May 22
2 Sam 1:1-2:11 | PS 118:19-29 | Prov 15:27-28 | John 12:20-50
If I strike a match, or light a fire, where is it seen most clearly by the most people? Is it seen better in broad daylight or in darkness? It is seen most clearly in darkness. With each passing year our world is getting increasingly darker. There seemed a time when our attention could be focused on a single area of darkness, but now it seems at rapid speed every facet of this world is growing darker by the minute. In the past, it was easy to hitch our wagon onto a new political candidate, or some new legal maneuvering, but those days seem behind us now. Pick your topic: abortion, LGBTQ, woke churches, social justice, the virus, the supply chain, particular wars, our drug problem, rising suicide, mental illness, etc. Yes, our world is incredibly dark at this moment. We should not ask why. In fact, we should realize that we have been placed here "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14). We are to be God's messengers of light during these very dark times. We read in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.", 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.”", and 2 Corinthians 4:6, "For it is the God who commanded light to 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."
Jesus knew why He had come, as we read in John 12:46, "I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness." Much better than us, Jesus could see the darkness that surrounded Him. Others might be deceived, but Jesus was able to see clearly. There are many reasons why people then and now choose not to see Jesus for who He is, as we read in John 12:42-43, "Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." How blinding position and power in this world are. We read in 12:25-26, "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor." How blinding this world can be with all of it's distractions and pleasures. Even work and family, though good things, can take our eyes off of the Savior. The prophet Isaiah spoke, and Jesus quoted the sad result of those who place their focus on the here and now in 12:40, "“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.”"
We should take to heart the words of our Savior in John 12:35-36, "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. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them." Soon after Jesus spoke these words He was arrested, tortured, and crucified. The light of the world was taken back up to heaven forty days after His resurrection. Yet He left us with the gift of the Holy Spirit. We read in 1 Corinthians 6:19, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" The time is coming, and many of us believe this time is soon, when we, Jesus' light bearers, those who have trusted in Him and have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us will be raptured and will be taken from this earth. The world is dark now, just consider how dark it will become when the Holy Spirit leaves. In the meantime, since it is not for us to know the time or hour of these future events, may we address the situation at hand. The truth is we are immersed in darkness, it is time for us not to hide our light but be His light bearers during these very dark times. May we boldly speak the name of Jesus, our living Hope, that others will stop with the distractions and cast their hopes on Him.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: