Stumbling In The Dark.

- Seems a couple got themselves a new Jeep Cherokee for Christmas and drove it to visit relatives in Michigan. The guys decided to do that male bonding ritual of duck hunting. So they load up the Cherokee with decoys, food, beer, guns, warm clothes, etc., and head off for the lake. Now it’s a little known fact that when duck hunting in cold climates, it’s common to drive the truck out onto the ice.

It’s also a little known fact that, to break a hole in the ice for the decoys, a stick of dynamite is commonly used. Now this particular stick of dynamite has a short fuse, estimated at 20 seconds or so. Normally you put the dynamite on the ice, light the fuse, and run away. But with only 20 seconds, they didn’t want to do that since they might slip while running.

So, to be safe, one of the guys lights the fuse and throws the stick of dynamite out onto the ice. Their well-trained Labrador retriever, thinking it’s time to play fetch, runs out onto the ice, picks up the lit stick of dynamite in his mouth and starts running back to the group of guys. The guys yell at the dog but, as he’s played fetch so many times before, he just keeps bringing the stick back to his master. One of the guys thinks fast, loads his shotgun and shoots the dog. As the gun is loaded with birdshot, the dog isn’t hurt much, but is confused. The guy shoots the dog again. The dog gets scared and runs, stick in his mouth, under the Cherokee.

The Cherokee is now at the bottom of the lake his favorite dog is gone, and the insurance company won’t pay up because it was destroyed due to the illegal use of explosives.

Oh and by the way the first payment is due January 23.

- How do we keep from stumbling in the dark Doing dumb things

➊Things to Know

- You have heard of PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS

- Like — “Just say No” — “Do You Know Where Your Children Are” – “Only You Can Prevent forest Fires”

- Three Announcements

- A different life you never knew possible

1. LIFE

a. v. 1 - He is Life

- Faith comes by hearing

- Words bring thoughts to understanding

- Logos - Creator God became flesh and lived here on earth

b. - v. 2 - Giving Eternal Life

- Ours to have

- v 5 Showing forth His light

c. - Light defines His activity.

- We may walk either in light or in darkness.

- God is not "like light" or that he "can be compared to light.

- Gen 1:3 - His very first act in creation is light

- Light is living, darkness is dead.

- Light overcomes darkness

- Darkness can’t overcome light

2. v. 3 - FELLOWSHIP

- Partnership

- Unbelievable & personal with the creator of the universe

3. v. 4 - JOY

- The main thing we want for our life

- We experiment with our definition of Joy

- Our search for it has always been available

➋ Conditional - A Requirement

- Every verse begins with IF

IF - conjunction (joining together)

- Our thoughts are brought out into life

- Words express those thoughts

- Note four out of the five verses speak on my thoughts

- Thoughts are carried into action — Our walk

Just because we are here in church does not necessarily mean we are listening to God.

You take in everything at a ball game. Up on the side of the press box, there is mounted a great big loudspeaker used for announcing the games. In that speaker, You notice, a small bird has built a nest and is raising her young. Though she doubtless hears all that is going on and is right smack in the middle of the game, she has absolutely no interest and is certainly not listening.

- We can be just the same: attending and being seen, immersed in the noise of the praise and worship and life, but not listening to a bit of it.

- Listening is carried into action.

- Our WALK

1. v. 6 - OBEY

- Obedience is doing exactly what I’m told to do, when I’m told to do it, and doing it with the right attitude

- Just as there has never been a revival without prayer there has never been a revival without obedience.

- Church and family problems can be headed off so simply if obedience is immediate and complete.

2. v. 7 - BELIEVE

- The time has come when we not only need to believe our beliefs, we must start believing God.

- Whatever is not of faith is sin