A Light has Dawned
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Introduction
Introduction
Darkness is a concept that, when used as a metaphor or illustration, has a pretty universally recognized meaning. Other illustrations can vary. In Genesis 3 a serpant clearly represents the devil, but in other places in Scripture a serpant is a symbol of wisdom and even salvation.
But when someone says they are in a dark place, or in fiction if there is a dark lord, there is a pretty universal understanding of what that means. Darkness, night, they all represent a place of danger, a place where evil people wait to carry out their plans in secret, it represents hypocrisy, mystery, confusion, feelings of being lost and not knowing where to go. The night is a world where law and order or suppressed, and those in it either use it to cover up what they don’t want to be seen, or they are lost and fall victim to those who lurk.
The story Matthew, and all the Gospels, is a story of light coming into darkness. For those lost it is a lifesaver, for those caught it is condemnation.
A Dark World
A Dark World
Darkness representitive of:
Evil
Ignorance
Oppression, hidden evil unchecked.
Lifeless and cold.
Lost
Darkness with no way out
Darkness with no way out
As I noted last week, the change Matthew makes from the original quote from “walking” to “dwelling” emphasises the inability for those in darkness to find a way out. It also gives the idea of people living in darkness as if it were normal.
The light of God’s face is not present here. They have burned out and wandered so far from God that they don’t even realize it. They walk in darkness as if it were light. Their eyes have adjusted and they may not even see their need for light. To be exposed to true light is like a lifelong desert dweller being exposed to Lake Superior.
A Global Pandemic of Darkness.
The Shadow of Death: the realm of hell
The Shadow of Death: the realm of hell
Jesus ministry through Galilee would take him through Caeseria Phillipi (Matthew 16:13), where there was a cave that the Greeks believed was the gateway to Hades. The language of the region of the shadow of death could be seen in a way to mean literally at the gates of hell.
The darkest, most corrupted place that even the pagans fear for its association with evil. The places where the light will shine is not merely the surface or edge of the darkness. It pierces down to the very darkest and most inhospitible places for light to exist. It does not merely shine on white liar or the lustful in heart, it pierces to the sins that even unbelievers abhore.
The Dawning of Light
The Dawning of Light
Now the hope of this text has been made known. Although darkness has infested and overtaken the world so that they have no way out, they have seen a great light dawn.
The light is not the creation of those dwelling in the darkness.
The light dawns on them, it is not at a distance that must be reached, it has come to them.
The light is generally not recognized as light by those so accustomed to darkness.
This dawn is manifested in the appearance of the Christ in two ways.
Light in the Person: God himself bringing light to the Darkness
Light in the Person: God himself bringing light to the Darkness
The light is not a beam directed from a great distance, but a lantern coming into the darkness as a source itself. So the person of Christ brings this light into the darkness with him. The light is not from afar, its very source is in the darkness and scattering it away.
He is a light as the Righteous one, destroying evil.
He is a light as a teacher, destroying ignorance.
He is a light as a leader, victorious over oppression and loving in his leadership.
He is a light as life and warmth. He is the essence of life itself, and from him springs eternal life.
He is a guide to the lost in this world.
Light in the Message
Light in the Message
It is impossible to seperate Jesus presence from his Word. He is the very word of God and through him we come to know God, but only if we recieve and believe what he says.
What is this message? Matthew summerizes it like this, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Christ’s whole ministry was centred around this coming Kingdom, and his peraching was certainlly no exception.
Continuation of John’s ministry. Jesus message was not a new one, but rather the continuation and completion of the message of the OT prophets.
Contained both doctrine and application.
Doctrine: A Kingdom of a heavenly nature has come.
Application: be prepared for this Kingdom by turning away from the satanic kingdom of the world.
As his ministry would continue, the coming of the Kingdom would centre more and more around Christ, who in the end has “all authority in heaven and on earth”, the King of this Kingdom. There is no Kingdom without the King, and the King cannot be embraced without embracing the message of his Kingdom.
Conclusion
Conclusion
As per the Great Comission, the church is called to shine this light in the world of darkness following in the footsteps of our Lord.
Preaching the Gospel.
Living as children of light.
Being those who dwell in the presence of Christ in true worship and faithful devotion.