Living in the Light
Ephesians 5:8-14 NLT
8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. 11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,
“Awake, O sleeper,
rise up from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.”
Examine the scriptures:
Ephesians 5:8-14 NLT
Living in the Light
8 For once you were full of darkness,
This is a description of everyone one of us.
We were all dominated by sin, ignorant of God and His ways.
Ephesians 4:17-19 NLT
Living as Children of Light
17 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
John 3:19-21 NLT
19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”
- At one point in time we were all full of darkness.
“But”
but now you have light from the Lord.
Christians are changed people.
Christians are no longer part of the darkness, in which they used to live.
Colossians 1:11-14 NLT
11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
1 Thessalonians 5:4-5 NLT
4 But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. 5 For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.
- When we became Christians, we were rescued from the kingdom of darkness.
So live as people of light!
Believers live in fellowship with God, in whom there is no darkness.
1 John 1:5-7 NLT
Living in the Light
5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
Matthew 5:14-16 NLT
14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
Philippians 2:15 NLT
15 … Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.
John 3:21 NLT
21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”
- Scripture tells us to live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.
Be noticed! (I wasn’t raised this way.)
Redeemer Day School needs to be noticed.
9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
Light is productive.
Grow lights promote plant growth.
Light chases away darkness.
Jesus is the Light of the world.
John 8:12 NLT
12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
Philippians 1:11 NLT11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.
Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
- The light within us produces only what is good and right and true.
We have a perfect resource living within us.
10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.
Romans 12:2 NLT
2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Philippians 1:9-10 NLT
9 … keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.
Our goal should be to please God.
Colossians 1:9-10 NLT
9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.
- Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.
11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.
- Love justice and hate evil.
Amos 5:15 NLT
15 Hate evil and love what is good;
1 Corinthians 5:9-13 NLT
9 When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. 10 But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. 11 I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.
12 It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. 13 God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.”
2 Thessalonians 3:6 NLT
6 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from us.
14 Take note of those who refuse to obey what we say in this letter. Stay away from them so they will be ashamed.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 NLT
14 Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? 16 And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said:
“I will live in them
and walk among them.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
17 Therefore, come out from among unbelievers,
and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.
Don’t touch their filthy things,
and I will welcome you.
18 And I will be your Father,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”
12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.
Merely talking about the things that morally and ungodly people do in secret can be morally and spiritually corruptive.
- Christians should not dwell on the evil that their lives (Christ) are exposing in others.
Example: Parents to children.
Positive proclamation of the truth in the light of the Word exposes all evil.
Proverbs 6:23 NLT
23 For their command is a lamp
and their instruction a light;
their corrective discipline
is the way to life.
How does this apply to parents? Teachers?
13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them,
- The pure and illuminating light of God’s Word exposes sin.
2 Timothy 3:16 NLT
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
Psalm 119:105 NLT
105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
and a light for my path.
Christ’s light shining on us and reflecting from us will expose evil intensions.
14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,
“Awake, O sleeper,
rise up from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.” (Possibly Isaiah 60:1)
Christ shines on sinners with His life-giving light.
This is an invitation for salvation to the unsaved, in order that they may be transformed from children of darkness into children of God’s holy light.
