Sermon Tone Analysis

*Kia Marama.*

*Creation of light* We have been coming along here to Kia Marama for quite a few years now, but it was only recently that I found out what “Kia Marama” means.

You are part of the unit, you probably all know – can anyone tell me what “kia marama” means?

“Let there be light” or “insight” [OHP].

It is an interesting name – it immediately reminded me of the One who first spoke those words [*Genesis 1:1-5* /In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.

Then *God said,* “Let there be light”; and there was light.

God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.

God called the light day, and the darkness He called night.

And there was evening and there was morning, one day/.].

It was God who said: “Kia marama” – He is the Source of light.

I can say “Let there be light” all I like but nothing is going to happen because I don’t have the power to make it happen.

I don’t have the light.

There is only One who can say “Let there be light” and actually have light appear.

We need to be wary of those claiming that they have the light, when the “light” they supposedly have is not the light of the One who spoke “Let there be light”.

*Light = good, darkness = evil* You notice that God saw that the light was good [OHP].

Ever since, light has been associated with good and darkness with evil – why? because people don’t want their evil to be seen – why?

Because deep down they know it is wrong [*John 3:19-21*/ “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

“For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

“But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”/] [OHP] The light shows up what we really are.

When there is light what we do can be clearly seen – you notice that people who do wrong usually do so at night, in the dark.

[*1 Thessalonians 5:2-8* /For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.

While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labour pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day.

We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.

For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.

But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation/.]

So light is good, that which is righteous, in the open, of God; darkness is that which is done in secret, hidden, shameful and evil.

Darkness is terrible!

Yet we have all chosen darkness, done what is wrong, shameful things that we would prefer to keep unseen.

But if we choose darkness, then we cannot see!

*We need light* Have you ever been in the dark?

Dumb question!

We all have…..

But have you ever been in total darkness?

[Cheddar caves].

We all need light!

[OHP] You cannot see, you stumble, you fall, have no idea where you are going or what is happening.

You are blind to the real situation around you.

Yet all of us have chosen darkness.

But we all need light!

What does the light do?

Why do we need it?

*Light shows the way* [OHP1] - [Peter rowing to Hoani] – he was lost, or had lost his boat, until he saw the light.

And that is true of us.

Having chosen darkness, we cannot see; we are lost!

We have no idea of where we are, or where we are going or where we should be going, until there is light.

*Light sets us on the right path * [OHP1] - there is another situation, here you and not lost; you know where you are, and where you want to go.

But how do you keep on course?

Here is a plane, on course, the airport is in sight, he is on final approach, there is his destination.

By the threshold there is VASI - visual altitude slope indicator.

Red light warns that you are too low, the green that you are too high – but if you see the white light you are on the right slope to land.

The light guides the way – use a similar system guiding ships into harbour.

The light shows you the right path.

Without the light we will not be on the right course.

What if some malicious person shifted the beacon?

Or well meaning went out with their flashlight – it is a false light and you will end up off course!

We must be sure that the light we have is the true light.

*Light alerts to danger * [OHP1] - Lights are at sea, but not only to guide – we are all familiar with the lighthouse – it warns of danger.

Without the light we will be shipwrecked.

There are many dangers, pitfalls out there in the world – we need a reliable light to keep us from wrecking our lives.

*Light gives illumination* [OHP1] – But the light we have around us is not so specific it is more general – it shines all around.

Think of the flood lights at Lancaster Park – they never used to play big games at night; the light was not that good.

I remember when they put in the big lights at Jade Stadium – they had to burn them in, so they kept them going during the day – you could see them even in the sunlight.

With light like that flooding the stadium, it is like day.

You can play the game, televise it – everything is seen.

You cannot hide; get away with a dirty tackle when you in the corner of the field because the light is dim there.

Light reveals.

You can see all around you have insight and understanding of the real situation around you.

When you are in dim light and shadows your eyes can play tricks on you.

But when there is light there is understanding.

You know what you are doing, you know the real situation.

You are no longer fumbling around in the dark; you know what is going on.

So light is necessary when we are lost, to show us the way; it then keeps us on the right course; alerting us to danger on our way and enables us to see clearly what the true situation is.

Yes, we need light!

*Ensuring that the light is the true light *I don’t know who named this unit “Kia Marama” or why, nor the light that they were referring to – but it was probably not the true light [OHP].

Many people claim to have light but what if the light they have is not really light; if so then they are deluded and still in the dark.

[*Luke 11:33-36* /“No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lamp-stand, so that those who enter may see the light.

“The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness.

“Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness.

“If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it will be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays.”/]

[*Matthew 6:22-23* /“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.

“But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.

If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!/]

What a tragedy if you have been following a light and then it proves to be false – like that person with a flash light which was mistaken for the channel beacon.

There are many who proclaim to have light: philosophy, religion, psychology, a world-view, a rule they live by.

We need to know whether the light is true – what a tragedy, what great darkness, if that light proves to be false!

*What is the true light* – How do we know what is the true light?

I started with verses from Genesis when light came into the world – God spoke it into being!

He is the Source of true light – because He is light.

*God is light* [OHP] [*1 John 1:5-7* /This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin/.]

God is light, light comes from Him.

If we want light then we must walk in fellowship with Him.

“Walking” is how we conduct our life, how we live.

And we cannot be walking in fellowship with Him who is light and be in darkness at the same time.

We cannot continue in our own wrong way (darkness~/sin) and have light.

*God’s Word as light* Not only is God light, His Word is light [OHP].

[*Psalm 119:105* /Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path/.].

OK God is light but how do we know Him? How do we know what He is like and what He wants and requires?