SERIES: EPHESIANS: THE CALL AND CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH, WEEK 40

TITLE: WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT!

TEXT: EPHESIANS 5:8-14

INTRODUCTION: (1) IN THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT THE WORD TRANSLATED “LIGHT” IS “PHOS”.

* PHOS GIVES RISE TO MANY FAMILIAR ENGLISH WORDS SUCH AS PHOTOGRAPH (LIT. A WRITING WITH LIGHT).

** PHOSPHOROUS (A SUBSTANCE THAT GLOWS IN THE DARK) AND PHOTOELECTRIC (A CELL WHICH IS SWITCHED ON OR OFF BY THE PRESENCE OF LIGHT).

*** NOW THE ANCIENT GREEKS ATTRIBUTED MANY MEANINGS TO THIS COMMON WORD.

(2) FOR EXAMPLE, HOMER USED IT TO DESCRIBE BRIGHTNESS OF ANY KIND, ESPECIALLY BRIGHT SUNLIGHT.

* IN THE WRITINGS OF ARISTOTLE IT CAME TO HAVE A FIGURATIVE MEANING, THE ILLUMINATION OF MIND WHICH COMES THROUGH REVELATION.

** THEN LATER LIGHT WAS IDENTIFIED WITH ETHICAL GOOD AND DARKNESS WITH EVIL.

*** NOW MOVING INTO THE N.T., PHOS IS USED 72 TIMES BOTH FOR NATURAL LIGHT AND SPIRITUAL LIGHT.

**** AND FIGURATIVELY, LIGHT REPRESENTS TRUTH AND HOLINESS WHEREAS IN CONTRAST DARKNESS REPRESENTS IGNORANCE, FALSEHOOD AND EVIL.

(3) LIGHT MAKES REFERENCE TO TRUTH, PURITY AND HOLY LIVING WHEREAS DARKNESS SOMETIMES IS REFERRING TO A DARKENED MIND WHICH IS IGNORANT OF THE TRUTH, AND OTHER TIMES TO MORALLY EVIL DEEDS OF DARKNESS.

* NOW BIBLICALLY PEOPLE THAT KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT WALK IN THE LIGHT WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED OUT OF DARKNESS.

** I PETER 2:9 SAYS: “BUT YOU ARE A CHOSEN RACE, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR GOD’S OWN POSSESSION, SO THAT YOU MAY PROCLAIM THE EXCELLENCIES OF HIM WHO HAS CALLED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS INTO HIS MARVELOUS LIGHT.”

*** I THESSALONIANS 5:4&5 SAYS: “BUT YOU, BRETHREN, ARE NOT IN DARKNESS, THAT THE DAY WOULD OVERTAKE YOU LIKE A THIEF,”

V. 5 – “FOR YOU ARE ALL SONS OF LIGHT AND SONS OF DAY. WE ARE NOT OF NIGHT NOR OF DARKNESS.”

**** COLOSSIANS 1:12&13 SAYS: “GIVING THANKS TO THE FATHER, WHO HAS QUALIFIED US TO SHARE IN THE INHERITANCE OF THE SAINTS IN LIGHT.”

V. 13 – “FOR HE RESCUED US FROM THE DOMAIN OF DARKNESS, AND TRANSFERRED US TO THE KINGDOM OF HIS BELOVED SON.”

(4) IN I JOHN 1:5 THE SCRIPTURE SAYS: “THIS IS THE MESSAGE WE HAVE HEARD FROM HIM AND ANNOUNCE TO YOU, THAT GOD IS LIGHT, AND IN HIM THERE IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL.”

* NOW IF WE ARE SONS OF GOD AND SONS OF LIGHT, THERE IS NO DARKNESS IN US AT ALL.

** IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN WE CAME TO KNOW CHRIST – WHEN WE WERE REDEEMED, WE WERE FULLY REDEEMED, THERE IS NO RESIDUAL DARKNESS.

