Light and Darkness

Well, good evening. It's good to be here with you all this evening.

I can steal one of these.

Song number 359. In light of what I had to share, this came to my mind. The first verse, "Father, eternal ruler of creation, spirit of life which moved, air form was made. Through the thick darkness covering every nation, light to men's blindness, O be thou our aid."

The writer here is not referring to this thick darkness that we see outside enveloping us tonight. He's speaking about the darkness of men's hearts, the darkness of evil.

A man likes to think that he could fix his problems and that with enough humanistic reforms, make himself better.

The subject tonight is light and darkness.

I'd like to go to Genesis chapter one to begin.

I read verses one through five. "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth, and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good. And God divided the light from the darkness, and God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. And the evening and the morning were the first day."

Verse two gives a bleak description of earth before God intervened. Can you imagine a darkness with no light present?

Maybe the closest similarity is being in a cave. The ninth plague of Egypt was a darkness that could be felt. Maybe this gives us a picture of what hell is like, a place without God and where His spirit doesn't move.

Everything changed when God spoke the words, "Let there be light." It's difficult to understand exactly how this was, but it seems the light and darkness were together at first. The end of verse four tells us that God divided them. We know that without the natural light, we and all life as we know it would perish quickly.

Unarguably, light is one of, if not the most important and powerful forces that this earth knows about. The speed it travels is used as a measurement to measure the expanse of the universe. These measurements are so mind-numbing that it's hard to comprehend them. Here's one example. Say the sun would turn off suddenly. We wouldn't know it until eight minutes later, even though the light from it was traveling at 670,000,000, 617,000 miles an hour.

This brings me to the first of three main points of the message. Number one, the source of light. Let's go to First John chapter one. First John chapter one.

Verse five says, "This then is the message which we have heard of Him and declare unto you that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." Here, John declares that the created light isn't the source of light, but the Creator Himself is light.

He says that in Him is no darkness at all. Just to make sure we got it, he repeats and makes it clear. The natural sun in all its glory and power has what they call dark spots. Some of those dark spots are several times larger than planet Earth.

Not so with our God. James 1:17 says, "With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

Astronomers find black holes in the universe. In spite of all the stars and galaxies in the universe, some massive areas don't have light. Light seems to be snuffed out by powerful gravity. A lot of it is unknown. They don't know how all this happens.

James tells us, "Not so with God. There's not even a shadow of turning in Him." Can we believe that this evening?

Even with the lighting in this auditorium that allows us to see each other and to read words in our Bibles, still there are shadows. Areas that aren't bright because of an obstruction. Even at the clearest, brightest days, there are still shadows.

Not so with God. He is light through and through. John 8:12 says, "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, 'I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.'" First Peter 2:9, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

Just as the sun is essential to light and life in this natural life, even more so God is essential and central to the believer's life.

Point number two, obstacles of the light. I'd like to read John chapter three.

John chapter 3:19-20, "And this is the condemnation: that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light. Neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved."

God, in His mercy and love, sent the best He had, His Son, the light of the world, the light that lighteth every man that comes into the world. And what? And men loved darkness rather than light. Why? Because their deeds were evil.

Where and when do most sins and crimes happen? At night, out of sight, in a corner. Something tells us we shouldn't do it in broad daylight. Sin obscures the light. Ephesians 5:1-17, I'll read at this time. Ephesians 5.

Ephesians 5:1, "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children, and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us and given us Himself an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness let it not be once named among you as becometh saints. Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know that no whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man who is an idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things cometh a wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Be not ye partakers with them, for ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to think of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light. For whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore He saith, 'Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.'

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. Wherefore, be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.'" Light is mentioned numerous times, and darkness, they're contrasted.

Verses three through five are the evidence of darkness. Like a naughty child hiding in a corner, knowing Dad doesn't approve what he's doing. Verse eight, "For we, ye were sometimes darkness." That's all of us. That's all of us.

Maybe we've been spared some of the what we would consider big sins, and praise God for that. But in the end, it's all sin, and sin obscures the light from penetrating our hearts.

I want to go to Matthew chapter six. Another element that obscures the light. Matthew chapter six.

Verses 19 through 24, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

The light of the body is the eye. If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness."

How great is that darkness, or how terrible? "No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other. Or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

The question is, what am I focused on? Jesus says that it's a matter of light or darkness.

Illumination to our life or obscurity.

Do the heavenly riches have our attention or the cheap, discartable wealth of this world?

In the parable of the sower, which I'll turn to quickly here in Mark. Mark chapter five.

Verses 18 and 19.

Sorry, I must have written down the wrong.

Where is that? Okay, I'll write down the wrong. Okay. Chapter four, verses 18 and 19. Thank you. "And these are they which are sown among thorns, such as hear the word. In the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

And these are they which are sown among thorns.

The thorns block the light, and the plant is fruitless."

