THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
Ever wondered why a moth is attracted to a light? If so, you’re not alone. Scientists have long pondered this, but they don’t know either. At least, they don’t know for sure. They’ve come up with several hypotheses, but they end up poking holes in each one. So, we’ll just keep wondering—while the moths keep flying to the light.
Interestingly, people are also attracted to light. We’d rather enter a well-lit room than one that’s dark. We’d rather walk the dog during the daytime than after dark. When we do go out at night, we prefer evenings with a full moon. We even consider it romantic.
Perhaps over the last century, we’ve gradually taken light for granted. Flip a switch and we have light. Our ever-present smartphones have lights that outshine any flashlight. If we choose to do so, we can be in perpetual light.
People also continue to be drawn to the light of Christ. But how do they see His light? They see His light through His followers. We, the people of God who make up His church, are the light of Christ.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Ephesians 5:8-10
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light— 9 for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth— 10 testing what is pleasing to the Lord.
What makes a person great? Throughout history, great women and men all have shared a common characteristic: they refused to be molded and shaped by the world around them. Rather than adopting the thinking of their peers, they decided to transform the world in their own way. We can be thankful for the inventors, scientists, and physicians who chose to think outside the box. Others chose to act with great courage and conviction—those like Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King Jr.—and turned the tides of history.
Those of us who are children of God—those who follow Jesus Christ—are to act differently as well. Why? Because we are different! In Ephesians 5, Paul reminded us that we used to be darkness, but because we are in Christ, we are now light. We are not just in the light; we are light. Basic science teaches us we can’t be light and darkness at the same time, and that fact applies to our lives in Christ. We are to “live as children of light.”
How do we make that happen? Paul offered several suggestions:
- Live lives full “of all goodness, righteousness, and truth.” These are more than just outward characteristics. A life of goodness, righteousness, and truth begins with the things we pour into our minds. As Paul told the Philippians: “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things” (Phil. 4:8).
What are some words that describe
your life
before you encountered Christ?
- Test “what is pleasing to the Lord.” As we fill our minds with the things of God and live in His goodness, righteousness, and truth, we’ll come to know more and more what pleases Christ. Paul told the Romans: “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:2).
We are to live our lives as children of light because that’s what pleases the Lord. Don’t conform to the darkness. Light up the darkness! Jesus Himself gave us that command: “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:14-16).
As a teenager, I told myself: “It’s impossible to look different, talk different, and live different without being considered some kind of outcast or reject.” So I made it my mission to live as a Christian who was also one of the coolest, most popular, well-liked people in my school. Years later, I realized I’d made my reputation at school more important than my relationship with the Lord. I’d cared more about what people thought about me than what God thought about me. I wanted the best of both worlds. I wanted to be a friend of God, but also a friend to the world. I wasn’t willing to sever myself from the world for the sake of Christ.
James had something to say about my attitude: “You adulterous people! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the friend of the world becomes the enemy of God” (Jas. 4:4).
Sooner or later, all of us have to grow up and make a decision. Will we choose God, or will we choose the world? God doesn’t allow us to straddle the fence on this one. Mediocrity is unacceptable to God. Will we choose to live in the light or will we remain in the darkness?
How do we actively test
what is
pleasing to the Lord and what is not?
Ephesians 5:11-14
11 Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. 13 Everything exposed by the light is made visible, 14 for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore it is said: “Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
If you feel like the world around you is drifting away from God and what God values, you’re not alone. And you’re not wrong.
Modern culture is certainly drifting away from biblical principles. Our nation has continually moved away from the light and is pushing toward the darkness. We’re now living in a day where immorality has risen to the surface of society. People are living sinful lifestyles without shame, without fear of public disapproval, and without concern for divine consequences. Sadly, we live in a world driven by political correctness and biblical compromise. And the more godless our world becomes, the more we tend to lose our sensitivity to the evil that seeks to engulf us.
Because we live in a permissive world, we must be quick to reject everything that is evil—and even those things that give the appearance of evil. If we aren’t constantly on guard, we can be molded by our culture and shaped by a society that ignores the principles laid out in God’s Word.