*** I JOHN 1:6&7 SAYS: (READ IT).

**** NOW IF WE LOOK AT THIS VERSE IN REVERSE, WE SEE THE FOLLOWING: IF WE ARE ONES WHOM THE BLOOD OF CHRIST IS CLEANSING FROM ALL SIN, THEN WE ARE ONES HAVING FELLOWSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND THE ONES WALKING IN THE LIGHT.

- IN OTHER WORDS, THE ONES BEING FORGIVEN ARE THE ONES IN LIGHT.

(5) THEN IN JOHN 8:12 JESUS SAID:

* NOW THOSE WHO FOLLOW CHRIST, A SYNONYM FOR A CHRISTIAN, SHALL NOT WALK IN DARKNESS.

** MEANING: A PERSON EITHER WALKS IN DARKNESS OR HE WALKS IN THE LIGHT: AND WHEN WE BECOME TRUE CHRISTIANS, WE’RE TAKEN OUT OF DARKNESS INTO THE LIGHT.

*** BUT YOU MAY BE THINKING, BUT RAY, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE SIN?

**** WELL, WHEN WE SIN WE DO THE DEEDS OF DARKNESS, BUT WE DO THEM IN THE LIGHT. OUR SIN IS EXPOSED FOR WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF LIGHT, WE ARE NOT WHAT WE WERE, DARKNESS.

(6) AND MY POINT IS THIS. LIGHT AND DARKNESS ARE ABSOLUTE OPPOSITES, THE ULTIMATE CONTRAST.

* AND A TRUE BELIEVER CANNOT WALK IN DARKNESS AS A MANNER, A NORM, A PATTERN, AS A HABIT OF HIS LIFE.

** WE WILL YIELD TO DARKNESS, WE ALL HAVE BESETTING SINS, BUT WE WILL NOT WALK IN DARKNESS, THAT’S WHAT WE WERE, NOW WE ARE LIGHT IN THE LORD.

*** AND OUR GOD OF LIGHT HAS CALLED US TO BE LIGHT IN A DARK WORLD, JESUS SAID IN MATTHEW 5:14-16 (READ THEM).

**** NOW WE LIVE IN A DARK WORLD AND PEOPLE IN OUR WORLD LOVE DARKNESS AND SATAN THE GOD OF THIS WORLD BLINDS PEOPLE TO THE LIGHT, READ JOHN 3:19 AND II CORINTHIANS 4:3&4.

(7) NOW SINCE WE LIVE IN A DARK WORLD AND BATTLE THE POWERS OF DARKNESS THROUGH OUR ENEMY SATAN, HIS NETWORK AND THE WORLD SYSTEM.

* WE MUST LIVE OUT WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST, ONE OF THE GREAT TRUTHS IN THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS.

** THE FIRST 3 CHAPTERS TELL US WHO THE CHRISTIAN IS AND THE LAST 3 CHAPTERS TELL US HOW TO LIVE, ACT AND FUNCTION.

*** WE ARE TOLD TO WALK THE WORTHY WALK, TO WALK IN LOVE, NOW IN OUR TEXT TODAY WE ARE TOLD TO WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT.

**** WE WILL SEE THAT WE ARE LIGHT, SO WE NEED TO LIVE LIKE IT. WE ARE LIGHT, SO LET’S LIVE LIKE LIGHT IN THIS DARK WORLD.

(8) BECAUSE OF THAT I’VE TITLED OUR MESSAGE TODAY, “WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT! – EXCLAMATION POINT

* FOR THE VERB WALK IS ANOTHER IMPERATIVE IN THE GREEK, ANOTHER COMMAND.

