SHARING THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD (CC)

PLEASE STAND FOR THE SERMON TEXT RECORDED FOR US IN JOHN'S GOSPEL WHERE WE READ THE SELECTED VERSES IN CHAPTER ONE: [JOHN 1:6-8, 19-28] THERE WAS A MAN SENT FROM GOD WHOSE NAME WAS JOHN. HE CAME AS A WITNESS TO TESTIFY CONCERNING THAT LIGHT, SO THAT THROUGH HIM ALL MIGHT BELIEVE. HE HIMSELF WAS NOT THE LIGHT; HE CAME ONLY AS A WITNESS TO THE LIGHT. NOW THIS WAS JOHN'S TESTIMONY WHEN THE JEWISH LEADERS IN JERUSALEM SENT PRIESTS AND LEVITES TO ASK HIM WHO HE WAS. HE DID NOT FAIL TO CONFESS, BUT CONFESSED FREELY, "I AM NOT THE MESSIAH." THEY ASKED HIM, "THEN WHO ARE YOU? ARE YOU ELIJAH?" HE SAID, "I AM NOT." "ARE YOU THE PROPHET?" HE ANSWERED, "NO." FINALLY THEY SAID, "WHO ARE YOU? GIVE US AN ANSWER TO TAKE BACK TO THOSE WHO SENT US. WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT YOURSELF?" JOHN REPLIED IN THE WORDS OF ISAIAH THE PROPHET, "I AM THE VOICE OF ONE CALLING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY FOR THE LORD.' " NOW THE PHARISEES WHO HAD BEEN SENT QUESTIONED HIM, "WHY THEN DO YOU BAPTIZE IF YOU ARE NOT THE MESSIAH, NOR ELIJAH, NOR THE PROPHET?" "I BAPTIZE WITH WATER," JOHN REPLIED, BUT AMONG YOU STANDS ONE YOU DO NOT KNOW. HE IS THE ONE WHO COMES AFTER ME, THE STRAPS OF WHOSE SANDALS I AM NOT WORTHY TO UNTIE." THIS ALL HAPPENED AT BETHANY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE JORDAN, WHERE JOHN WAAS BAPTIZING. THIS IS THE WORD OF OUR LORD. LET US PRAY: GLORIOUS AND GRACIOUS GOD, MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE MEDITATION OF EACH OF OUR HEARTS, BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR SIGHT, OUR ONLY SOURCE OF HOPE AND COMFORT. AMEN. [TEXT TAKEN FROM THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA, INC.] DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST: I'M GONNA SHARE A SECRET WITH YOU THIS MORNING. MAYBE A CONFESSION. THERE ARE SOME DAYS THAT I DON'T LIKE TO BE KNOWN AS PASTOR DAVE. MAYBE THAT'S NOT A BIG SHOCK TO YOU. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT LEAVING THIS PROFESSION. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE HAVING A BAD DAY AT WORK. I'M TALKING ABOUT JUST THOSE AVERAGE NORMAL KIND OF DAYS WHEN YOU'RE PUT INTO UNUSUAL SITUATIONS MEETING NEW PEOPLE, [INAUDIBLE] WHEN THEY SAY TO YOU: WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING? THOSE ... SEEM TO BE THE TIMES I DON'T WANNA SAY: I'M A LUTHERAN PASTOR. BECAUSE I KNOW THE TYPICAL REMARKS. EITHER: THE PERSON WHO IS NOW GOING TO ARGUE WITH ME ABOUT EVERY POINT OF LUTHERAN DOCTRINE. AND THEY HAVE A WHOLE ARSENAL THAT THEY'VE JUST BEEN WAITING TO UNLEASH. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO BECOME SO CONSCIOUS OF THEMSELVES, THAT THEY START CONFESSING EVERYTHING: "I HAVEN'T BEEN TO CHURCH IN YEARS." YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW AND THEY GET ALL STRANGE AND NERVOUS. BUT SOMETIMES I DON'T LIKE BEING PASTOR DAVE. IT'S AN INTERESTING THING, I THINK, TO BE HONEST AND ADMIT BECAUSE I THINK IF YOU'RE TRUE AND HONEST WITH YOURSELVES, THERE ARE DAYS YOU DON'T LIKE TO BE KNOWN AS