LENT 4 – March 22, 2020 – Ephesians 5:8-14
“LIGHT IN THE LORD”
Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Epistle Lesson just read, from Ephesians 5. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- All three of our readings for today mention aspects of “seeing.” Through Isaiah, God comments about a certain kind of blindness. A person can “see” and yet not “observe.” This is one of my grave weaknesses, shared by many men. We may be able to physically “see” things but we don’t take time to consider them, to be sensitive about them, to really take cognizance of them.
- Of course, in the Gospel we read of Jesus healing a man who was physically blind, born blind, without eyesight. This also makes it impossible for one to truly “observe” things. However, as is well known, people who suffer blindness often have other senses that are highly developed – like the sense of smell, or hearing. They may end up being more “observant” than people with eyesight.
- Our text speaks about the importance of light. Without light even people with 20/20 vision can’t see. So the apostle compares knowing God, living in the light of His love, His truth, His goodness, as coming out of darkness and into light. And he indicates, those of us who have come into the light of the Lord not only see, but actually become “light in the Lord.”
- We take time then this morning to consider these important realities of our life in the light of God’s love, the impact that His light has upon us, and how living in His light changes out lives.
- First, it is essential for us to know that:
I. We Need God’s Light In Order To See What Is Important And Essential In Human Being
Text: “At one time you were darkness.”
A. We Need God’s Light, His Word And Truth, To Discern What Is Good Versus What Is Evil
Text: “The fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.”
B. So God’s Light, His Word And Truth, Enables Us To Know What We Must Repent Of
Text: “It is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. When anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible.”
C. We Also Need God’s Light, His Word And Truth, To Show Us God’s Joyous Gift Of Salvation
2 Cor. 4:6 “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
Psalm 27:1 “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
John 1:9-12 “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”
Statement: The spiritual reality, communicated to us by means of the analogy of “darkness,” is important and accurate. If we were at one time in darkness, then regardless of any personal ability we might have had we still would not have been able to see anything. Sadly, our spiritual condition while in “darkness,” that is, when ignorant of the Lord and His goodness, is also spiritual blindness – the inability to see even if there were light.
Application: Do you see then how important it is for us, how blessed we are, that God so loved the world that He sent His Son Jesus to be our Savior, and to be the “Light of the world”? Now we know evil when we see it! Therefore we see the evil of which we must repent. Most importantly we know that Jesus, the “Light of the world,” is also “the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.” The “true light Who gives light to everyone” assures us that “if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Transition: And God’s Word of love, the Gospel of His glorious love in Christ Jesus, is just like His “creative Word” – “Let light shine out of darkness.” This Word is the power of God to salvation for all who believe – who are born again by “the Word of God which lives and abides forever.” And just as the light of God caused the face of Moses to shine, so also:
II. Those Who Believe The Light, Jesus Christ, Become Light In The Lord
Text: “Now you are light in the Lord.”
A. So God Enables, And We Make It Our Aim, To Walk In Light
Text: “Walk as children of light, for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true, and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.”
B. We Reject Evil, Shining Light And Exposing Evil For What It Is
Text: “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.”
C. And As We Walk In The Light, Christ Continues To Shine Upon Us
Text: “Therefore it says, ‘Awake O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Statement: It is not some physical appearance, as was the case with Moses’ face, that shows that we have become “light in the Lord.” Rather it is inward, although the effects of inward righteousness, goodness, and peace with God may exude from us and be visually apparent. Such was the case with Stephen, of whom we read: “All who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.” But for the most part, the fact that we have become “light in the Lord” is seen our goodness, kindness, gentleness, and love for all people. It is seen in our serenity borne of faith and trust in God’s power and love, in our courage and steadfastness for what is right and good and true. It is seen in our opposition to evil and our embrace of all that is good.
Application: Of course this does not bring ease and comfort to us. When we expose the works of darkness, which those doing them seek to do in secret, we risk experiencing their wrath and anger. Such was the case for John the Baptist who exposed the adultery of Herod. Such was the case with Stephen who was stoned to death for calling his hearers to repentance and into the gracious mercy of God. Nonetheless, we have already become “light in the Lord” and that means it is inevitable that we will be walking as children of light. But God will also be protecting us and blessing us.
Conclusion: The alternative to “seeing” and “being light” is spiritual darkness and blindness. While we may struggle at times to see the great detriment this is to those thus afflicted, over the course of time we see first hand how horrible such blindness truly is, such devotion to evil, and also to the dire consequence that such darkness brings. There is no way we want to participate in that. We rejoice that God has saved us from all of this, in the salvation that is ours in Christ Jesus!
And over time we begin to see more clearly what evil actually is and what it involves, and then we shun evil just for this reason – that it is evil and opposed to the good and gracious will of God, our Savior, our Heavenly Father.
So we gradually become more comfortable in being “non-conforming,” being children of light, and “LIGHT IN THE LORD.” It is our aim and goal to bring light wherever we go, not darkness. We are “LIGHT IN THE LORD” and we do His bidding and He accomplishes His purposes in us and through us.
Part of that bidding is to also bear witness to the Light, as John did, that others might also experience His calling, and hopefully become children of God who live in His gracious mercy and forgiveness and love. Such is our blessedness when Christ is shining on us, and we love to share it with others! Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.