Who Is Jesus Christ?: Part 4

Redeeming Grace Church

Subscribe

Download

Share

00

00:00

Who is Jesus Christ? Who is Jesus Christ? This will be part four and In this message today,

00:07

I would like to conclude this Section of verses we have been looking at in the past for Lord's Day services and We will look briefly with some content from John chapter 1 verses 1 through 5 in which we have been looking at and Actually what

00:30

I like to do in the remainder of the time we after I bring the content out and What the text is saying to us in which we have looked at the past Three Lords day in today's makes the fourth

00:48

But I'd like to give some application to this and To this all this wonderful theology in which we've been looking at these first five verses, then we got

00:59

Lord willing. We're going to Travel on into the next section, which will be verse 6 through 13

01:07

Which speaks of John the Baptist Witness to the true light Jesus Christ and first we have gotten

01:14

John the Apostle John's the writer of course, but now he brings John the

01:19

Baptist into it And that's what I like the direction. We were going on into but in this application

01:29

Of all the theology we have I Heard I believe it was brother Stephen Lawson that said this

01:36

As good as preaching is and content and the meaning of the text He said but if we don't really give it application

01:46

All that is gonna be meaningless we must have application and I like to really drive that home to us today as We look at the application and that application

01:59

I'd like to look at would be we touched on it briefly last Lord's day will be Ephesians chapter 5 verses 8 through 14, which is very fitting to Everything that is said here of who

02:12

Jesus Christ is now And saying that let us first bow To our

02:18

Lord in prayer and ask his blessing as we continue to worship him and seek his face and As we hear from heaven from his holy word.

02:28

Amen. Let's pray our father and our

02:33

God How great you are? Help us to hallow your name as we come to your word help us

02:44

Lord to Give great reverence to your word For your word is perfect Converts the soul it has the power to transform us and as we come to you now father

03:07

To hear from your word. We thank you for it. We thank you for the power that it holds and the glory that it gives

03:21

It is sufficient it's all we need we don't need experiences we don't need

03:27

Extra biblical revelations Lord all we have enough. We have everything in your word

03:34

So father we give honor to your word this morning we pray Lord for each we pray for each and every one of us this morning as we

03:43

Come to it that the true teacher The Holy Spirit would help us Lord help me to rightly divide the word of truth

03:54

Help us to Understand it by your spirit. We thank you Lord for your word that gives us the true light the true light of life the truth

04:06

Thy word is a lamp unto our feet and the light into our path as the psalmist says So we would ask

04:14

Lord once again as Jesus prayed for his disciples May this be our prayer sanctifies

04:22

Through that word that word is truth. That word is truth and Lord that entails a being like Your son the

04:32

Lord Jesus Christ The Blessed Son Our Savior our

04:38

Messiah the Son of the Living God and Lord We know that this can only happen by the

04:45

Spirit of truth. So Lord make this real to us And may we be all be changed

04:51

From faith to faith to glory to glory more into the likeness of your dear son We would ask this in Jesus name

04:59

Amen, and amen several years back I recalled

05:07

My dear grandmother on my mother's side at the hospital unconscious

05:13

And dying on her deathbed. She could not speak

05:21

The family was surrounding her and as she was gasping for her final breath my aunt on one side of the bed and I was on the other and there was had a few cousins there and she had her son and Her other daughter which was my mother and this particular aunt

05:41

I'll leave unnamed for the moment Was directly next to her on the other side of the bed and she was actually telling my grandmother her mother, of course

05:51

She's kept repeating to her knowing that she could probably hear even though she was unconscious

05:59

Mother go toward the light Mother keep going toward the light and Honestly, I paused as I was praying.

06:11

I was doing a lot of praying silently Within myself and I couldn't help but think

06:19

As I was praying for my grandmother's poor soul When she was very

06:25

Catholic growing up and not knew she really didn't know the Lord Jesus Christ I was praying for God's mercy for her

06:33

Especially her being unconscious and her days were about to be ended And I was praying for a miracle

06:41

I could not help but think dear Lord I Prayed that she sees the true light from heaven and not the lights of hell because there's a light from hell too and Satan can appear as an angel of light as we well know

06:59

So my grandmother of course passed on and into eternity within the next hour there and And I'll tell you just like my father as he died a horrible death of suicide.

07:11

I personally we do not know What happens in those last moments we leave it in God's hands, don't we?

07:18

But God knows all And I've not be sure if they came to true belief and true repentance

07:25

But I do rest in this that the judge of all the earth will do right We can rest in that we're not the judge.

