Life Walk Bible Lesson 89: Light Be!
John 9:4-5 [NASB]
4 “We must carry out the works of Him Who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
5 While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”
John 12:36 [AMPC]
“While you have the Light, believe in the Light [have faith in it, hold to it, rely on it], that you may become sons of the Light and be filled with Light. Jesus said these things, and then He went away and hid Himself from them [was lost to their view].”
In Christ — We are light
Matthew 5:14-16 [NLT]
14 “You are the light of the world — like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.
16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”
By contrast, the works of darkness are sinful, evil, hateful, and often done in the dark, and at night, so that no one who is godly can see or know what is going on, and stop their evil from prospering. These begin in the thought processes, and come to fruition in their evil deeds. It is why Jesus says that if you have thought it you have done it, in regard to evil and hateful lifestyles, which manifest as stealing, killing and the destroying of others well-being.
But this is what God says:
Isaiah 29:14-16 [NLT]
14 “Because of this, I will once again astound these hypocrites with amazing wonders. The wisdom of the wise will pass away, and the intelligence of the intelligent will disappear.
15 What sorrow awaits those who try to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their evil deeds in the dark! ‘The Lord can’t see us,’ they say. ‘He doesn’t know what’s going on!’
16 How foolish can you be? He is the Potter, and He is certainly greater than the clay! Should the created thing say of the One Who made it, ‘He didn’t make me”? Does a jar ever say, ‘The potter who made me is stupid’?”
Job 34:22 [NASB]
“There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of injustice can hide themselves.”
Ephesians 5:1-21 [NLT]
1 “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.
2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.
4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.
5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
6 Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.
7 Don’t participate in the things these people do.
8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!
9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.
11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.
12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.
13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them,
14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.
16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.
17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,
19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.
20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21 And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
1Thessalonians 5:2-8 [NASB]
2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night.
3 While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction will come upon them like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, so that the day would overtake you like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;
6 so then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk, get drunk at night.
8 But since we are of the day, let’s be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.”
Romans 13:11-13
11 “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed.
12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let’s rid ourselves of the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13 Let’s behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and debauchery, not in strife and jealousy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”
God’s idea of godly lifestyles, and conduct, are articulated in Matthew chapters 5-7, often called “The Sermon on the Mount”.
The Armor of Light — Clothed with Christ [John 15:1-17]
Living in the Light includes loving God and loving one another — godly relationships in the earth, as it is in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Since God calls Himself the Creator of the Clay, this human vessel through which He can work, live as one created, by God, for good deeds.
2Timothy 2:20-22 [NASB]
20 “Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver implements, but also implements of wood and of earthenware, and some are for honor while others are for dishonor.
21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be an implement for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.
22 Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”
Philippians 2:14-16
14 Do everything without murmuring or questioning [the providence of God],
15 so that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish in the midst of a [morally] crooked and [spiritually] perverted generation, among whom you are seen as bright lights [beacons shining out clearly] in the world [of darkness],
16 holding out and offering to everyone the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to rejoice greatly because I did not run [my race] in vain nor labor without result.”
Ephesians 2:10 [AMP]
“For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].
John 10:10 [AMP]
“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].”
There is a time spoken of by the Apostle Peter when the Day of the Lord comes as a thief — unexpected by those who are living ungodly lives:
2Peter 3:10 [AMP]
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will vanish with a [mighty and thunderous] roar, and the [material] elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and the works that are on it will be burned up.”
Paul’s example, however, was to be in prayer night and day, and in fellowship with God so that we are prepared, and aware of the times in which we are living. He taught Timothy, to “Be prepared in season and out of season, to preach the Word of God.” [2Timothy 4:2]
The Parable of the Ten Virgins is recorded in Matthew 25, along with the reward for the kind of life lived. Five were ready/prepared/listening, awake to the voice of God, seated with Him, in Christ, in heavenly places, even though resting in a time of night; and five were unprepared, and tried to borrow the light from these who were prepared.
We cannot borrow from someone else’s relationship with God. Each one stands before God and gives an account for what they have done while living on the earth, with what God gave them to work with, and for how they have treated others, as this parable, and its outcome shows. Though we are in the world, we are not of it, as Jesus prayed. We are not practising the works of darkness, but we bear the fruit, the results of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God, in and through our good deeds, the good work God does through us.
At night, when no man can work, we need to be found in Jesus, as were Peter, James and John, on the Mount of Transfiguration, when He met with Moses and Elijah before His crucifixion. Although asleep, they heard the voice of God and responded immediately with the desire to give God, and His prophets, a home. Be awake to the voice of God, even in times of darkness and evil, just as Abraham did, so that we can receive direction and the way of escape or solution, as the case may be. God took Abraham, and those who went with him, out of a terrible situation, and brought them into the abundant life He promised them, even to the saving of the nation of Israel four hundred years later, from slavery in Egypt.
