Some of you reading here today may have some faint memories of ‘back in the day’, high school most likely...where you were attending an unchaperoned party at someone’s house, and it was late in the evening where a lot of questionable and/or ‘inappropriate activity’ was taking place. And the reason most of the lights in the house were off was NOT... because anyone was trying to conserve energy. Occasionally, for one reason or another, someone might inadvertently flip the blinding overhead light switch on in the room where everyone was huddled up, and the response was usually loud and immediate. Can I just tell you it was never applause and vocal celebration that followed?

Light...and darkness have always had a complicated relationship, and pretty much for one reason- they can’t dwell together.

When we read the opening verses in chapter 1 of Genesis, we learn this at the very beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth. It is stated that the earth, which was without form and void... was bathed or covered in ‘darkness’ (2). “And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters...then God said, ‘let there be light’, and there was light.” (3)

Now it’s verse 4 that we really need to pay attention to because we learn at the very beginning where ‘God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.’ As you read on there, we learn this is where God separated ‘day and night’.

Please note where God saw that the ‘light was good’... but He never suggested that the darkness was ‘good’; just the light. Now if you are not careful, you’ll miss another interesting point here- this took place on ‘Day 1’ of creation; but the sun and the moon and stars are not mentioned in the creation story until Day 4, assuming that is what the ‘great lights to rule the day and night’ are referring to there (1:16).

So if we can, from here on out in this study, let’s assume that when we come across the word ‘darkness’ in our Bibles, we are not talking about literal day and night, but rather a ‘spiritual darkness’ in a figurative sense. We derive this from the Greek word used in the NT, which is [scotia].

The reason we are taking the time to break this all down is because in yesterday’s message, we were examining a ‘warning’ that Jesus gave to His disciples in John 12:35-36, where He cautioned them that if they did not continue walking while they had ‘light’....that ‘darkness would overtake them’. That warning does have a bit of an ominous feel to it, if I can say so myself. Unfortunately, we live in a day and time where we tend to easily dismiss warnings, as I pointed out yesterday.

So allow me now to continue ‘setting the table’ here for where we are going with this study. One of the more familiar prophets (and his writings) found in the OT is Isaiah. It is in chapter 9 where God gives hints of a coming Redeemer to deliver His people; and several other prophesies pertaining to the coming Christ are found in this book as well. One particular one I want to point out is found in 60:1-2, where we read of a coming ‘light’ and how the ‘glory of the Lord is risen upon us’. We then read: “Behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people.” And apparently it’s just not the Jews, God’s chosen people, who will come to this light, if we read vs. 3 correctly. So now let us turn to the opening pages of the gospels in the NT, where the story of the promise of the coming Messiah begins to play out.

“The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.” (Matt. 4:16)

“The Dayspring from on high has visited us; to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:78-79)

Friends, let it be known that Jesus came into this world ...to a people who were sitting in (spiritual) darkness, dwelling in/under the ‘shadow of death’. And He came to be ‘the light’ that gives life to all men (John 8:12). Apart from Him, we have no life (John 5:40).

We read in John 1 that “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (1:4-5)

Let me briefly share with you here, the condition of this world that Jesus came to, and whether you want to believe this or not is on you; I simply want to share with you what the Bible says and you can do what you want with this...

“We know the whole world is under the influence/power of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19). And...anyone ‘who does not believe in the Son, the wrath of God abides, or remains on them” (John 3:36). Do you know what Jesus came to ‘save’ us from? It was the ‘wrath of God’ (Rom. 5:9). Jesus came to save us from the wrath of God that was upon this earth because of sin and rebellion which had been here ever since the fall in the garden (Rom. 5:12). This ‘wrath’ along with death, condemnation, and curses’, was the consequences suffered because God’s laws were broken. That is...what 'sin' is- 1 John 3:4.

When Jesus arrived on the scene, His message was clear, concise, and consistent: Repent, and follow Me. Do you know what He came to call us out of? Peter tells us it was ‘darkness’ we’ve been called out of and to come ‘into His marvelous light’ (1 Pet. 2:9). But this is where it gets interesting, as we turn to John 3:19-21:

“And this is the verdict, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

Funny thing, about those unchaperoned parties we talked about early on here- there were usually a couple of kids at best, who felt very out of place in such settings...as if they knew they did not belong there. And when lights did start coming on, it was usually those kids who took it as a cue that it was time...to leave and go home where they belonged. But the rest of the crowd...were not ready and demanded for the lights to be turned back off, so they could resume their activities. Anyone sense a theme here? See you tomorrow?