07:32

God's the final judge Yet the truth let me say this the clear truth that the

07:40

Word of God gives to us is What's right to the answer in which I've already mentioned and what the name of this series is who is

07:48

Jesus Christ? that is the most serious question

07:54

That is put to anybody Who is Jesus Christ and don't you love the

07:59

Word of God the opening verses of John's glorious gospel introduces to us? The answer to that He gives us the answer and it's and the answer is in the incarnation of Christ the incarnation of God himself the second person of the

08:17

Godhead and John the Apostle wants and desires his readers to know with a full assurance by the way that Jesus is fully

08:27

God truly God and human form This is very serious this is why he begins this his gospel with this and John chapter 1 verse 1 and 2 in the beginning was the

08:40

Word and The Word was with God and the Word was God and he was in the beginning with God and in verse 3

08:48

And John gives a record through the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit that Jesus Christ was

08:54

God the Father's agent That was involved in creating Everything that's matter everything that's light everything that exists in this entire universe every human being everything that exists in this entire universe is because of The eternal

09:15

Word of God the agent Jesus Christ All things verse 3 all things were made through him and without him.

09:23

Nothing was made that was made Then John reveals the very purpose in the mission and this is notice the direction he's going into here

09:32

He takes us to the purpose in the mission of God coming to earth as a human made flesh

09:44

Tabernacled among us verse 4 through 5 in him was life and the life was the light of man

09:50

Verse 5 and the light shines in darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it.

09:57

The darkness did not overpowered or overcome it wonderful Jesus Christ came into a very dark world.

10:06

Did he not? Very dark to bring the light of God's life to dying men

10:13

And that is hat that has not changed people are still dying in darkness

10:19

Blinded by the God of this world and the depravity which has been passed down by Adam The coming of Jesus Christ in the incarnation the

10:31

Messiah is synonymous with the coming of light to remove the darkness the scales of sin and captivity

10:42

And Isaiah I Like the way pastor MacArthur calls this the gospel of Isaiah in that wonderful Because more of the gospel of Jesus Christ is given in that one major prophetic book than any other

10:57

Isaiah chapter 9 verse 2 says this the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light

11:05

Any that wonderful it's just not a lie, but a great light and Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death

11:15

I want you to remember those terms there the shadow of death is not this the shadow of death

11:21

Upon them a light has shined and then in Isaiah chapter 60 verse 1 and 2

11:30

It says this arise shine For your light has come and the glory of the

11:36

Lord is risen upon you and Behold the darkness shall cover the earth and deep darkness the people but Don't you love that transition but the

11:47

Lord? Will arise over you the sovereignty of God there just but will intervene

11:54

Light just as Pearson through the darkness and it says and his glory will be seen upon you verse 3

12:02

It's a wonderful prophecy. Listen to this the Gentiles shall come to your light and the

12:08

Kings to the brightness of your rising What a wonderful fulfillment and all this is fulfilled in one person the glorious person of the

12:19

Lord Jesus Christ Now in Genesis as we looked at last Lord's Day the creation of light and brother key touched on that this morning on Psalm 104 the creation of light was the very

12:36

First thing that God himself created But God is light so he creates light through the eternal

12:46

Word of God Jesus Christ the second person of the Trinity and as Genesis 1 3 says this and I'm going to give this from Genesis the creation of the

12:56

Account Genesis 1 3 says then God said let there be light and There was light

13:07

Let there be light and there was light such power that God himself who is light speaks the light into existence and there was light piercing through the darkness now, this is the process of Generating life.

13:27

I Was thinking about this and I said really the physical Sun If we did not have the physical sign, it would be the

13:33

Sun we would have a cold lifeless planet No, nothing could live on this planet unless we had the

13:40

Sun, right? we need Sun and rain the sunshine in the rain for things to grow and gives life

13:50

It's that's through the physical Sun the SU in but in the same way the SO in gives spiritual life so the process of generation and the process of regeneration here is given and in contrast

14:05

Light was God's initial instrument in illuminating the dark and formless void in this world

14:13

This was the first instance in creation now God who is like shining light in the darkness piercing the darkness

14:21

So when John spoke of the incarnation of the Son of God Becoming the

14:26

Son of Man in his mission. He was actually echoing the creation account, right? And that's important.

14:34

There's a reason why John has this language here by the Holy Spirit For us to understand by the

14:42

Spirit of God What God is doing the contrast is vivid light darkness

14:51

That this this no way that you can mix the two that and we'll see in just a few minutes

14:57

God separates them divides them That's his order Scripture tells us over and over again that God himself is the very source of that life and life

15:08

Life and light life and light Psalm 36 9 says this for with you is the fountain of life and Your light we see light

15:20

Notice that for with you God is that source is the fountain of life and in your light we see light and as I quoted this morning in Psalm 27 1 the

15:31

Lord is my light and My salvation notice they are together

15:37

The light the salvation God is our light. God is our salvation.

15:42

Then he says whom shall I fear? That's the question if God is my salvation in my life. We should fear.

