God’s Light for Your Dark Days

Pastor Mike will be speaking on God’s Light for Your Dark Days. He will be in John 12:41-50

There’s nothing that’s impossible with God, and there’s nothing that is too hard for God. And why is it that you’re in fear when you have the entire Godhead with you, working for you, and doing a powerful work inside of you?

Welcome to Hope Worth Having. Welcome to our broadcast today. We’re going to have a wonderful time as we study the Word of God together. We’re going to be in John chapter 12, and we’re going to be learning about God’s light for your dark days.

So let’s get our Bible, and let’s get a pen and paper, and let’s study together in the Gospel of John chapter 12. If you have your Bibles this morning, I want you to join me in the Gospel of John chapter 12, the Gospel of John chapter 12.

We’re going to be covering verse 42 through 50. This morning I want to talk to you about God’s light for your dark days. As we come to our text this morning in John chapter 12, this is the petition of our Savior.

It is the petition to every heart in this world that Jesus is making, reminding us that He is God’s light, and He invites every one of us to receive the light of Christ into your life and to reject the darkness of this world.

We pick up in verse 42, the Scripture says, nevertheless, among the chief rulers also many believed on Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue.

For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me. believeth not on me, but on him that sent me, and he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me.

I am come, a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words and believe not, I judge him not. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, has one that judgeth him. The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself, but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak.

And I know that his commandment is life everlasting. Whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.” This morning as we examine this text, I want you to note first of all the entrance of the light.

The entrance of the light right out of the gate, Jesus Christ is helping us to understand that He again is the light of the world. This is nothing new to us because we’ve been studying the Gospel of John and we know that light is a major theme in the Gospel of John.

As a matter of fact, if we just back up a few pages in John chapter 8 and verse 12, there we see Jesus at this momentous moment as He stands before all the Jewish worshippers at this special time in the life of a Jew, Jesus stands as they’re lighting the candles for the Jewish celebration, Jesus spake again unto them saying, I am the light of the world.

He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. And then we jump over to chapter 9 and verse 5 again, Jesus speaking to those who will listen after He reaches out to a blind man and He says, as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

And then we come to our text this morning in verse 46 and Jesus again says, I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. Jesus has come to illuminate the world, but more specifically, He has come to illuminate your hearts, to bring light to your life, to bring salvation and forgiveness and hope and joy to your life, and it is only through faith in Christ.

that you can have entrance into that light. The world that we live in is a world that is dark without Jesus Christ. It is a world that is drab and miserable. A world that is filled with sin’s darkness.

But Jesus has come and that’s what Christmas is all about. A savior has come, a light to the world has come offering his gift of light. His presence literally dispels the gloom and darkness of this world.

It is the light of Jesus Christ that dispels the darkness in your own life. It is this light that brings true salvation to us. Yet John records in our text in verse 42 that there were some chief rulers who believed on him.

But because the Pharisees, they did not confess to him. lest they should be put out of the synagogue, for they love the praise of men more than the praise of God.” Church, we must understand that in embracing this light, it is essential that we have true faith in Jesus Christ.

Not a superficial faith, not a faith that is just popular at the moment, or a superficial faith that is rooted in the fear of man. A superficial faith that desires the praise of others. We are warned over and over in the Gospel of John of what superficial faith is.

A faith that is not real, a faith that acknowledges, but a faith that won’t confess. The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians chapter 16 that no one confesses Jesus as Lord unless by the Holy Spirit of God.

People that truly are willing to confess Christ and are okay with the outcome of that confession, whether it means that the religious rejects you, or that you are once again ostracized by others, they are driven by the power of the Spirit of God that lives within them, and they have an authentic faith, a real faith that is not afraid to confess Jesus before others.

Those who will not confess God, oh they acknowledge Jesus, and they believe historically that there is a Jesus, and they certainly are impressed with his ministry and his miracles. They have never truly surrendered to the lordship of Jesus Christ in their life.