** AND UNDER THAT THEME, WE’LL LOOK AT 5 POINTS TODAY, AND THE FIVE POINTS ARE NOT THE TULIP, AT LEAST FOR TODAY, BUT NO. 1 THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARKNESS, V. 8; NO. 2 THE DEEDS OF WALKING IN THE LIGHT, VV. 9&10; NO. 3 THE DEMAND NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN DEEDS OF DARKNESS, V. 11; NO. 4 THE DISGRACE OF DARKNESS, VV. 12&13; AND NO. 5 THE DEAD, SPEAKING OF THOSE WHO ARE WITH CHRIST WHO MUST BE RAISED TO WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE, V. 14.

*** AND WITH THOSE 5 POINTS AS OUR OUTLINE, LET’S JUMP INTO OUR FIRST POINT TODAY BY SEEING THE DISTINCTION, LOOK AT V. 8 PLEASE.

I. THE DISTINCTION, (READ V. 8)

A. NOW HERE IN V. 8 WE HAVE A CLEAR DISTINCTION, A CLEAR CONTRAST TO WHAT WE WERE B.C. – BEFORE CHRIST AND WHAT WE ARE NOW IN CHRIST.

* WE WERE DARKNESS, NOW WE ARE LIGHT, BECAUSE OF THAT, WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT, WE ARE NOT WHAT WE WERE SO LIVE OUT WHO YOU ARE.

** NOW A COUPLE OF THINGS HERE. THE VERB FORM OF THE WORD “WERE” HERE REVEALS A COUPLE OF IMPORTANT TRUTHS.

*** FIRST THE PAST TENSE INDICATES A CONDITION THAT NO LONGER EXISTS. DARKNESS AS A WAY OF LIFE IS A THING OF THE PAST, THAT IS NO LONGER OUR CONDITION.

**** AND THIS IS A REPEATED THEME IN SCRIPTURE.

1. WE SAW THIS EARLIER IN OUR STUDY OF EPHESIANS CHAPTER 2 IN VERSES 1-3: “AND YOU WERE DEAD IN YOUR TRESPASSES AND SINS.”

V. 2 – “IN WHICH YOU FORMERLY WALKED ACCORDING TO THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD, ACCORDING TO THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, OF THE SPIRIT THAT IS NOW WORKING IN THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE.”

V. 3 – “AMONG THEM WE TOO ALL FORMERLY LIVED IN THE LUSTS OF OUR FLESH, INDULGING THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH AND OF THE MIND, AND WERE BY NATURE CHILDREN OF WRATH, EVEN AS THE REST.”

* NOW THAT WAS OUR FORMER CONDITION BEFORE CHRIST MADE US ALIVE, THE PAST TENSE OF OUR LIVES, WHAT WE WERE.

** AND THIS TRUTH IS REPEATED IN ROMANS 6:17 AND I CORINTHIANS 6:9-11.

*** NOW KEEP IN MIND THIS TERRIBLE GRAMMATICAL STATEMENT TO HANG YOUR THOUGHTS ON, “IF YOU ARE WHAT YOU WERE YOU ISN’T,” SPEAKING OF YOU ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN.

**** DARKNESS WAS YOUR CONDITION BEFORE CHRIST AS SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE GOING BACK TO V. 6.

2. BUT ALSO NOTICE AS WE GO BACK TO V. 8 THE VERB “WERE” IS NOT MODIFIED BY A PRONOUN, SUCH AS IN OR OF.

* YET IN OTHER PLACES SCRIPTURE SPEAKS OF A PERSON’S BEING IN OR OF DARKNESS, BUT HERE IT SAYS WE WERE DARKNESS.

** MEANING: BEFORE WE WERE CONVERTED TO CHRIST OUR TOTAL EXISTENCE, OUR BEING AS WELL AS OUR BEHAVIOR WAS CHARACTERIZED BY DARKNESS OR TOTAL DEPRAVITY.

*** THERE WAS NO OTHER ASPECT TO OUR LIVES THAN THAT OF DARKNESS AS FAR AS OUR HOLY GOD WAS CONCERNED. OUR NATURE WAS CHARACTERIZED AND CORRUPTED BY SIN. WE WERE DARKNESS.

