YOU ARE THE LIGHT (1)
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. You are the Light
Romans 13:12
The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
a) One of the words used for obscurity in the Bible is the Hebrew word choshek, it means “the dark”; and carries the connotations of misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, and wickedness. Until now the church, the body of Christ, has not been as relevant to the world as we should be. Many of us have faded into the darkness of the world and have become obscure and hidden. This is because the light of Jesus in us has grown dim.
b) The word choshek is used in Psalms 107:14, here is the context.
Because they rebelled against the words of God, And despised the counsel of the Most High, Therefore He brought down their heart with labor; They fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness (obscurity) and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces. (Psalms 107:11-14)
c) Read the whole chapter of Psalms 107. It tells how God uses circumstances to bring people to the end of themselves for the benefit of their relationship with Him.
d) This is where many of God’s people are today. We have rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. This is true not only for individuals but also for whole churches, cities, and even nations. Therefore He brought down their heart with labor. The phrase brought down means that He humbled their heart. The word labor means wearing effort, hence worry. Many people feel that they are striving but not producing any fruit for their efforts. We have entered into a time of fear and worry in the world. They fell down, and there was none to help. They came to the end of themselves and there was no one to help them, only the Lord.
e) The word trouble means a narrow tight place. There was nowhere else to turn but to the Lord. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. The good news is He heard them, rescued them, and He brought them out of darkness (obscurity) and the shadow of death. He broke their chains in pieces, which means that He set them free from the bondages and deceptions that had caused them to fade into darkness and obscurity.
f) There was a time when the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep (Gen 1:2). The same Hebrew word choshek is used in this verse for the word darkness. Without form means to “lie waste”. So too the body of Christ has yet to come together into the true form and image of Jesus Christ. We are now about to witness God rising up the church out of obscurity to become the light of the world. Genesis 1:2 goes on to say,
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light, (Genesis 1:2-3).
g) In the same way God’s Holy Spirit is moving in the hearts of His people calling them out of darkness and saying “Let My light shine through you.”
The End ...
1. You are the LightRomans 13:12
The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
a) One of the words used for obscurity in the Bible is the Hebrew word choshek, it means “the dark”; and carries the connotations of misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, and wickedness. Until now the church, the body of Christ, has not been as relevant to the world as we should be. Many of us have faded into the darkness of the world and have become obscure and hidden. This is because the light of Jesus in us has grown dim.
b) The word choshek is used in Psalms 107:14, here is the context.
Because they rebelled against the words of God, And despised the counsel of the Most High, Therefore He brought down their heart with labor; They fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness (obscurity) and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces. (Psalms 107:11-14)
c) Read the whole chapter of Psalms 107. It tells how God uses circumstances to bring people to the end of themselves for the benefit of their relationship with Him.
d) This is where many of God’s people are today. We have rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. This is true not only for individuals but also for whole churches, cities, and even nations. Therefore He brought down their heart with labor. The phrase brought down means that He humbled their heart. The word labor means wearing effort, hence worry. Many people feel that they are striving but not producing any fruit for their efforts. We have entered into a time of fear and worry in the world. They fell down, and there was none to help. They came to the end of themselves and there was no one to help them, only the Lord.
e) The word trouble means a narrow tight place. There was nowhere else to turn but to the Lord. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. The good news is He heard them, rescued them, and He brought them out of darkness (obscurity) and the shadow of death. He broke their chains in pieces, which means that He set them free from the bondages and deceptions that had caused them to fade into darkness and obscurity.
f) There was a time when the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep (Gen 1:2). The same Hebrew word choshek is used in this verse for the word darkness. Without form means to “lie waste”. So too the body of Christ has yet to come together into the true form and image of Jesus Christ. We are now about to witness God rising up the church out of obscurity to become the light of the world. Genesis 1:2 goes on to say,
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light, (Genesis 1:2-3).
g) In the same way God’s Holy Spirit is moving in the hearts of His people calling them out of darkness and saying “Let My light shine through you.”
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