You are Light in the Lord
You are Light in The Lord
I remember growing up in Nigeria without light i.e. electricity supply of light and power. As a young person in my village, I did not look forward to the night fall because it becomes very dark quickly. I used to be very afraid going from one room of the house to the other without the lantern. I dreaded going outside not knowing what was out there. We used kerosene lamps for light and a family may just have one or two for the whole household. It has not changed so much since my childhood in my village and many other parts of the world. When you have electricity 24 hours, you don’t appreciate it until you are in darkness from one of the hurricane storms or some power outage. Without light we cannot exist. Total darkness is the ultimate hopeless. People in the developing World look expectantly to day break because life comes back with light and they can accomplish so much with the natural light.
I have seen first-hand utter darkness without any form or trace of light in sight. Maybe you have. Can you compare the two – darkness and light? In Ephesians 5 of our study, Apostle Paul makes such comparison of our lives. Let’s listen to Paul:
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit[b] is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” Ephesians 5:8-14
The difference between darkness and light is very clear that you need light to differentiate darkness. If all you know and have experienced is darkness, you cannot tell what light is or what it looks like. However, once you experience light, you can immediate know what darkness is. We are told in Genesis the origin of light. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was[a] on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness” Genesis 1:1-3. God is the source of all light. The earth was full of darkness in the beginning. God said light is good. We thank God for natural light.
We are told we “were once darkness”. Read carefully. Not that we are in darkness, but we were the darkness itself. Everything about us was dark and not good. We were formless and void and not appealing in any form to God or to man. Jesus said “he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going” John12:35. Darkness is hopelessness.
Thank God that we are now light. Again, “You are light in the Lord”. We are the light itself and also in the Light (Jesus the Light of the World). “In the Lord” we are light. It is exciting. Hello fellow light! Apostle Peter tells us how we became light. “ 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy”. 1 Peter 2:9-10. Jesus told us how we become transformed from darkness to light. “46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness” John 12:46
We must also watch out for false light. “13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light”. 2 Corinthians 11:13-14. The devil and his human agents appear to be light but they are not. They appear in half-truths and false doctrines. The TRUTH (Jesus Christ) gives us light and makes us light.
If we are light, what are we to do? Just be light. Light in this Ephesian passage exposes and makes manifest. We are here to expose every work of darkness and make it known to the world so they may have Jesus the Light. We are not being asked to strive to be light. We are already light and as such wherever we go darkness is dispelled and displaced. Just carry a lighted candle into a total dark room, immediately the darkness disappears.
Our actions and ways of living result from who we are and our identity with Jesus Christ. There is no godly lifestyle apart from a relationship with God. This is the whole point of the Book of Ephesians. If you don’t know who you are in Christ, you cannot be who you are not.
Let us therefore “walk as children of light”. Our light is not there to scorch people but to illuminate (make manifest). We must find “what is acceptable to the Lord” and make it know and live it out. How? By studying and meditating on His Word (the Truth) and living in the conscious reality of God with us every moment of living. We were in previous verses encouraged to “imitate God” and as “dear children” to walk in love” just as Jesus did for us by His sacrifice. We cannot be true light without the foundation of the love of Christ in us and thru us.
Be Light today. Never again be darkness. Let us go about our business at home, work, school, neighborhood, community and just be light. Direct from the mouth of Jesus to you and me today: 14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven”. Matthew 5:14-16.
Think! It is absurd for you to walk around today all covered in a “basket” and no one can see you. It is a shame that sometimes we live like that – life of closet Christianity. The homosexual community is coming out (Apple CEO Tim Cook just did), why not you and the rest of the Christian community to come out of our closets. I thank God that I am now light and not darkness and in darkness. May our lights shine for Christ! Amen.
You can only be light where you are and not where you hope to be. Let’s live for the moment and be light in the present darkness. Many around us are in darkness and are darkness. Live and speak Jesus the Truth and Light to people. Amen.