**** BUT THE BAD NEWS STOPS AS WE MOVE ON IN V. 8, FOR NOW CHRISTIANS ARE LIGHT IN THE LORD.

3. AND IN CONTRAST TO THE VERB “WERE” IN THE FIRST PART OF THE VERSE, THE VERB “ARE” TELLS US TWO IMPORTANT THINGS.

* NO. 1 THE VERB “ARE” IS IN THE PRESENT TENSE AND INDICATES OUR NEW SPIRITUAL CONDITION.

** COLOSSIANS 1:13 SAYS: “FOR HE RESCUED US FROM THE DOMAIN OF DARKNESS, AND TRANSFERRED US TO THE KINGDOM OF HIS BELOVED SON.” (ALSO READ

I PETER 2:9 AGAIN)

*** SO AGAIN THE DISTINCTION, THE CONTRAST IS WE ARE NOT WHAT WE WERE. “ARE” COMMUNICATES OUR NEW SPIRITUAL CONDITION.

**** NO. 2 LIKE “WERE”, THE VERB “ARE” IS NOT MODIFIED. WE ARE LIGHT. AS JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES IN MATTHEW 5:14, “YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.”

4. AND BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE LORD, WE WHO ONCE WERE CHILDREN OF DARKNESS ARE NOW CHILDREN OF LIGHT, SO WE SHOULD WALK, ACT, LIVE, BEHAVE LIKE CHILDREN OF LIGHT, A COMMAND.

* GO BACK TO V. 1, IMITATE GOD, IMITATE YOUR FATHER FOR YOU ARE HIS SON NOW, CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT, SO LIVE LIKE IT, MATCH UP YOUR PRACTICE WITH YOUR POSITION.

** NOW AS WE MOVE ON IN OUR TEXT, WE WILL SEE THE CHARACTERISTICS, THE DEEDS, THE FRUITS OF LIGHT IN VV. 9&10, WHICH IS OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE DEEDS. LOOK AT V. 9 PLEASE.

II. THE DEEDS, (READ V. 9)

A. NOW V. 9 IS A PARENTHESIS, A QUALIFYING STATEMENT THAT HELPS US INTERPRET VERSE 8 IN WHAT IT MEANS TO WALK IN THE LIGHT BY GIVING US FRUIT OF WALKING IN THE LIGHT.

* AND THE FRUIT OF LIGHT IS THE BETTER TRANSLATION HERE OVER THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT, ALTHOUGH THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT DOES COMMUNICATE THAT WE WALK IN THE LIGHT.

** BUT SPECIFICALLY WHAT ARE THE DEEDS, THE CHARACTERISTICS, THE FRUIT OF WALKING IN THE LIGHT?

*** WELL, THREE THINGS IN V. 9, THE FRUIT OF GOODNESS WHICH IS A FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT, RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUTH.

**** AND THESE CHARACTERISTICS ARE FRUITS OF TRUE SAVING FAITH. THE FIRST ONE BEING GOODNESS WHICH HAS TO DO WITH UPRIGHTNESS OF HEART AND LIFE.

1. IT REFERS TO MORAL EXCELLENCE, TO BEING GOOD IN BOTH NATURE AND EFFECTIVENESS.

* THIS KIND OF GOODNESS FINDS ITS FULLEST AND HIGHEST EXPRESSION IN THAT WHICH IS WILLINGLY AND SACRIFICIALLY DONE FOR OTHERS.

** YOU TOUCH OTHER PEOPLE WITH GOODNESS.

*** NOW THE 2’D FRUIT OF LIGHT HERE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND THIS HAS TO DO ALSO WITH HOW WE LIVE.

**** AND YES WE HAVE BEEN MADE RIGHTEOUS IN CHRIST BUT HERE WE LIVE OUT AGAIN WHAT WE ARE, WE LIVE RIGHTEOUSLY AS A PATTERN, A NORM.