Why? Because they are preoccupied with the opinions of others. They are focused on what others might think of them if they became a devoted follower of Christ. They cannot bear the rejection. of their friends or even their family if they were to make an open commitment to Christ.

But my friends, when Jesus invites us to believe on Him, He is inviting us to a genuine faith that openly confesses Christ and believes in Him and is not ashamed of our Savior, but puts their full trust in Him as their Lord and Savior.

Be careful, parents, that you do not raise children that are afraid to truly confess Christ, to truly believe in Him. For there are many who have said to me, Pastor, I believe, but they are unwilling to confess Him publicly.

They are unwilling to assemble together with God’s people. They are unwilling to testify of His good work in their life. They are unwilling to… to follow the Lord in obedience and to obey His commandments to the fullest extent to whatever that they understand and acknowledge that God’s word has taught them.

And this, my friends, is a superficial faith that will send you straight to hell. And I invite you to real faith to the light of Jesus Christ. The second thing that I want us to note in our text this morning is the nature of this light.

It is interesting what Jesus says here in our text in verse 45 of John chapter 12. He says, he that seeth me, seeth him, the Father that sent me. Verse 49, for I have not spoken of myself, but of the Father which sent me.

He gave me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak. Why is this so critical? First, in its original context, Jesus is speaking to a Jewish audience who is struggling with the reality that Jesus is claiming to be God Himself.

They are struggling with the reality that Jesus has already said that I and the Father are one. They are wrestling in their minds that Jesus is truly the Messiah sent from the Father. And so Jesus reminds His audience that He and God are one.

They are one and that Jesus by claiming to be the light is literally claiming to be God Himself. For the prophets of old proclaim that God would send a light and God is the light and that this light from heaven, the very essence of God that He is light, the very nature of God, we say God is love but God is also light church.

And now Jesus says, I am that light. The nature of this light is that Jesus is God. He is not only God, He is sent from the Father. To believe in Christ is to believe in the Father. For the Jews, they thought, man, if we believe in Christ, we’re rejecting the foundation of our faith and rejecting Jehovah -Jireh.

But Jesus is saying, you’re not rejecting Jehovah -Jireh. I was sent from Jehovah -Jireh. I was sent from Yahweh. I was sent from the Father, and I speak what the Father has told me to speak. And so, my friends, to believe in Christ is to believe in the Father.

Look at verse 44. Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on Him that sent me. Not only to believe on Christ is to believe in the Father, but to see Christ is to see the Father.

Look at verse 45. He that sees me, sees him that sent me. Jesus Christ not only embodies the Godhead and the nature of the Godhead, He is the physical manifestation of God. This is why church, when we see Emmanuel God with us, church needs to understand that we have a savior.

We have a God who has come into a world of sorrow and suffering and He walks with us and He walks among us. He is not abandoned us. He is not distant and far away. But my friends, He is near and dear to every heart that is receptive to Him this morning.

To believe in Christ is to believe in the Father. To see Christ is to see the Father. To hear Christ is to hear the Father. Look at verse 50. And I know that His commandment is life everlasting. Whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

Jesus did not have a different message than the Father. He was not someone who went rogue and different message of what the Father wanted. He wanted all of His Jewish listeners and all of us to know today that the message of Christ, the message of the light of Jesus Christ is in sync with the Father.

And the message of the Spirit is in sync, as we’ll learn later in John chapter 14, is in sync with the Son and the Son is in sync with the Father and the Godhead works together in beautiful unity that brings majesty and glory to God Himself.

Wow, Jesus is the light. I just wanna remind you in John chapter one in verse 18. I want you to turn back there if you can. remember right at the outset that John describes Jesus as one who is sent from the Father and reflects what the Father has to say.

The Bible says in chapter 1 of verse 18 of John, no man has seen God at any time, the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father. He has declared Him. And then we go to John chapter 5 verse 19.

John chapter 5 and verse 19. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of Himself. But what He seeeth the Father do, for what things soever He does, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Chapter 8 verse 19. Chapter 8, I just want you to see the unity of the nature of the light. Chapter 8 verse 19 Then said they unto him. Where is thy father? Jesus answered. You neither know me nor my father if you had known me You should have known my father also chapter 10 verse 30 I And my father are what?

