The Sun Will Shine Again

“The Sun Will Shine Again!”

2 Corinthians 4:1-10

David P. Nolte

One thing we appreciated about south-central Oregon was the clear skies. It would cloud up and snow and then the sky would be blue and clear and the day would be Sunny. It has been said that life is like that – storms and Sunshine; dark nights and Sunshine. And what most people like best is SunSHINE!

God is eager to shine light into our lives. The scripture says, “Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this. If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let there be light in the darkness,’ has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.” 2 Corinthians 4:1-10 (NLT).

THE SUN WILL SHINE AGAIN. IT WILL SHINE:

I. SUPERSEDING THE DARKEST NIGHT

A. “We are pressed on every side by troubles; We are perplexed;. We are hunted down; We get knocked down.” Those things make for dark nights! Sometimes in the Bible,

1. Darkness is used to illustrate sin or evil. John wrote, “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God." John 3:19-21 (NASB).

2. Darkness is used to represent God’s chastening with the purpose of securing repentance. We read, “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even a darkness which may be felt.’ So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days.” Exodus 10:21-22 (NASB).

3. Darkness is used to denote sadness. The Psalmist wrote, “Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5 (NASB).

4. Darkness suggests profound and bitter despair. We read about Job, “Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. And Job said, ‘Let the day perish on which I was to be born, And the night which said, “A boy is conceived.” May that day be darkness; Let not God above care for it, Nor light shine on it.’” Job 3:1-4 (NASB).

B. What dark night are you experiencing? What is obscuring the light?

1. Is it bondage to some sin? Lust, greed, anger, hatred, rebellion?

2. Is it God’s chastening and discipline?

3. Is it some sadness, depression, sorrow or grief?

4. Is it some despair?

5. Is it regret, remorse and resentment?

6. Is it the darkness of addiction to alcohol or pornography or gambling?

C. No matter what is darkening your life right now, Linda’s song said,

“The Sun will shine again,

You’ll make it through your darkest hour.

Jesus will be your friend;

The Holy Ghost will give you power!

So whatever challenge you may face,

Don’t give up, keep the faith.

Put your trust in Him, your Sun will shine again.”

D. The darker the night the brighter the stars shine! This is a Biblical truth: “The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” John 1:4-5 (NLT).