LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE (CC)
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FEBRUARY 10, 2013 ZION LUTHERAN, TORRANCE, CA
SERMON TEXT: 2 CORINTHIANS 4:3-6
LET US RISE FOR THE READING OF THIS MORNING'S SERMON TEXT
RECORDED FOR US BY THE APOSTLE PAUL IN HIS 2ND LETTER TO THE
CORINTHIANS, WHERE WE READ FROM CHAPTER 4,
BEGINNING WITH VERSE 3:
AND EVEN IF OUR GOSPEL IS VEILED,
IT IS VEILED TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING.
THE GOD OF THIS AGE HAS BLINDED THE MINDS OF
UNBELIEVERS, SO THAT THEY CANNOT SEE THE LIGHT OF THE
GOSPEL OF THE GLORY OF CHRIST,
WHO IS THE IMAGE OF GOD. FOR WE DO NOT
PREACH OURSELVES, BUT JESUS CHRIST AS LORD,
AND OURSELVES AS YOUR SERVANTS FOR JESUS' SAKE.
FOR GOD, WHO SAID, "LET LIGHT SHINE
OUT OF DARKNESS," MADE HIS LIGHT SHINE
IN OUR HEARTS TO GIVE US THE LIGHT OF THE
KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF CHRIST.
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,
USED BY PERMISSION OF
ZONDERVAN BIBLE PUBLISHERS]
DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD AND
SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST:
IN THE BEGINNING,
THERE WAS GOD.
IN THE BEGINNING,
THERE WAS ONLY
GOD.
HOW HARD AND DIFFICULT IT IS
FOR OUR HUMAN MINDS
TO UNDERSTAND THAT CONCEPT. BECAUSE
OUR CONCEPT DEPENDS SO MUCH
ON THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED; THE THINGS THAT
WE SEE AND THE THINGS THAT WE TOUCH. AND YET,
WE KNOW FROM THE BASIS OF SCRIPTURE, THAT IN
THE BEGINNING, NONE OF THAT EXISTED.
IN THE BEGINNING,
THERE WAS GOD.
AND GOD SAID:
LET THERE BE LIGHT.
AND THE LIGHT BROKE
THE DARKNESS. THE LIGHT
BEGAN TO SHINE WITH WHAT MUST HAVE BEEN
THE MOST BRILLIANCE
THAT WE COULD IMAGINE.
THAT IN THAT MOMENT GOD CHANGED
EVERYTHING!
FROM HIM BY HIMSELF TO CREATING
A WONDERFUL WORLD IN WHICH HE
WOULD PLACE HIS GREATEST CREATION.
THAT HE WOULD CREATE A HOME
FOR THE SPECIAL CREATURES THAT WOULD BE HIS.
THAT HE CREATED A MAN AND HE
CREATED A WOMAN BRINGING THEM TOGETHER
TO POPULATE THE EARTH. AND TO BE HIS OWN.
BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE FOR
HUMANITY.
THAT ACT OF CREATION IS SUCH
A MARVELOUS THING.
IT JUST SHINES WITH STRENGTH AND
POWER. AND THAT SAME STRENGTH
AND POWER IS WHAT GOD DOES EACH
AND EVERY TIME HE COMES INTO A
HEART THAT IS DARKENED BY SIN.
INTO A LIFE THAT DOES NOT KNOW GOD;
THAT IS CONDEMNED TO HELL
BECAUSE OF THE SIN INHERITED FROM HIS OWN MOTHER
AND HIS FATHER. TRACING THAT ALL THE WAY BACK
TO ADAM AND EVE WHO BROUGHT THAT SIN
INTO THE WORLD AND CREATED THEIR CHILDREN
IN THEIR SINFUL IMAGE.
THAT INHERITED SIN THAT CONDEMNS
EACH AND EVERY SOUL TO AN ETERNITY
OF SUFFERING IN HELL OUTSIDE
OF GOD. AND IN THAT DARK HEART
AND IN THAT DARK LIFE
GOD SPEAKS HIS WORD.
THE POWER AND THE STRENGTH OF HIS WORD
AND BRINGS FAITH IN THE LIFE THAT
JUST BURSTS FORTH INTO
THAT DARKNESS ... TO THE CREATION OF FAITH.
THAT FAITH THAT THAT PERSON NOW
HOLDS ONTO TIGHTLY. HOLDS ONTO
WITH ALL OF THEIR STRENGTH
BECAUSE IT IS THAT FAITH THAT KNOWS AND TRUSTS
NOW IN THE POWER OF GOD
REFLECTED IN HIS SON JESUS CHRIST.
TRUSTING WHAT JESUS CHRIST
CAME TO ACCOMPLISH WHEN GOD SENT HIM
INTO THIS WORLD TO BE THE SAVIOR
OF MANKIND. TO BE THE ONE
WHO WOULD BUY BACK THOSE SOULS
FROM THE HAND OF SATAN. TO PURCHASE THEM
WITH HIS VERY OWN BLOOD.
