Covered Light
Genesis 1:1-5 NKJV
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
Who separates the light from the darkness?
The Creator of Light and darkness is the One and only One that can separate the light and the dark.
Through the Power of His voice it was done. The darkness had no choice but to detach itself from the light.
God has made an Eternal proclamation that these two can never be joined again.
So how much darkness is still in your own hearts?
No one wants to admit that there just might be a portion of darkness in them.
Where is the Light of Christ in your life?
Sometimes we have to go back to the actual beginning.
Sometimes we have to stop and reevaluate, rethink and reassess.
Light is the absence of darkness.
Light makes things visible.
Light illuminates.
We are called, NOT asked, to be the Light of the World.
We are to shine bright for the Kingdom of Heaven in a dark world!
We are barely a spark or a flicker at best.
Through that light grace and love must be shown.
Through that light the grace of God should shine brightly on our faces!
Light does something else.
It exposes the darkness.
The darkness cannot withstand the power of the illumination that even a spark of a match produces.
Unfortunately, many times, that’s how long we allow the Light of the Gospel shine in us.
It sparks.
It lights.
It flickers and burns.
Then it burns out completely and all you have left is a burnt out matchstick that once had the ability to fight off the darkness. The light goes out, the darkness recovers and continues in its darkness.
What have we done!
Light does something else that we forget.
Light is also meant to guide and give direction.
What happens in the dark?
We trip.
We stumble.
We fall.
Who can walk through their house in the dark in the middle of the night without reaching for the light switch or a flashlight?
Why?
Because you become familiar with the surroundings.
Now what happens when someone moves the furniture around? If there is a chair that wasn’t pushed back to its place under the table?
It is a different experience.
Without the light to direct our steps, our chances of tripping gets higher.
Sometimes we get used to the darkness! We learn to make our way through it. After a while we don’t even realize that we are in it anymore.
This is exactly what sin is like!
We get used to the darkness of the sins in our hearts.
We have learned and know how to maneuver around it.
We don’t even need to grope around to find stability, we just know exactly where to step without a trip,a stumble or fall.
The Bride of Christ is losing her spark!
We are eagerly waiting for the Bridegroom to come and receive us! What are we doing in the meantime!
We are sitting in the comfort of our chambers looking up to see if He is on His way forgetting that there are still preparations that need to be accomplished.
What favors are we doing to anyone when we have the Light Of the Gospel and not shine it on the darkened soul that needs it?
There is something that all Followers of Christ are facing today.
It seems as each day passes it is growing darker. The Light of the Gospels is fading not only our society but in the hearts of people.
It’s not just the Hearts of the people that are very lost in this world but even in the Church itself.
Mark 4:21 NKJV
Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand?
We take this leap of faith in our hard and dark times. The Lord is faithful to stand by His Word to forgive us of our sins.
He starts to mold and shape us. We no longer conform to our own will but bow down in humility to His. He starts to set us apart for His purpose.
People start to see changes in us. The Light of the Lord shines in us. As it shines in us the dark places of our hearts lighten. Through the Warmth of the Light it starts to soften. The Light then chases out and consumes the darkness until there is no more!
But sometimes we tend to hide it and keep it for ourselves.
Then we wonder why the darkness is overcoming the light. We marvel at how wicked the days have become. We talk about how evil it is out there in the world.
We have the audacity to blame the Kingdom of darkness for doing its job, spreading darkness!
We never put the blame on ourselves! We are supposed to be the bearers of the Light Of The Gospel!
How will they know if they don’t hear?
What makes you different that they would want to change. How do you represent the Light Of Christ in your life!
The darkened hearts have gotten used to the darkness.
But go back to the Beginning!
Who separates the Light and the dark!
Is it not by the power of God Himself.
Isn’t His only Begotten Son Jesus Christ the Light of the World!
Isn’t that same Light imputed upon all those that will believe and follow!
So who is to blame the darkness or the light for the evil of this world!
I say those that are SUPPOSED to have the Light Of the Gospel.
Hiding the light of the lamp defeats the purpose of the Light.
So what is the purpose of the light?
Those who have received the light of the Gospel are not to hide it or conceal it by keeping it away from those that are in desperate need of hearing it!
We are to let it shine through us for others to see!
Since we have received the Gospel we are to live it openly and unashamed.
But more than that, we must share it with others through how we live and what we say!
Those who have been transformed by the Good News are to present that truth, that same Good News to others!
Charles Spurgeon,once said,
“The Bible is not the light of the world, it is the light of the Church. But the world does not read the Bible, the world reads Christians! You are the light of the world.”
Read that quote again!
Be the Church!
Be the light that chokes the darkness out of this world.
Think about this today.
Hiding the light of the lamp defeats the purpose of the light.
We have an obligation.
As a follower of Jesus you are a lamp for God. He wants to use you today, right now! It may not be how you want to be used or where you want to be used, but God has a plan not just for your life but those that He will bring to you.
How strong will the light you bring into the room shine?
When you step out into this dark world, when you come up to the dark hearts of humanity will the Radiance of Christ shine forth or be hidden?
The choice is yours.
My ask of you today is this.
Don’t blame the darkness for being dark, blame the light for not shining!
Pastor Ed