#GOFAMINTDailyDevotion Sun. 13/8/2017
13/8/2017 LESSON 11
BLESSINGS FOR BEING THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
Quarter’s Theme: CHRISTIAN ATTITUDE
Unit 3: Our Impacts (Lessons 10-12)
(STEWARDSHIP AND ACCOUNTABILITY MONTH)
Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 100, 294
Devotional Reading: ISA. 42:5-8
Topic For Adults
SAVED TO SHINE
Topic For Youths
ILLUMINATE YOUR WORLD
Topic For Adults
ARISE AND SHINE
Scripture Lesson
JN. 1:1-3; 9,12; COL. 2:16-18; MATT. 5:14-16; ISA. 60:1-3; GEN. 1:1
MEMORY VERSE
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Matt. 5:14 (NKJV)
DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING
Sun. 13/8/2017
Power Over Darkness
Jn. 1:1-5
What a blessing we have as lights, all the works of darkness (negatives) are foiled in our lives. Sin and all forms of ungodliness are instruments in the hand of the devil to demean and relegate humanity but thanks to Jesus for the work of redemption that gave us power that darkness cannot comprehend. John says in John chapter 1 verses 4 and 5 that Jesus was the source of life and that life was the light for humanity. The light shines in the dark, and the dark has never extinguished it (God’s word for students’ Bible). He also repeatedly refers to Jesus as the light of the world”. Life in Christ brings comfort and guidance to people. It also gives power and dominion over the power of darkness. You need the power of Christ in your life so that you can shine and exercise power over darkness. Allow the light of Christ to shine more through you in this evil and sinful world controlled by Satan because you have been empowered to do so.
POINT OF EMPHASIS: You have power over darkness. Maximise the use of this power.
PRAYER POINT: By the grace of God, darkness will never overcome me but I will continue to exercise my power over darkness always.
BACKGROUND
Both at creation and at re-creation, the first factor before any progress was made was the arrival of light. In the beginning, God had a world that was without shape and empty and this situation He arrested first by the introduction of light. At recreation, after man had plunged headlong into darkness by sin with the attendant alienation from God, our loving God remodeled the distorted human nature by first giving us light – which shines in darkness, destroying the works of darkness and the effect of which darkness cannot comprehend. Hallelujah. Now being in the Light, in the kingdom of light and being the light by redemption having been delivered from the fangs of the kingdom of darkness and its sufferings, the lesson today showcases the blessedness of our new status.
NOTES ON THE TEXT
PART 1: THE BLESSING OF SONSHIP AND ADOPTION (JN. 1:1-3, 9,12; COL. 2:16-18)
Jesus, our Saviour, is the Light, all things were made through Him and in Him is life and His life was the light of men. This Light (Jesus) is the source of life for everyone who becomes translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, from death to life. By being translated, we are so richly blessed. His life gives us light and makes us miniature lights. We are no longer slaves to Satan, sin and the world system. By becoming members of this new order, though once doomed for eternal damnation, we are now marked and destined for eternal life.
In verse 9, the true Light, Jesus, is the One giving light and life to every man coming into God’s new world, i.e., the kingdom of light via redemption and adoption into God’s family. In verse 12, we are blessed indeed, as many as received Him, they are so blessed and renamed. We were once slaves but now free. Direction and status have changed – from journey unto eternal damnation to eternal life granting us access to all that belong to God.
The blessing of adoption into the kingdom of light, turns us to miniature lights with power to exercise influence and dominion in our small cocoons with Jesus being the Light and our source of illumination and God being the Father of lights who brought us forth as first fruits of His creatures (Jam. 1:17-18).
PART 2: SAVED TO SHINE (MATT. 5:14-16; ISA. 60:1-3)
Light has power over darkness thus – you are the light of your world. You are blessed with the ability to lighten, influence and dominate your own sphere of influence. If you shine and the other Christian fellow also shines, very soon we shall lighten up the whole world for Jesus. That is the sole reason for saving us – to shine in our own world; your home, your work place, your family, your neighborhood etc. sin has wreaked havoc on the human race but grace bought us back. This set us on a high pedestal, where you can’t and must not be hidden because of the great investment to save you and the premium God is placing on you as His ambassador in your world.
In verse 15, having received salvation, you are not to hide the stuff you are made of again, i.e., you should dispel darkness. This light should shine before men, it should give them direction, it should show them the truth, it should influence them positively, should be separate from the deeds of darkness. Everything about the light should be good. Light is useless when you cover it. The world is dark, don’t be a light in the church, among Christian brethren alone but shine in the ungodly settings. It is a major blessing to be a source of praise to the name of the Lord. Has your life influenced a life positively? Is your light influencing your world in godly way?
PART 3: LIGHT DISPELS DARKNESS AND GIVES ORDER (GEN 1:1)
In the beginning, God started out the work of creation, but the earlier state was a very sorry and gory scene. The earth was without form and void. Old time photography needed a darkroom for the development and processing of film negatives before the advent of digital camera which needs no film negative. The negatives are stored and loaded in the dark room as any contact with light foils the negatives. What a blessing we have as lights. All the works of darkness (negatives) are foiled in our lives.
Darkness might typify the environment created by sin for:
- Limitations: one cannot journey maximally in the dark. As a matter of fact any journey in darkness is a high risk. Joseph would have remained permanently limited in Potiphar’s house and at best as the chief servant pending the time that another handsome looking slave arrives which would have dethroned him and he would have been relegated.
- Labour amidst plenty as anyone having gold beside him and still toiling in the dark cannot know
- Void and shapelessness: there is the ability in darkness to empty one of his potentials to fulfill destiny turning such to a useless dumb.
Thank God for the blessings of light. We are blessed. Negatives in whatever form are voided in our lives by the power of the light and we become new creatures with brand new lives. Because when light came at creation, void and shapelessness gave way.
CONCLUSION
Christ’s mission in the world brought salvation through the gospel light. Those who have received salvation through Christ are light that must shine in the world. Christians must be able to bring comfort and guidance to people who are still stumbling around in spiritual devoutness.
They should also stay close beside Christ Jesus and follow His leads so that they will not stumble but always allow the light of Christ to shine through them to the world.
QUESTIONS
- What does the light of Christ do in the lives of His followers?
- Explain how our adoption in Christ turns us to miniature lights with power to exercise influence.
- Mention the features of light. What influence does it have over darkness?
- How should you show direction to the people in the world through the light of God in you?
- What are the blessings we have as light?
