Live in the Light – Jesus: The Light of the World, part 1
Have you retreated into darkness? Have you closed off your heart to the light of the gospel? Learn the way out of spiritual darkness with today’s message. Plus, find out what you can do if you are feeling down.
Refuse to live in spiritual darkness any longer. Live in the light.
If you look up at the night sky, you will see a dark sky that is covered with points of lights called stars. The lights that you see are millions of lightyears away. Yet, the lights from the stars pierce the darkness. What is true in the natural is also true spiritually.
Scripture tells us that Jesus is the light of the world. Jesus pierces the spiritual darkness in people’s hearts and lives all around the world.
When God created the world, darkness was upon the face of the deep. Physical darkness was everywhere.
‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day’ (Genesis 1:1-5, NIV).
In the creation story we first find a reference to light and darkness. Darkness is void of light. The physical darkness in the creation story is displaced by light. Darkness and light cannot occupy or coexist in the same place. Light overcomes darkness. Light rules over darkness when there is light. Darkness has no power over light. Darkness cannot stop light from shining. The cover of darkness hides the truth, light reveals and makes known truth.
The world can be a very dark place. I am not speaking of physical darkness. I mean there is an emotional, spiritual darkness, an evilness in the world. Spiritual darkness is not the darkness referred to in the creation story. In creation, God said “light” and there was light. It was physical darkness.
‘And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years’ (Genesis 1:14).
Just as physical light separates the physical night from day, Jesus—the light of the world—separates and makes known the difference between spiritual darkness, sin, and death from the true spiritual light of the gospel in Christ, obedience, and eternal life.
Sin and spiritual darkness happened when Adam and Eve sinned and disobeyed God. Every person born of Adam is born with a sinful nature. We live in a sinful and spiritually broken world. Sin and evil acts thrive in darkness. A person can almost feel or sense a heaviness that comes from spiritual darkness. An area within a city that is troubled with drugs, prostitution, adult bookstores, and porn, along with other such things is filled with people that are walking in spiritual darkness and are spiritually lost and empty. The city or neighborhood can be spiritually dark and morally lost even on the brightest of days.
At times life can seem hopeless, empty, and overwhelmingly dark. If you looked at the news, all you would see is violence and hate. Weeks marked with suffering, pain, and death. The attack on innocent civilians in Israel. Shootings, beheadings, and innocent people being taken hostage. The war in Ukraine. The war in Israel. Anger and hatred are all around. It can be seen in the office at work, at school, and driving down the street. In some marriage relationships, between children and parents, and between different countries. There are large demonstrations involving violence and hateful words directed towards Jewish people in different countries around the world. Threats of wanting to kill is openly spoken. Parts of society appear to be morally deteriorating and they are getting increasingly worse.
It is no secret that the world is full of spiritual darkness. All mankind is living in darkness. Some people might think it’s not that terrible, that is, until their life is affected by violence or personal attacks. You may think that your situation is different. You may think all is good. Physical violence is a long way off. But you are not immune to violence, nor are you immune to temptation and sin. It will touch your life one way or another, even if you think not. Refuse to believe the lies of the enemy.
‘The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ’ (2 Corinthians 4:4-6).
Refuse to live in spiritual darkness any longer. Live in the light.
Acts of hate, violence, and anger are sin and they all come out of moral depravity and spiritual darkness. The root of spiritual darkness is sin. You might think that you are not like that other person, who is obviously living in sin, but from time to time we all choose to sin. No one is perfect. We all fall short at times and participate in sin and darkness at times (see Isaiah 53:6). Not one of us, is perfect. It does not matter how well you look this morning. You may appear to be a well-grounded moral Christian now, but just wait. It won’t be long before you choose to do what you want over what God would have you do.
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
It’s a choice to believe, obey and walk in the light.
Just as Adam and Eve did in the Garden when they took and ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, mankind’s sinful nature, selfish desires, and worldly influence will influence you at times and you will find yourself choosing to participate in darkness rather than following the light.
Who here has ever raised your voice, said something in anger, run a red light, driven above the speed limit, gotten angry at another driver, or had an envious thought on the way to a Sunday service? And then as you walked into service you were all smiles as you greeted one another? Or how about when the kids give you a little trouble in the car and you get angry and say something you shouldn’t. Maybe you took a pen, or some office supplies home without thinking. You shared something about someone that you should not have told anyone. You did something you were told not to do, but you did it anyway. You let something to come between you and God such as money, work, pleasure, a relationship. Or you lust for that car or something else you want. We all fall short at times.
Just because no one is perfect is not an excuse to sin, but it is the reason we must always strive to walk in the light. You will never avoid sin and spiritual enticement of evil or darkness on this side of heaven. Spiritual darkness is everywhere, but I believe we can at times limit the exposer to sin and darkness when we choose to draw close to the Lord Jesus, with all our hearts.
When you do find yourselves in a spiritually dark place, when you find yourself being enticed by sinful desires you must be honest with yourself. Admit your sin and run back into the light. Turn back to Jesus with all your heart. We need to be willing and open to listen to the truth of the gospel and pray. We must choose to turn and walk away from sin and darkness. We need to confess and seek forgiveness of God.
