GOD IS LIGHT: IN HIM IS NO DARKNESS (Outline)
1 JOHN 1:5-2:2 - April 10, 2005 - EASTER 3
INTRO: How many have heard the saying opposites attract? In some case that statement is quite accu-rate. Today’s text reminds us that opposites do not always attract. In fact, opposites are just that – they oppose one another. The opposites in our text include: light and dark, sin and forgiveness, life and death. Today we gather in the afterglow of Christ’s resurrection. The tomb is empty. Christ is arisen! He is risen indeed! It is in this light of salvation that our text encourages us. "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned"(ISAIAH 9:2). We celebrate and rejoice that God’s saving light has dawned on us. Today’s text contains our theme:
GOD IS LIGHT: IN HIM IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL.
I. Jesus’ blood overcomes all darkness of sin.
II. Believers walk in the light of forgiveness.
I. JESUS’ BLOOD OVERPOWERS ALL DARKNESS OF SIN
A. John writes to teach against the heresy of the day -- gnosticism. Gnosticism means knowledge.
1. The people of the day worshiped knowledge as god. John writes of God’s knowledge.
2. Verse 1:5. Reasonable men recognize where there is light darkness is gone.
B. God is the light that extinguishes all darkness, not knowledge. Believers walk in God’s light.
1. In verse 1:6 John warns believers about walking in darkness—the knowledge of the world.
2. There is a close connection between light and God’s salvation and truth and confession
C. Verses 1:8 & 1:10 both mention the importance of seeing one’s sinfulness.
1. As the believer looks inward they see the darkness of sin in their own hearts.
2. All fall short of God’s glory. Verse 2:2b tells of Jesus’ defense on the sinners’ behalf.
3. No matter how dark the sin the blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin in verses 1:7a.
D. Not many, probably not any like to look into the depths of sin-darkened hearts. For whenever we look into the recesses of our minds and hearts we can see the evil that lurks within. The world in its knowl-edge offers money and wealth as the solution to our cares and concerns. This solution does not last. We are led astray by loving ourselves, others, or even our family more than God himself. Yes, it is hard to escape sin and its dark, evil effects. Consider King David. David had everything but committed adultery and murder in an effort to get more. In Psalm 51 we have his confession, a Christian confession useful for all of us. "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight"(PSALM 51:3,4a). We live surrounded by sin’s darkness.
E. As believers we are very blessed to be able to escape from the darkness of sin. Our escape is not based on merit, worth, or ourselves but purely out of and because of God’s undeserved love—divine, free grace. Soon after Pentecost the early apostles preached to the crowds and reminded them of their respon-sibility of putting Jesus, the Savior of the world, to death. They were guilty. This guilt cut them to the heart. They wondered what they should do. Our sins cut us to the quick. What should we do? Where do we turn? Who can help? "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord"(ACTS 3:19). When believers turn to God they turn from sin.
F. God is light, in him there is no darkness at all. Believers living in the light have fellowship with others who also live in God’s light. The darkness of sin is taken out of our lives by the blood of Jesus. There is nothing more and nothing less that is needed to save us from our sinfulness, wickedness and rebellion. "In him (Christ) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding"(EPHESIANS 1:7,8). Our gracious God of light lavishes his forgiveness on us who are no longer slaves to the darkness of sin.
TRANS: GOD IS LIGHT; IN HIM THERE IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL. Jesus’ blood overcomes all darkness of sin. Jesus who came to earth to die for us changes our lives on this earth. Therefore
II. BELIEVERS WALK IN THE LIGHT OF FORGIVENESS.
A. John’s letter is filled with encouragement and excitement for the life of these early Christians.
1. You can sense the joy of John’s reminder of God’s loving forgiveness of sin.
2. Verse 7 speaks of the reason for walking in the light – the divine forgiveness in Jesus’ blood.
B. There is no room for the worship of knowledge that teaches people to ignore sin and darkness.
1. Rather, believers are privileged and blessed to walk in the light of God’s forgiveness.
2. Verse 2:1a describes the reason of John’s letter. Believers now live changed lives.
C. No longer do believers want to live in darkness. Instead, believers now desire to walk in light.
1. Verse 2:2 gives these believers the reason for wanting to live changed lives.
2. Verse 1:9. We are forgiven not by or because of our confession. We merely recognize sin.
a. God’s grace freely offers forgiveness. b. Most amazingly Christ died for the world’s sins.
D. As we live and dwell in this sin-darkened world, we may not always notice God’s light shining in our lives. We may not always feel that our lives our changed. But our lives are changed. We do everything in our daily routine because Christ’s blood has covered all of our sins. We do not sit down each evening and make a list of those things that we do because Christ has died for us. Our attitude in this world is sig-nificantly different than those around us. In a self-serving mankind believers live a selfless life. In a world wrapped up in itself our concern is for the welfare of our brother. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me"(GALATIANS 2:20). Christ is alive that we live for him.
E. Notice that Scripture reminds each of us our motivation for doing anything good in this life. Christ gave himself for us. God first loved us. The more we look at the love of God for us sinners the more we view our loving Lord in awesome wonder! We are amazed that God would send his Son to die in our place. As we grow in faith and begin to understand God’s great love we celebrate the fact of living in the light of God’s forgiveness. "But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God"(JOHN 3:21).
F. Thank God that he does not leave us to fend for ourselves. The Lord provides direction in each of our lives. The Lord God Almighty provides the equipment to fight against the darkness—Satan and all his temptations. "The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light"(ROMANS 13:12). Judgment day fast approaches. The world is growing ever darker in sinfulness. It is all the more important that we put on the armor of light. Our armor of light is the faith that we know our God forgives. Our armor of light is discovered in the truth of Scripture.
CONCL: GOD IS LIGHT; IN HIM THERE IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL. When people of John’s time heard the word light they sat up and took notice. These people did not have electricity. The night-time was very dark. Oil lamps provided only a dim light. When we hear light our reaction is to be the same; we sit up and take notice. None of us want to be in the dark. GOD IS LIGHT; IN HIM THERE IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL. Jesus’ blood overcomes all darkness of sin. Believers walk in the light of forgiveness. "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins"(COLOSSIANS 1:13,14). Amen.
Pastor Timm O. Meyer
EASTER 3 readings (ILCW – A): ACTS 2:14a, 36-47; 1 PETER 1:17-21; LUKE 24:13-35