AND THROUGHOUT CHRIST'S MINISTRY, THE FATHER
COMES BACK TIME AND TIME AGAIN
WITH THE REASSURANCE TO THOSE PRESENT:
HERE IS MY SON.
THE ONE I LOVE. LISTEN ...
TO HIM. FROM THOSE WORDS THAT WE HEARD
THE FATHER SPEAK AT CHRIST'S BAPTISM.
TO THE WORDS THAT WE HEAR THE FATHER SPEAK ONCE AGAIN
AT JESUS' TRANSFIGURATION,
THAT THE FATHER PUT HIS STAMP OF APPROVAL ON HIS SON
THAT HE LOVED TO BE THE SAVIOR OF MANKIND.
TO BE THE ONE
WHO WOULD OPEN THE DOORS
OF HEAVEN TO PEOPLE ON THIS EARTH.
AND WE HAVE THAT
KNOWLEDGE! WE HAVE THAT LIGHT
OF GOD SHINING WITHIN US!
AND THE APOSTLE PAUL CAME TO THE CHURCH IN CORINTH
AND THE SAINTS THAT WERE THERE THAT HAD THAT SAME LIGHT
TELLING THEM AND REMINDING US THIS MORNING
TO LET THAT LIGHT SHINE.
TO LET EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US
BE THE BEACON OF CHRIST'S LIGHT
IN THIS WORLD. BECAUSE IN THIS WORLD
THE GOD OF THIS AGE HAS BLINDED
PEOPLE TO THE TRUTH. THE GOD OF THIS AGE ...
THE GOD OF THIS WORLD WANTS TO
DIMINISH CHRIST. WANTS NO ONE TO KNOW OF CHRIST. WANTS TO
SILENCE THE CHURCH. WANTS TO
TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY IT CAN
TO REACH OUT IN WICKEDNESS
TO DESTROY THE TRUTH OF GOD.
AND YOU AND I GO OUT INTO THAT WORLD
EVERY DAY.
THAT'S THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE.
THAT'S THE WORLD THAT ATTACKS OUR FAITH
AND WANTS TO WEAKEN IT. THAT'S THE WORLD THAT WANTS TO
PUT OUT MY LIGHT AND YOUR LIGHT.
AND SATAN IS
VERY ACTIVE TO MAKE SURE
THAT HE HOLDS TIGHTLY
TO EACH AND EVERY SOUL
THAT HE CAN. AND THAT SHOULD NOT
SURPRISE US. BUT IT CERTAINLY
SHOULD WAKE US UP TO THE FACT OF WHAT IS OUT THERE
AND WHAT WE ARE UP AGAINST.
BUT WE COME WITH THE STRENGTH OF CHRIST.
WE COME WITH THE RADIANCE OF GOD.
IT IS NOT OURSELVES THAT WE PROCLAIM.
WE PROCLAIM THE TRUTH OF GOD'S SON
IN ALL OF ITS GLORY, IN ALL OF ITS SPLENDOR.
NO MATTER HOW DIFFICULT IT IS
FOR OUR HUMAN MINDS TO REASON THROUGH.
WE SET THAT ASIDE WITH THE EYES OF FAITH.
TO SEE
JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOR
OF ALL. WE HAVE SEEN
HIM IN THAT TRANSFIGURATION. THAT ACCOUNT
THAT WE READ WHERE HE SHINES WITH THE BRILLIANCE
OF GOD AND HIS OWN HOLINESS.
HE DID THAT FOR HIS DISCIPLES
SO THAT THEY WOULD BE ENCOURAGED IN WHAT LIE
AHEAD OF THEM IN THE WEEK OF HOLY WEEK,
AND THE HORRIBLE DEATH THAT HE WAS GOING TO SUFFER.
TO REMIND THEM OF WHO HE WAS:
THE SON OF GOD.
AND WHAT HE WAS COMING TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND WE NEED
THAT SAME REMINDER ESPECIALLY
IN THE FACE OF THE GODS OF THIS WORLD
WHO WANT TO ROB US OF THAT JOY.
BECAUSE IT GOES BACK TO THE FACT THAT GOD
SENT HIS SON TO DIE FOR SINNERS
OF WHICH I AM THE WORST.
THAT GOD SENT HIS SON
TO DIE FOR ME.
THAT JESUS CHRIST ROSE FROM THE GRAVE
FOR ME. THAT I HAVE
ETERNAL LIFE BECAUSE OF WHAT
GOD HAS DONE.
THERE IS MY STRENGTH. THERE
IS MY CONFIDENCE. THERE IS THE WEAPON
THAT I USE IN THE ATTACKS
OF SATAN AND THIS WORLD AGAINST MY FAITH.
BECAUSE I KNOW
THAT JESUS CHRIST IS MY LORD AND SAVIOR.
