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”Light from Darkness”

December 27, 2017

Since the beginning of all of creation, God the Father has proclaimed and has wanted us to know there is a purpose to the separation of His creation. Indeed, He has started all creation with telling us there are two opposing forces in it.

We often refer to these forces as good and bad, old versus new, day and night, life and death, but the Truth is that they are only seen this way from our perspective. The Lord see things in a whole other light, and He tells us so in scripture.

Our study today is going to cover these “opposing forces”, and we are going to do so from the concept of light and darkness. While this study will briefly scratch the surface of this topic, I hope it can be used as a springboard to open our hearts and minds to who we are to the world, and to each other, now in this age in which we live.

From the beginning

Gen 1:1  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Gen 1:2  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.
Gen 1:3  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Gen 1:4  And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
Gen 1:5  And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

Psa 139:12  Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

While these verses may be familiar to us, there is a lot being said “from the beginning” from which we can learn and grow.

As many of you know, I am currently in school and during my studies I have had to take a “physical science” course which covers physics, chemistry and earth sciences.

During the study of this course material, I ventured out to the internet to cover some of the topics that were being talked about in the course, and I realized that science, as a whole, is “discovering” more and more about just how connected we all are versus not being very connected.

If the darkness and light are both alike to the Lord, but physically they are so different, then how should we consider light and darkness? More than that, how should we view all of the categories I mentioned before of good and bad, old and new, life and death?

Before we really get started, I think it is incumbent upon me to say this study is about much more than light and darkness.

Right after being told that the light and darkness are alike to the Lord, we read these miraculous words in the ESV version/translation:

Psa 139:13  For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
Psa 139:14  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Psa 139:15  My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Psa 139:16  Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
Psa 139:17  How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

It is easy to read these words, as wonderful as they are, and only apply them to ourselves. Obviously, this is David speaking and recording these words, but if I can apply them to myself while they have been written by David, them I can assume, with time, that they apply to all of humanity when they come to read and apply them to themselves the way I am doing now.

If you are wondering why I call them miraculous and wonderful, it is because the Lord knows me, formed me from the womb, and has always known who I am and who I will become. Here I sit blessed, speaking before you all, and the Lord has put us all together.

Now, extend this concept to the whole of humanity, and the miracle of the creation of everyone and everything starts to come to light, pun intended.

It is out of darkness that the Lord calls light, and it all happened by the Lord “speaking” it into existence. “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” What powerful words those are!

My question today is, are these words of creation only meant for us? Is the light that comes forth out of darkness only meant for a select few or is it meant for everyone?

In the physical sense, they were meant for all of creation, because all of creation came about because of them. So, why or how are they meant any differently for all of humanity when it comes to our spiritual connection to the creator of the universe and all the things contained in the universe?

Again, this is all about perception. It is also about time and timing. What do I mean?

Psa 18:28 (ESV)  For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness.

Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Isa 9:2  The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

Mat 10:27  What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

Joh 8:12  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.

Joh 9:4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
Joh 9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

Mat 5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15  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.
Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Jesus said as long as He is in the world He is the light of the world. Then we read in John 9 that we are the light of the world. So, which is it? We know that Jesus is in us, and we are in Him, so it must mean that Jesus is in us, being the light.

Jesus had this to say about who He is:

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

This verse comes from the following set of verses. Listen to the context of where it is Jesus explains to us who He is. This is from the ESV translation again:

Joh 14:1  “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.
Joh 14:2  In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
Joh 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
Joh 14:4  And you know the way to where I am going.”
Joh 14:5  Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
Joh 14:6  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Joh 14:7  If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip is going to ask Jesus one of the most common questions we all ask ourselves at some point in our lives. Philip says “show us the Father” but in its own way, this is asking for God to show Himself to us.

Joh 14:8  Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”
Joh 14:9  Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Joh 14:10  Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
Joh 14:11  Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
Joh 14:12  “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

Here we are then, back to “words”. “The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority” is something we all must come to understand because it is the essence of who we are and how it is we are the light of the world.

Being the light of the world, out of where were we pulled? Well, it is out of the darkness of course. If we were pulled out of the darkness, so, too, are others pulled out of the darkness into His marvelous light.

We were pulled out of darkness with those now infamous words, “And God said, Let there be.” And, God said, “Let there be …. Light”.

We read in Genesis 1 how the beginning came to be. Now, let us compare that, under the guidance of the Spirit of God, to how John describes the beginning.

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Joh 1:4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Joh 1:5  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Life, light and the Word. Death cannot comprehend life, but life comes forth from death. The Word of God came to us, so who are the “us” of whom I speak?

Joh 10:34  Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
Joh 10:35  If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
Joh 10:36  Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
Joh 10:37  If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

It is the Word of God that came to us, in His timing now we are the group called “us”, but in time that group will include everyone.

See, the Word of God is powerful. I submit to you all now that all words are very powerful. “God said” is a very powerful action.

My speaking with you today is done with the use of words, which create in us reactions called thoughts. These thoughts then cause reactions within us which often cause actions to come out of us.

If I say a kind word to you, and you are receptive to this through the filter of your thoughts, then a physical and chemical reaction happens to you. You feel pleasure from these kind words.

Likewise, if I speak hateful or mean words to you, you might become very angry and act out of this anger. Your blood might start “to boil”. Indeed, words are very powerful. They are the tool from which all of creation was made, and they create today still. Words come from thoughts and create thoughts.

Isa 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Isa 55:9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

The world in which we live has just gone through the Christmas holiday. Just the word “Christmas” is VERY powerful. It causes thoughts, good or bad (from our perspective) to happen within us based on what that means to us.

