A Light In The Darkness

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Light and Leadership

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In we see that God speaks and the people perceive it to be thunder or an angel speaking to him. They couldn’t understand what was taking place. However, these people have not accepted Christ as the Messiah and were still walking around in darkness. This is what he tells them.
John 12:35–36 KJV 1900
Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
John 12:44–46 KJV 1900
Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
When the power goes out after a storm do we walk around aimlessly trying to find the flashlights or do we already have them ready to go? How often do you go into the woods at night without some type of instrument to light your way? Would you drive at night without headlights on your car? Even worse what would you do if someone was driving and you see them driving around without lights. Wouldn’t you want to tell them? Do you recall a few years ago, at Super Bowl 47 when the lights went out for an hour? Everything came to a standstill!
Even in the movie The Lion King there was a scene when Simba was a cub and asked his dad what about where the light doesn’t touch? His response was we never go there!
We are warned several times throughout the bible that it is dangerous to walk in the darkness. We associate the darkness with evil. There are always unsavory things lurking around in the darkness just waiting for an opportunity to do harm.
However, Jesus prefaces this in VS 31 by saying His death will defeat Satan. His sacrifice will seal his judgment. What then are we to do?

1. We are to follow the light- Jesus is the light of the world.

a. There were some who wouldn’t believe- The crowd that Jesus was speaking to was a mixed crowd. They couldn’t perceive what He was talking about. Why?
i. Vs 39-40: this is a prophecy that Isaiah wrote about in and also can be found in . Prophecy had to be fulfilled. God had blinded them and hardened their hearts.
ii. Vs 36: Jesus had done miracles in their presence. They had seen these. God didn’t want them to believe in the miracles they saw. He wanted them to believe by faith! The same is still true today! God wants us to put our faith in Him while we still have time!
b. Jesus was emphatic that we are to believe in him- Jesus was troubled, upset, maybe a little aggravated!
i. Vs 44: Jesus cried! The greek form is “krazo” meaning to shout or exclaim. He wanted them to understand. He wants the same for us too.
ii. VS 45: He tells them if we see him, we see the father. Today we are to put our faith in Him and in Him we put our faith in the Father. If we do this then shouldn’t we live like it?

2. We are to Lead by the Light- Jesus commands it!

Look at Vs 35.
a. Vs 35 Jesus tells them that while he is still there you’re to live like him so darkness or evil won’t take over.
i. This in no way means that you can lose your salvation as other false religions may say. He was simply telling them that while he was with them they should follow his teachings.
He was simply telling them that while he was with them they should follow his teachings. This is still true today. Live like a Christian should live. Don’t toe the line or straddle the fence.
ii. This is still true today. Live like a Christian should live. Don’t toe the line or straddle the fence.
iii. Satan is very smart and deceiving. He doesn’t need much room to make you run to the darkness with open arms. Christ didn’t die for this.
b. Vs 46- Jesus said believers are not to abide (stay or remain there).
i. there may be a time when you like the prodigal son, stray a bit from God. We all struggle with that. As hard as we try, we still sin.
ii. I think of it like this old shoe,

2. We are to Lead by the Light- The Jesus commands it!

If we are believers and have the light of Christ in us then that light will show to others. Reminds me of that old song “this little light of mine”. So what do these scriptures tell us about leading others to Christ?
Now when I think of leading i think of two things: Good leaders and bad leaders:
a. Bad Leadership- VS 42-43: notice the word “on”. In Greek this word is translated in, on, or to. These rulers other than the Pharisees possibly people in the magistrate or held high positions in the community, the scriptures say they believed in him but were afraid of what the others would do. Possibly kick them out of the synagogue. They were more worried about what the world thought than what would please God!
b. Good Leadership-
Ephesians 5:8–12 KJV 1900
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 speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
i. Christians will show their fruits of the spirit. This will show to others and the light inside us will show others how their actions are wrong. Have you ever notice how others act once they know you are a Christian?
ii.
2 Corinthians 4:6 KJV 1900
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
iii. Our actions, our words, our thoughts everything should shine like a light in the darkness. Our faith and belief in Jesus Christ as the savior of the world has already made us victors in this great battle over evil and we are to make disciples out of others. We do this by leading by the light.

3. We are to Live by the Light- Jesus expects it!

Look at Vs 35.
a. Vs 35 Jesus tells them that while he is still there they’re to live like him so darkness or evil won’t take over.
i. This in no way means that you can lose your salvation as other false religions may say. He was simply telling them that while he was with them they should follow his teachings.
ii. This is still true today. Live like a Christian should live. Don’t toe the line or straddle the fence.
iii. Satan is very smart and deceiving. He doesn’t need much room to make you run to the darkness with open arms. Christ didn’t die for this.
b. Vs 46- Jesus said believers are not to abide (stay or remain there).
i. there may be a time when you like the prodigal son, stray a bit from God. We all struggle with that. As hard as we try, we still sin.
ii. I think of it like this old shoe, early in the morning during inspection it was nice and shiny, after the morning march, it got dirty, muddy, no longer fit to pass inspection. It needed to be shined up again. You say well that’s easy, just wash it off and it will be good as new. I say stay out of the mud and you wont need to wash it off.
We think because we can go to God and confess our sin that it gives us a free pass to sin. While God is faithful to forgive our sin when we confess them and “wash the mud off of us” he still expects us to stay out of the mud.
Conclusion- Jesus … said, I am the Light of the world. The world is in darkness, a symbol of evil, sin, and ignorance. “Light” in the Bible is a symbol of God and His holiness (; ). Jesus is “the Light,” not merely a light or another light among many lights. He is the only Light, “the true Light” (), for the whole world. When Jesus said, Whoever follows Me, He meant whoever believes and obeys Him (cf. 10:4–5, 27; 12:26; 21:19–20, 22). Jesus was speaking of salvation. Coming to Christ for salvation results in a different kind of life. A believer will never walk in darkness.
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