OceanSide church of Christ

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LIGHTS IN THE WORLD

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Can you imagine a world with no light?

1.      There would be no movement.

2.      Those who attempt to move would be constantly lost.

3.      There would be no vegetation.

4.      There would be no warmth.

5.      There would be poor health.

6.      There would be hopelessness.

7.      There would be loneliness.

8.      There would be cries of despair.

 

B.      Thankfully, God created lights in the heavens to give us light on the earth (Gen. 1:14-19).

 

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:  and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth:  and it was so…

 

C.     After the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, the world was plunged into darkness from a spiritual stand point. (Prov. 4:19).

 

The way of the wicked is darkness…

 

1.      Man groped in this darkness for years and years and years.

2.      Eventually, “the Light” was sent into the world.  That light was Jesus Christ (John 8:12; 9:5).

 

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world…

 

a.      The true light, came to light every man that cometh into the world

1)      John 1:9

 

That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

 

2)      John 12:46

 

I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

 

b.      We do not have light in ourselves.  Instead, we are the reflection of the Light that shines within us.

 

I.                   CHRISTIANS ARE LIGHTS IN THE WORLD

 

A.    Matthew 5:14-16

 

Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 

B.      Ephesians 5:8

 

For ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord:  walk as children of light.

 

C.     I Thessalonians 5:5

 

Ye are the children of light, and the children of the day:  we are not of the night nor of the darkness.

 

II.                HOW TO BE LIGHTS IN THE WORLD

 

A.    We need to MOVE SIN OUT of our lives.

1.      Sin is darkness.  It is a thick cover that keeps our light from shining. 

2.      Many passages teach us to get rid of sin (Rom. 6:11-13).

 

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness:  but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

 

B.      We need to MIMIC JESUS’ example

1.      Keep in mind that Jesus is the true Light.  We are only reflections of Him.  We are trying to live as He lived (Phil. 1:21).

 

For to me to live is Christ…

 

2.      Jesus taught His disciples to follow him.

a.      Matthew 4:19

 

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

 

b.      John 13:14-15

 

If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.  For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

 

c.       John 14:34

 

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

 

3.      We must be very careful on this point.

a.      The gospels reveal to us many events in the life of Jesus and how he handled various situations.  We can follow Him in those things.

b.      It is possible for us to turn the example of Jesus into a very subjective standard.  Instead of “this is what Jesus did,” it becomes, “This is what I think Jesus would do.” (Ex., acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle).

 

C.     We must MOLD OURSELVES by God’s Word.

1.      The Word of God has been given in order to shape and mold us into brilliant lights for God.

2.      The Bible, in fact, is described as being light itself.

a.      Psalm 119:105

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

 

b.      II Corinthians 4:3-4

 

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:  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.

 

c.       II Peter 1:19

 

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, and the daystar arise in your hearts.

 

3.      Once this light is in us, it is designed to shine out of us (II Cor. 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.    We must MERGE OUR LIGHTS with other lights.

1.      Each one of us only has a certain capacity of illumination.

2.      If we join with other lights our ability to shine brightly increases. (Ex., the movie, “The Finest Hours,” Coast Guard crewman Bernie Webber helps rescue the crew of the SS Pendleton, as he returns home the power goes out in Chatham, MA.  His fiancé points her car’s headlights out into the ocean.  The other residents follow suit and help to guide the men back home).

3.      Ecclesiastes 4:9

 

Two are better than one…

 

III.             THE PURPOSE OF LIGHTS

 

A.    To dispel the darkness. 

1.      Light and darkness cannot co-exist.

2.      When light enters into a dark room, the darkness flees.

3.      Our lives help to put darkness to flight.

 

B.      To illuminate the way.

1.      I have walked many miles in the dark on trails in the Ozark Mountains.

2.      The only way this could be done is with a headlamp or a flashlight. 

3.      Our lives are supposed to light the way of righteousness for others to follow us to our eternal destination.

4.      Paul understood this and called for others to follow him (I Cor. 11:1).

 

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

 

C.     To provide energy

1.      We hear a lot today about renewable energy and green energy.

2.      One of these types of energy is solar power.  The light and heat of the sun can power both homes and businesses.

3.      Our light should provide energy to the work of the Lord. 

a.      We should be zealous and fervent in the Lord’s kingdom.

b.      Romans 12:11

Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.

 

D.    To help heal

a.      There is a healing element to light.  (Ex., jaundice babies are put under light or in the sunlight).

b.      Our lives should bring healing to others. 

1)      Restoration (Gal. 6:1)

2)      Forgiveness (Eph. 4:320

3)      Mediation (Phil. 4:2-3)

 

E.      To bring comfort

a.      Those on beds of affliction seem to suffer more during the night.  With the first light of dawn, there is a comfort that fills their weary soul.

b.      As lights, we, too, should bring comfort to the lives of others (II Cor. 3:3-4; I Thess. 4:18).

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    One would think that everyone would welcome the light.  This is not the case.

1.      Jesus was the true Light, but the darkness did not welcome Him (John 1:5).

 

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

 

2.      Jesus warned of this during His earthly ministry (John 3:20).

 

For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

 

B.      We must not let the darkness discourage us.

We must not let the darkness dim us.

We certainly must not let the darkness overtake us.

 

C.     We may be the only light with whom a person in darkness may every come in contact. 

1.      Shine.  Shine brightly.  Shine purely.  Shine truly.  Shine!

2.      Let’s shine to keep as many people out of that place of outer darkness as we possibly can (Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 25:30).