15:48

No one only God The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall

15:53

I be afraid Then in the New Testament The same

15:58

Apostle writes in 1st John chapter 1 verse 5 almost the same language

16:05

It's phrased differently, but notice what he says in verse 5 This is the message.

16:12

This is the message which we have heard from him talking about Jesus Christ We have heard from him and declare to you

16:21

That God is light and In him is no darkness at all

16:27

So Jesus Christ is God's light sent down To earth to pierce through the darkness.

16:34

It's almost as if he comes from the world of lights and To a dark world and enters into it to pierce through it

16:46

Now that light is God's life And you can actually say it is physical and eternal both

16:56

John chapter 11 verse 25. Jesus says I am the resurrection and the life and he who believes in me

17:03

Though he may die He shall live Death is not the end

17:12

Here our physical existence our physical death But there is a we shall live shall a man continue to live in Eternity, I believe

17:23

Joe put it in a question like that. I Like what Ravenhill said

17:30

He put it this way. Jesus did not come into the world to make bad men good He came into the world to make dead men live

17:39

Amen That is his purpose folks to make dead men live

17:48

John 5 26 for as the father has life in himself, so he has granted the son to have life in himself

17:56

So the life within Jesus Christ is the very life of God The Zoe life in which we looked at last

18:03

Lord's Day Chapter and verse is one of my favorites here And I'm sure one of your favorites too because Jesus makes a declaration that no one else ever made

18:14

John 14 6 Jesus said to him I am the way the truth and the life and no one comes to the father except through me

18:24

Still remains true today With all the religions in this world. There's only one way to God the

18:30

Father and that's through Jesus Christ not two ways Not a better way only one way

18:38

Jesus Christ John 10 9 and 10 Jesus says this I am another

18:44

I am I am the door notice What he would say I am the way the truth and the life. I am the resurrection of life.

18:50

Here's another I am I am the door and If and we'll go and he says if any

18:57

Anyone enters by me. He will be saved And I will go in and out and find pain and when he will go in and out and find pasture

19:08

The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and destroy I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly

19:19

Now only Jesus Christ is the true source of the knowledge of God and the one basis for spiritual security here and The Bible tells us time and time again that Jesus Christ is that light of life?

19:33

the light of life and that's actually What John is saying here in verse 4 and 5

19:42

In him was life and the life was the light of in that life is the light of the truth and the message of Christ Is salvation and eternal life with God is found in John 17 3 one of my favorite verses

19:54

I don't think we can hear this enough folks and Jesus is praying and this is eternal life that they may know you the only true

20:02

God in Jesus Christ whom you have sinned I'm telling you if we if I Were to preach on that verse every week

20:14

Until Jesus comes that would be sufficient Because notice what he says, that's the purpose

20:20

Jesus This is eternal life that they may know you the only true God Jesus Christ whom you have sinned first John 5 11 through 13 listen to this

20:34

First John 5 11 through 13 and you can turn there if you like I think it ties right in to what

20:39

John is saying in his gospel And this is the testimony

20:46

That God has given us eternal life and this life is is it in his

20:53

Son and This life is in his Son Verse 12 he who has the

21:00

Son has life He who does not have the Son of God does not have life

21:07

These things I have I have written to you Who believe in the name of the

21:13

Son of God and that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may continue to believe

21:22

Notice that don't stop believing you continue to believe you abide You go forward in the name of the

21:30

Son of God he says and then verse 20 and We know notice that you love that time and time again throughout the first John you see that word

21:37

We know we know we know we know We know that the Son of God has come he's come and has given us an understanding

21:50

That we may know him who is true and We are in him and who is true and in his

21:58

Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God in eternal life and Basically, that is the truth in which he is echo and it almost sounds like what a he wrote down echoing from Jesus's prayer from John 17 3

22:15

Keep in mind also that many false teachers Was amongst the church that were

22:22

Into Gnosticism Gnosticism believed that all matter was evil So in other words, they believed when

22:30

God came in flesh that was evil not so Jesus was the perfect sinless

22:39

Innocent son of the Living God without sin So Gnosticism taught all matter was evil.

22:49

And so John had to combat that with the truth So the great the greatest certainty of all is this in the incarnation of Jesus Christ Which guarantees everything else about who

23:02

Jesus Christ is that is here in the text Now this is why

23:08

John by the Spirit of God began his gospel with the truth in the beginning was the word

23:15

And the word was with God the word was God That's why he began that way Jesus Christ be in that true life and that true light from heaven has come in his

23:24

Brilliance and his glory to shine his light in a dark world in creation

23:31

God separated Or you could say is the scriptures it depends on your translation divided the light from the darkness

23:42

Look at Genesis 1 4 Genesis 1 4 and the account

23:52

God saw the light That it was good the light was good

24:01

And what did God do and God? divided the light From the darkness you notice it doesn't mix it.

