Light of the world

22 February 2012

Opening Prayer/Worship

Theme: The Good News

Topic: Light of the world

Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.⁴In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.⁵For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake.⁶For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Introduction

Christ said in the Scripture that we His followers are the light of the world, and in the text for today’s study, St. Paul is reminding us that God has given us the light of the knowledge of His glory in the face of Jesus Christ. In the beginning, God said let there be light and there was light. Similarly, he sent His Son to die for the sins of the world that the light of the gospel will illuminate our hearts, lives and the world. The world and the heart of man became dark following the fall of Adam and Eve but through the death and resurrection of Christ, God restored man to his former glory. A glory that can only be found in Him. This restoration is only available to just anyone who accepts Christ as His personal Lord and Savior. The restoration then brings about the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ and leads to an abundant life.

Questions/Discussion

1. What connection exists between the creation of light at the beginning and God making His light to shine in our hearts?

Genesis 1:3-5

Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.⁴And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.⁵God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

John 1:1-13

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.²He was in the beginning with God.³All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being⁴in him was life,^* and the life was the light of all people.⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. ⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.⁷He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.⁸He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.⁹The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.^{* 10} He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.¹¹He came to what was his own,^* and his own people did not accept him.¹²But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,¹³who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

2 Corinthians 4:6

For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:12, 16-19  

Therefore I intend to keep on reminding you of these things, though you know them already and are established in the truth that has come to you. ¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.¹⁷For he received honour and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Beloved,^* with whom I am well pleased.’¹⁸We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain. ¹⁹ So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

2. How do we use the light of the gospel God has shown in our hearts?

Isaiah 60:1-3

Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
² For darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.
³ Nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Matthew 5:13-16

‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. ¹⁴ ‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden.¹⁵No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

3. List some of the factors that prevent the light of the gospel of Christ from going in or shining out from our lives.  

Luke 8:11-15
‘Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.¹²The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.¹³The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away.¹⁴As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.¹⁵But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.

Luke 11:33-36

‘No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar,^* but on the lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.³⁴Your eye is the lamp of your body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light; but if it is not healthy, your body is full of darkness.³⁵Therefore consider whether the light in you is not darkness.³⁶If then your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be as full of light as when a lamp gives you light with its rays.’

1 John 1:5-7

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.⁶If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; ⁷but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

We are the children of the true Light and our calling is to be the light in our dark world. May we arise and shine for the glory of the Lord is upon us.

Closing Prayer

We thank you Lord for the light You have shone upon our hearts in Christ Jesus. Grant us the grace and strength to be the light and salt of the world through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.