The fact that so many ungodly things have become acceptable in our culture doesn’t change the unchanging truth. God’s Word and His view of sin have never changed—and they never will. He will not allow evil to go unpunished. In His Word, God gave us His wisdom and direction; He defined right and wrong. Therefore, if God says something is wrong but the world says it’s OK, we stand with God’s Word.
Paul gave us the proper response: “Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them.” What does it mean to expose things in the darkness? We should see sin the same way God sees it; then we should respond to sin like God responds to it. In other words, if something is sinful or ungodly, we shouldn’t laugh at it, watch it, participate in it, or be around it. To expose the darkness means to bear testimony against it.
Light exposes everything in the darkness. The apostle John described believers as those who “walk in the light as he himself is in the light” (1 John 1:7). When we are in the light and walking in relationship with Jesus, we expose darkness by boldly shining the light of Christ.
Our task is not simply to expose the things in the darkness. God calls us to bring people from the darkness into the light of Christ. You may be familiar with the old children’s song, “This Little Light of Mine.” You probably even remember the words:
This little light of mine; I’m going to let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel? No! I’m going to let it shine.
Won’t let Satan blow it out! I’m going to let it shine.
Let it shine till Jesus comes; I’m going to let it shine.
We sang these words as children. We should live them as adults. As God’s children, let’s not conform to the darkness. As light, let’s transform the darkness to the glory of God.
As Christians, what are the right motivations and goals for exposing darkness in the world?
Where do you see opportunities
to shine
the light of Christ in your community?
LIVE IT OUT
How will you shine the light of Jesus this week and in the future? Consider the following suggestions:
- Evaluate. Pray and ask the Lord to expose any darkness in your life. Agree to see sin the same way God sees it. Choose to repent from that darkness and pursue the light of Christ.
- Write a note. Sometimes our circumstances will lead us into dark seasons in life. Think about a person you know who is in a season like that. Write a personal, hand-written note this week, encouraging the person in the Lord Jesus.
- Serve. In every community you can find opportunities to serve and shine the light of Christ in dark corners. Make a commitment to serve in your community this week and ask the Lord to shine His light brightly through you as you respond in obedience.
You’re not a moth. But you are rightly attracted to the light of Jesus. Better yet, you are a living testimony of that light in this dark world.
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Teacher's Notes
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Once upon a time a little candle stood in a room filled with other candles, most of them much larger and much more beautiful than she was. Some were ornate and some were rather simple, like herself. Some were white, some were blue, some were pink, some were green. She had no idea why she was there, and the other candles made her feel rather small and insignificant. When the sun went down and the room began to get dark, she noticed a large man walking toward her with a ball of fire on a stick. She suddenly realized that the man was going to set her on fire. "No, no!" she cried, "Aaaaagghhh! Don’t burn me, please!" But she knew that she could not be heard and prepared for the pain that would surely follow. To her surprise, the room filled with light. She wondered where it came from since the man had extinguished his fire stick. To her delight, she realized that the light came from herself. Then the man struck another fire stick and, one by one, lit the other candles in the room. Each one gave out the same light that she did. During the next few hours, she noticed that, slowly, her wax began to flow. She became aware that she would soon die. With this realization came a sense of why she had been created. "Perhaps my purpose on earth is to give out light until I die," she mused. And that’s exactly what she did.
God created you and me to produce light in a dark world. Our purpose on this earth is to let our lights shine so that God may be glorified.
Turn with me this morning to Ephesians chapter 5 and let read what Paul has to say about this.
Ephesians 5:8-14
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light— 9 for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth— 10 testing what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. 13 Everything exposed by the light is made visible, 14 for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore it is said: “Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
I want you to consider for a moment the times we live in today and the times twenty, thirty, or forty years ago. Would you agree that what we see, hear, tolerate, and accept today would not have been acceptable a generation ago.
Paul makes it clear here that believers are to stand in stark contrast to the pagan world.