24:11

It's there is a separation and That is God's perfect order folks

24:19

And this we have to keep this in mind because you see you in creation and God's order

24:29

There is a division of light and darkness and we make no mistake about that But why is it in the church that people want to somehow mix light and darkness?

24:45

That is not God's order We're gonna look at that in a minute The New Testament light and darkness are very clear.

24:53

They're common symbols of good and evil Now we're going to look at this and I will look at from the scriptures it's clear that light in John 1 5 represents life and ultimately eternal life with God in his heavenly kingdom

25:11

Darkness is the absence of light Darkness is darkness light is light and also darkness can be the absence of God Just look on the cross in three hours

25:28

Jesus it with the whole earth became dark God did that on purpose God did that instinctively he did that by miracle.

25:37

It was a miracle, but God made it known to the world Jesus Christ his son went right into that darkness

25:43

He took the darkness in the absence of God for three hours the wrath of God Upon himself upon himself so that we may come to the light and to know

25:55

God who is light And amazing the love that took

26:00

Jesus through that We will never understand that even in heaven

26:07

But what our what our blessed Savior went through on that cross now darkness light it represents good and Which is light represents and darkness represents evil sin unbelief in this fallen world which all leads to Eternal death you notice that you see you see

26:34

I don't have time to go through the scriptures, but it speaks about darkness utter darkness

26:40

Now I heard pastor MacArthur touch on this he said doesn't mean that Hell doesn't have lights it does, but we're talking about a separation from God and There's one side.

26:55

There's a separation from God and and there's another side of it that God's there, okay? But whatever the case there is eternal darkness

27:05

Forever and ever it's very serious in it because we have a world today. That's perishing in eternal darkness without God Job 10 22 don't you love the book of Job?

27:18

Listen to this. I'm gonna give you some great verses here. Job 22 says a land as dark as darkness itself as the shadow of death without any order and it's not just the world we live in a land as dark as darkness itself as the shadow of death without any order

27:42

Where even the light is like darkness That comes from the book of Job 10 22

27:48

This verse basically describes to us how dark as Jesus said that darkness can be

27:55

We actually don't know how dark that darkness is in a sense until God shows us

28:03

Though even through the light of the truth how dark our own hearts were We'll see that in a minute

28:11

So It takes the Spirit of God the Spirit of light spirit of truth to show us this in The land of the darkness and the shadow of death.

28:22

What does it make you think of Psalm 23? Verse 4

28:27

David said yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

28:33

I Will fear no evil Why? For you are with me

28:41

There's a promise we can take with us to death Because you are with me your rod and your staff they comfort me

28:51

That's what comforts us as God's presence God's rod God's staff.

28:57

He's the great shepherd of the sheep. He loves us with that staff He disciplines us

29:04

And he loves us And he secures us in a dark and the evil world threatening

29:14

David says how he will fear no evil as he walks through it that we can claim that ourselves as We walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

29:25

I will fear no evil because God is with us Emmanuel Jesus For the

29:34

Lord is our light and our salvation Jesus declares that those who believe and trust in the light become sons and daughters of light

29:42

John 12 36 I quoted it last week and we'll quote it again while you have the light Jesus says believe in the light that you may become sons of light and Then John 8 12

29:55

Jesus spoke to them again I am the light of the world and he who follows me

30:01

Shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life Notice that he who follows me

30:09

Follows me shall have the light of life The great miracle of salvation is in the power of the gospel and Jesus Told this to the

30:24

Apostle Paul as he was Given giving and appointed as Apostle to the

30:31

Gentiles to give the gospel to Kings and To the Gentiles in Acts 26 18.

30:36

This is Jesus speaking He says to open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness to light

30:44

This is Jesus speaking to turn them. That's repentance To turn them to turn them

30:52

This is what this world needs to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God That they may receive

31:03

Here's the benefits the forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified

31:10

By faith in me and that great benefits That's the

31:16

Lord Jesus Christ speaking Now, let me give you application go with me to Ephesians chapter 5 and believe me, this is

31:26

Some strong application. We're going to jump to some other verses in the process here, but I believe

31:32

Everything the Apostle Paul says in chapter 5 here in verse 8 Through 14 is marvelous now,

31:40

I'm gonna tell you as I was studying this I couldn't help but Think about MacArthur's message

31:47

He he revisited this not long ago and we preached it and he used the same outline and I could see why

31:53

It's a beautiful outline and I'm going to give you his outline on this and I'm going to preach it in my words and and verses in which

32:03

God Gave me in the process of this but this section speaks of how to walk in light

32:10

This is practical application for each and every one of us in our daily walk with Jesus Christ in a home and abroad and on our job and whatever we do in this world as we walk and Talk with the

32:23

Lord as we're born -again children of God. This is our practical application of how to walk in light

32:33

And he gives a wonderful Wonderful outline and I'm giving credits to pastor

32:39

John MacArthur on this a verse 8 first of all Says this for you were once darkness

32:48

But now you are light in the Lord Walk as children of light

32:57

Now first of all, I'm going to bring this out verse 8 gives us the contrast. That's what we're looking at here the contrast the

33:05

C's here contrast Paul the Apostle here is contrast what every

33:13

Believers life was like before salvation before he knew Christ Before salvation with what

33:20

God intends it to be like after salvation in Doing so he simply states.

33:27

What should be obvious and what is that a Person who has been saved from sin should through and it should be done with sin

33:38

He should be through with sin. In other words, he's repented of it now. It doesn't mean our repentance is perfect folks because We you and I know our walk with the

33:49

Lord is not perfect, right? Can you raise a hand or two hands? I'm right there but what counts is it's not your past experiences, but what is your

34:00

It's not the perfection. It's the direction of your life It's your desire so a person who has been saved from sin should be through with sin as he's lived and Live as a redeemed child of God and he's sanctified in Jesus and to illustrate that point the

34:20

Apostle Paul uses common biblical figures as we've seen in John 1 in chapter 1 of darkness and light

34:30

Darkness and light the Apostle Paul goes there This is what he wrote to the Church of Ephesus darkness and light verse 8 tells us

34:40

What we were and What we are What we were first of all we were once darkness the verb form of were reveals two important realities here

34:57

First of all it it speaks about the past tense indicates the condition that no longer exists

35:06

That we are redeemed you were darkness And that truth also that is reinforced by our former life now

35:19

Notice what he says for you were past tense once darkness

35:27

You were once darkness notice that Paul doesn't say you were once in darkness

35:33

And and that would not be a wrong statement would it but the Holy Spirit? Told him you were once darkness told him to write it just like that and there's a reason why it emphasizes you were once darkness that as We were once darkness.

35:52

We were part of the condition of darkness in this world

35:59

That that's that is tremendous, isn't it? It's almost like a difference yeah, we were in darkness, but it's more than just in darkness

36:07

You are the darkness or were the darkness You see dead and trespasses of sins no light whatsoever

36:18

And people think they have light, but they don't have light just like My dear poor aunt was talking about grandma go toward the light go to the light look

36:27

She she didn't even have a clue what the light was The light is

36:33

Jesus Christ The person of Christ Spiritual darkness spiritual darkness under the control of who

36:44

The power of darkness the God of this world That's evident isn't it people don't realize that their father is the devil

36:53

But that's who they are really serving their father is of the devil The God of this age

37:01

They are literally in the servants of sin, but they're servant to the

37:07

God of this age the power of darkness That's very evident what scripture says and Jesus said this to Nicodemus in John 3 1921 19 and 21 through 21

37:17

This is the condemnation that light has come into the world.

37:22

Who's who's the light now Jesus Christ? He's refers to himself and men love darkness that Jesus is making a strong statement here to Nicodemus men love darkness rather than light

37:38

Because he tells the reason their deeds were evil They love the evil.

37:45

They love the darkness For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light list as deeds should be exposed

37:57

But he who does the truth comes to the light That his deeds may be clearly seen and that they have been wrought or done in God Manifest exposed

38:11

This is what the light does and have you noticed when you give the gospel and love People do not like it because they love the darkness rather than the light

38:21

They do not want to let go of their pet sins that they love their idols

38:29

Their self Amen the darkness Notice a lot of sinning goes on in darkness

38:39

More, I mean it's in the daylight now. It's no shame, but more don't more sinning is done in darkness

38:46

People feel secure in their darkness and hidden They're hidden But God sees them

38:53

God sees them why you think the fool has said in their heart, there's no

38:58

God They don't want no God. They don't want no judgment They want to love their sin. And as far as they concerned in at the last breath, they want to somehow believe in the heaven

39:07

Does it work that way? This love I'm telling you this what happens here from darkness to light this happens

39:16

When man is converted to Jesus Christ and true repentance comes and God grants them repentance and they use that repentance as an instrument to Turn from that darkness for then

39:26

Paul says for you were once darkness Don't you love that you and I children of God? He's talking to God's children.

39:33

You were once darkness Not just in darkness you were darkness

39:40

You were evil you in darkness That's past tense Don't you love that?

39:48

But now what does he say you are light in the Lord in?

39:55

the Lord I'm so thankful. He put that and that's the

40:01

Spirit of God in the Lord. No one else. Who's our light the Lord? Hey, I hear an echo.

40:10

He's he's listening second verb in verse 8 Not only were but are are also tells us two important things

40:20

What does it tell us? The present tense indicates our new spiritual condition and in contrast to what we were before trusting

40:28

Jesus Christ So in other words notice now you are light in the Lord Colossians 1 13

40:35

Jesus Christ has delivered us from the domain of what darkness and has

40:43

Transferred us or translated us and us to the kingdom of his beloved

40:48

Son And he has called us and first Peter 2 9 out of darkness into his

40:55

Marvelous light you see there's no question about it about the contrast here that When we are born again children of God when

41:03

God's people they are children of light. They come out of darkness They were once darkness now.

41:09

They are light You cannot mix the two

41:16

We will see that in a minute Again, like the were the verb are is not modified here

41:27

Scripture sometimes speaks of believers being in darkness in like I said or in light which is true, but here it's not modified

41:34

It basically says here You are you were darkness and you are light.

41:40

What did Jesus say? Jesus says you are Circle that you are what the light of the world

41:53

You are the light of the world We must keep that in mind and don't take that for granted when we go out into that world

42:00

You are the only Bible that this wicked world will ever read

42:06

You and I are the only beacon light that will ever shine in their dark world

42:16

And it's all because of Jesus We share his light because he's the light of the world right

42:23

Jesus said it in a John 8 12 To the people I am the light of the world

42:30

Now Paul Through verse 9 and 10 tells us how we should walk

42:36

He gives us the contrast walk as children of light right walk That's our daily walk.

42:42

That's our daily living. I All this theology is wonderful and I I need this theology.

42:50

I need sound theology But if I don't take it with me and I have my everyday personal life, what good is it?

42:58

I need it in my life verse 8 you were

43:08

You for you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord walk as children of light

43:16

Now as he has already given us the contrast now he gives the characteristics the characteristics

43:23

What are the characteristics? verse 9

43:30

For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness here. They are three supreme fruits the

43:38

The the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness Righteousness and Truth now, let us not forget those three great

43:51

Fruits now what one translation says the fruit of the Spirit but in more

43:59

That is more accurate to the original Greek translation. It should say the fruit of light the fruit of light

44:10

What's the old King James say brother Keith? fruit of the

44:15

Spirit Okay, but the original I was wondering about that.

44:20

The original is the fruit of light The fruit of light now that is goodness righteousness and truth

44:29

What is the fruit again? This is the fruit? That is the obedience.

44:35

That is what follows us, right? Three supreme characteristics you could take this

44:42

To our everyday walk folks and this is convicting I'm telling this convicts me because I think about all goodness all goodness

44:54

Righteousness and truth Let's look at that. I Like what pastor

44:59

MacArthur says here. I couldn't help but skip this. I couldn't skip this over in his commentary. He says like agape

45:07

Love Goodness finds its fullest and highest expression in that which is willingly and sacrificially done for others

45:18

Always Seek after that which is good For one another and on for all been first Thessalonians 515

45:28

He goes on to say and in his next letter to that church the Apostle prays that our

45:35

God may count you worthy of your calling and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power this goodness

45:51

That is a fruit of light is also a fruit of the Spirit in quote

45:58

These are the characteristics are these not and were not these two characteristics of the

46:06

Lord Jesus Christ This is what makes it so convicting because we so fall short of Christ's likeness

46:15

We desire it don't we but this is what we need. This is what the church needs

46:21

This is what I need. This is what you need. We need to take Christ's likeness to our job

46:29

To our home To the lost in this dark world This is our walk.

46:38

So the first is all goodness all goodness. The second one is The second result of fruit of our walk is the children of light is righteousness righteousness.

46:48

What is that? Well righteousness is first it does what I would say that would have to do with first of all our personal relationship with God.

46:56

I Believe it begins there Romans 4 or 5 says

47:03

To the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly his faith is

47:11

Accounted or reckoned another translation says reckoned as righteousness same thing.

47:16

It's accounted. It's put in our account The righteousness of Christ think of that his perfect righteousness

47:28

This is the gospel folks, this is the only thing that will get us into heaven

47:36

Excuse me His perfect righteousness But let me say this

47:46

Righteousness also has to do with how we live His righteousness is

47:55

Put into our account and When God looks at us, he doesn't see our righteousness our righteousness is what filthy rags

48:03

It's not going to do I don't care how Morally upright people think the righteousness of God and man's righteousness are two different things

48:13

Completely, but the righteousness also has to do with how we live how we live how we live

48:23

Because we know Jesus Christ is our righteousness So he is the righteous one and he gives us his righteousness

48:30

But here in the text Paul's talking about how to live, right?

