Have you ever been afraid of the dark? Why?
When do criminals usually commit their crimes? (night) Why?
What is your initial reaction when the lights go out?
(jittery, your suddenly blind!)What begins to happen when the lights stay out for a while?
(we get used to it.)Then what happens when the lights come back on?
(it hurts our eyes at first.)Why does light bring comfort, relaxation, and confidence?
(everything is out in the open.)
John 8:12 & 12:44-46"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.'""Then Jesus cried out, 'When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.'"
Who is the "light of the world"?
What does that mean?
What is the light of life?
What does it mean to walk in darkness?
John 3:19-21"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 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."Who comes into the light? ("whoever lives by the truth...")
Why do most people resist the light?
What is an "evil deed"? Why is it evil?
- The truth hurts when we are used to the dark!
- The light exposes us for who we really are, deep down!
- It's like being in denial about our sin, we don't really want to know! In the darkness, we are blind to our sin!
Eph 5:1-14"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: 'Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'"
Gal 5:19-23"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."Why are these kinds of things considered evil? Is God trying to restrict the amount of fun we can have? No, these things hurt us and those around us! They put up walls between us and other people! If someone commits adultery on their spouse, how easy is it for the spouse to forgive and accept them back? Even in these rare cases, the relationship is never really the same! Trust has been broken. Walls have been erected. These two people are seperated from each other spiritually, if not literally. Reconciliation is difficult, and may be impossible without God.
These things are evil because they are counter to God's greatest commands: Love God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself! God is all about relationships, and these things tear relationships apart! Think about the effect that these things have on relationships, be specific. That's one reason why God calls these things sin. What is the effect on our relationship with God?
Isaiah 59:1,2"Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear."Sin separates us from God also! Sin separates us from the light, and puts us in darkness! And this is the bigger issue!And if we are really honest with ourselves, most of us would have to admit that we love our sin! It's fun! It's comforting! It's numming! And in the darkness, its easy for us to deny our sin to others and to God.
This is why it is so easy for us to resist the light (Jesus) when we begin to see Him for who He really is! Because an honest encounter with Jesus exposes our sin to us!
Rom 6:23"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."The wages (what we earn) for sin is death!
Rom 3:23"... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ..."Bad News! ALL have sinned! Who does that include? (Us!)
(Does NOT include Jesus, (Heb 4:14-15))
John 8:34"Jesus replied, 'I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin."Worse News! We are powerless to sin!
Rom 8:5-8"Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God."It is part of our nature, our being, our heart.
Mark 7:15-23"Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.' After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 'Are you so dull?' he asked. 'Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him unclean? For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body.' (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods 'clean.') He went on: 'What comes out of a man is what makes him unclean. For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean.'"
Matt 5:21-30"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca, ' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. "Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell."The "acts" of the sinful nature are really just symptoms of our sinful heart!
John 1:1-14, 8:12"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. 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."There is hope: Jesus is the light of the world!"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.'"
Next week: the Good News!
Close with prayer.