JOHN 8: 12.I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME WILL NEVER WALK IN DARKNESS BUT HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE .
ONE OF THE GREATEST TRAGEDIES FOR A PERSON WOULD BE TO LIVE IN DARKNESS WHEN THEY COULD LIVE IN THE LIGHT…
REAL LIFE STORY: ROSE CRAWFORD HAD BEEN BLIND FOR 50 YEARS. THEN SHE HAD AN OPERATION IN AN ONTARIO HOSPITAL WHICH CHANGED HER WHOLE LIFE. SHE SAID, “I JUST CAN’T BELIEVE IT,” AS THE DOCTOR LIFTED THE BANDAGES FROM HER EYES. SHE WEPT - WHEN FOR THE 1ST TIME IN HER LIFE SHE SAW A DAZZLING AND BEAUTIFUL WORLD OF FORM AND COLOR GREETED HER EYES AND SHE COULD NOW SEE.
THE AMAZING THING ABOUT HER STORY, HOWEVER, WAS THAT 20 YEARS OF HER BLINDNESS WAS UNNECESSARY. SHE DIDN’T KNOW THAT SURGICAL TECHNIQUES HAD BEEN DEVELOPED, AND THAT AN OPERATION COULD HAVE RESTORED HER VISION AT THE AGE OF 30. THE DR. SAID, “SHE JUST FIGURED THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE FOR HER CONDITION. MUCH OF HER LIFE COULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT.”
FRIENDS IN THAT STORY THERE IS A SPIRITUAL APPLICATION FOR ALL OF US BECAUSE THERE IS A CONDITION THAT WE HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH FROM THE MOMENT WE ARE BORN, WHICH WE HAVE LIVED WITH WHICH HAS MADE US ALL DEFICIENT IN A CERTAIN AREA OF OUR LIVES.
THE SADDEST NEWS I CAN PASS ON, IS THAT SOME PEOPLE WILL LIVE WITH THIS CONDITION THEIR WHOLE LIVES AND WILL DIE WITH IT. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THERE IS TREATMENT AVAILABLE, WHICH PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND NATIONALITIES FROM ALL OVER THE WORD HAVE RECEIVED AND BENEFITED FROM. AND THAT TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE TODAY FOR YOU,IF YOU NEED IT.
THE INHERITED CONDITION I AM TALKING ABOUT IS NOT SOME PHYSICAL DEFECT BUT A SPIRITUAL DEFECT. THE CLINICAL TERM IS CALLED S.I.N AS A RESULT OF S.I.N WE ARE BORN WITH SPIRITUALLY BLINDNESS WHICH SEPARATES US FROM KNOWING - EXPERIENCING - ENJOYING AND GLORIFYING GOD IN THIS LIFE AND MEANS THAT WE ACTUALLY LIVE OUT OUR LIVES IN A SPIRITUAL DARKNESS - GROPING AROUND IN THE DARK. THE SERIOUS WARNING IS IF LEFT UNTREATED WE WILL ENTER INTO ETERNITY SEPARATED FROM GOD.
DARKNESS AND LIGHT
• WE ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH DARKNESS AND LIGHT WE ALL KNOW THAT DARKNESS REPRESENTS THAT WHICH IS EVIL AND LIGHT REPRESENTS THAT WHICH IS GOOD. WE ALL KNOW THAT GOD REPRESENTS LIGHT AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THE DEVIL REPRESENTS THAT WHICH IS DARK. AND THAT SEEMS TO MAKES SENSE AS WE LOOK AT THE WORLD AROUND US
• AS WE KNOW THAT MOST EVIL IS PERPETRATED UNDER THE COVER OF DARKNESS SO THOSE EVIL ACTS CANNOT BE SEEN AND EXPOSED AND THAT MUCH GOOD IS DONE IN THE LIGHT SO IT CAN BE SEEN AND COMMENDED.
• DARKNESS FOR SOME BRINGS A SENSE OF FEAR BECAUSE THINGS ARE UNSEEN WHEREAS LIGHT BRING A SENSE OF PEACE AND PROTECTION BECAUSE LIGHT EXPOSES THAT WHICH IS UNSEEN.
• DARKNESS AND LIGHT OFTEN PORTRAYED IN THE ARTS: PAINTING, FILMS, LITERATURE AND SO ON . IT IS SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US CAN IDENTIFY WITH IT STRIKES A CHORD.