What? Father and the son are one church distinct in their person Father son distinct one in their nature one in their essence and One in their purpose when we say they are one in their nature when we say that God is holy The son is holy the spirit is holy when we say God is light The son is light and the spirit is light when we say God is love The son is love and the spirit is love they are one in their nature.

They are one in their essence When we say that God the Father knows all the son knows all The spirit knows all when we say God the father is Everywhere at the same time we are saying the son is everywhere at the same time and the spirit is everywhere at the same time we are saying they are one in essence and They are one in purpose And we say the Father is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

We say that the Son is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. And the Spirit is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. In the triune Godhead, there is a oneness in their purpose, and they all co -equally work together to bring about your salvation in Jesus Christ.

Can God’s people say amen? They are not only working together in your salvation, but the Father. The Father, Son, and Spirit are working together to sustain you, to encourage you, to strengthen you, and to help you to finish the race of faith.

Friends, if you have the Father, Son, and the Spirit all with you, then you can take on the entire world. And there’s nothing that’s impossible with God. And there’s nothing that is too hard for God.

And why is it that you’re in fear when you have the entire Godhead with you, working for you, and doing a powerful work inside of you? The third thing that I want you to note this morning is the purpose of the light.

Look at verse 47 of John chapter 12. If any man hear my words and believe not, I judge him not. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. Now church, there’s a lot I want to say here.

But at the outset, I want you to know this, that Christ did not come as a judge, but he came as a savior. You see, why is it that Christmas is so special? Why does it mean so much to us? Because he did not come to judge me for my sin, but he came to take my judgment on the cross and to save my soul.

That is the purpose of the advent and the coming of Jesus Christ to this earth. This is why we celebrate as a church, and this is why we say Merry Christmas, and this is why we sing joy to the world, and this is why we give praise to God, because we know on that silent night that Jesus came, and he came for one purpose, and that is to save your soul, that you might know Jesus Christ, amen?

Man, amen. This is nothing new to us, church. We’ve already heard these words. Jesus told us in John 3 .17, for God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.

There is no spiritual life without the light of Christ, and so you must turn to Christ, for he has not come to find fault with you. He has not come to count your sins. He has not come to hold your past over you.

He has come to wipe away your sins. He has come to receive the judgment of your sin on the cross. He has come to come out of that grave to give you a new hope and a new future in him, and so church, his mission is our mission.

His purpose is our purpose. Your job is not to go and judge everybody. Your job is not to find fault, and sometimes my dear Christian brothers and sisters come to me. And they say, look at that person, look at their hair, it’s purple, Pastor.

And I say, praise God they got hair, amen? Look at them, Pastor, they got tattoos from head to toe. And I said, listen, the only thing that God cares about is their hearts. Man looks on the outside and judges, but God looks in the heart.

People say, Pastor, do I have to dress up to come to church? No, I don’t care how you dress, just come. I just need you to have a little bit of clothing on, amen? I’m not here to judge you, but we come as we are and we don’t put stipulations because we are a church that’s not here.

to say, you gotta dress like this, you gotta look like this, you gotta be like this, you gotta act like this. We’re not here to judge the world, church. We are here to reach the world for Jesus Christ.

And church, you gotta get that out of your mind, of this mindset that if you don’t measure up, you can’t come to church. If you don’t measure up, you can’t come to Jesus. If you don’t measure up, you can’t be a part of the family.

I want you to know Jesus says, come as you are. Just as you are, church. I want you to note the reception of the light. The Bible says in verse 46, I’ve come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

There’s two words I want you to note there, whosoever believeth. Whosoever, that’s any of you. God has no qualifications. It doesn’t matter your background, it doesn’t matter your heritage, it doesn’t matter your education.

It doesn’t matter what your ethnic background is, who your parents are, whether you cut your teeth on this church or you have never darkened church in years. All that matters is that you are whosoever.