We can't look to the world's example on this issue. We have to look honestly at God's word to help us know how to view wealth and possessions. The world has it backwards.

Where will you and I come out? What is our pursuit? So we've looked at several things in God's word that clearly tells us what's darkness and what's of the light. What about the gray areas? Should there be gray areas? And if there are gray areas, sometimes I wonder if the attitude is wrong.

You know, if we have an attitude in life of what's wrong with it, I think there's going to be a lot of gray areas in our lives. The attitude should be, how is this going to affect my life? We just read in Ephesians chapter five, it says, "See that ye walk circumspectly." Not everything is spelled out in life where you can go to a verse and point it out. But too often, I think in Christianity, the attitude is as long as it doesn't say anything, it must be okay.

God expects us to capture what He—the truths and principles in His word—and apply them to our lives and not just think that, well, as long as I check that box, everything must be okay. Does this music honor God and edify my soul or feed my flesh and make me feel good? Does what I wear smack of the fashion of the world or demonstrate the humility and meekness of Christ?

You know, a lot of these things we're not going to find clearly spelled out what kind of music we should listen to. They didn't even have ways to listen to music in electronic form back when the word was written. But that doesn't mean that it should not apply to our lives, that we should not seek wisdom in relating to the things that we face in our time. If the attitude is mostly what's wrong with it, spiritual perception will wane.

Just think of the darkness. How does the darkness in my heart—how does the darkness in the world—affect me? Back to John 3:21.

"But he that doeth the truth—doeth truth—cometh to the light, that his deeds may be manifest, that they are wrought in God."

Will we lay our lives bare before God and ask Him to examine it? Does this please You, Lord? Is anything in my life of darkness? Here it talks about that he that loves the truth comes to the light. He doesn't fear the light. He doesn't fear exposure because he's willing to lay it open and lay it before the Lord, lay it before the brothers, lay it before fellow believers. Am I open? Sorry, let me back up a little bit.

Satan would love to have us wander our entire lives in the gray.

We are of little threat to him if that's where we want to be. Will I be honest about the shadows in my heart, my desires in my life? Am I open to others, or do I have—do I live in secrecy? Can we in love help each other as brothers and sisters renounce darkness in our lives?

Satan would love to make inroads into our lives, in our homes, and I think we need to be on the aware. One of the major things, I think, that we face in our time is through technology. And while it can be very useful, I think we need to be very alert as to what comes in, even thinking along the line of entertainment, you know, funny videos, and those types of things can soon spiral downhill and start to become shadier. And there again, is this building me up? Is this edifying my life, my children's lives?

Thinking of allowing the light to shine in our lives, in our hearts. The third point that I have here this evening is sharing the light. Matthew chapter five again.

Matthew chapter five, verses 14 through 16. "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on the hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven." As we experience the deliverance from darkness, we then have the call to be light. We can't produce our own light, but reflect His light to the world.

The world is dark, and there are those seeking for light. When we see, when they see us, what will they see? Will it draw them in? Will they be attracted to it or turn away in disgust? The world is watching.

The world displays glamour and fun and pleasure, but a closer look reveals broken relationships, heartache, loneliness, and disappointment. Is the light coming from our lives pure and clean or superficial? So I'd like to give some evidence of being children of light. We avoid darkness. First John 1:6.

I think it talks about having no fellowship with the unknown. No, that's in Corinthians maybe. First John 1:6.

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness.

You know, that takes prudence, and that, of course, He's talking a lot about—He goes on later about loving and if we don't love, and so not loving is walking in darkness. But we cannot—we must avoid darkness if we are children of light. Second Corinthians chapter six brings out another point like this.

Paul's dealing with the writing to the Corinthians here about their close association with the pagans, and he reminds them and tells them here in verse 14, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? What is there in common that we have?"

So we avoid darkness. We have fellowship one with another. First John 1:7 tells that if we walk in the light, then we have fellowship with God, and then we have fellowship one with another, other children of light. Love for God's word. Psalm 119:105, "Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light unto my path."

These things are typical of those who are children of light.

Just some characteristics of light. It exposes, gives direction, gives life, warmth, and energy, overpowers darkness. Darkness is actually the absence of light. It defines.

Does that speak of my life and your life? Is that—does our life have direction? Does my life have—does it have definition? I believe that as we walk in the light, God will help us to define clearly what is of light and what is of darkness if we come to Him in truth. I believe more than ever we need God's light in our lives. The world is dark, and the temptation is to give up or fudge the lines or shrink back into a corner.

My prayer for myself and all here is that the Lord would enable us to shine brightly for Him because greater is He that is in us than He that is in the world. So that's the inspiration and challenge I want to leave for myself and with you all. Let's not cower in the corner.

We have a message of light, and as God has helped us see the light and come to the light, that we can help others find the way as well. May God bless you.