AUDIO SERMON (right click to open in new window -- if you have problems opening it, please email me and I will email it directly to you!)
John 1:4
"In him was life, and the life was the light of men."
John continues to teach more about the character and nature of the Word.
This verse states that in Him was life.
What kind of life is it?
John uses (zwh) 37 times: 17 times it occurs with (aiwnios), and in the remaining occurrences outside the prologue it is clear from context that “eternal” life is meant. The two uses in 1:4 <," target=_blank>http://net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Joh&chapter=1&verse=4>, if they do not refer to “eternal” life, would be the only exceptions. (Also 1 John uses zoe 13 times, always of “eternal” life.) -NET bible translation notes
Psa 36:9
"For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light."
You see, in Christ is life, and only in Him do you have that life. As this life is in Him, it must be eternal because He is God. And only through Jesus can you hope to see that light.
Psa 36:10-12
"Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart! Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. There the evildoers lie fallen; they are thrust down, unable to rise."
This life is in Christ and through Christ. You cannot demand it, take it, or decide for it.
John 1:12-13
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Col 1:17
"And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
You must have Christ Jesus, or you do not have Life.
John 14:6
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
In Him is life, the only life, the only way to life.
He is your only light, your only truth.
John 1:4
"In him was life, and the life was the light of men."
In order for there to be light, there must also be darkness. Throughout the Bible, the term "darkness" refers to something that is bad, evil, wickedness, blindness, etc.
Prov 4:19
"But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble"
Eccl 2:13
"wisdom is better than folly just as light is better than darkness"
Isaiah 5:20
"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness..."
John 3:19-20 says,
"the light has come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed"
We practice evil when we break God's holy law, the Ten Commandments. The Bible says that we all sin,
"For no one is without sin..." (I Kings 8:46),
"there's certainly no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins" (Ecclesiastes 7:20),
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
How do we come out of darkness into light?
In the Bible, "light" refers to something that is good or righteous, not evil or wicked or corrupt. We first saw that light was good when God created it in Genesis 1:3-4 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
John 8:12
Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life"
We are commanded to live in the light.
Ephesians 5:8-11
"walk as children of the light... finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness..."
And to live in the light, we must turn away from our darkness (repent of our sins) and walk in the light.
Romans 13:12-14
"The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts"
Furthermore the Bible states in 1 John 1:7
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin"
Once we repent (turn from our darkness (sins)) and put our trust in Jesus Christ, we become a light for the dark world.
The Bible says in Matthew 5:14
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden"
Matthew 5:16 says,
"...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven"
1 Thess 5:5 says,
"You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness"
In Jesus Christ is everlasting life. That everlasting life is a light for those living in darkness (living in sin) and condemned to Hell (further darkness and eternal separation from God). We are called to turn away from our darkness (repent from our sins) and walk in the light (live in righteousness). When we truly repent of our sins and trust in Christ to save us and give us eternal life, we become a light to the world by living a righteous life in contrast with the darkness we once loved.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
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Open The Bible
The best place to start when doing a Bible Study is to open the Bible. This site will promote the Bible and take teaching from the Bible, cross-referencing Scripture to ensure accuracy, commentaries and study notes. We will share God's Word without inference to feelings. We will be taking it one verse at a time. It might seem drawn out to some, but after you see how much information can be found in each verse, you will appreciate the study. Never again, will you be content to do a bible study on a whole book like Romans in one sitting again!
I invite you all to participate. Here are the rules...
1. On every Sunday (usually late in afternoon) I will send out an email informing you of what the verse will be for the following week. (don't assume that we will naturally go to the next verse, it could be that one verse might take a few weeks to cover adequately!)
2. during that week, do your own study on the verse and email your findings back to me by friday of that week.
3. I will take all of the information that I gather along with your studies and create one very intense biblical study.
4. I will email the study to each of you on my email list and will post it here on this site by the next Sunday.
5. Please refraiin from using terms like, "I think it means this..." or "this is what I feel it means..." The bible is clear and does not contradict itself. Let's keep it biblical for the edification of believers.
What is my goal? To help you get into God's Word more deeply than ever before. I want you to learn to do it biblically. By the time we finish a book of the Bible, you will know the contents like never before. We are to be edified by God's Word so that we can take this knowledge out into the lost world and reach the lost for Christ! send me an email if you have any questions!
Want to know the best way NOT to do a Bible Study? Go here!
I invite you all to participate. Here are the rules...
1. On every Sunday (usually late in afternoon) I will send out an email informing you of what the verse will be for the following week. (don't assume that we will naturally go to the next verse, it could be that one verse might take a few weeks to cover adequately!)
2. during that week, do your own study on the verse and email your findings back to me by friday of that week.
3. I will take all of the information that I gather along with your studies and create one very intense biblical study.
4. I will email the study to each of you on my email list and will post it here on this site by the next Sunday.
5. Please refraiin from using terms like, "I think it means this..." or "this is what I feel it means..." The bible is clear and does not contradict itself. Let's keep it biblical for the edification of believers.
What is my goal? To help you get into God's Word more deeply than ever before. I want you to learn to do it biblically. By the time we finish a book of the Bible, you will know the contents like never before. We are to be edified by God's Word so that we can take this knowledge out into the lost world and reach the lost for Christ! send me an email if you have any questions!
Want to know the best way NOT to do a Bible Study? Go here!
1 comment:
Brian
Good sermon. I am reminded of some word from Paul Washer. I dont remember them exactly but here is a paraphrase. "You say you have a new relationship with Christ, that's wonderful, now do you also have a new relationship with sin? You cannont have one without the other.
Blessings,
Bill Lawless
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