• IN A RECENT INTERVIEW, STEPHEN KING, HORROR AUTHOR, WAS ASKED ABOUT DAILY WRITING ROUTINE. WHO SAID, “I ONLY WRITE IN MORNING. WHEN ASKED IF HE EVER WROTE AT NIGHT, HE REPLIED, "ARE YOU KIDDING? NOT WITH THE STUFF I WRITE!" APPARENTLY EVEN HE KNOWS THE POWER OF DARKNESS
BUT WHERE DOES THIS IN BUILT SENSE OF FEAR TOWARDS DARKNESS/EVIL LIGHT/ GOOD COME FROM? WHY DOES THE DARKNESS HOLD SUCH FEAR TO US ALL? AND IF SO IS THERE A WAY OF DISPELLING THIS DARKNESS IN OUR LIVES BY WITH LIGHT AND REAL LIFE?
1. THE ENTRANCE OF DARKNESS INTO OUR LIVES (WHERE?)
STAR WARS EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH : THE FILM TAKES PLACE THREE YEARS AFTER THE ONSET OF THE CLONE WARS; THE NOBLE JEDI KNIGHTS ARE SPREAD OUT ACROSS THE GALAXY LEADING A MASSIVE CLONE ARMY IN THE WAR AGAINST THE SEPARATISTS. AFTER CHANCELLOR PALPATINE IS KIDNAPPED, JEDI MASTER OBI-WAN KENOBI AND HIS FORMER PADAWAN, ANAKIN SKYWALKER, ARE DISPATCHED TO ELIMINATE THE EVIL GENERAL GRIEVOUS AND RESCUE THE CHANCELLOR . MEANWHILE, ANAKIN’S FRIENDSHIP WITH THE CHANCELLOR AROUSES SUSPICION IN THE JEDI ORDER AND PROVES DANGEROUS TO THE JEDI KNIGHT HIMSELF AS THE CHANCELLOR TURNS OUT TO BE SITH LORD, DARTH SIDIOUS WHO TEMPTS ANAKIN TO COME OVER TO THE DARK SIDE, WITH THE PROMISE THAT THE DEATH OF HIS WIFE WHICH HE HAS CONSTANT DREAMS ABOUT CAN BE REVERSED, A TUSSLE BEGINS IN ANIKINS HEART OVER FOLLOWING THE LIGHT AND THE JEDI ORDER OR STEPPING OVER TO THE DARK SIDE WITH THE SITH LORD DARTH SIDIOUS. ANAKIN SUCCUMBS TO TEMPTATION HE STEPS OUT OF THE LIGHT AND HIS WHOLE CHARACTER CHANGES AS HE ENTERS THE DARK SIDE AND BECOMES THE EVIL DARTH VADER
WHY AM I TELLING YOU THAT FICTIONAL STORY? BECAUSE IT’S A PICTURE OF HOW WE ARE ALL PRONE TO ACTS OF DARKNESS AND HOW DARKNESS ENTERED INTO OUR WORLD IN THE BEGINNING : I WANT TO SHARE ANOTHER STORY THIS TIME IT’S A REAL HISTORICAL STORY ABOUT OUR ANCESTORS THE FIRST MAN CALLED ADAM AND THE FIRST WOMEN CALLED EVE, WHO WERE SERVING AND LIVING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD WHO IS LIGHT AND ALL THAT IS GOOD AND PERFECT. YET EVIL LURKED IN THE SHADOWS UNDER THE GUISE OF A SERPENT. IT WAS SATAN (LUCIFER) A FALLEN ANGEL WHO WANTED TO BE LIKE GOD, WHO HAD BEEN BANISHED FROM GODS PRESENCE IN HEAVEN (ISAIAH 14:12-14). SATAN BROUGHT TEMPTATION AND DOUBTS BEFORE THEM BOTH, WITH THE PROMISE THEY WOULD BE LIKE GOD AND THE LIE THAT THEY WOULD NOT DIE, THEY SUCCUMBED TO EAT OF THE FRUIT, THAT GOD FORBID TO EAT OFF (GEN 3:1- 7). ADAM AND EVE SUCCOMBED JUST LIKE ANAKIN TO THE DARK SIDE . AS A RESULT DARKNESS HAS ENTERED INTO OUR WORLD AND OUR LIVES WITH SEPARATION FROM GOD BECOMING THE NORM, PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL DEATH AWAITING US AND THE WORLD IN UTTER DARKNESS AS EVIL PREVAILS TO THIS DAY.
