About a month ago, I went to Auburn's spring football game. I left really early in the morning. The sun had not even come up yet. As I saw the sun coming up, I was keenly aware of a couple of things. Once I got a picture of the significance of these things as it applies to the gospel, it stirred my affections for Him. First of all, the presence of darkness filled the air. Everything was hidden. I was craving light. Things creep in the dark. Stuff is hidden. Just like in the christian life before we come to Christ. Think John 3:19-20. People love the darkness more than the light. Our deeds are evil. We are sinful. We foolishly think we are hiding our actions from God. We do things because we don't think anyone sees. If some people had their way, the sun would never come up! No one wants to be exposed and face judgment by others. The sun started to hover and slowly to bring night to day. Everything became clear around me. I was able to easily see my surroundings. Once the sun was fully up, there was no need for any of the cheap manmade imitations at lights. This is such a big analogy to tackle. I'm not going to do it justice.
Can you see the sun being the Son of God? Yeah, that's right. The true Light, Jesus! We were in the dark. We were in bad shape, totally depraved. We were hiding in the dark, looking for hope, but never going to find it. Jesus comes as the Light, ultimately dies on the cross for our sins and gives us hope! Before, we didn't have a way to God and were lost in death. The prophets predicted his coming(sun slowly coming up), John the Baptist prepared the way(sun getting higher) and finally Jesus came( sun is high noon). Fully God, fully man, Jesus shatters all of the preconceived notions of what life is about and changes hearts.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."
(John 1:1-13 ESV)
Sin will not win. Darkness will not prevail. Even the wages of sin, death, will not stop us. Because of the love God has for us and His predetermined plan to draw people to himself for His glory, we have been changed by His grace! Because Christ did the work and accomplished atonement on the cross, we can have a relationship with God. We can do what God designed us to do: praise and glorify Him. Be encouraged because the Light has come into the world and the darkness has not overcome it! We are Christ's! We no longer live for ourselves, but we live for the sake of His name.
This analogy can be taken several more directions. I'm going to stop there for now.
Is Church Membership Biblical?
1 day ago