Whosoever and church, the reception of the light is found that anyone can come to Christ and they can believe on him. And if you come with sincerity and you come with honesty, you have a savior who promises that you will not abide in darkness, that you will not live in the darkness of this world, the scripture says again in verse 42 and verse 43.

Nevertheless, among the chief rulers, many believed on him. because of the Pharisees, they did not confess Him. I’m not talking about that faith. I’m talking a really honest sincere faith. A faith that believes this as Jesus said in John 640, this is the will of Him that sent me that everyone that seeeth the Son and believes on Him may have everlasting life and I will raise Him up the last day.

Oh my friends, the light is available but you must receive it. Jesus does not kick the door down. He knocks on the door of your heart and He invites you to open your heart to Him this morning. He does not force Himself on you.

He is gentle, he is lowly, he is meek, he is mild, he comes in grace and mercy to you, and he says, I am available, I am ready to cast all the darkness out of your life and that you might walk in the light of Jesus Christ this morning.

I love how Paul puts it, as he reminds all of us who have received the light, that you were sometimes darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. If you have received the light, church, go out of this place and be a light.

Some of you are upset about where you’re working. I’m telling you, God puts you there to be a light. Some of you cannot believe the family you’re in. You don’t know how these people became a part of your family.

How did you get stuck in this family? God puts you in that family to be a light. Some of you feel like a magnet, that you keep attracting these people who have all these problems and all these issues in their life.

And I’m telling you that God put those strangers in your life to be a light to them, to be a light. I conclude this morning with the thought of the rejection of the light. I would not do this text fair justice if I did not put out a warning to all of us, reminding what Jesus said in verse 48, that he that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him.

The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. I told you earlier that Jesus has come not to judge. but to save and you and I are blessed to live in what is often referred to as an age of grace but the time is coming church that our Savior is coming again he is not coming as a Savior he is coming as a judge he is coming as a ruler and you and I will be held accountable to his word and we will be judged and all those who have rejected God and rejected the light and all those who have joined in with the coherts of Satan will be judged those who have rejected him they will be judged those of us that have received Christ we do not have to be anxious because he has taken our judgment and who condemned God’s elect.

There is now no condemnation in those who have believed in Jesus Christ and who walk in the light. But those who do not know Christ, those who keep putting them off this morning, those who keep saying no to Jesus and yes to the darkness, time is running out, my friend.

And you are called to receive the light, for you never know how many more days and opportunities that you have. The world’s only hope is Jesus Christ, the light of the world. The world’s only hope is that you and I will take the light and walk in the light and live the light and take the light to a dark world church.

And if you are burdened about those who have rejected the light like I am, then I want you to use this Christmas season to take the light to one more person. One more person who needs to hear about the saving message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, church, one more person who needs the light of the world in their dark day.

The Bible says, thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. That’s the power of God’s light. It not only helps me to see where I’m at, but where I need to go. And you know, in life sometimes, the darkness is so much that it’s hard for us to have a sense of direction in our life and we can’t see the way forward.

But friends, Jesus is the light of the world and he is the one that will continue to show you the right path to take through his word. So we encourage you to do that. you to reconnect to the Word of God, reconnect in your relationship with God, and once again make sure that you let His light shine in your life today.

Now I want to remind you that just recently we have published a book entitled Dynamic Devotions. Devotions are designed for us to every day spend some time with the Lord and to be able to do prayer, study, and just learning and growing and fellowshiping with God Almighty.

This book is a tool that you can use to help you to be a success at that. So many times people fail and they falter in their effort to have devotions, but Dynamic Devotions is going to encourage you and it’s going to help you to stay on track for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now you go to Hopeworthhaving .com and you make your order today for a gift of ten dollars or more. We’ll send you a free copy of Dynamic Devotions. You will be blessed. You will be encouraged. and you’ll be thankful that you’ve made this step as you continue to grow in your faith.

That’s hopeworthhaving .com. Take advantage of that. This is Pastor Mike Sanders reminding you that in Christ, there is hope worth having.