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Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends.
This week we’re on a hillside in Israel listening to Jesus talk about ways His people can make a big difference as we “Engage the Darkness with Hope.” Yesterday we looked at how to be “Salty Followers of Jesus” making a difference.
Today, let’s consider what Jesus said next: “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden…in the same way let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5:14-16). So, how do we live this my friends? May I give you two Life Principles today for living LIGHT in our dark world?
First… Radiant Christ Followers Penetrate the Darkness with the light of their lives.
Is light the absence of darkness, or is darkness the absence of light, or is it both? Light is not penetrated by a beam of darkness, but darkness is penetrated by a beam of light. Look up at night, do you see the moon beaming it’s reflected light to earth, or what about those stars scattered across the sky with their little light penetrating the darkness? Now that’s very different from a Sunrise where the sun pushes back the darkness all across the sky.
May I suggest we consider it like this: ONE person penetrates the darkness with the light of their words and their life, but a whole group of God’s people penetrating the darkness together is a movement, and can have a huge impact pushing back the darkness.
Now watch how this happens friends. Just like a lighthouse beam of light penetrates the fog or darkness and alerts ships to dangerous coastlines, so you or I could penetrate the fog of deceitfulness with truth or the darkness of fear with love or the darkness of loneliness with friendship or the darkness of worry with faith. So when you look at your social group, your city, your workplace, your family,the schools of your kids or grandkids… do you see darkness needing to be penetrated with God’s powerful truth and presence? Are you the person God has strategically placed to BE a light beam penetrating the darkness? Will you do it?
Here’s a second Life Principle: Radiant Christ Followers DISPEL the Darkness with their lives.
This happens when several Darkness Penetrating Christ Followers join together and their combined light is like turning on the stadium lights at night, or many automobiles encircling a field all with their headlights on. Perhaps the best example and why I love rising before daylight, is the battle each morning seen all over the world, as the darkness of the night releases its grip to the early morning sun-rays and then the brilliant sunrise dispels all the darkness.
The power of watching that happen awakens in me each morning a desire to see God’s people, all around this world, unite together in radiating the light of Jesus’ truth, His love and His power into their city and then watching Jesus push back the darkness there! So consider the difference your church is making in your city? Or what about the darkness dispelling effect of a Christian school or other Jesus honoring ministries in your city? Is there a noticeable impact?
My friends, I believe this global Coronavirus pandemic has been giving us, God’s people, a perfect opportunity to both Penetrate the darkness individually, and Dispel the darkness as we unite together in our worship, our service to our communities and our standing strong against the riots, the anger, the divisiveness, the fear, the darkness spreading across our cities and countries.
That’s why I’m glad to be part of a church which re-opened as soon as we could for Sunday worship, and has re-launched Sunday School for all ages, and even had a live VBS for the children of our community last month. We refuse to be silenced or shuttered, and we are determined to dispel the darkness in every way Jesus enables us! What about you my friends?
If you’d like to study a wonderful example of this, consider Acts 8:1-25 and look at what God did in Samaria through Philip who had been run out of Jerusalem by Saul’s persecution. As Philip spoke God’s truth into the darkness and confronted the occult with the power of Jesus in that place, the darkness was first penetrated and then dispelled as many people turned to Jesus and experienced His deliverance. Listen to this report: “With shrieks evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. So there was great joy in that city.” (Acts 8:7,8)
Now what about your city my friends? What about the stronghold of the demons of alcoholism or drug addiction or gang violence or pornography addiction or spousal abuse or child abuse or gambling addiction? What about the demons of paralyzing fear or anger which turns to rage? What is Jesus ready to do in first penetrating the darkness and then dispelling the darkness in your city, through the presence and Holy Spirit power unleashed through God’s people there?
I think we’ll pause right here and I want to invite you to a season of prayer over your city. Pray that God will give you and other Christians like you, spiritual eyes to see what Jesus sees when He looks across the place where you live. What does Jesus see in homes, schools, businesses, hospitals, prisons, and most of all in the hearts of every person within 10 miles of where you are right now?
How many people are in bondage in the darkness? How many people have the power of the Holy Spirit of God in them and could make a big difference if they’d let Jesus move them to action? As you contemplate that… what is Jesus speaking into your heart and mind? What is your church, your fellow Christians doing about the darkness in your town? What is Jesus saying… as you read Matthew 5:8-16 or Acts chapter 8?
I’ve given you this song once before, but here’s a brand new version with pictures from cities around the world during this Coronavirus Pandemic!
Oh Lord Jesus, help us see our cities with Your eyes. . . and may the name of Jesus reign victoriously in our cities!
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Click to read today’s chapter: Matthew 5:8-16; Acts 8. (At the top you can choose a different translation.)
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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