The city of Ephesus, was noted for moral corruption. The temple of Artemis offered ritual prostitution as part of its "worship." Sexual promiscuity was commonplace. So, it was imperative for the church to be distinct from this corrupt culture that was facing God's judgment.
So, Paul introduces 4 ways we are to be light to a pagan world.
1. Live as children of light
(vv. 8-9). The theme of light and darkness is prominent throughout the Bible. Darkness symbolizes Satan's evil domain and the wicked deeds of those who do not obey God. It also represents the spiritual ignorance of those whose sin has blinded their eyes from the light of God's truth (Eph. 4:18; 2 Cor. 4:4). The word light paints a picture of the knowledge of the truth that comes when God shines into our lives. Verse eight is also a beautiful picture of our conversion. Coming to Christ is like walking from the darkness into a room filled with blazing light. But once you come out of the darkness, you see things you never saw before. When you lived in the darkness, you did whatever you wanted to do. But now in the light, you must put off the deeds of darkness and put on a lifestyle fitting for the children of the light. Being children of light implies that this profound change comes from God's power in the new birth. Our purity is not human-made or self-made; it's God-given. His light in us shines through us and out from us. It makes us distinct. Just because we are children of light does not guarantee that we will live that way.
What does Paul say are the signs that we are living in the light?
• Being good. Goodness is one of God's attributes, so to be good is to be like God. The word goodness is a broad term for behavior that benefits others ahead of oneself. A good person is concerned for the well-being of others, both spiritually and in every other way. Good, therefore, shows how we deal with others.
• Being righteous. The word righteousness refers to conformity to God's righteous standards, as outlined in His Word. A righteous person is upright before God and before others. He is just or fair in how he treats others. Righteousness, therefore, embraces a new commitment to obey God’s commands
• Being truthful. In this context, truth stands in contrast to deceived unbelievers (4:22; 5:6). We are to be people of our word, maintaining integrity in all things. We shouldn't have anything to hide because we walk in the light. We are people of all truth. Truth, therefore, demands a deep commitment to living with integrity.
2. Discern what is pleasing to God
(v. 10). We do not determine what pleases the Lord by our feelings, which fluctuate, or by what the world or other Christians say or think. We don't even decide it by our conscience, in that our conscience may be improperly informed. Rather, we learn what pleases the Lord through growing to understand His Word. Living to please the Lord is a fundamental difference between the believer and the unbeliever. An unbeliever may be a good man and even be somewhat righteous or upright, at least outwardly. He may be truthful. But, he does it all out of selfish motives, for his self-respect, or so that others will think highly of him. But, only believers live to please the Savior. We have a new personal relationship with this One who snatched us out of a horrible pit. We now evaluate everything we do to the question, "Does this please the Lord, who loved me and gave Himself for me?"
3. Avoid people and circumstances that would lead to sin
(vv. 11-12). No doubt Paul had in mind the various rituals associated with the Temple of Artemis (also called Diana) located in Ephesus. Considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, it drew worshipers and tourists from many distant lands. Temple rituals combined overt idolatry with every sort of sexual excess. When Paul spoke “what is done by them in secret” (v. 12), he meant a vile form of evil that goes beyond ordinary acts of rebellion. It describes evil that is gross, unnatural and perverted. Indeed, this applied to various acts of sexual immorality associated with the idol worship at the Temple of Artemis. The light of the gospel exposes evil for what it is. For example, if you are planning to buy an expensive diamond, you will want to view it in the brightest light possible before you make the purchase because the light will expose the hidden flaws in the stone. Shadows hide the flaws, but light reveals all of them. Similarly, when the gospel enters a family, the hidden secrets will be revealed. When the gospel invades a community, corruption will come to light.
