Sermon: The Light Within

12/6/09 The Light within
2 Corinthians 4:6 -For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

• Jesus: NT teaching that God brings to our life
• Life does harsh things to us on purpose
• Metaphor of darkness:
 The harsh things in life
 Things that frighten, intimidate, oppress us, cause us anxiety and worry, generally squeeze joy out of life and light out of life
• There’s physical darkness:
 Relationships fail
 Can get sick
 Nations ruin economies
• Spiritual darkness:
 Estrangement from God
• Darkness symbolizes the evils with which we are entirely too familiar
• Paul writes: “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ”
• Charles B. Williams translation: “For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of the darkness,’ is the One who has shone in my heart, to give me the light of the knowledge of God’s glory, REFLECTED on the face of Jesus.”

The light within is the presence of Jesus Christ in our Lives

I. The Light within will overcome our darkness
• John 1:4-5:
 Darkness hasn’t mastered (overcome) it
 The darkness will not, cannot over our master, The LIGHT
• Darkness cannot overcome our master – the Light
• The darkness is powerless to extinguish
• Jesus Christ (Light of the World) has pushed back the eternal darkness of death
• That last, ultimate enemy, the one we fear coming to us, Jesus has pushed back that darkness
• He did it through His resurrection
• Jesus has already conquered all
• He’s won the victory
• Romans 8:35-39:
 Light has pushed back darkness
 In all these things, we are conquerors, through Him who loved us
 Nothing will bring us darkness of life
• 1 Corinthians 15:57:
 God gives us “Victory” through Jesus
• Light brings hope, joy, love, forgiveness
• Pushes back the darkness of guilt, sin, hopelessness and anger
• 2 Peter 1:19:
 Jesus (Light) that pushes back darkness
 Our darkness: relationships, illnesses, spirit, emotions
• Jesus is the Morning Star that rises in our hearts
• Never forget in the dark what God has told you in the Light
• What has God told us:
 Remember: darkness has not overcome the Light

II. Light within us will enlighten our own lives
• John 1:9:
 True Light gives life to every man in the world
• Jesus is the dawn of a new day for everyone
• Jesus called Lazarus out of a tomb, death is not the last word, but that Light was
• Jesus called us out of our darkness
• Jesus called Paul out of his spiritual darkness
• We know more about Christ and see Him working in every day of our lives because Jesus is the Light in the darkened world
• Jesus didn’t come to punish us, but to protect us
• We can and are:
 Fully exposed, and completely protected
• Cleansed by Light that casts no shadow
• Jesus is full of truth and grace
• The Light fully exposes, and yet fully protects

III. The light within will empower our lives
• Ephesians 3:16-19
 The work of the Light: to empower us, to give us strength to live everyday
• I shall emerge one day – the Light of Christ
• There may be darkness pushing against me, but it cannot overcome me, for I have the Light
• Darkness cant overcome the Light
• Light sets boundaries
• Find strength “within”
 Could be lonely, scared but use the Light of Christ
• Light is God’s gift in love in Christ pushing back darkness
• Shines in our hearts, darkness is powerless to extinguish
• Birth, is the beginning of assurance
• We know the dark corners, shadows, God is with us
• We know our sins, God is with us

NEVER FORGET IN THE DARK WHAT GOD HAS TOLD YOU IN THE LIGHT
(Pray, think, dwell each day)
• The Light of FAITH – the darkness is powerless to extinguish it
 Romans 1:16-17
• The Light of HOPE – the darkness is powerless to extinguish it
 Romans 4:18, 20-21
• The Light of LOVE – the darkness is powerless to extinguish it
 1 John 4:9-11
• The Light of JOY – the darkness is powerless to extinguish it
 John 15:11
Dr Phil Lineberger