Sermon Central
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The Light
Contributed by Robert Rose on Oct 13, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: The Light came into the world and can not be extinguished
{John 1:5}
The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. (NIV)
And the light shines though the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.(NLT)
Have you ever been in a room that had no windows, and when you shut off the lights it was so dark you could feel it? It is our human nature to fear the darkness. Some will say that they don’t fear the darkness, but, just try to navigate in a strange room with no lights. Is it not fear that assails you, that lost feeling? We don’t like that. We don’t know what we may bump into. We don’t have control of the situation when we are in that kind of position. We like to think that we are in control.
On the other hand in this verse John says, "the light shines in the dark," This statement is even more exciting when you finish it with, "and the dark has never extinguished it." If you take a light into the dark room I mentioned moments ago, you will find that no matter where in the room you put the light or no matter how small the light, the darkness can’t hide the light. Like putting red pigments into a base white paint, no matter how much white you put in the paint is no longer pure white. Once light enters a dark room it can be seen by all.
Of course we know that this verse is not talking about a literal light in a literal darkness. This verse is right on the heals of verses 1thru 4.
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.(NIV)
These 4 verses plus the 5th one I read earlier give us these three formulas which I will make sub-titles of this sermon with two main points.
“The Light = The Word”
Not much discussion here verses 1-4 tell us this much.
The next two points are what verse 5 is talking about when John says The light shines in the dark, and the dark has never extinguished it.
“The Light = The Word in a dark world”
“The Light = The Word in a dark heart(or life l-i-f-e.)”
“The Light = the Word in a dark world”
There have been thousands and millions and billions of books written in the world since man picked up a stick and started drawing in the sand. There are not many books around from that era, as a matter of fact I can safely say there are no books around from that time. But, from Genesis to Revelation, there is not one book that has surpassed this popularity and longevity. I am reading a series of Books by Tim Lehaye and Jerry Jenkins, the "Left Behind" series. When these books started coming out there was a rush to read them, I heard stories of unsaved people reading the books and seeking someone to lead them to salvation. Since 9-11 the book series has taken off. When a new book is released it is printed in the millions and still not enough books make it to market. But this still does not compare to the Word of God. In ten or twenty years the "Left Behind" series will be all but a memory. and the Bible will still be a number one seller.
That is an example of the light in a dark room. No matter how hard Satan (darkness) tries, No Matter how Hard the World tries, this light will not be hid.
Since the beginning on time, when God put His light into the world in Verse one of genesis we see that right up and into today that God’s light or presence has not been extinguished. The evidence of God’s handy work is everywhere. You can not miss it. That is why I am so surprised more scientist are not Christians. I guess they choose to be in the lost state they are in. What has been your choice. Do you think all of this Jesus stuff is foolish? Paul had an answer for you in:
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. (KJV)
The light we shine as Christians has and will not be snuffed out. Because it is God’s Light.
In the second book in the Bible God gives us an excellent example of His Purpose for the light.
By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. (NIV)
