“Living in the Light”
John 1:1-13, 3:16-21, 8:12
Sermon Series: “Getting Acquainted With Jesus”
Introduction: Vance Havner began one of his essays by writing, “Some time ago a friend of mine took me to a restaurant where they must have loved darkness rather than light. I stumbled into the dimly-lit cavern, fumbled for a chair, and mumbled that I needed a flashlight in order to read the menu. When the food came I ate it by faith and not by sight. Gradually, however, I began to make out objects a little more clearly. My host said, ‘Funny isn’t it, how we get used to the dark’?” There is a lot of truth in that statement. If we are not very careful, we get used to the darkness around us and accept darkness within us. However, the Lord wants us to live in the light instead of getting used to the darkness. Dr. Danny Akin says that the Gospel of John “develops an elaborate theology around the metaphor of light” so let’s examine what John says about light and learn how to live in the light. Here are some meanings of the metaphor of light:
1. The nature of God is light while the nature of Satan is darkness (John 1:4, 1 John 1:5, Ephesians 6:12). God and Satan are completely opposite. God is perfect and without blemish. Satan is totally evil.
2. Light carries the meaning of life while darkness expresses death (John 1:3-4, John 10:10, Ephesians 2:1-10). This is true in both a physical and a spiritual sense. God gives physical life through creation and spiritual life through salvation. God wants to make us alive while Satan wants to kill us.
3. Light and darkness are in a battle, but light will ultimately be victorious (John 1:5, Ephesians 6:10-12). Spiritual warfare is a reality. Life and darkness cannot peacefully coexist. They will be in a battle with one another until Jesus comes back. The word “comprehend” means that the darkness will not overcome, eclipse, or defeat the light. Jesus won the victory over Satan on the cross and will consummate that victory when He returns to the earth in glory.
4. Light is a picture of salvation while darkness is a picture of spiritual blindness (John 1:6-13, 2 Corinthians 4:1-6). Satan wants to keep us blinded and deceived. He does not want us to trust Christ. He wants us in his darkness. However, God is working to open the eyes of the spiritually blind to give them salvation through the gospel of Jesus Christ? Are you in spiritual light or spiritual darkness? Have your eyes been opened to Jesus Christ?
5. Light is a picture of holiness and purity while darkness is a picture of sin and evil (John 3:17-20). Many people reject the light and choose darkness because they want to live for themselves, in the way they want to live, and do not want a spotlight shining on their sin. God calls us to be holy as He is holy. Are our lives full of light or darkness?
6. Light is a picture of truth and revelation while darkness is a picture of lies and deception (John 3:21). Light expresses and reveals while darkness hides and conceals. Satan is a liar who deceives us and we become enslaved to sin when we listen to his lies. However, Jesus sets us free when we know and do His truth (John 8:32). Are we hiding our sin in the dark or bringing it to the light through confession and repentance?
Conclusion-Applications:
1. We have been transformed to light in the Lord and are now to live like it. Ephesians 5:8 says, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (see also 1 Peter 2:9-10).
2. We are to live as children of light by letting our lights shine before men (see Matthew 5:13-16).
3. We are to live as children of light by walking in the light as God is in the light (1 John 1:1-2:2).
