Sunday, Jan 23, 2022 (Notes follow the video for the hearing impaired.)
We’ve been looking at some of the everyday gifts God sends to us. Just in way of a reminder, here’s a list of the ones we’ve talked about: enjoying the fruits of our labors, contentment, understanding, the ability to please God, salvation, the Holy Spirit, individual spiritual gifts. Allow me a few minutes today to reinforce the idea we talked about last week of using the gifts God has placed in our life.
There is a very important reason for why I encourage you to use your gifts. The reason is found in 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.
The term “light” means the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible. God created light in Genesis 1:3. Light made it possible for God’s creation to be seen by the physical eyes of man. Without light, we would not be able to determine where we are and what is around us, nor would we be able to function in the manner in which we were intended to function.
We need light so we do not exist in darkness. Darkness does not have its own definition. It is defined as the absence of light. If any light is present, even the smallest tea candle, the power of darkness is overcome by that presence of light.
Please allow me to expand this thought for a moment. Just before sunrise on a dark night if there’s no moonlight, if we move away from buildings, streetlights or even a backyard campfire, we can’t see anything around us. We might see stars in the sky, but their light is so far away and so dim at those distances that we do not benefit from their light.
When the sun begins to rise, even before we can see the sun itself, we can detect the glow of the sunshine coming over the tree-lined horizon. At that point, we can begin to detect the shapes of our surroundings.
As the light from the sun becomes more radiant, we can see more of what is around us. Then we begin to detect colors. We begin to see the texture of the surfaces of things. The more the light illuminates our surroundings, the clearer our vision becomes until we can even see things that are in the shadows beyond the reach of the direct sunlight. Basically, the more light there is, the better we can see.
When Jesus stated in Matthew 5 that his followers are the light of the world He was trying to get them to understand that their lives should shine forth in the world of spiritual darkness, just like a lighted city on a hill shines in physical darkness. They were to let their spiritual lights shine and not hide their lights. People need the spiritual light so they won’t have to live in spiritual darkness.
Jesus made an important statement about why He came in John 12:46 KJVS
[46] I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. When John was describing Jesus in the opening of his gospel, here’s what he said about Christ: John 1:4-5 KJVS. [4] In him was life; and the life was the light of men. [5] And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. ( NLT—darkness can never extinguish it.)
Jesus brings spiritual light into people’s lives as we use our gifts to bring Him glory and to help others increase their faith. He told Saul, who later became known as Paul, that he was being sent to the Gentiles for that very purpose. Listen to Acts 26:18 KJVS. [18] To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Paul later described the ministries of the early apostles this way: 2 Corinthians 4:5-6 NLT. [5] You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. [6] For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
People who have not been forgiven and who are under the control of satan and the power of original sin are still walking in spiritual darkness. The devil has blinded them with that darkness. In order to come out of the darkness, someone is going to have to bring light into their lives.
Understand this important principle—Darkness cannot generate light. Light has to come from outside the darkness in order for the darkness to be dispelled. If the light is not introduced from an outside source, the darkness is never overcome. This principle holds true for spiritual darkness, just as much as it is true for physical darkness.
This is why we should use our spiritual gifts. Our gifts, which come to us from the Holy Spirit, contain spiritual light. Every time we do a good deed in the name of Jesus, we bring some light into a life. Every time we minister to someone, we bring in some more light. Every prayer, every kind word, every bit of spiritual wisdom shared, every blessing offered, every lesson taught, every food pack delivered, every praise given to the name of Jesus that benefits someone living in darkness generates light in that life.
Remember my description of the sun rising on a dark night? Listen to Proverbs 4:18 NLT. [18] The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. We know people who are still living in a dark night spiritually. They need the light of Christ shining in their lives. As Paul wrote to his protege Timothy, in 2 Timothy 1:6 NLT. [6] This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.
It’s time to fan into flames your spiritual gifts. It’s time to be a city set on a hill. It’s time to be a light placed on a stand so the whole house can be lighted. It’s time to let your gifts shine.
If you have questions about spiritual gifts, prayer requests or comments, please leave them in the space provided. We invite you to subscribe to our site so you can keep up with the latest posts.