48:36

How to live right John says and First John 2 29

48:49

We also know that everyone who practices Righteousness is born of God is born of him

48:58

Righteousness goodness all goodness righteousness third The third fruit is what truth truth

49:07

Folks, we're all about truth Truth in the Word of God truth in Jesus Christ Truth has to do with our honesty reliability our trustworthiness and and and most importantly

49:23

I would say integrity Our integrity the contrast there and by the way the contrast of these are hypocrisy and deception and falsehood

49:35

Which are the ways of the old life in darkness? so when we see this therefore the goodness pertains to our relationship with others righteousness a

49:47

Relationship with God and our truth our personal integrity to sum it up Now those three things are

49:59

The results the fruit of light that's what they consist Verse 8 the contrast verse 9 and 10 the characteristics now in verse 11 a

50:13

There's a command Look at verse 10 Finding out what is acceptable to the

50:21

Lord Sandwich that in between verse 9 and 11 now he's going to tell us what is acceptable to the

50:30

Lord and Then he says this because God abhors evil folks, right in verse 11

50:39

He says and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. That's the command

50:46

It's a strong command the NASB says it like this and do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness

50:53

Do not participate in may also be translated don't

50:58

To become a partaker together with these evil wicked people in darkness

51:05

We are not to participate. We're not to have fellowship with them So the child of God is a child of light

51:12

You can't mix darkness and light should not become involved in evil and in by even by association

51:23

Go with me very quickly to 1st Corinthians chapter 5. Let's look at this ties right into what

51:31

Paul's saying here This is so in this is a whole sermon folks and I'm telling this so important, but I'm just gonna touch on it

51:39

Notice what he says in 1st Corinthians 5 And by the way, he's a

51:44

Paul begins by speaking to the church at Corinth about immorality how it defiles the church

51:50

And he talks about purging out the old leaven to get the old leaven out the little leaven leavens the whole lump and and He said that you may be a new lump

52:02

And he talks about what he's talking about. He's talking about like Christ is our Passover. It's sacrifice for us, but And he's referring to sin within the church like in verse 7 he says you since you are truly unleavened

52:21

Like leaven leaven is like sin Notice what he said it says in verse 9.

52:26

I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people That's straight up But he clears something up here, you know, first of all you think now what is he talking about because He's talking about people they're saying they're

52:45

Christians within the church he's not talking about the immoral in the world How could they be reached?

52:51

And verse 10 says yes, yet. I certainly did not mean with the sexual immoral people of this world

52:59

The world is you know people was talking about what happened at the Grammy Awards About these demon worshipers and stuff and I thought what is wrong with these people the world's being the world

53:11

What bothers me is when you see this in the church? They're in darkness they are darkness

53:22

And you got Christians Quote -unquote Christians posting this like they're appalled about us a good night

53:28

They're in darkness that they acted the way they they're acting natural the what they are but Paul's talking about I Didn't mean with the sexual immoral people of this world or with the covetous or the startlers or the idolaters since Then he says this since then you would need to go out into the world

53:50

Our purpose is the wreath that they're the mission field, right? But what he refers to is this in verse 11, but now

53:57

I've written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother Who is sexually immoral covetous or an idolater or a reviler a reviler can mean someone that blasphemes their mother and father a

54:16

Drunkard or even a drunkard or an exhorter a sort of stortner. I'm sorry not even to eat with such a person

54:24

We don't to have fellowship nor sit down at a table and eat with them Why you can't mix darkness and light

54:35

Why why because God's name is? Upon them and if they're living in darkness, they're mocking

54:42

God and that's serious Folks it was so serious that God struck down Ananias and Sapphira about it

54:51

We need to hear this. We need these kind of warnings. It would purge the church wouldn't it and Jesus would have a clean church verse 12 for what have

55:02

I to do with judging those who are outside Do you not judge those are on the inside?

55:10

But those who are on the outside God judges Therefore put away from yourselves the evil person

55:17

What he's basically saying is you deal with the ones within the church. That's your business God judges the ones in the world go with me one more

55:31

Lot a lot here look at jump to 2nd Corinthians. I got to hurry up here because my time is just almost gone

55:40

Ah Verse 11 2nd Corinthians chapter 6

55:45

Oh Corinthians, we have spoken open to you Our heart is wide open

55:54

You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections now in return for the same

55:59

I speak as to children Listen to that You also be open

56:06

And then he says this gives a strong language of rebuke do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers

56:16

For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? What communion has light with darkness?

56:22

what accord has Christ with Belial or what part has a believer with an unbeliever and What agreement has the temple of God with idols?