If you are light, can someone see through you and me?
I remember growing up in Nigeria without light i.e. electricity supply of light and power. As a young person in my village, I did not look forward to the night fall because it becomes very dark quickly. I used to be very afraid going from one room of the house to the other without the lantern. I dreaded going outside not knowing what was out there. We used kerosene lamps for light and a family may just have one or two for the whole household. It has not changed so much since my childhood in my village and many other parts of the world. When you have electricity 24 hours, you don’t appreciate it until you are in darkness from one of the hurricane storms or some power outage. Without light we cannot exist. Total darkness is the ultimate hopeless. People in the developing World look expectantly to day break because life comes back with light and they can accomplish so much with the natural light.
I have seen first-hand utter darkness without any form or trace of light in sight. Maybe you have. Can you compare the two – darkness and light? In Ephesians 5 of our study, Apostle Paul makes such comparison of our lives. Let’s listen to Paul:
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit[b] is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” Ephesians 5:8-14
The difference between darkness and light is very clear that you need light to differentiate darkness. If all you know and have experienced is darkness, you cannot tell what light is or what it looks like. However, once you experience light, you can immediate know what darkness is. We are told in Genesis the origin of light. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was[a] on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness” Genesis 1:1-3. God is the source of all light. The earth was full of darkness in the beginning. God said light is good. We thank God for natural light.
We are told we “were once darkness”. Read carefully. Not that we are in darkness, but we were the darkness itself. Everything about us was dark and not good. We were formless and void and not appealing in any form to God or to man. Jesus said “he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going” John12:35. Darkness is hopelessness.
Thank God that we are now light. Again, “You are light in the Lord”. We are the light itself and also in the Light (Jesus the Light of the World). “In the Lord” we are light. It is exciting. Hello fellow light! Apostle Peter tells us how we became light. “ 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy”. 1 Peter 2:9-10. Jesus told us how we become transformed from darkness to light. “46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness” John 12:46
We must also watch out for false light. “13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light”. 2 Corinthians 11:13-14. The devil and his human agents appear to be light but they are not. They appear in half-truths and false doctrines. The TRUTH (Jesus Christ) gives us light and makes us light.
If we are light, what are we to do? Just be light. Light in this Ephesian passage exposes and makes manifest. We are here to expose every work of darkness and make it known to the world so they may have Jesus the Light. We are not being asked to strive to be light. We are already light and as such wherever we go darkness is dispelled and displaced. Just carry a lighted candle into a total dark room, immediately the darkness disappears.
Our actions and ways of living result from who we are and our identity with Jesus Christ. There is no godly lifestyle apart from a relationship with God. This is the whole point of the Book of Ephesians. If you don’t know who you are in Christ, you cannot be who you are not.
Let us therefore “walk as children of light”. Our light is not there to scorch people but to illuminate (make manifest). We must find “what is acceptable to the Lord” and make it know and live it out. How? By studying and meditating on His Word (the Truth) and living in the conscious reality of God with us every moment of living. We were in previous verses encouraged to “imitate God” and as “dear children” to walk in love” just as Jesus did for us by His sacrifice. We cannot be true light without the foundation of the love of Christ in us and thru us.
Be Light today. Never again be darkness. Let us go about our business at home, work, school, neighborhood, community and just be light. Direct from the mouth of Jesus to you and me today: 14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven”. Matthew 5:14-16.
Think! It is absurd for you to walk around today all covered in a “basket” and no one can see you. It is a shame that sometimes we live like that – life of closet Christianity. The homosexual community is coming out (Apple CEO Tim Cook just did), why not you and the rest of the Christian community to come out of our closets. I thank God that I am now light and not darkness and in darkness. May our lights shine for Christ! Amen.
You can only be light where you are and not where you hope to be. Let’s live for the moment and be light in the present darkness. Many around us are in darkness and are darkness. Live and speak Jesus the Truth and Light to people. Amen.
If you are light, can someone see through you and me?
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