2. AND SINCE CHRIST HAS GIVEN US HIS OWN RIGHTEOUS NATURE, WE ARE TO PURSUE RIGHTEOUSNESS, READ I TIMOTHY 6:11 AND

II TIMOTHY 2:22.

* AND THEN IN I JOHN 2:29 JOHN SAYS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT CHRIST IS RIGHTEOUS, WE ALSO “KNOW THAT EVERYONE ALSO WHO PRACTICES RIGHTEOUSNESS IS BORN OF HIM.”

** SO DOING WHAT IS RIGHT AND CORRECT IN THE SIGHT OF GOD IS A FRUIT OF LIGHT.

*** AND THEN THE THIRD AND LAST FRUIT LISTED HERE IS TRUTH.

**** AND TRUTH HERE HAS TO DO WITH HONESTY, RELIABILITY, TRUSTWORTHINESS AND INTEGRITY – IN CONTRAST TO THE HYPOCRITICAL, DECEPTIVE AND FALSE WAYS OF THE OLD LIFE OF DARKNESS.

3. SO THE FRUIT OF LIGHT, THE DEEDS OF WALKING IN THE LIGHT ARE GOODNESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUTH.

* AND AS WE MOVE ON IN V. 10 ANOTHER CHARACTERISTIC OR DEED OF WALKING AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT IS ALWAYS TRYING TO LEARN WHAT IS PLEASING TO THE LORD. LOOK AT V. 10 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 10. NOW THE BOTTOM LINE OF ALL THAT WE DO AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT IS “DOES IT PLEASE THE LORD?”

* THIS IS THE FILTER THAT WE SHOULD RUN OUR LIVES AND WHAT WE DO THROUGH.

** I MEAN, THINK OF WHAT YOU NEED TO DO AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING EACH DAY BY ASKING THIS DISCERNING QUESTION SHOWING US WHAT WE SHOULD DO OR WHAT WE SHOULD SAY.

*** WILL THIS PLEASE THE LORD?

**** AND THAT’S A PRETTY PRACTICAL FILTER, ISN’T IT?

1. FOR LYING NEVER PLEASES THE LORD, THAT’S DARKNESS; YIELDING TO LUST NEVER PLEASES THE LORD, THAT’S DARKNESS; GREED NEVER PLEASES THE LORD, THAT’S DARKNESS; JUDGMENTAL CRITICAL SPIRITS NEVER PLEASE THE LORD, THAT’S DARKNESS; BEING ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST NEVER PLEASES THE LORD, THAT’S DARKNESS; SLOTHFULNESS OR LAZINESS NEVER PLEASES THE LORD, THAT’S DARKNESS.

* AND WE FIND OUT WHAT PLEASES THE LORD IN HIS WORD. SO WE GO TO HIS WORD AND DO WHAT PLEASES HIM TO WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT.

** AND IF YOU CAN’T FIND AN ANSWER IN WHAT PLEASES THE LORD IN A CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCE, GET COUNCIL FROM A GODLY PERSON IN THE FAMILY OF FAMILIES, THE CHURCH, WHO DOES.

*** BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT BY PLEASING THE LORD. AND SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT PLEASE THE LORD IS FOUND IN V. 11 WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR THIRD POINT TODAY, THE DEMAND. LOOK AT V. 11 PLEASE.

III. THE DEMAND, (READ V. 11)

A. NOW THE DEMAND, THE COMMAND OF V. 11 IS TWOFOLD, NO. 1 DON’T PARTICIPATE, DON’T BE A PARTAKER, DON’T FELLOWSHIP IN THE UNFRUITFUL DEEDS OF DARKNESS.

* WALKING AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT INVOLVES WHAT WE DO - PLEASING THE LORD AND WHAT WE DON’T DO - IN WHAT DOESN’T PLEASE THE LORD.