56:33

There's a separation here For you are the temple of the Living God as God has said

56:39

I would dwell in them and walk among them and I will Be their God and they shall be my people therefore

56:44

Come out from among them and be separate says the Lord do not touch

56:49

What is unclean and I will receive you and I will be a father to you and you shall be my sons and daughters

56:57

Says the Lord Almighty and I love he continues therefore having these promises Beloved let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit and perfecting holiness in the fear of God Now we have the contrast the characteristics the command

57:15

That's the command last we see the Commission the Commission the Commission verse 11

57:23

B through 13 of chapter 5 of Ephesians back to that have no fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness

57:29

But rather expose them reprove them people say well pastor. That's gonna bring on persecution.

57:35

Hey, yeah, yeah, it will But so be it Amen, it's a blessing and any wonder why there's hardly any persecution in the

57:48

American churches Amen they look just like the world. They're part of the world

57:54

I passed some of these churches and I tell you what you think you're going to a theater folks of the world

58:01

Say Verse 12 for it is a shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret

58:08

But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light. Whatever makes manifest is light

58:16

So the Christians responsibility goes even further than not participating, right? We are to expose them

58:23

We are to tell them that this is wrong This is evil, this is wicked

58:30

Jesus said in Matthew 10 27 listen to Jesus What I tell you in the darkness speak in the light and What you hear whispered in your ear proclaim upon the house tops

58:46

Mark 4 22 again. Jesus says for nothing is hidden except to be revealed

58:52

Nor has anything been secret but that it would come to light it's going to be brought out

59:00

One way or another God will expose It's better to expose it now and for people to repent of it and come clean with God verse 12

59:13

Paul says for his shameful or disgraceful even to speak of those things which are done by them in Secret, you know, it's sad to say in the church is now and and MacArthur I heard

59:25

MacArthur in Phil Johnson talking about the x -rated Church and this character

59:32

Driscoll Mark Driscoll I'm glad he's out of the ministry because he needs to be out and out of the ministry

59:39

He was up speaking foul sexually immoral content in the name of God and He was saying things folks that should be shameful

59:52

Paul says don't even speak of it He took things in the scriptures that were holy and twisted it to be unholy

01:00:03

God was being mocked God would not be mocked. I'm glad he's gone

01:00:09

He needs to repent doesn't mean we don't care about the man's soul, but he needs he's as far as I'm concerned.

01:00:15

He's disqualified Himself mocking God Well that I want you to think about this

01:00:23

Paul says it's shameful and disgraceful One example some diseases chemicals nuclear products.

01:00:31

I Got this from MacArthur this example are so extremely deadly that even the most highly trained and best protected technicians and scientists who work with them are in Constant danger of being exposed no sensible person would work around such things carelessly or haphazardly

01:00:52

Likewise in the same way some things are so spiritually disgraceful and shameful Dangerous, this is

01:00:59

MacArthur here that they should be sealed off Not only from direct contact but even from conversation in quote

01:01:08

Amen Let me close He closes it we got a contrast we got a characteristic we got a command

01:01:17

We've got a commission. The last is the call the call verse 14 He says awake you who sleep arise from the dead and Christ will give you light

01:01:28

So what does Paul do and he's given a gospel verse from Isaiah chapter 60 verse 1

01:01:35

Arise shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you Christ will give you light.

01:01:41

He's given the gospel and does not this need to be done today in churches give the gospel call arise shine

01:01:53

Arise from the dead This is a summons to repentance Christ will shine on you

01:01:59

Christ is that light? That's the good news of the gospel. Amen Praise God the story

01:02:10

Is told of a great fire in Edinburgh Scotland in which people hurried to exit the building through a

01:02:17

Passage that led to the street. Don't you listen? This is a true story They were almost safe when a

01:02:25

Rush of smoke met them and blowing into the passage from the outside and instead of running through the smoke

01:02:32

They entered a door into a room. That was seemed safe But soon all the oxygen was exhausted and they all suffered and died

01:02:41

If only they had seen the light they might have lived to be safe tomorrow to the story

01:02:52

Jesus Christ is that light in the dark world? We need to give the light of the glorious gospel and face

01:03:01

Jesus Christ Proverbs 418 sums it up. The path of the righteous is like the light of Dawn that shines brighter and brighter until the full day

01:03:16

Gracious Bonner said this. I heard the voice of Jesus say I am that I am this dark world's light

01:03:23

Look unto me. They won't they mourn that I mourn shall rise and all that day be bright.

01:03:31

I Looked unto Jesus and I found in him my star my son and in that light of life.

01:03:38

I'll walk Till traveling days are done. Amen. Let's pray our father

01:03:48

We do thank you Lord Jesus for you being the light of the world coming into a dark dark world

01:03:56

So dark We don't know what that darkness is until the light shines upon it and we need the light of the truth and was so thankful for that truth

01:04:05

That gives us light that sanctifies us to be more like your Like you father like your dear son

01:04:15

That has shown in our hearts by the Spirit in which you've given and through your word

01:04:22

May the light of your glorious gospel shine through us To others in a perishing world