Good morning. As the title suggests, I would like to share some news today. Let me begin with what could be the absolutely worst news any of us could ever hear. This news comes to us from 1 John 1:5: This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. There isn’t anything new here, John says that it is the truth spoken to them by Jesus and is a truth that he and others can testify to: God is light in the purest form. In the purity of God’s light there isn’t, nor has there ever been, and there never shall be, any darkness. None. Zero. Not a bit.
This could be bad news, because in and of ourselves we are all stricken by darkness. That is what sin is, and what sin does. Sin creates shadows where there should be light. Sin makes dark corners where light should be brilliantly shining. In our fallen world such shadows and dark corners aren’t much noticed. After all, the world is filled with darkness so what difference does our little shadow make?
But we aren’t talking about our place in this world, we are talking about our place within the arms of God. In the midst of His perfect light our shadows would make quite an impression, they would make a significant difference. Our shadow would destroy the perfection of His light, and that will never happen. Our God who created us and all that is around us will not allow it to happen. God will not forfeit His purity to allow for the shadows of our sins. That is bad news, for If that truth stands we will never be allowed into the presence of God.
But there is more that is said, and it gets worse. Consider verse 6: If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live in the truth. It doesn’t matter if I dress right, talk right, go to the right places, and do the right things. If I think that I am good enough to stand in the presence of God’s perfect light, I am kidding myself. John says that I would be lying to myself, and I would not be living in the truth. God knows our reality. God knows a shadow when He sees one. God knows when sin has marred us, scarred us, created darkness within us so that we are unfit for His purity, for His perfect light.
The truth of God is that He is perfect light in whom there is no darkness at all. In that purity of light God exists eternally while never allowing even a hint of shadow, and int that truth we don’t fit. Even the smallest point of darkness is never allowed. That news is even worse. When we try to fool ourselves, try to convince ourselves and others that God in His infinite love doesn’t mean it, that He surely will accept our darkness…well that makes it worse. It is worse because if we have bought into that lie, we will not seek the truth. If we live in the black deceit of that lie, we will never admit that we are in desperate need. If we accept that lie, that we are OK because our shadows aren’t as dark as some of the others we have seen, then we are bound for eternal darkness.
Bad news and worse news, are you ready for the good news? Are you ready for great news? Are you prepared for the news that is so awesome it makes the bad news and the worse news completely irrelevant? This is how the passage of 1 John 1:5-7 concludes: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
While all that was said in verse 5 & 6 is true, this truth is greater. When we will walk in the light, as he (Jesus) is in the light…everything changes.
God tells invites us to return to the light in which we were created. We are invited to walk with Jesus, who is the light of the world.
When we walk in this glorious light where God exists and where Jesus is waiting, we have company. Within that light we become one in the Body of Christ. Within that light His church is able to become what He has intended for us to be. It is all about claiming the light, accepting the light, embracing the light, and giving up our darkness.
When we make that choice for the light the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. We can’t chase away the shadows. We can’t defeat the darkness. But God has done so. He defeated darkness by sending the Son, Jesus, to pay the price and win the victory.
This is the good/great/awesome news: Jesus, the Son of God, is constantly purifying us from all sin. It doesn’t say that He has purified us. It doesn’t say that when we die and come into His presence, He will purify us. It says that Jesus is purifying His own, all those who love Him and are called to Him. Right now. Again, and again, as is needed, we are being purified. That means that we are freed from the shadows and are made once again into the purest kind of light. It means that God is opening His arms and welcoming us into His brilliant light.
Shine today!
Vern