** LIGHT AND DARKNESS ARE INCOMPATIBLE.

*** SO THE CHILDREN OF LIGHT SHOULD NOT BECOME INVOLVED IN EVIL EVEN BY ASSOCIATION.

**** AND MOST LIKELY CONTEXTUALLY THE DEEDS OF DARKNESS, GOING BACK TO CHAPTER 4:29 THROUGH CHAPTER 5:7, WHAT WE’VE ALREADY STUDIED ARE:

1. UNWHOLESOME WORDS, BITTERNESS, WRATH, ANGER, CLAMOR, SLANDER, IMMORALITY, IMPURITY, GREED, FILTHINESS, SILLY TALK AND COARSE JESTING.

* WE CANNOT PARTICIPATE OR HAVE PART IN THESE THINGS. IN FACT, THERE IS A 2’D COMMAND, RATHER THAN PARTICIPATE IN THEM, WE REPROVE THEM, WE EXPOSE THEM.

** AND WE EXPOSE THESE THINGS BY OUR LIVES AND BY OUR WORDS.

*** FOR YOU SEE THE VERY NATURE OF WALKING IN THE LIGHT WILL EXPOSE DARKNESS, FOR LIGHT REPROVES DARKNESS.

**** AND THERE ARE TIMES BY OUR WORDS WE EXPOSE DARKNESS AND WE CONFRONT AND DO NOT REMAIN SILENT WHERE THERE IS DARKNESS.

2. BELOVED, TO IGNORE EVIL IS TO ENCOURAGE IT; AND TO KEEP QUIET ABOUT IT IS TO HELP PROMOTE IT.

* WE ARE TO CONFRONT AND CAREFRONT DARKNESS BY OUR LIVES AND OUR LIPS IN A HUMBLE GRACIOUS WAY BUT WITH A HOLY BOLDNESS.

** FOR THE REALITY OF THE MATTER IS THESE DARK BEHAVIORS ARE DISGRACEFUL, WHICH IS A SEGUE WAY TO OUR 4TH POINT TODAY, THE DISGRACE. LOOK AT V. 12 PLEASE.

IV. THE DISGRACE, (READ V. 12)

A. NOW HERE IN V. 12 WE HAVE A REASON GIVEN ON WHY WE SHOULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN DEEDS OF DARKNESS AND WHY WE SHOULD EXPOSE THEM.

* THE REASON BEING THESE DEEDS OF DARKNESS ARE DISGRACEFUL, THEY ARE SHAMEFUL, IT’S A SHAME TO EVEN SPEAK OF THESE THINGS, THINGS THAT PEOPLE DO IN SECRET, MOST LIKELY THE MORAL SINS OF DARKNESS TALKED ABOUT IN VERSES 3-5 OF THIS CHAPTER.

** AND BELOVED, SOME THINGS ARE SO VILE THAT THEY SHOULD BE DISCUSSED IN AS LITTLE DETAIL AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE EVEN DESCRIBING THEM IS MORALLY AND SPIRITUALLY DANGEROUS.

*** AND VERSE 12 IS NOT IN CONTRADICTION TO V. 11. WE EXPOSE THE SINS THEMSELVES, BUT WE DON’T SPEAK OF THE DETAILS OF THESE SINS BECAUSE THEY CAN STIR UP LUSTFUL DESIRES AND WE CAN BE CONTAMINATED, SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING.

**** LET ME ILLUSTRATE. SOME CHEMICALS, DISEASES AND NUCLEAR RADIATION BY-PRODUCTS ARE SO EXTREMELY DEADLY THAT EVEN WITH THE BEST TREATMENT AND PROTECTION, PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH THEM ARE IN CONSTANT DANGER.

1. NO SENSIBLE PERSON WOULD WORK AROUND SUCH THINGS CARELESSLY OR HAPHAZARDLY.

* WELL, IN THE SAME WAY, SOME THINGS ARE SO DISGRACEFUL AND DANGEROUS THAT THEY SHOULD BE SEALED OFF NOT ONLY FROM DIRECT CONTACT BUT EVEN FROM CONVERSATION.

