God's Light Shines

God's Light Shines In The Darkness




"That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world." John 1:9

"Then Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness." John 12:44-46 (NKJV)

Columbus, OH, now has a Sri Sabab Hindu Temple close to the Alum Creek Church of Christ. A Jain Center of Central Ohio is not far away. (W.Va. has a Hare Krishna Temple near Moundsville.) But we should rejoice that HE who lives in us is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

1. A Gospel of words & power.

"Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness." Acts 4:29-31 (NKJV)

2. Faith of our fathers, living still.

a) You have heard of the patience of Job. (James 5:11)

"Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! That they were engraved on a rock With an iron pen and lead, forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives,

And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another.  How my heart yearns within me!" Job 19:23-27

b) David was delivered by God.

"To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said: I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies. The pangs of death surrounded me, And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid. The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears." Psalms 18:1-6 (NKJV)

3. We shine the Light of Christ into the world.

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NKJV)

"This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." 1 John 1:5-7 (NKJV)

But If we. This is the other side of the test of fellowship. "If our lives are filled with the light of purity and holiness, this shows the truthfulness of our claims to fellowship with the Father and the Son." Fellowship with one another. John is not speaking about the fellowship of Christians with each other, but with the Father and His Son. The blood of Jesus. The blood symbolizes God’s act in Christ to set men free. Compare Rev. 7:14; 12:11; Heb. 9:12-14. Cleanses us. John uses the present continuous verb form to emphasize that living in the light keeps us in the fellowship where the blood of Jesus continuously makes us clean from sin. But if we walk in darkness, we lose this fellowship! [BSNT]

"Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?" 1 Cor 10:14-16 (NKJV)

"When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? "  1 Cor 10:16 (NLT)