THAT IT IS HIS LIGHT THAT
SHINES IN ME. THAT IT IS HIS FAITH
THAT I PROCLAIM. THAT IT IS HIS LOVE
THAT I REACH OUT TO WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
BECAUSE I CANNOT HELP
BUT DO ANYTHING ELSE
WHEN I REALIZE WHAT
GOD HAS DONE.
WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR ME.
AND WHEN I'M TEMPTED TO REMAIN SILENT;
WHEN I'M TEMPTED TO HIDE MY LIGHT;
WHEN I'M TEMPTED NOT TO SPEAK UP
FOR FEAR THAT I'M GOING TO BE RIDICULED;
OR HATED, OR JUST IGNORED,
I COME BACK TO WHAT CHRIST ENDURED
FOR ME.
AND WHAT IS AT STAKE:
THE ETERNAL WELFARE OF PEOPLE!
AND I HAVE
THE TRUTH. I HAVE THAT
LIGHT THAT I ALLOW TO SHINE
IN MY LIFE DAY IN AND DAY OUT
TO BE THAT BEACON OF GOD'S LOVE.
TO TAKE WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM SCRIPTURE
AND TO SHOW IT IN MY LIFE.
TO PUT INTO PRACTICE THOSE COMMANDMENTS
OF GOD SO THAT OTHERS KNOW THAT
I AM NOT A PART OF THIS WORLD.
THAT I DON'T SERVE SATAN. THAT I DON'T
SERVE THE GOD OF THIS WORLD WHICH
BASICALLY IS MYSELF.
THAT I AM NOT HERE FOR WHAT I CAN GET OUT OF MY LIFE
FOR MY PLEASURE AND MY EXISTENCE.
I AM NOT A CHILD OF SATAN.
I AM A SERVANT
OF THE LORD.
AND MY LIGHT SHINES SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW
THAT; SO THAT THEY SEE THAT.
AND JUST LIKE WHEN MOSES
CAME DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN WITH THOSE
TABLETS WITH THE COMMANDMENTS ON THEM AND HE ... HIS FACE
SHOWN WITH THE BRILLIANCE OF CHRIST,
THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE KNEW
THAT MOSES HAD BEEN WITH GOD.
WHEN WE
LET OUR LIGHT SHINE,
PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE
ARE WITH GOD. WE HAVE SPENT TIME
WITH GOD. WE ARE DIFFERENT
THAN THE PEOPLE OF THIS WORLD.
WE SPEAK DIFFERENTLY.
WE THINK DIFFERENTLY.
WE ACT DIFFERENTLY. BECAUSE
WE ARE SERVANTS OF CHRIST.
AND WE REMIND OURSELVES OF HOW EASY IT IS
TO JUST NOT SPEAK.
AND TO LET THE WORLD CHANGE THE WAY THAT WE THINK
AND PULL US AWAY FROM THE TRUTH OF GOD.
TO PUT OURSELVES FIRST AND OUR
IMPORTANCE FIRST RATHER THAN THE LORD.
BUT WE TAKE THOSE SINS
TO CHRIST AND KNOW THAT THEY ARE
FORGIVEN. KNOW THAT THAT
WAS HIS REASON FOR COMING
WAS TO SAVE US. TO BE GRATEFUL
TO HEAR THE WORDS THAT WE ARE FORGIVEN.
THAT OUR SINS HAVE BEEN REMOVED. THAT WE ARE
THE DEARLY LOVED CHILDREN OF GOD.
AND THAT FUELS
OUR FLAME. THAT FUELS
OUR LIGHT. BUT I THINK TODAY
WE HAVE TO REALLY SLAP OURSELVES
IN THE FACE TO WAKE
OURSELVES UP.
BECAUSE SO OFTEN I THINK ...
WE'LL START IT TOMORROW.
OR IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER WITH THIS ONE PERSON.
SO WHAT IT I DON'T GO TO CHURCH?
WHO'S GONNA KNOW? WHO'S GONNA
CARE? SO WHAT IF I GO TO CHURCH
AND IT MATTERS NOTHING IN MY LIFE?
IT'S MY LIFE.
WE REALLY
NEED TO LOOK AND EXAMINE WHAT IT MEANS
TO BE A SERVANT OF GOD.
ONE WHO DOES HIS WILL.
NOT BECAUSE WE'RE FORCED TO.
BUT BECAUSE GOD CAME
AND SPOKE TO US.
GOD SENT HIS HOLY SPIRIT INTO
OUR DARKENED UNBELIEVING HEARTS.
HE BROUGHT US TO FAITH.
AND HAS GIVEN US LIFE.
AND THERE WE FIND OUR
CONFIDENCE; THERE WE FIND OUR JOY.
AND THAT LIGHT BURNS
IN US. TODAY I ASK YOU
TO HEED THE MESSAGE OF PAUL.
TO THE ANCIENT CHURCH, TO THE
CHURCH TO US, TO THE CHURCH OF THE FUTURE.
TO LET YOUR 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.