The clouds were thick this morning and the light didn’t seem to be making an appearance, but only for a few minutes just after sunrise it seemed to punch a hole through the clouds and remind us that it was day.
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
When light comes we can see clearly. I remember caving in Yorkshire. The first time I bought a new carbide lamp, which was a naked flame which sat with a mirror behind it to reflect the light out. Abseiling into a huge chamber near Ingleton and seeing all the walls and nooks and crannies. The chamber looked amazing in the natural flame of the burning carbide. It also showed up all the rubbish that had fallen down there.
Jesus’ light comes into the world and it shows up all the good in the world but it also shows up all the bad. Why is this?
Jesus came to show the way, and set the standard of how we should live, and no one in history has ever lived like Christ to His exacting standards, but many perhaps have got close. But there is hope for us because he left in his human body so that the comforter should come, the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit shows us how we should live, He guides us with conviction and prayers when He intercedes for us.
There are many works of evil going on in the world and much sin, but Christians and others that feel convicted help out by giving themselves to work against this evil.
Jesus is the standard – there is no other.
Many others as well as Christians work tirelessly against these works of evil and this is because they feel convicted to do this. I believe everyone who feels a conviction to help must have the light within them, but perhaps they just deny that Jesus is guiding them.
Perhaps those people feel religion is to blame, perhaps they think the church spends more time talking about small matters of etiquette and ceremony and pomp, rather than serving the people of this world and fighting the unjust in the world.
When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk.
This seems a stern warning! How can we carry on with all the ceremony if there are people suffering around us? News of Church schisms and division only promotes people apathy, so let us all be one. No division, no denominations, just Christians all fighting for the return of Christ who is the only one who can truly restore peace.
This night I pray for the good men and women around the world that affect change and fight all injustices across the earth.
I pray the light of the world will guide them and lead them safely to Christ Jesus and a life eternal in Joy.
They are the true saints.
Amen
With blessings
Graham
365 Exhortations 