground in total darkness, but if one small candle is lit, light overpowers darkness.
C. As we talk about being spiritually alive, we have been dealing with themes from the Bible as to what that means. This week we look at the idea of living in the light. Jesus is the light of the world, so how can we as Christians live in the light? Today, I want to share with you three thoughts about living in the light of Jesus.
I. Living In The Light Means To Be Exposed
A. Light has a purpose of exposing everything. The whole point of Jesus telling Nicodemus about the light is because this teacher of the law did not understand the purpose of the incarnation of God. Jesus came to save the lost. Jesus came to be a light to the world. Jesus came because the darkness of sin was pervasive and it needed to be conquered. In Christ, darkness has lost.
B. We sin, so we run from Christians, run from the church assembly and run from the Bible study. We will live in guilt, but we refuse to live in light. Living in the light is painful, because it exposes me for who I am. Yet, when I seek to do the will of God and be transformed by the renewing of the Holy Spirit, I come to the light.
C. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus made a statement that has long caused me to ponder its meaning. It is found in Matt. 6:22-23. Jesus says that our eyes are a lamp for the body; when our eyes are good our body is filled with light, when our eyes bad our body is filled with darkness. But light turned off is great darkness.
D. Light exposes the inside of me to me. When I soak in the word of God which is a lamp unto my path, and allow God to light up within me, my life is filled with his light. I have the opportunity to close my eyes to God and his word and shut out the God-light and live in darkness. The greatest darkness comes, when I take my understanding, the light I have had, and turn it off so that I can live in darkness instead of light. I cannot serve two masters. I cannot live in light and darkness, I must choose the pathway to my eternal destiny.
E. In Randy’s class on Wednesday we read a passage that I want to share again with you. It is found in Eph. 5:8-14. Am I going to wake up? Am I willing to rise from the dead? Am I willing to let Christ shine on me? But that brings me to the second aspect of living in the light – living in action
II. Living In The Light Means Action
A. Let’s go back to the Sermon on the Mount for a moment and hear Jesus again teach truth (Matt. 5:14-16). As Christians, we are lights to the world. Out job is to be seen for who we are. That means planned evangelism, planned words, planned actions that have the expressed goal of God being glorified.
B. What are you doing today that in 10 years will make any difference? Think about your spouse, children, parents, friends, work, this congregation, and ask yourself, "What am I actively doing to bring glory to God in my life?"
C. Look for opportunities to do good to all men. It can be done in so many ways. It might be that you can shovel a driveway, send a note of encouragement, call friend, visit a shut-in, give a hug to someone hurting, or spending time in joy with someone who is happy.
D. This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine. It is not "I’m thinking about shining." It is who we are, we are people of the light and we are people who shine brightly, like the stars at night and the candle in the house.
E. This body of believers has a responsibility to be a light to the world around us. That means we are called to do more as a church to reach out than just open the doors of the building and wait for seekers to come to us. It is more than gospel meetings and Friend’s Day. It is more than special times. Being a light is who we are as a church, because it who we are as Christian. The goal of shining the light of Christ is so that people may come to salvation through Jesus.
III. Living In The Light Means Salvation
A. One of may favorite passages is 1 Pet. 2:9-10. Did you see who we were, but now who are we are? Did you hear God telling you that you were called out of darkness into his wonderful light? The light of God is the light of salvation.
B. God is light. In him there is no darkness at all. If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-7)
C. When Nicodemus came to Jesus, our Lord told him about spirit-life. He told him about being born again. He told him about the light shining in darkness. He told him about salvation.
D. Living in the light is living in that salvation that comes through Jesus. We have been given the gift of eternal life. Let us not take it lightly. John 3:16.
Conclusion:
A. I love the way light does. The tiniest candle can illumine the darkest cavern. One thing I know for sure: I need the light of Jesus in the dark cavern of my heart. How about you?
B. If you are experiencing God’s light shining in your life and calling you to come to him, we invite you to come and have your sins taken away as you repent, confess Jesus as your Lord and be immersed into him. It is the greatest step you will ever take. It is your day to start over. It is your day to be filled with light of God and start a journey of living in the light.
C. If you are a child of God, and realize that you have put your light under a bushel and need to repent, pray to God for forgiveness and start over. If you desire us to pray with you, then we invite you to come and let us pray.
D. Whatever God is doing in your life, we praise him. If we can be a part of that experience, we invite you to come forward as we stand and sing.
