Sermon Series “ Light Of The World” Sermon #1 “The Light Shines”

Sermon Series “Light Of The World” Sermon #1 “The Light Shines”

John 12:46 “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.”

Acts 26:17-18 “I now send you,  to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.”

Miners trapped in mine in Chile People hostages … darkness affected their eyes … sunglasses

Donkeys coal mines blind.

Bright Light Therapy: S A D and Beyond

“…subjecting patients with winter SAD to bright white light, thereby lengthening their photoperiod (daily exposure to light), reduced their depressive symptoms.”  (National Library Of Medicine)

Christmas can be a dark time. Thing get amplified, exaggerated.

Brothers girlfriend gave him a 15’ Boa Constrictor … no a Poodle

Picture of me with Mark Brazee … Mom showed family this picture on Christmas 2000 … Not end well!

Austrian psychologist Carl Jung   “Those psychiatrists who are not superficial have come to the conclusion that the vast neurotic misery of the world could be termed a neurosis of emptiness.  DARKNESS Men cut themselves off from the root of their being, from God, and then life turns empty, inane, meaningless, without purpose.”

John 1:1-5 “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish (overcome) it.”

John written between 90-100 AD

He had experienced DARK times.   

Israel and Jerusalem destroyed.

Incredible LOSS — Peter and Paul executed.

YET!! he wrote “God is LOVE” 

YET!!  “Light Shines In The Darkness”

John 19:26-27 “When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!”  Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.”

John had Mary, Jesus Mother, at his table everyday,

On Jesus birthday he could ask Mary what was it like.

Yet his gospel was not a historical narrative but theological declaration.

John 1:5 “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish (Overcome) it.”

John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

This is the event that preceded this I AM statement!

John 8:2-12 (NIV) “At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group …

 … and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write (Katagraphein against/write)

on the ground with his finger.  …

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 

Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus (LOVE) declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:11 TPT “Looking around, she replied, ‘I see no one, Lord.’ Jesus said, ‘Then I certainly don’t condemn you either. Go, and from now on, be free from a life of sin.’”

Micah 7:8 “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The Lord will be a light to me.”

John 1:5 “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish (Overcome) it.”

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