Prayer: Father God, You have called us to be a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people set apart to show forth the praises of Christ who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Since You have brightened our darkness, we will not conceal it in the privacy of our own home or car, but we will shine the light of Christ wherever we are; in the marketplace, in the business place, in the neighborhood, in the voting booth, in church and wherever we have opportunity to bring forth light in this world of darkness. We can make a difference and want to do so. We want to witness faithfully through Jesus Christ our Lord in whose name we pray.[1] Amen.
Main Scripture:
As he is in the light (1 John 7b).
Associated Scriptures:
Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it? The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment. The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken (Job 38:12-15).
There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John (John the Baptist). He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light (Jesus) that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. (John 1:6-9).
Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?" Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety (Psalms 4:6-8).
Correlative Quotes:
The confession of sins is a necessary consequence of "walking in the light" (1Jo 1:7). "If you will confess that you are a sinner, the truth is in you; for the truth is itself light. Not yet has your life become perfectly light, as sins are still in you, but yet you have already begun to be illuminated, because there is in you confession of sins" [Augustine].[2] – Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
When a child of GOD is first awakened from sin, and regenerated by the HOLY GHOST, and under his divine teachings, and quickening influences, he is brought to a sense of his lost estate by nature, and to a heartfelt knowledge of the LORD JESUS CHRIST by grace; he feels a blessedness in what the Apostle here saith, under the authority of the HOLY GHOST, that he hath fellowship with GOD in CHRIST, and that the blood of CHRIST cleanses from all sin. But, in the midst of this soul-reviving truth, he feels, and groans under the daily workings of sin in his body, which he discovers to be virtually all sin. He would do good, but he finds evil present with him.[3] – Robert Hawker
“I am the truth." Christ is the full and final revelation of God. Adam believed the Devil's lie, and ever since then man has been groping amid ignorance and error. "The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble" (Prov. 4:19). "Having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart" (Eph. 4:18). A thousand systems has the mind devised. "There is none that understands" (Rom. 3:11). Truth is not to be found in a system of philosophy, but in a Person--Christ is "the truth;" He reveals God and exposes man. In Him are hid "All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col. 2:3). What tremendous folly to ignore Him! With all your learning have you bowed before Him who is the Truth?"[4] – Arthur Pink
Study:
Introduction
Once we understand the light, we must react to the light by walking in it. Walking in the light means that we are to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, aping His life and love for others. He has made us new. We are a product of His love. He is unwilling that we should perish. Jesus is the light!
Let us now speak of the real thing, the fellowship with God which comes of walking in the light. The Christian life is described as walking, which implies activity. Christian life feeds upon contemplation, but it displays itself in action. Fellowship with God necessitates action. To be with God we must “walk with God.” The living God is not inactive, motionless, and aimless.[5] – Charles Spurgeon
Jesus and the Light
1 Peter 2:20-24 says, “But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”
As Jesus walked through the crowds, He attracted people to Him both by His words and actions. Matthew 4:25 says, “Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.” Because He had the power of God in Him, He was surrounded by an aura of truth that was contagious. In addition, the miracles He executed provided proof of His celebrity.
Summary Statement:
In John 3:19-21 (NKJV) explains the relationship between the life of life and the death of darkness. “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."
It is a simple explanation. Jesus came into the world and paid the price for our disobedience. His payment proved an opportunity for all to see the light of life and accept it (John 3:16). However, because man loved the world and its trappings more than he loved the things of God and eternal life offered freely, mankind rejected the offer of light and the accompanying life eternal and chose instead eternal death and punishment. There is no hope of eternal life with God outside of Jesus. He is the blessed hope
In Titus 2:13 Paul expresses it this way, we are “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ…”
True believers do not walk in darkness; they have found the road, and they see it before them. They know whom they have believed, and why they have believed, and so they go forward intelligently. How unhappy are those who are sure of nothing but a groping for the way, and wander in endless circles of hope and fear! True believers walk onward, because a light shows them their path, and makes them sure of safety and progress.[6] – Charles Spurgeon
Lesson within the Lesson:
In what ways were Jesus’ actions reflective of the light Read Luke 4:1-13.
How do we explain the great price that Jesus paid? Read John 1:11, Romans 5:8-9, and Romans 10:9-10.
What did Jesus mean when He said I am the way, the truth, and the light? Read John 14:6.
How should we react to the examples of being the light that Jesus gave His disciples?
[1] adailyprayer.wordpress.com/2015/10/27/a-prayer-for-letting-our-light-shine-3/.
[2] Jamieson, Robert, D. D.; Fausset, A. R.; Brown, David, "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible," Public Domain 1871, Public Domain, Copy Freely. P. 3068
[3] Robert Hawker, The Poor Man’s New Testament Commentary, Volume 9, 1805, Public Domain, Printed by W. Nicholson, Warner Street, London, P. 687.
[4] Arthur Pink, I am the Way, Truth Life, sermonindex.net/modules/articles/ index.php?view=article&aid=371
[5]Charles Spurgeon, The Child of Light Walking in Light, Sermon # 1986, Public Domain, 1887, spurgeongems.org/vols31-33/chs1986.pdf. P. 1.
[6] Charles Spurgeon, Ibid, P. 2.
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