4. Expose unfruitful works of darkness
(vv. 11-14). Paul repeatedly admonishes the believer to expose shameful acts (vv. 11, 13). The God’s Word translation restates verse 13: “Light exposes the true character of everything.” It's not hard to understand this principle. When a little child cries in a dark room, his mother turns on the light, and the tears quickly vanish. The coming of the light shows him there is no reason to be afraid. The monsters of his imagination disappear when she turns on the light. Apply this to the spiritual realm. Sexual sin often done in secret seems pleasurable precisely because of the secrecy. But let those emails and text messages be made public, and suddenly the romance fades as light enters the room. A wise counselor often told his clients, "You're only as sick as your secrets." You can't get better until you begin to speak the truth to yourself. As long as you live a double life, with one foot in the light and one foot in the darkness, you will be forever torn, double-minded and unhealthy because your heart is divided.
This Little Light of Mine, I’m Gonna Let It Shine
Shine (v): To give off or reflect light
What does it mean to shine?
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. —Philippians 2:14-16, ESV (emphasis added)
In the Gospel of John, Jesus is called “the true light, which gives light to everyone” (John 1:9). Throughout the New Testament, the followers of Jesus are called to be lights in the darkness.
So, what does it mean to shine? It means:
- Being counter-cultural. We live in a dark world, full of lies, hate and confusion. But God’s Word tells us to “cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12). While others are chasing after physical pleasures and selfish gain, we’re commanded to live a different way—to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires” (Romans 13:14).
- Putting yourself out there. Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others” (Matthew 5:16a). He explained that no one lights a lamp just to hide it under a basket. A lamp is meant to be placed on a stand to give light to everything around it. Whether you’re timid or outgoing, you’re called to be a light to the people around you. That’s only possible if you’re taking time to interact with people and cultivate relationships.
- Always pointing back to the light source. When Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others,” that wasn’t the whole sentence. He went on to give the reason why it’s important to shine: “so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16b). Our goal should never be to bring recognition to ourselves, but to bring glory to God. There’s a fine line between being a light and putting on a show to get attention. It’s a matter of the heart.
What keeps people from shining?
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? –Matthew 7:3, ESV
It’s easy to see the shine of a new diamond ring from across the room. But over time, that shine can dull as dust collects on it. In the same way, sin can dull our shine as lights for Jesus Christ. Our lives which once sparkled with the joy of Christ can become clouded with a love for things of this world. Before you can be a light to others, take a look at your own life. Has sin dulled the evidence of Christ in you? Maybe it’s time to stop, take a moment and ask God to reveal any sins you might be ignoring. If there’s a sin you repeatedly struggle with, write it down and pray over it continually. Ask God for His forgiveness and help in changing your heart. We’ll never be perfect, but we need to address our sin—partly because it impacts others.
So how exactly do you shine?
Do not be conformed to this world … Romans 12:2a, ESV
“Being a light” sounds great, doesn’t it? But it’s also a little abstract. How exactly do you become this brilliant beacon to people around you?
Here are 4 practical tips:
1. Be careful what you say.
The Bible calls the tongue “a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:8). Yikes! That’s pretty serious. And that’s how we should take our speech—seriously. Maybe a parent once told you, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” It’s not bad advice, even as an adult. Words are powerful and can be used for good or bad. You might even post this verse somewhere as a reminder: “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29).
2. Consider your entertainment.
Where do you go for fun? What shows or movies do you watch? What kind of music do you listen to? Would you go to the same places, watch the same things or listen to the same music if Jesus were sitting next to you? Or would you be embarrassed? It might sound silly, but asking those questions is a good way to keep yourself in check, whether you’re alone or with others.
3. Use social media wisely.
People are watching what you post, whether they interact with your posts or not. Think about the things you’ve posted recently—articles, comments, photos and so on. Could they be seen as prideful? Self-centered? Rude? What’s your motive? To put others down or make them jealous? Hopefully not. Aim to make informed, respectful posts that represent the One you claim as Lord.
4. Think of others.
Consider other people’s needs and help meet them. Encourage instead of criticize. Be patient. Give others the benefit of the doubt. If you hear gossip, distance yourself from it or change the subject. When you encounter a difficult person, remember that they were made and are loved by God. Above all, “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you” (Luke 6:31).
This is the close of our series, "Made for Something More."
Hope to see you on Sunday!
In His Love,
David & Susan
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