CHRISTIAN IN THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE YOU ARE CONFRONTED WITH PEOPLE WHO WANNA TALK TO YOU. WHO WANNA ARGUE WITH YOU. WHO WANNA DEBATE WITH YOU. WHO JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHY YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU BELIEVE. AND HOW EASY IT IS SOMETIMES FOR OUR OWN SINFUL NATURE TO TAKE OVER OUR BODIES AND SAY: WE DON'T WANNA HAVE THIS DISCUSSION. I DON'T WANNA TALK WITH THAT PERSON. I DON'T WANT TO SHARE WITH THEM THIS WONDERFUL AND GREAT NEWS THAT I HAVE RECEIVED THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE LORD AND SAVIOR OF MY LIFE. THAT HE CAME AS THE LORD AND SAVIOR OF THE ENTIRE WORLD. AND HOW SELFISH THAT IS IN US. HOW UNCHRISTIAN IS THAT BEHAVIOR. THAT WE DON'T WANT TO LIVE OUR LIFE OF FAITH. TO LET OUR OWN LIGHT SHINE. TO BE THE ONE WHO TALKS ABOUT THE 'LIGHT' THAT CAME INTO THE WORLD! THE 'LIGHT' THAT WAS COMING INTO THE WORLD TO SHINE IN THE DARKNESS ... AS JOHN'S GOSPEL BEGINS. AND NOW WE HEAR THIS MORNING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST WHO CAME TO TESTIFY TO THAT 'LIGHT'. TO WITNESS TO THAT 'LIGHT'. TO CONFESS THAT 'LIGHT' TO THE DARK WORLD WHICH NEEDED A SAVIOR SO MUCH AND AS JOHN'S GOSPEL REMINDS US JESUS CAME AND SHONE WITH THE BRIGHTNESS OF GOD. CAME FROM THE FATHER. WAS WITH THE FATHER. CAME AS TRUE GOD AND TRUE MAN INTO THIS WORLD TO SAVE PEOPLE FROM THE DARKNESS OF SIN. TO SHOW THEM THE WAY. TO ILLUMINATE THEIR LIVES. TO OPEN TO THEM THE SCRIPTURES AND THE UNDERSTANDING THAT ONLY GOD CAN RELEASE THE PRISONERS FROM THE DARKNESS. IT IS ONLY THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT WE LIVE IN 'LIGHT' AND GET OUT OF THAT DARKNESS OF SIN. THAT DARKNESS THAT CLOUDS OUR MINDS INTO NOT WANTING TO THINK ABOUT GOD. NOT WANTING TO UNDERSTAND GOD. NOT BEING ABLE TO COMPREHEND WHAT GOD IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE. THAT DARKNESS THAT WE ARE BORN WITH OVER OUR MINDS THAT DOES NOT ALLOW US TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUTHS OF SCRIPTURE. THE DARKNESS OF OUR EYES THAT SEES US, THAT MAKES US NOT WANT TO SEE AND BELIEVE THE TRUTH OF WHAT GOD HAS DONE. THE DARKNESS THAT JUST CAUSES US TO SIT IN DEPRESSION AND DESPAIR WANTING TO PLEASE OURSELVES AND OUR OWN SINFUL NATURE. AFRAID TO COME INTO THE 'LIGHT'. AFRAID TO REVEAL THAT WE ARE SINFUL HUMAN BEINGS. AFRAID TO EVEN APPROACH THE 'LIGHT' OF GOD OUT OF FEAR. BECAUSE WE KNOW THE PUNISHMENT THAT GOD HAS PLACED ON THOSE WHO LIVE IN DARKNESS. OUR CONSCIENCE TEACHES US THAT THERE IS A GOD WHO PUNISHES SIN. AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE SINNED. WE KNOW THAT WE DO THINGS THAT ARE WRONG. WE HIDE THAT BEHAVIOR. WE TRY TO MASK IT FROM OTHERS WITH THE DARKNESS SO THAT NO ONE WILL SEE. BUT GOD SEES. AND GOD KNOWS. HE KNOWS WHAT'S IN OUR HEARTS FROM THE MOMENT THAT HEART STARTS BEATING. HE KNOWS WHAT'S IN OUR MIND THAT EVERY INCLINATION FROM BIRTH IS SINFUL. AND IT IS EVIL. AND THAT IS WHY HE SENT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD. JESUS CHRIST THE 'LIGHT' OF THE WORLD. TO ILLUMINE OUR MINDS, TO OPEN OUR EYES, TO HEAL US FROM THE