In John 8:12 we see that a person has a choice of continuing to walk in darkness or have the light of life.
‘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 8:12).
Jesus’ teaching was much different than the Pharisees and religious leaders. Jesus’ words were not words of condemnation or hopelessness. Jesus spoke of life; Jesus’ words of life, broke bondages and lives were changed. In verse 12 we find it to be a choice: “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." The person who chooses to follow Jesus will have the light of life.
John 8:1-11 the religious leaders tried to trick Jesus. They brought a woman caught in adultery before him. The law of Moses called for her to be stoned. The leaders knew Jesus was not about to agree with having her stoned and thought they could brand Jesus as a law breaker, but Jesus confronted her accusers with a question: "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." At that point each man knew in their heart they had sin and they walked away. Not one was sinless. After some time, Jesus addressed the woman.
‘Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”’ (John 8:10-11).
Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to save the world from sin. In Matthew 5 Jesus tells us that he didn’t come to abolish the law or prophets but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17). Jesus came to call sinners to repentance. In John 5-7 Jesus taught what has been called the sermon on the mount. Jesus came to fulfill the law. Not only did Jesus not sin, but he died that whosoever would believe could be saved. Jesus fulfilled the requirement of the Law when he died on the cross for your sins and mine.
In the sermon on the mount, Jesus clarifies that adultery and sin is a matter of the heart.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28).
The only way you can know for sure if your physical heart is OK is to check your heart. The same is true spiritually. The only way to know if you have sin in your heart and life is to allow Jesus, the light of the world, into your heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any area that you have not allowed the light of the gospel to shine. Allow the light of the gospel to shine in your heart and reveal any sin. Once you see sin confess it and do what Jesus told the woman who was brought before him to do: go now and leave your life of sin.
Unless you are willing to have the light of the gospel shine into your heart, you will not know what spiritual darkness lies in your heart.
Jesus is the light of the world and sin thrives in spiritual darkness.
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24).
When you sin, you participate in darkness. As a believer in Christ, you will find that life is filled with physical and spiritual decisions. Decisions regarding how you will live your life.
Who will you serve?
Will you serve your desires or Jesus’?
Who will you follow?
Will you follow Jesus with all your heart?
God allowed Job to be tested. The enemy came and took almost everything Job had. His children, his possessions, his servants, his health was all gone. Job had a choice to honor God or curse God and die. Job chose to honor God. Job chose to walk in the light and serve God Almighty. Job had some dark days, but he chose not to retreat or shrink back to sin and darkness. Job stood firm in faith.
Has something occurred in your life that might have made you spiritually retreat into darkness? Have you closed off your heart to the light of the gospel?
Do not shut yourself off from God.
Do not shut yourself off from other believers.
Do not get sucked into thinking you can do it on your own or that there is no need to attend church services with other believers.
Do not believe the lie of the enemy and think you are not worthy or that others will think less of you.
Do not live in spiritual darkness.
Allow Jesus to illuminate the way of escape out of spiritual darkness. The way out of spiritual darkness is Jesus. The way out of sin and darkness is to let Jesus, the light of the world to shine in your heart and life.
Spiritual darkness only leads to continued darkness and sin. Living in spiritual darkness is living in spiritual bondage. The bondage of sin and death. Understand, spiritual darkness breeds hopelessness and despair. The definition of despair is being completely or totally lost, and the absence of hope. That is no way to live. Refuse to live in darkness and sin.
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:11).
What can you do if you are feeling down or if you know someone who is feeling down? Speak life and hope to their situation. Share with them the love and joy of knowing Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Recall past spiritual victories and lean into the Lord. Choose to turn away from immorality, and spiritual darkness and turn back to the light. Live in the Light. Decide to move forward in faith and let the light of the gospel shine in your heart.
I said at the beginning of this message that Jesus pierces the spiritual darkness in people’s hearts and lives all around the world. The problem is many people do not open the door of their heart to allow Jesus into their heart. The person must be willing to let Jesus into their heart. When the person opens their heart, Jesus—the light of the world—will shine bright in their heart.
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10).
Just as the stars shine at night whether or not you step outside to look up at the night sky to see the light of the stars, Jesus is the light of the world for all to see even if you refuse to choose to open your heart to Jesus.
Ask Jesus—the light of the world—to shine in your heart. Place your faith in Jesus today and every day. The truth of God’s Word is real no matter what others say who are living in darkness. Choose to live in the light. Choose to follow Jesus with all your heart and you will no longer live in spiritual darkness. Resist the temptation to live in spiritual darkness. Resist and choose to not live in the isolation of darkness that the enemy wants to burden you with. Let others speak into your life.
“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2).
Understand, we all are sinners saved by faith in Christ. We all once lived in spiritual darkness. We were all deceived into believing the lie of the enemy.
However, the truth is:
“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 they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people 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 their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God” (John 3:16-21).
Choose to live in the light.
“and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:12-14).
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