Sermon on 24 September 2023 by Pastor Justin Chia
John 8:12 - “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.””
Romans 12:2 - “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
1 John 5:18 - “We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.”
You will never walk in darkness or sin because the devil cannot touch you. You abide in Him and die to your old man. Christ lives in you. This demonstrates the faithfulness of God. Those who live in the flesh will not be condemned. The light also means the truth in Greek. If you want to shine without the life of Christ, it is a false light. We are living in a world under the influence of dark forces. Make sure the light in you is not darkened. Do everything without complaining or murmuring. Live in peace with everyone and keep yourself blameless. When God talked to Adam and Eve face to face, He gave them instructions. They knew the truth but disobeyed God. That’s when sin entered the world. We are no different from Adam and Eve. Many of us know the truth but choose to disobey God. We are all appointed to die once. Pre believers will die twice. Christians will have one death. Then judgment will come - of hope or of condemnation. Let’s not conform to the tainted system of the world. You need to be renewed by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit that dwells in us.
Hebrews 9:27 - “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,”
Through one man, sin entered the world. However, we have the victory in Christ. Reading the word and prayer goes hand in hand. Reading the word is like inhaling. Praying is like exhaling. They work hand in hand. Jesus Christ is in the form of God but will never demand to be equal with God. Jesus brought himself so low to the image of a man without reputation. However, so many Christians and preachers want reputation. Never cling on to the past glory. You cannot live in light if you are not humble. You feed your soul with what you see and hear.
Genesis 3:1-7 - “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.”
Romans 5:12 - “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—”
Romans 5:19 - “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”
John 1:5 - “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
John 3:19-21 - “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved 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. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.””
Ephesians 4:27 - “nor give place to the devil.”
John 7:24 - “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.””
He who does evil loves darkness. Darkness are places with no love, no compassion, disobedience and hypocrisy. But people love darkness. He who does the truth comes to the light.
Ephesians 4:18 - “having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;”
Isaiah 29:13 - “Therefore the Lord said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,”
2 Timothy 3:4 - “traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,”
Ephesians 5:8-10 - “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.”
John 1:4-5 - “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
Isaiah 60:1 - “Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.”
Jesus is the light of the whole world. What does this claim mean for us? Occasionally, we choose to participate in darkness rather than following the light. However, a true born again Christian will come back and repent and confess his sins.
1 Thessalonians 5:5 - “You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.”
1 Peter 2:9 - “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;”
Isaiah 53:6 - “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
Proverbs 21:2 - “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts.”
Luke 6:46 - ““But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?”
John 8:12 - “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.””
Go and sin no more. Walk in the spirit. All can encounter this light - the light of life, the light of life. If you allow the light to enter, it will enter. Jesus’ light illuminates the entire world. However, acts of disobedience brings spiritual darkness. When we disobey or sin against God, we enter into darkness. Christian fellowship has been used very loosely. It implies a close relationship with God but Christians still gossip during such fellowships and bring people down.
Romans 8:1 - “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
Romans 3:23 - “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Genesis 1:1-3 - “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.”
Disobedience will bring spiritual darkness, which leads to confusion. Darkness disorientated us and caused us to lose our sense of direction, but light shows us the way. Allow the light of Holy Scriptures to guide our faith walk in Him. If you want to cleanse your path, you need to heed the word. His desire is for us to grow closer to Him by learning about Him through the scripture. The light of scripture will often illuminate us with just enough information to lead our lives. The light is the last place the devil wants you and I to be in. The worst part about darkness is the place of isolation and loneliness. But the Father has qualified all of us to live as sons and daughters of the Kingdom of Light.
John 11:10 - “But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.””
John 12:35 - “Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.”
Micah 3:6 - ““Therefore you shall have night without vision, And you shall have darkness without divination; The sun shall go down on the prophets, And the day shall be dark for them.”
Psalms 119:105 - “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”
Psalms 119:130 - “The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.”
Isaiah 30:21 - “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.”
Psalms 32:8-9 - “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you.”
Acts 7:36 - “He brought them out, after he had shown wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years.”
2 Timothy 3:16 - “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,”
1 Thessalonians 5:5 - “You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.”
1 Thessalonians 5:8 - “But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.”
Amen.
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