DISEASE OF SIN. TO TAKE THAT BURDEN UPON HIMSELF AND BREAK THAT YOLK OF SLAVERY THAT HAS HELD US IN SATAN'S CHAINS AND CONDEMNATION FOR ALL ETERNITY. TO BREAK US FREE FROM THAT PRISON OF ETERNAL DEATH AND GIVE TO US ETERNAL LIFE. TO LIGHT THE WAY. TO GIVE US UNDERSTANDING FOR US TO GAIN WISDOM. AND THAT'S WHAT OUR EYES NOW SEE BY THE POWER OF GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT. WE READ IN THOSE PAGES OF SCRIPTURE, THOSE PRECIOUS WORDS THAT ENCOURAGE US. THAT COMFORT US. THAT REMIND US THAT GOD IS THE ONE WHO IS OUR ROCK AND OUR FORTRESS. HE'S THE ONE IN WHOM WE TRUST. BECAUSE HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED OUR SALVATION. AND WE ARE NOW HIS WITNESSES. WE ARE NOW SHINING WITH HIS LIGHT IN THIS WORLD ... TO CONTINUE TO SHARE THAT MESSAGE. TO CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO THOSE WHO ARE IN DARKNESS OF SIN. TO REACH OUT TO THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW THE WAY. AND, YES, SOMETIMES THAT MEANS WE ARE GOING TO COME ACROSS PEOPLE THAT ARE TRULY COMBATIVE, AND ARGUMENTATIVE. BUT IS THAT A REASON, OR AN EXCUSE FOR US, NOT TO SHARE WHAT WE KNOW? TO LITERALLY TAKE THAT 'LIGHT' AND WALK AWAY AND LEAVE THEM IN DARKNESS? MAYBE THE ANGER IS COMING FROM THAT VERY SINFUL DARKNESS. MAYBE THEIR RAGE COMES FROM NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT TRUE LOVE IS. FOUND ONLY IN GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. AND WE ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE THAT MESSAGE. WE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE THERE TO PROCLAIM THAT TRUTH. TO TELL THE TRUTH OF WHAT WE KNOW. IN THE THINGS THAT WE SAY, IN THE THINGS THAT WE DO TO SHOW PEOPLE OUR 'LIGHT'. TO GIVE AN ANSWER TO ALL. JOHN WAS NOT AFRAID TO DO THAT AS HE WAS BAPTIZING BY THE JORDAN RIVER. THE PEOPLE THAT CAME OUT TO HIM HE POINTED THEM TO THE CHRIST. HE POINTED THEM TO THE LAMB OF GOD. HE ANSWERED THEIR QUESTIONS. HE SAID: PREPARE YOUR HEART TO RECEIVE THE MESSIAH. LIVE IN REPENTANCE. RETURN TO GOD . BE BAPTIZED SO THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE CHRIST AS THE SON OF GOD, THE MESSIAH OF THE WORLD. AND THAT BOTHERED THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF HIS DAY. THEY HAD CONCERNS. THEY HAD QUESTIONS. THEY SENT PEOPLE OUT TO ASK JOHN WHO HE WAS. WHAT WAS HE DOING OUT THERE? WHAT GAVE HIM THAT RIGHT? WHAT GAVE HIM THAT AUTHORITY? WAS HE ELIJAH? BECAUSE THE JEWS HAD THIS UNDERSTANDING: BECAUSE ELIJAH WAS TAKEN UP INTO HEAVEN IN A WHIRLWIND ... THAT SOME TIME HE WAS GOING TO RETURN IN BODILY FORM. BEFORE THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH. THAT PASSAGE WE READ FROM MALACHI WAS THERE AS THEIR BASIS FOR THAT, BUT THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS BEING TALKED ABOUT FIGURATIVELY. THAT GOD WAS GOING TO SEND SOMEONE TO PREPARE THE WAY AS ISAIAH REMINDED US. SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE OUT IN THE DESERT CRYING: MAKE THE PATH STRAIGHT FOR YOUR GOD. PREPARE TO RECEIVE THE CHRIST, THE MESSIAH. SO JOHN CLEARLY TOLD THEM HE WAS NOT ELIJAH. THEY ASKED HIM IF HE WAS THE PROPHET. THE ONE