John 3:16-21
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
16 “For God so loved the
world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to
condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but
whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed
in the name of God’s one and only Son.
19 This is the verdict: Light has
come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their
deeds were evil. 20 Everyone
who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that
his deeds will be exposed. 21 But
whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly
that what he has done has been done through God.”
This
past weekend I was with my daughter and her family. Through the eyes of my
granddaughter, once again I was reminded of how God uses the little ones to
teach us and remind us of His word. On
Sunday morning we were headed to church and she told us that we were following
the sun. We were headed east so as far
as she could tell we were just going in the same direction that the sun
was. I was reminded by those words that
yes, indeed, we should be following the Son, the Son of God. Her dad was directly in front of us but she
did not say, we are following daddy, she said we were following the sun and God’s
word tells us how important it is to follow the Son of God.
Another
statement that she made was, “It is light outside, it is happy outside” referring
to the fact that the sun was shining. I
thought it rather amazing that a, not yet three year old, would recognize the
difference between lightness and darkness.
In the Word of God Jesus equates lightness with knowing Christ and
darkness with being of this world.
In
the scripture reading today, I was struck by the words regarding the reason why
those living in darkness do not come to the light, “for fear their deeds will be
exposed.” Have you ever heard,
or even said, “God can’t forgive me because my sins are too bad” or maybe, “I
can’t go to church because God would strike me down as soon as I put my foot in
the door, because of all that I have done”?
People who say these things are
living in the darkness, what they are really saying is that they do not want
their sins exposed to God or anyone else and what they don’t realize is that
their sins have already been exposed to God and probably man as well. If God was going to strike them down, He
doesn’t need a church to do it in. What
sins have not been exposed will be exposed in the end and everyone will realize
the impact of Romans
2:23,
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203:23&version=NIV1984)
Those
living in darkness are being fooled by satan just as Eve was fooled by
him. We have heard it said, What goes on
in Vegas stays in Vegas,” I am sure many
have found out that is a lie and satan is telling those who live for this world
the same thing. He is saying, “What
goes on in this world, stays in this world?” He makes them believe that in this
afterworld everything will be the same.
They will have the sinner’s club in hell and it will be one big
party. He makes them think that if they
just stick with him, they will not have to face the judgment of God. Many are living in darkness, and Jude 5 and 6 tells of their fate, 5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of
Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their
positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in
darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jude%205%20-%206&version=NIV1984)
I urge you, if you are living in darkness find
someone who is living by the Light and listen to the words of the Lord, and believe
on His name.
Even a two year old can recognize the difference
between lightness and darkness, even a two year old knows the importance of
light and the happiness it brings. Come
as a child, believe as a child, Jesus tells us, Matthew 18:3, 3 And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like
little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2018:3&version=NIV1984)
As
you seek Him, remember, that the ONLY WAY to the Father is through the Son. Follow the Son for He is Light and He will
bring you much joy and happiness.
Seeking
Him with all my heart,
Sheila
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