Likewise, the world in which we all live has many words that cause us to think certain things or to follow certain trains of thoughts. Words literally create all sorts of things WITHIN us, and the Lord is causing it all.

White, black or brown, male or female, smarter or dumber, old or young, rich or poor, educated or illiterate, American, Chinese, European, etc., all cause us to think certain things. These words box us into a certain category of thinking and into a certain way to think.

These groups or categories cause us to label one another as separate from each other instead of the Truth that we are all connected to one another.

It is in the ways that we are alike that create in us a strong connection to one another. The world today uses “diversity” to show why it is we are important, but the most important thing we can be is one with Christ. We need unity in the Oneness that we have with the Lord.

A husband and wife are intimate, therefore they see more similarities than differences in their goals, desires and wants. Parents have children and know that they have come forth from them, therefore an immediate bond is made.

We are gathered here today in meeting of likeminded belief because we have a connection through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we feel and know of the things that are common to us.

This connection happens because we are able to look past the outward appearance of things and realize there is much more to each of us than what can be seen, and the common thread connecting us all is the Lord.

The reason I chose this topic is to talk about how we are not only connected because we “are the light of the world” but because we have all come from the common state and place of darkness.

2Co 4:6  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.

1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

We have been called out of darkness into light, but is that the only purpose to be called from darkness simply to be in light, or is there something more to this “being the light” thing?

Remember, Jesus walked and talked and ate with sinners and publicans. He was never, while He walked this earth in the flesh, around converted Christians. Yet, He loved them VERY much. He was elevated because He was the Light of the world. He was humbled by it.

He certainly HATED their sin, but He loved them individually. He knew who they would be and did not only see them as they were currently. He knew when He healed the blind and lame or fed the poor and hungry, that they would still get hungry again and would remain spiritually blind – most of them anyway.

Yet, He still stayed around them and walked among them. Why did He do this? Among the reasons He did this we find this explanation:

1Th 5:1  But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
1Th 5:2  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1Th 5:3  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1Th 5:4  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1Th 5:5  Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1Th 5:6  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
1Th 5:7  For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
1Th 5:8  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

We are sober in the Word. We have the armor of God to protect us from the wiles of that old serpent. We must walk our walk as a solider of Jesus Christ, knowing that some with whom we are in contact now will also be called out from darkness NOW, into this marvelous Light in which we now walk. We also know the rest will come into the light later.

We have hope that remains within us. That is what separates “us” from “them”.

We press forward toward the mark of the prize of the high calling in Jesus Christ, forgetting the past and moving forward.

I have often asked, “when is it that you are awake that it is not “today”? It is always “today”, which also happens to be that day of the Lord that the Lord has made.

That is not to say that those in darkness will appreciate that we have this knowledge and simply want to live it themselves. They that are in darkness will not appreciate that we simply want to share this light by being doers of the word and not only hearers.

Joh 3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Act 26:15  And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
Act 26:16  But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
Act 26:17  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
Act 26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

In order to receive forgiveness of sins, one must be turned from darkness to light. How does that happen?

Have you ever walked into a bright room or turned on the bathroom light and immediately knocked your head back while swiftly closing your eyes to the sudden brightness that the light causes to happen to your eyeballs? Yeah, that is what the light does to darkness.

When you are in darkness and it is all you have known, there is no way to compare what light is from darkness. Light is literally not a concept of something that can be understood by those who are in darkness UNTIL light is shown to them.

How does that happen? Well, we are right back to words and specifically the Word of God.

God said, let there be light, and there was light.

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Mat 12:35  A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
Mat 12:36  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
Mat 12:37  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

1Jn 2:7  (ESV) Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.
1Jn 2:8  At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.
1Jn 2:9  Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.
1Jn 2:10  Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.
1Jn 2:11  But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

What I hope is among the things taken away from this study is that words are very powerful, and words matter. What we do with the words that come forth from our mouth, and also those words which come into our ears, is VERY important.

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Heb 4:12 (ESV)  For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

2Co 10:5 (ESV)  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

2Co 10:7  Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.

I mentioned earlier that the light will be brought forth from everyone, each in their own timing. What is really profound to me, is that while there is a past we can learn from and a future to look forward to, there is only the present that we live in.

It is always today and it is always the present that we experience. Therefore, we need to realize that we are the light of the world NOW, in this generation in which the Lord has placed us.

We are the light of the world NOW, to our family and friends, peers and colleagues, enemies and fellow soldiers of Christ. Our words must be tempered and obedient to the Word of God so that we can NOW be the sons of God.

We must be as Jesus was and simply speak the Truth of the Word while also realizing that it is not for anyone now but the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Mat 15:22  And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
Mat 15:23  But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
Mat 15:24  But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 15:25  Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

However, that doesn’t mean that the rest of humanity is left out.

Mat 15:26  But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.
Mat 15:27  And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.
Mat 15:28  Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

We are all living in an age which can be very difficult in which to be the light of the world. However, the Lord is with us, and it does help knowing that whatever it is we must endure, it is all for the benefit of those the Lord has placed in our lives.

Whether those around us know it or not, we are sacrificed for them as lambs to the slaughter, but they, too, are sacrificed for us so that we can live now in Jesus Christ.

Act 8:32  The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:

Rom 11:25  (ESV) Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
Rom 11:26  And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
Rom 11:27  “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
Rom 11:28  As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.
Rom 11:29  For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Rom 11:30  For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience,
Rom 11:31  so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy.
Rom 11:32  For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.
Rom 11:33  Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!