In the Book of Revelation, God speaks to one of the churches in this way:
Revelation 3:14-22
14 “To the angel (divine messenger) of the church in Laodicea write:
“These are the words of the Amen, the trusted and faithful and true Witness, the Beginning and Origin of God’s creation:
15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold (invigorating, refreshing) nor hot (healing, therapeutic); I wish that you were cold or hot.
16 So because you are lukewarm (spiritually useless), and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth [rejecting you with disgust]. 17 Because you say, “I am rich, and have prospered and grown wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked [without hope and in great need],
18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold that has been heated red hot and refined by fire so that you may become truly rich; and white clothes [representing righteousness] to clothe yourself so that the shame of your nakedness will not be seen; and healing salve to put on your eyes so that you may see.
19 Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I rebuke and discipline [showing them their faults and instructing them]; so be enthusiastic and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will].
20 Behold, I stand at the door [of the church] and continually knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him (restore him), and he with Me.
21 He who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will grant to him [the privilege] to sit beside Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down beside My Father on His throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
And by stark contrast, God speaks to another one of the Churches this way:
Revelation 3:7-13 [AMP]
7 “And to the angel (divine messenger) of the church in Philadelphia write:
“These are the words of the Holy One, the True One, He who has the key [to the house] of David, He who opens and no one will [be able to] shut, and He who shuts and no one opens:
8 ‘I know your deeds. See, I have set before you an open door which no one is able to shut, for you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not renounced or denied My name.
9 Take note, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet and make them know [without any doubt] that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept the word of My endurance [My command to persevere], I will keep you [safe] from the hour of trial, that hour which is about to come on the whole [inhabited] world, to test those who live on the earth.
11 I am coming quickly. Hold tight what you have, so that no one will take your crown [by leading you to renounce the faith].
12 He who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God; he will most certainly never be put out of it, and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which descends out of heaven from My God, and My [own] new name.
13 He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches.’
When God comes to the believer, or to the Body of Christ as a whole, it is first a call to relationship and intimacy with Him. It is a call to stay in fellowship and communion with Him, and a call to work together to bring about the will of God in the earth, as it has been arranged in Heaven.
Let us be found faithful, and in Christ, as Jesus declares in John 15, so that when He comes to us as individuals, we will already be in Him. When He comes to us as a Church, He will not have to knock to be allowed to come in, but He will stand at the door and defend us from the enemy of our souls.
Revelation 21-22 God’s Idea of Heaven on Earth
John 3:16-17 [AMP]
16 “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him.”
The devil may come to steal the Word of God implanted in people, to kill that which is birthed in them, by destroying all hope of success so they abort the God-given vision. Jesus, however, comes to restore that which was lost or stolen; for He restores that which He has not stolen, according to Psalm 69:4.
Jesus comes to give life, and that life more abundant than ever before, and by implication, the restorative provision which is more than enough to rebuild what has been destroyed. God says, I will rebuild the fallen tent of David, I will rebuild the roads, and the ruins, rebuilding the House of God, the House of Prayer and the Worship of God, and the walls of protection [Revelation 21] around it.
This isn’t just about physical roads, buildings and walls. We as human beings can feel utterly ruined by circumstances, as is articulated by the prophet Isaiah:
Isaiah 6:5 [NIV]
“‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Almighty.’”
Once we see the immense goodness of God we can feel quite fragile. Peter declares, in 1Peter 1:24, according to the Phillips Translation:
“Now that you have, by obeying the truth, made your souls clean enough for a genuine love of your fellows, see that you do love each other, fervently and from the heart. For you are the sons of God now; the live, permanent Word of the living God has given you his own indestructible heredity. It is true that: ‘All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures for ever’. The Word referred to, as far as you are concerned, is the message of the Gospel that was preached to you.”
Coming Soon: A New Heaven and a New Earth
Revelation 21:1-27
Isaiah 65:17-25
Isaiah 66:1-24
2Peter 3:1-18
Encouragement: Light Be!
God brings restoration, protection, and rebuilding to us as well. Having done all to stand, therefore, in the faith you have been given, stand boldly in Christ the Savior, knowing you are known by Him, loved by Him, and welcomed into the Family Kingdom of God by Him, because you believe Jesus, and love and follow Him wholeheartedly. Love one another also, therefore, and you will always have good success, for nothing can take you out of His hands.