NO -ONE IS EXEMPT FROM SIN:
OF COURSE MANY OF US THINK WE ARE EXEMPT FROM THIS DARKNESS THAT IT ALWAYS BELONGS SOMEWHERE ELSE, AND NEVER ENTERS INTO OUR LIVES . YOU OFTEN HEAR IT ON THE NEWS WHEN SOMETHING BAD HAS HAPPENED LIKE A MUDER : THE TV REPORTER INTERVIEWS A RESIDENT WHO SAYS “WELL I NEVER THOUGHT IT COULD HAPPEN IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD?” BUT IT DID AND DOES, IT CAN BE A MURDER, A TERRORIST PLOT, A PAEDOPHILE RING , SOMEBODY ON A CHARGE OF TAX EVASION, BENEFIT CHEATS, DRUG DEALERS, CHILD ABUSERS, FAMILY ADULTERY, GREED , LIES , STEALING, RESENTMENT , PAIN, SUFFERING AND EVENTUALLY DEATH IT GOES ON IN ALL OUR STREETS AND IN ALL OUR HOMES BECAUSE DARKNESS HAS ENTERED INTO OUR WORLD AND INTO OUR HEARTS ALSO.
• YOU AND I WERE BORN INTO THAT DARKNESS. MANY PEOPLE DON’T BELIEVE THAT. IN FACT IN A BARNA POLL 74% OF PEOPLE INTERVIEWED SAID THAT PEOPLE WERE BORN NEITHER GOOD NOR BAD (FORWARD IN CHRIST, DEC. 2002, P. 28). THAT ILLUSTRATES HOW THICK THE DARKNESS IS. WE DON’T REALIZE HOW LOST AND HELPLESS WE NATURALLY ARE, EVEN THOUGH GOD’S WORD PLAINLY SAYS, “SURELY I HAVE BEEN A SINNER FROM BIRTH, SINFUL FROM THE TIME MY MOTHER CONCEIVED ME” (PSALM 51:5 NIV).
2. THE ENTRANCE OF LIGHT PROMISED ISAIAH 9:2 THE PEOPLE WALKING IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT ON THOSE LIVING IN THE LAND OF THE SAHDOW OF DEATH A LIGHT HAS DAWNED.
HERE WE HAVE A PROMISE THAT A LIGHT WOULD SHINE IT WAS A PROPHECY BY THE PROPHET ISAIAH INTO THIS WORLDS AND CHANGE THE WHOLE SITUATION AROUND . WHAT IS
AMAZING IS THAT THIS PROMISE WAS GIVEN 2700 YEARS AGO AND 700 YEARS BEFRORE ITS ARRIVAL IT STATES.
a) PEOPLE WHO ARE WALKING IN DARKNESS
b) PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN THE LAND OF DEATH
c) HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT AND IT HAS DAWNED.
THIS LIGHT DISPELS THE DARKNESS IN PEOPLE LIVES AND DEFEATS DEATH TOO.
THIS PROPHETIC WORD FROM THE PROPHET WAS FULFILLED 2000 YEARS AGO AND WAS POINTING TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST MATT 4:14- 16. – 17 WHAT IS THE CALL OF JESUS TO THESE PEOPLE IN THIS LAND OF DARKNESS? FROM THAT TIME ON JESUS BEGAN TO PREACH “REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS NEAR.”
JESUS CAME INTO THIS WORLD TO DEAL WITH DARKNESS WHICH MARS OUR LIVES , HE HIMSELF IS THE CURE TO OUR S.I.N CONDITION. THROUGH REPENTANCE AND FAITH IN HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION WE CAN ENTER INTO THE LIGHT OF LIFE. WHICH IS A LIFE WITH THE PRESENCE - PROTECTION AND PURPOSES OF GOD INTO YOUR LIFE.
HE DOESN’T WANT ANYBODY TO BE LIVING A LIFE IN SPIRITUAL DARKNESS BUT WANTS THEM TO COME INTO HIS MARVELLOUS LIGHT AND TO RECEIVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE.
HAVE YOU EVER CLEANED YOUR LIVING ROOM AND THOUGHT THAT IT WAS CLEAN ONLY TO HAVE THE SUN SHINE IN THROUGH THE WINDOW AND REVEAL ALL THE DUST THAT WAS LEFT BEHIND? RUTH GRAHAM TELLS OF THE TIME THAT THE TV NEWS WANTED TO INTERVIEW SHE AND HER HUSBAND BILLY AT THEIR HOME. THEY GOT THE HOUSE ALL SPIC AND SPAN CLEAN. THAT IS UNTIL THE TV LIGHTS WERE TURNED ON IN THEIR LIVING ROOM. ALL THAT RUTH COULD SEE WAS THE DUST AND COBWEBS THAT HAD BEEN MISSED. LIGHT WILL ALWAYS EXPOSE THE DIRT. THE CLOSER WE GET TO JESUS THE MORE WE WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH “HIDDEN SIN” IN OUR LIVES. LITTLE THINGS THAT WE HAD NEVER NOTICED BEFORE WILL BECOME A BIG DEAL WHEN EXPOSED BY THE LIGHT.
THIS WORLD IS PLUMITTED INTO DARKNESS SINCE THE FALL.
WE DONT NEED TO BE ENSTIEN TO KNOW THAT! EVEN HE SAID, “ITS NOT THE POWER OF THE ATOMIC BOMB THAT WORRIES ME MOST BUT THE DEPRAVITY OF THE HUMAN HEART IT IS DESPERATLY WICKED."
1. THE ENTRANCE OF LIGHT RECIEVED. : JOHN 8: 12.I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME WILL NEVER WALK IN DARKNESS BUT HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE .
HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS THAT THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD HAS ENTERED THIS WORLD JESUS HAS DIED FOR OUR SINS UPON THE CROSS WHERE HE EXPERIENCED OUR DARKNESS AS HE WAS MADE SIN FOR US, AND ROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD.HE CALLS US TO FOLLOW HIM , BUT IN SO DOING IT WILL EXPOSE THE SIN IN YOUR LIFE ARE YOU PREPARED TO STEP OUT OF THE DARKNESS HAVE YOUR SINS EXPOSED, ERADICATED AND RECIEVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE ENABLING YOU TO NEVER TO WALK IN DARKNESS AGAIN.
• I REMEMBER A DOCUMENTARY, IT WAS ABOUT A CHRISTIAN AGENCY THAT WORKED WITH CHILDREN WHO LIVED IN SEWERS - SOMEWHERE IN EASTERN EUROPE - THE WORK OF THE AGENCY IS TO RE –HOUSE THESE KIDS - A CHANCE FOR A NEW LIFE AWAY FROM THE DARKNESS AND FILTH OF THE SEWERS INTO FOSTER HOMES.
THE DOCUMENTARY SHOWED THIS CHAP GOING INTO THE SEWERS HIMSELF TO TRY AND HELP THE CHILDREN WHO WERE LIVING THERE. THE CAMERA TEAM WHO WENT DOWN WITH HIM HAD TO TAKE THEIR CAMERA LIGHTS IT WAS LITERALLY PITCH BLACK. I IMAGINE IF MY TV HAD ‘SMELLY VISION’ IT STUNK AS WELL!
• THINK ABOUT THOSE KIDS FOR A MINUTE - VIRTUALLY BLIND THROUGH LIVING IN THE DARKNESS UNDERGROUND. FILTHY THROUGH LIVING IN THE WASTE FROM THOUSANDS OF HOMES.
• PICTURE YOURSLF DOWN THERE - YOU RECEIVE A CHANCE TO LEAVE? YOU JUMP AT THE OPPORTUNITY, BUT AS YOU ARE LEAD OUT OF YOUR SEWER WHICH HAS BEEN YOUR HOME, AS YOUR EYES BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, YOU START TO SEE THE STATE THAT YOU ARE IN. YOU START TO SEE THE EXCREMENT ON YOUR CLOTHES AND IN YOUR HAIR. AND NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY TO BRUSH IT OFF, THE STAINS WILL NOT GO AWAY. AND OF COURSE, THE NEARER YOU GET TO THE LIGHT COMING IN FROM THE ENTRANCE OF THE TUNNEL, THE DIRTIER YOU APPEAR.
NATURALLY YOU WOULD SHY AWAY FROM EVER COMING OUT OF THE SEWER UNTIL YOU’RE FIT TO BE PRESENTED TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD. THE PROBLEM OF COURSE, IS THAT YOU CANNOT BE MADE CLEAN UNTIL YOU COME OUT OF THE FILTH OF THE SEWER, AND BY COMING OUT IT’S INEVITABLE THAT YOU WILL BE MADE AWARE OF YOUR OWN FILTH.
THIS STORY IS A PICTURE OF HOW WE ALL ARE BEFORE WE STEP OUT OF DARKNESS, YOUR IMMEDIATE REACTION WOULD TO TURN RIGHT BACK INTO THE HOME YOU’VE ALWAYS KNOWN. BECAUE HAVING YOU FILTH EXPOSED IS UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT CAN I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE THAT STEP OF COMING OUT BECAUSE AS THAT SIN IS EXPOSED BY THE ONE WHO IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, IT CAN BE ERADICATED BY HIM ALSO, HE CAME INTO THE SEWER TO SAVE YOU!
HE IS THE ONE WHO CAME INTO THIS WOLD AND EXPOSES DARKNESS
HE IS THE ONE WHO WIL ERADICATE SIN AND CLEAN YOU UP.
HE IS THE ONE WHO WILL GIVE YOU A NEW HOME (HEAVEN)
HE IS THE ONE WHO WILL GIVE YOU A THE LIGHT OF LIFE.
• JESUS IS THE ANSWER TO OUR DAKNESS:
JOHN 8: 12.I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME WILL NEVER WALK IN DARKNESS BUT HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE .
PASTOR VAUGHAN www.cbchurch.org.uk
