Sermon on 10 Sep 2023 by Pastor Justin Chia
Introduction
Darkness symbolises sin; it is a place where there is no God. It is a place where people are unholy, living a life not pleasing to God. It has no place in you or me, because we are children of light.
Message
“No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. The lamp of the body is the EYE. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.” - Luke 11:33-36
You are what you see. Your actions reflect your thoughts. We are the light of the world. We are called to put forth our spiritual light, Christ-like light for all people to see.
What are we filling ourselves with what we see? We feed our souls with our eyes. Your body is a temple of God, and the lamp of this temple is your eye. In Psalm 25, king David says that his eyes are always on the Lord. Fix your eyes on God’s teaching - on righteousness, holiness, the word of God. If you are always walking in light, you are light. Are you feeding your eyes with real, abundant light? Or with darkness? John 8:12 tells us that if we follow Jesus, we will not walk in darkness. If you are full of light, the devil cannot come close to you.
1. Jesus calls us to be the light of the truth and give no place for darkness. No one hides the light in a secret place. You want people to smell the fragrance of Christ on you. Make sure that nothing comes between us and the Lord’s light through our eyes. In Philippians 2:14-16, Paul says that we are to be blameless and pure.
2. Jesus makes it clear that our eyes will either provide light or darkness to our body and soul. What our eyes see really does matter. Matthew 5:28 tells us about the sin of adultery by just looking - our Lord is concerned with what we see. The bible holds the keys to filling our eyes with light, daily. Titus 1:15 says that blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
3. Jesus makes it clear that dark places are the absence of God in one’s life. The key to filling our body with light is through God’s word. Are we looking away from Christ and focusing on things of the world? Which areas of our life are still in darkness? Do we get impatient with our elderly parents, or our children? Do we get angry with and complain against our coworkers? These are openings for darkness. Dark places are those who are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.
How do we ensure that our whole body is full of light, and darkness has no place?
You must read the bible. You must pray. Prayer is communion, prayer is relationship. There is no problem too small that He does not react to; there is no problem too big for Him to handle.
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you CAN SEE something of the future he has called you to share. I want you to realize that God has been made rich because we who are Christ’s have been given to him! - Ephesians 1:18
People will look at our lives and begin to evaluate our lives. If you are full of light, you can impact others’ lives and you should share your light. Jesus says let your light be seen - through your righteous living, through your good works. God’s desire is for our lives to overflow with His light, especially in a dark and corrupt world (John 1:5). When your eye is good, your body will be full of light.
Closing
No matter how persistent the darkness is, God’s light continues to shine, because the light has risen from the dead and has victory over hell, death, the devil and darkness. Let our illuminate others, for the glory of God.
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