What A Great Difference

WHAT A GREAT DIFFERENCE

SCRIPTURE: II Corinthians 6:14 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: or what

fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”

What a great difference.

“You can’t get two things more opposite than light and darkness.” Ray Stedman

I. DARKNESS

A. Defined

Strong’s 4655 skotos {skot'-os} from the base of 4639; TDNT - 7:423,1049; n, n;

AV - darkness 32; 32

1) darkness

a) of night darkness

b) of darkened eyesight or blindness

2) metaph.

a) of ignorance respecting divine things and human duties, and the

accompanying ungodliness and immorality, together with their consequent misery in hell

b) persons in whom darkness becomes visible and holds sway

B. Darkness is Manifested Throughout the World

1. The darkness looks like this in the world and the U.S.A.:

a. There are over 1 million abortions a year in the world.

b. 100 million children are homeless in the world.

c. 1 million women and children are forced into the sex trafficking industry.

d. George Barna reported that in the year 2000 only 32% of Christians claimed

they tithed to the church. When they checked the household income it showed that only 12% of the families actually tithed.

e. According to one recent pole only 44% of the population in the United States

attend church worship services on a Sunday morning.

f. 48% of teens are sexually active in the world today.

g. In an area school district a survey was done of the school to find out how

many students felt premarital sex was wrong. 68% of the school students said it was not wrong.

h. There are over 20,000 murders in the U.S.A. in a year.

i. The Divorce rate for Christians and the world is 53%.

2. Our world is a dark place. Richard Crow

a. In this world we live in, we must be politically correct, not offend anyone.

b. Millions of people today live in the darkness of witchcraft, drugs, alcohol,

violence, gambling, lying, stealing.

3. WHY???? Richard Crow

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.

c. Man loves darkness because their deeds are evil.

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and

men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 3:20

For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light,

lest his deeds should be reproved. 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to

the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

d. 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!

C. 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!

II Corinthians 4:4 In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which

believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of

God, should shine unto them. 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus

the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. 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.

D. Darkness is the absence of light.

II. WHAT IS LIGHT?

A. Scientists are baffled by the mystery of light they can study it but still don't understand what

light is.

1. Light reveals the world to us. It triggers in our brains the sensations of color.

2. Light sets our biological clocks.

3. Light feeds us, supplying the energy of plants to grow.

4. It inspires us with special effects like rainbows and sunsets.

5. Light gives us life- changing tools, from incandescent bulbs to lasers and

fiber optics. Speed = 186,000 miles per sec. (8+ X’s around the earth per sec)

B. Scientists say, body and soul crave light. Scientists tell us that light is essential to our daily

lives. This is why we crave it and desire it.

1. Light is as important as air we have been told. Fish need water like we need light.