HIS LIFE, THE LIGHT OF MAN

John 1:4-5

LAST WEEK - JOHN 1

ALL THINGS WERE CREATED THROUGH AND ARE SUSTAINED BY JESUS.

JOHN 1

4 IN HIM WAS LIFE, AND THE LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN.

LIFE - ZŌĒ

LIFE, LIVING, LIFETIME, LIFE-GIVING:

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IS USED IN THE NT "OF LIFE AS A PRINCIPLE, LIFE IN THE ABSOLUTE SENSE, LIFE AS GOD HAS IT, THAT WHICH THE FATHER HAS IN HIMSELF, AND WHICH HE GAVE TO THE INCARNATE SON TO HAVE IN HIMSELF.

LIFE - ZŌĒ

NOT JUST “BIOS” PHYSICAL LIFE.

THAT PHYSICAL LIFE IS FRAGILE, UNPREDICTABLE AND EXPIRING.

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ZŌĒ IS THE GOD GIVEN, ETERNAL- FULL, JOY PRODUCING, PEACE GIVING, MIND AND HEART TRANSFORMING, EYE OPENING LIFE IN CHRIST. OUR NEW SPIRIT GIVEN LIFE. SPIRITUALLY RECEIVED NOW AND PHYSICALLY RECEIVED AFTER OUR RESURRECTION.

JOHN 1

4 IN HIM WAS LIFE, AND THE LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN.

To illuminate or reveal, shine or make manifest.

THE LIGHT OF THE SUN ENABLES US TO DISCERN THE FORM, THE DISTANCE, THE MAGNITUDE, AND THE RELATION OF OBJECTS, AND PREVENTS THE PERPLEXITIES AND DANGERS WHICH RESULT FROM A STATE OF DARKNESS. LIGHT IS IN ALL LANGUAGES, THEREFORE, PUT FOR "KNOWLEDGE" - FOR WHATEVER ENABLES US TO DISCERN OUR DUTY, AND THAT SAVES US FROM THE EVILS OF IGNORANCE AND ERROR.

JOHN 1

4 IN HIM WAS LIFE, AND THE LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN. 5 THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS, AND THE DARKNESS HAS NOT OVERCOME IT.

1 CORINTHIANS 2

7 BUT WE IMPART A SECRET AND HIDDEN WISDOM OF GOD, WHICH GOD DECREED BEFORE THE AGES FOR OUR GLORY. 8 NONE OF THE RULERS OF THIS AGE UNDERSTOOD THIS, FOR IF THEY HAD, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE CRUCIFIED THE LORD OF GLORY. 9 BUT, AS IT IS WRITTEN,

“WHAT NO EYE HAS SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD,�    NOR THE HEART OF MAN IMAGINED,�WHAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM”—

10 THESE THINGS GOD HAS REVEALED TO US THROUGH THE SPIRIT.

ACTS 26

(FROM ACTS 9) 15 “THEN I ASKED, ‘WHO ARE YOU, LORD?’

“ ‘I AM JESUS, WHOM YOU ARE PERSECUTING,’ THE LORD REPLIED. 16 ‘NOW GET UP AND STAND ON YOUR FEET. I HAVE APPEARED TO YOU TO APPOINT YOU AS A SERVANT AND AS A WITNESS OF WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN AND WILL SEE OF ME. 17 I WILL RESCUE YOU FROM YOUR OWN PEOPLE AND FROM THE GENTILES.

ACTS 26

I AM SENDING YOU TO THEM 18 TO OPEN THEIR EYES AND TURN THEM FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT, AND FROM THE POWER OF SATAN TO GOD, SO THAT THEY MAY RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND A PLACE AMONG THOSE WHO ARE SANCTIFIED BY FAITH IN ME.

1 JOHN 2:11 (NIV)

11 BUT ANYONE WHO HATES A BROTHER OR SISTER IS IN THE DARKNESS AND WALKS AROUND IN THE DARKNESS. THEY DO NOT KNOW WHERE THEY ARE GOING, BECAUSE THE DARKNESS HAS BLINDED THEM.

2 THESSALONIANS 2:10-12 (NLT)

10 HE WILL USE EVERY KIND OF EVIL DECEPTION TO FOOL THOSE ON THEIR WAY TO DESTRUCTION, BECAUSE THEY REFUSE TO LOVE AND ACCEPT THE TRUTH THAT WOULD SAVE THEM. 11 SO GOD WILL CAUSE THEM TO BE GREATLY DECEIVED, AND THEY WILL BELIEVE THESE LIES. 12 THEN THEY WILL BE CONDEMNED FOR ENJOYING EVIL RATHER THAN BELIEVING THE TRUTH.

TRUTH

DARKNESS DOES NOT OVERCOME THE LIGHT.

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ALTHOUGH LIGHT HAS COME INTO THE WORLD, DARKNESS IS STILL HERE INVITING US TO RETURN TO IT. TO BELIEVE IT HAS SOMETHING TO OFFER US. WE ARE FREE TO CHOOSE IT.

TRUTH

DARKNESS BLINDS - MAKES US UNABLE TO SEE WHAT WOULD BE OBVIOUS TO US IF WE WERE LOOKING AT IT IN THE LIGHT.

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WHEN WE REFUSE TO LOVE, AND TO ACCEPT THE TRUTH THAT WOULD SAVE US. WE MAY BE GIVEN OVER TO THE DECEPTION AND BLINDNESS WE’VE CHOSEN.

EPHESIANS 5

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 IN ALL GOODNESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUTH) 10 AND FIND OUT WHAT PLEASES THE LORD. 11 HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FRUITLESS DEEDS OF DARKNESS, BUT RATHER EXPOSE THEM.

EPHESIANS 5

12 IT IS SHAMEFUL EVEN TO MENTION WHAT THE DISOBEDIENT DO IN SECRET. 13 BUT EVERYTHING EXPOSED BY THE LIGHT BECOMES VISIBLE—AND EVERYTHING THAT IS ILLUMINATED BECOMES A LIGHT. 14 THIS IS WHY IT IS SAID:

“WAKE UP, SLEEPER,�    RISE FROM THE DEAD,�    AND CHRIST WILL SHINE ON YOU.”

WE ARE BLIND TO THE TRUTH UNTIL JESUS AND HIS LIFE IN US (HOLY SPIRIT) OPEN OUR EYES TO SEE SOME ASPECT OF LIFE CLEARLY.

ONCE WE SEE IT, WE MUST TRUST HIM AND FOLLOW HIM - WALKING IT OUT. DEMONSTRATING FAITH. ONLY IN WALKING IT OUT WILL WE REALLY KNOW HOW GOOD THE TRUTH IS.

MAYBE WE CHOOSE THE DARKNESS BECAUSE IT’S FAMILIAR.

IT SEEMS - WE DON’T KNOW HOW GOOD IT IS IN THE LIGHT!

AFTER ALL, IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE LIFE LIVED IN THE LIGHT THAT DRAWS PEOPLE TO THE LIGHT.

I AM BLIND.

I DON’T SEE CLEARLY.