The Light of the World
The following is the outline of the message I shared on Christmas Eve. I thought I would post my notes here, for others to read and comment on. I don't generally put a lot of time into "cleaning up" my sermon notes, because when I'm preaching I ad-lib anyhow, so you may find grammatical and/or spelling errors here.---------------------------------------------------
LIGHT – it was everywhere. God’s presence lit up the world, even at night. Somehow, there was light in the midst of the darkness of night. No matter where one went, he could sense the light of God, because God’s physical presence was everywhere.
Then, something happened. A cloak of darkness covered the world. Ever since that fatal day, so many years ago, in the garden, when God ceased to walk with him, man has lived in darkness. Down through the ages there were periodic glimpses of light – God walked with Enoch; He met with Abraham; He conversed with Moses on Mt. Sinai; and other times through history, God’s light briefly shone on this planet. But it never lasted; it never lit up the world, as his original intent had been. Man, throughout time, has lived in darkness.
All that changed 2000 years ago. . .
Consider the following passages:
John 1:1 – 14
Quote:
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. 6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. |
John 3:16 – 21
Quote:
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 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 8:12
Quote:
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." |
John 9:1 – 5
Quote:
9:1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." |
John 12:44 – 46
Quote:
44 Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45 When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. |
So Jesus was the light of the world; and yet, we know that this light was snuffed out – sure, Christ returned to life, but he also left the planet, and once again, we had a world in darkness.
But wait – is it truly darkness? There’s a spark over there. What is it? And there’s another one. And another one. What are these pinpoints of lights?
Matthew 5:14 – 16
Quote:
14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. |
WE have been left as the light of the world. WE are the living representative of Christ. WE are to live lives that point to Christ. WE are to cast back the shroud of darkness. WE are to spread the good news of the gospel of Grace.
Christ has indeed left the planet, to return at some future point. But no longer is the planet shrouded in darkness. There are glimmers of light all over the world. Our job is to increase that light. Our job is to make our light shine more brightly. Our job is to show the world the way to live, and to live lives that are bright lights.
Men love darkness, better than light, because their deeds are evil. We need to have deeds that are pure, and live in the light, shining it around for all to see.
This Christmas season let's remember our task - to be the light of Christ to a lost world.
Posted On Dec 25, 2005 at 5:12 PM
On Dec 27, 2005 Doug wrote: Hmm...you used a lot of the same verses I used in my series of messages on Light and Darkness that I did last winter. I also used II Corinthians 3:18
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
It is Christ's likeness and glory reflected in our lives that makes us the light of the world.
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Brian's BlogMost articles on this blog describe what is known as "Kingdom Theology" - they deal with the doctrine of the Millennial Kingdom.If you are just finding this Blog, I would suggest that you start with the first article, rather than picking up in the middle. Enjoy your reading! ABOUT ME Current PostsA scriptural scavenger huntWhat do we want to be remembered for? How do we measure our churches? The Parable of the Sower What is Worship 
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