** THEY SHOULD BE EXPOSED ONLY TO THE EXTENT NECESSARY TO BE RID OF THEM.

*** AND HOW ARE THEY SPECIFICALLY EXPOSED? WELL, THE ANSWER IS GIVEN IN V. 13. LOOK AT V. 13 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 13. NOW HOW ARE DARK DEEDS EXPOSED? HOW DO THEY BECOME VISIBLE? THE ANSWER IS BY TURNING ON THE LIGHT.

* LIGHT EXPOSES THINGS FOR WHAT THEY ARE, WHEREAS DARKNESS HIDES THE UGLY REALITIES OF EVIL, BUT THE LIGHT MAKES THEM VISIBLE.

** EVIL IS THEN SEEN FOR WHAT IT IS WITHOUT ANY POSSIBILITY OF CONCEALMENT.

*** THINK OF IT THIS WAY. YOU ARE BUYING SOME ART WORK OR A PIECE OF JEWELRY AND YOU GO INTO A STORE AND IT IS REALLY DARK. WHAT WOULD YOU THINK?

**** THEY ARE TRYING TO COVER UP SOMETHING. THEY DON’T WANT YOU TO SEE SOMETHING. BUT SOMETHING CATCHES YOUR EYE SO YOU SAY, “DO YOU HAVE A PLACE WITH A LITTLE MORE LIGHT SO I CAN LOOK AT THIS?” OR YOU ARE IN A LITTLE SHOP AND YOU SAY, “WOULD YOU STEP OUTSIDE WITH ME SO I CAN SEE THIS IN THE LIGHT?”

1. WELL, LIGHT MAKES EVERYTHING VISIBLE AND YOU KNOW WHAT IS OUR LIGHT AS BELIEVERS THAT EXPOSES DARKNESS AND LIGHTS UP OUR WAY?

* THE ANSWER IS THE WORD OF GOD, READ PSALM 19:7&8, PSALM 119:105 AND PSALM 119:130.

** AND THEN IN PROVERBS 6:23 IT SAYS: “FOR THE COMMANDMENT IS A LAMP AND THE TEACHING IS LIGHT; AND REPROOFS FOR DISCIPLINE ARE THE WAY OF LIFE.”

*** SO THE WORD OF OUR GOD, HIS REVELATION, THE BIBLE IS OUR RESOURCE FOR EXPOSING EVIL IN OUR LIVES AND AS WE USE IT WITH OTHERS.

**** SO EVERYTHING THAT BECOMES VISIBLE IS LIGHT, LIGHT MAKES EVERYTHING VISIBLE, AND THIS IS IN THE FIRST PART OF V. 14 IF YOU HAVE AN NIV, BUT FOR OUR PURPOSE TODAY, WE’LL CONNECT IT WITH V. 13 AS SOME OF THE TRANSLATIONS DO.

2. WITH THAT IN MIND, LIGHT IS WHAT MAKES THIS MANIFEST, THAT WHICH SHOWS THEM TO BE AS THEY ACTUALLY ARE.

* AND CERTAINLY THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD EXPOSES EVIL AND DISGRACEFUL DEEDS.

** WHICH LEADS TO OUR FIFTH AND LAST POINT WHICH WILL BE OUR CONCLUSION TODAY BECAUSE OF TIME, THE DEAD. LOOK AT V. 14 PLEASE.

V. THE DEAD, (READ V. 14)

A. NOW THERE IS SOME DISAGREEMENT BY INTERPRETERS IN WHAT V. 14 MEANS AND TO WHOM IT IS SPEAKING.

* AND HERE’S MY SHOT AT IT. VERSE 14 IS TALKING TO THOSE IN THE PROFESSING VISIBLE CHURCH WHO PROFESS TO BE CHILDREN OF LIGHT, BUT IN LIFESTYLE ARE CHILDREN OF DARKNESS, SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE, THOSE WHO HAVE PROFESSED BUT DO NOT POSSESS CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOR.

