A MESSAGE FROM THE PASTOR

          To be born-again is to have been granted special vision with power to see into darkness and discern whether what is in view is correct or incorrect. When a believer’s life consists of correct choices they will reflect the person of Christ in their walk. The great Apostle John attests to this in his letter to first-century believers. Notice in verse 5 of chapter 1 that he 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." John alludes to the truth that every person’s life is a message. For instance, the message of Adolph Hitler’s life was destruction and death. The message of America’s first black scientist, George Washington Carver, is that humility opens the doors of opportunity for anyone. The message of the Apostle Paul’s life is that God can save and transform the religious, the murderer, the proud, and the educated. John informs us that Christ’s life is a message in the midst of a spiritually dark world.

The apostle confirms this when he says "God is light and in Him darkness does not exist at all." In his gospel, at verse 4, he says this in respect to Jesus Christ: "In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." Then, in Jn 8:12 Jesus makes this statement about Himself: "I am the light of the world. If any man follow me, he shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life." These verses establish for us that Christ’s life really is a life of light. But, there is a problem. The worldly don’t want the light in their life. This is confirmed in John 3:19: "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil." Unsaved people and weak Christians choose to live in darkness.

The Apostle John wants God’s people need to know that light has special characteristics such as it’s revealing power. Without light people would hear but not see each other — darkness conceals, but light reveals. Jesus recognized this truth when He said said: "Can the blind lead the blind? Shall they not both fall into the ditch?" Luke 6:39. Light enables us to see things that would otherwise not be known. This is exactly what John is proclaiming about Christ; like light, God’s Word reveals truth that helps us understand life. It is God’s will that we know the truth. When we enter into a relationship with Christ the scales of spiritual darkness begin to fall from our eyes and heart allowing more spiritual light to come into our mind. As we go to church, pray, and read the Bible greater truths are gradually revealed to our mind.

We all have times when negative influences disrupt our attempts to correct problems. But for a Christian, life more abundantly is about living in the light of God’s Word. It’s about changing the way we think and act until our mind, heart and life reflect the life of Christ. This is what the Apostle Paul says in Ro 12:2,"...do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is..." When the solution to a particular problem escapes us, when issues are more troubling than expected, we need God’s illumination. His all revealing light can expose the true problem. When it does, we often discover we are the hindrance. Yes, we are often our own problem maker and we need to change, we need to correct to what the light is showing us we need to be. You see, our greatest need is for God’s light to illuminate the darkness that works in our own life. That is what God does — He is light and Light reveals.

Modern science defines darkness as the absence of light. But, we need to know that darkness is powerless against the Light — it cannot overpower it. Jesus confirms this in Mt 16:18, "I also say to you that you are Peter and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not over power it." You see, light is a form of energy, therefore Christ can energize us to live for Him so the forces of Hell cannot overwhelm us. This is illustrated in Jesus words to the disciples of John the Baptist in Lk 7:22 "Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them." Christ is saying that He can energize us to see clearly, to walk correctly, to live in purity, to desire to hear truth, to live a life of abundant hope and joy, to be prosperous, and to appropriately proclaim our message about Christ’s greatness.

John wants us to know that this is the message of Jesus’s life. He energizes us with truth and light. That’s exactly what Jesus says in John 8:12 "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." God is light shining into our darkness, teaching us how to become the people He intended us to be so He might shine through us and illuminate the lives of others. He makes His intent clear in Mt 5:14 where He says, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

This is our mandate! We are to have His light radiating from us. We are to become like plants responding to the sun, opening, unfolding, desiring to bear fruit for Jesus kingdom. That should become the message of our life that people see as they watch our new life unfold. In these final days of the Age of Grace we are surrounded by tragedy and destruction. God’s light will enable us to go through these final events with peace and joy. Therefore, walk in the light that your life may be a message of truth and hope. May God richly bless you as you live for Him.

Pastor Dan Snyder