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. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.
14Therefore, it says:
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.”
2 Samuel 22:29
You, Lord, are my lamp;
the Lord turns my darkness into light.
I feel like the Lord led me to this to show me the importance of remembering where we come from. So many times, once we come to Christ, we fail to tell people about what Christ has set us free from, and instead, present ourselves only in the light of the righteousness we now walk in as sons and daughters of God. And not that showing ourselves as a completed work in Christ is in anyway wrong(far from it), but incomplete. Our testimonies consist largely of what God has called us out of. Namely, darkness and death. The power of our testimonies come from the journey that we have with God which is not unlike a good movie or story. All movies are broken down into 3 Acts. So are our lives.
Act 1 - Our life before meeting Christ.
Act 2 - Our life when we met Christ.
Act 3 - Our life after meeting Christ.
So often when trying to reach the people in our lives for Christ, we are uncomfortable talking about who we used to be. Usually this is rooted in shame or in a need to have people see us as different from what we used to be for fear that people won’t believe our transformation in Christ. We fear we will be judged on who we used to be and so we keep it in darkness as it were, which leaves it unfruitful (Vs. 11).
There is also another factor. Our own sin habits. As Pastor Joe says, “The power of sin is broken. The habit of sin needs to be undone.” But if you don’t know that your old nature is dead, you may question whether you are truly a new creation or not. And if you’re not sure, you’re probably not going to tell others about it for fear of being called a fraud or a hypocrite. Son and Daughter of God… your “old man” is dead and never coming back. You are hid with Christ Jesus and co-heirs with Him.
Colossians 3
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Romans 8
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
The sins you commit now are based on your soul(mind, will and emotions) conditioned to the desires of your old nature. If you have questions on if we have two natures or why we as Christians still sin, please check out my earlier blog below:
What’s amazing to me about verse 13, is that Christ’s light not only removes the shameful deeds of darkness but that when the light reveals them, it also transforms them into light itself. When our sins and mistakes come in contact with the Lord and are illuminated by His truth, they themselves become light. All the terrible things that you have ever done… all the areas where you have fallen short… all of the shameful things that you have kept in the dark… when they are given over to God, he makes them lights! All of those things that the enemy has used for evil, God can use for good! Everything the light touches is transformed and now can be used as light itself.
There are people in your life who are struggling with their lives and looking for a Savior but they don’t know that change is possible and more importantly that it is found in the person of Jesus Christ. Your life is a testimony to the miraculous power of Christ Jesus! Let people, not only know the Jesus saved you, but what He saved you from! Because that’s what they need. That’s what they are looking for. Tell them the Good News!
This weekend at Encounter Church we will be sharing the Gospel. We have asked everyone to pray for a plentiful harvest and to ask God about who He wants us to bring to church this Sunday to hear the Good News about His Son. And as you seek God, pray about your role in introducing people to Christ. God could use your testimony to bring someone into His Kingdom! In fact, God may prefer that it be you who leads them to Himself instead of in a church service.
1 Peter 3
15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have within you.
And as you present yourself as a completed work in Christ, share what God completely saved you from. Let God transform your darkness into light and insodoing, shine a light that transforms someone else's darkness into light.
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.”
No comments:
Post a Comment