WHO WAS GOING TO COME AND SPEAK GOD'S WORD TO THE PEOPLE. HE ALSO ANSWERED "NO". HE QUOTED THAT PASSAGE FROM ISAIAH TO THEM SAYING: THIS IS WHO I AM. THE ONE WHOM GOD HAD SELECTED TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR CHRIST. TO PREPARE PEOPLE'S HEARTS. TO SHARE WITH THOSE PEOPLE THE TRUTH. AND JOHN WAS VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE WAS NOT THE SAVIOR. HE WAS NOT THE MESSIAH BUT HE WAS ONE THAT GOD HAD SELECTED AND APPOINTED TO SHARE THAT NEWS THAT THE ONE WAS COMING AFTER HIM. THE ONE WHO WAS STANDING IN THEIR MIDST THAT AT THAT TIME THEY DIDN'T KNOW. AND IN THE YEARS AHEAD THEY WOULD GET TO KNOW HIM. BUT THEY WOULD NOT BELIEVE THAT JESUS WAS THE CHRIST. THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD. THEY WOULD LIVE IN THEIR IGNORANCE. THEY WOULD CONTINUE IN THEIR SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS TO THE POINT THAT THEIR HATRED FOR HIM WOULD TAKE OVER AND THEY WOULD CRUCIFY HIM. BUT TO THOSE WHO BELIEVED, THEY WOULD SEE THE COMFORT OF GOD, THE JOY OF GOD IN THEIR HEARTS AND IN THEIR LIVES KNOWING THAT THEIR SINS HAD BEEN FORGIVEN. TO LIVE IN THAT 'LIGHT' OF GOD'S GRACE. TO LIVE IN THE JOY ... TO RUN AROUND LIKE WELL-FED CALVES, HAVING JOY AND SPRING IN THEIR STEPS. THAT IS WHAT HAS COME TO US AS GOD'S CHILDREN. THAT IS WHAT HAS COME TO US BY GOD'S GRACE. THAT HE HAS SELECTED US TO BE HIS CHILDREN. THAT HE HAS GIVEN US THE PRIVILEGE OF WITNESSING OUR FAITH TO THE DARK WORLD AROUND US. TO SPEAK OF WHAT WE KNOW. TO SHARE OF WHAT BRINGS US JOY. TO TALK ABOUT THE LOVE OF JESUS AND WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE'S DONE. TO ADMIT THOSE TIMES, JUST LIKE ME, THE SIN OF REMAINING SILENT. THE SIN OF NOT SPEAKING UP. THE SIN OF BEING AFRAID THAT SOMEHOW GOD IS NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT ME AND LOVE ME. TO TAKE THOSE SINS TO THE CROSS OF CHRIST AND KNOW THAT THEY ARE FORGIVEN IS THE GREATEST BLESSING. TO TAKE THEN THE VOICE OF GOD AND TO GO OUT INTO THE WORLD TO TALK ABOUT JESUS CHRIST. TO TALK ABOUT ALL THAT HE HAS DONE AND I THINK IT IS SO IMPORTANT AT THIS TIME OF YEAR WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS VYING FOR OUR ATTENTION, SO MANY THINGS TO DISTRACT US FROM THE TRUTH OF THIS SEASON OF PREPARATION. TO RETURN OUR FOCUS TO OUR LORD. TO RETURN OUR FOCUS TO CHRIST. TO BRING THAT 'LIGHT' AND AND LET IT SHINE BRIGHTLY IN OUR LIVES. NOT TO HIDE IT UNDER A BUSHEL. NOBODY DOES THAT. NOBODY DECORATES THEIR CHRISTMAS TREE, PUTS ALL THE LIGHTS ON IN THE HOUSE AND LEAVES IT SITTING THERE DARK. NO ONE TAKES THE EFFORT TO GO ON THE LADDER AND PUT THE LIGHTS ON THE EAVES AND NEVER LET THEM SHINE. BUT WE HAVE THE GREATEST 'LIGHT'! GOD'S 'LIGHT': HIS SON! GIVEN TO US BY HIS GRACE THROUGH HIS LOVE. BRINGING WITH IT TREMENDOUS BLESSINGS. WE HAVE THAT 'LIGHT'. LET US WITNESS TO THAT 'LIGHT' AND LET OUR 'LIGHT' SHINE. AMEN. LET US RISE. NOW MAY THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH GOES BEYOND ALL OF OUR UNDERSTANDING KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS AND ESPECIALLY YOUR LIVES IN THE ONE TRUE FAITH UNTO LIFE EVERLASTING. AMEN.