** AND PAUL HAS MADE IT CLEAR TO THIS CHURCH AGAIN OF HOW A TRUE CHRISTIAN LIVES AND IS CALLING THOSE BY THEIR PRACTICE CHILDREN OF DARKNESS WHO THINK THEY ARE CHILDREN OF LIGHT TO REPENT.

*** TO SAY IT ANOTHER WAY, PAUL HERE OFFERS AN INVITATION, A CALL FOR THOSE WHO ARE STILL DEAD IN THEIR SINS TO COME TO THE LIGHT AND BE SAVED.

**** THESE PEOPLE ARE THE DEAD. THEY ARE NOT AWAKE, THEY ARE ASLEEP SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING.

1. AND IT APPEARS THAT THE WORDS PAUL USES HERE ARE ADAPTED FROM ISAIAH 60:1 WHICH READS: “ARISE, SHINE; FOR YOUR LIGHT HAS COME, AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD HAS RISEN UPON YOU.”

* NOW THE GLORY OF THE LORD THAT HAS RISEN IS NONE OTHER THAN JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH FOR WHOM AND IN WHOM ISAIAH AND EVERY OTHER GODLY JEW HAD HOPED FOR IN HIS COMING.

** WELL WE KNOW THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD HAS COME. HIS NAME IS JESUS. AND PEOPLE MUST TURN TO HIM TO REPENT AND RECEIVE HIM AS THEIR MESSIAH, THEIR LORD, SAVIOR AND KING.

*** BECAUSE OF THAT, SOME COMMENTATORS BELIEVE VERSE 14 IS TAKEN FROM AN EASTER HYMN SUNG BY THE EARLY CHURCH AND USED AS A CALL TO UNBELIEVERS WHO WERE IN THE CHURCH, WHO PROBABLY THOUGHT THEY WERE BELIEVERS.

**** FOR THE TRUE CHURCH IS MADE UP OF THE REDEEMED, BUT THERE ARE ALWAYS PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY ARE REDEEMED WHO OUTWARDLY ARE A PART OF THE CHURCH BUT ARE NOT.

2. SO I GIVE THIS AS AN INVITATION VERSE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT CHRISTIANS TODAY, WHO THINK THEY ARE BUT BY THEIR ACTIONS ARE NOT CHILDREN OF LIGHT, AND FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT PROFESS CHRIST.

* AWAKE SLEEPER, WHICH DESCRIBES THE SINNER WHO IS ASLEEP IN THE DARKNESS OF SIN AND UNAWARE OF THEIR LOST CONDITION AND TRAGIC DESTINY IN HELL.

** THEN ARISE FROM THE DEAD IS A SUMMONS TO REPENTANCE, AN APPEAL TO TURN AWAY FROM THE DEAD WAYS OF SIN (OF COURSE ULTIMATELY THE LORD MUST QUICKEN, BUT THIS IS THE OUTWARD CALL OF THE GOSPEL).

*** AND THEN IF THEY TURN FROM DARKNESS TO THE LIGHT, CHRIST WILL SHINE ON YOU IS THE GOOD NEWS THAT IS GOD’S REMEDY FOR EVERY SINNER WHO WILL TURN TO HIS BLESSED SON TO FOLLOW HIM, READ JOHN 6:37.

**** AND IF YOU TURN FROM YOUR DEEDS OF EVIL TO CHRIST AND COME TO CHRIST FOR SALVATION, HE WILL SAVE YOU.

3. IF THAT IS YOUR CONDITION TODAY, I CALL YOU TO THE CHRIST, THE ONLY SAVIOR.

* AND LASTLY TO THE BELIEVER, “WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT!”