The Whole World Is In Darkness
There's there in darkness.
countless times and scripture reference is made to the darkness that our world is in and keep your place there in 2nd Corinthians chapter 4, but turn if you went to Matthew chapter 4 Go to Matthew chapter 4.
Matthew chapter 4 look if you wouldn't verse 12 Matthew chapter 4 verse 12
Just now when Jesus and heard that John was cast into prison. He departed in a Galilee and leaving Nazareth. He came and dwelt in comparing him which is upon the Sea Coast in the borders of Zebulon NFL him that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet sing the land of zebulun and the land of nephthalim by the way of the CB on Jordan Galley the Gentiles and notice what what it says here in verse 16 the people which sat in darkness saw great light into them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up talking about to the ministry the beginning of the ministry of Jesus Christ back verse 17 says from that time Jesus began to preach in to say repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Jesus At The Gospel of Matthew references the fact that the world was in darkness then Jesus came to shine the light of the Glorious gospel of Christ.
Torah Darkness take your Bibles and go over Acts chapter 26 if you would. Acts chapter 26
Acts chapter 26 looking verse 15 if you would please.
Acts 26 and verse 15 Paul is is standing and in front of a king Agrippa and Impala sharing his personal testimony in these vs. And verse 15 of Acts. 26 Paul says this and I said who are the Lord and he said I am Jesus will not persecute he's going back and he's recanting to Agrippa that his his conversion to Christ and salvation as he was on the road to Damascus. And what did he see on the road the mask is he saw that bright light that great life who is who was who always will be the Glorious light of God.
He said who art thou in Jesus said I am Jesus you now person whose first 16 But Rising Stan. Jesus said to Paul upon my feet Drive appeared unto thee for this purpose to make the minister ladies and gentleman need to stop here and say this Jesus said hey, I've saved you on purpose. I've saved you for a purpose. I saved you for this purpose to minister to minister to be a witness both of these things without a scene of those things in which I will appear ladies and gentleman with Jesus Christ saves you he saves you for a purpose and it's not just a simply coming to church on Sunday mornings and sit down and sing the songs and look good and smile pretty and so on are those some of you have a hard time with the smiling part. I understand that. He saved you for a purpose and that is to minister to others that that is to be a witness to others and guess what the best time of the year to do that. Is it at Christmas time? Randy Weaver, it's been man. It's been set up for us to be a witness at Christmas. Hurry up. It's like handing it to us on a silver platter. It's like God saying here Christians is a perfect opportunity for you to be a witness in a minute or the others. I'm too busy. I got too many other things to do.
What would Jesus say Paul? He said Paula Savior for purpose it's to minister to others is to be a witness to others now get with it and in Christians if you're sitting here today, and you want to have a purpose for my life. Yes, he does. It's the sir. You may not know the specifics what I'm supposed to be. I'm supposed to live here and I have this job and saw all those questions for you, but I can't tell you this to of the purposes of God has for you is one to serve others to minister to others and to to be a witness to others. That's it. That's the that's the best. Amen. I can get after that. Goodness. Gracious. Go on what he says in verse verse 17 Paul or Paul As Told by Christ at delivering V from the people in from the Gentiles and who now I send thee Welcome by Jesus Christ and I'm sending it to the Gentiles. Guess what folks he sent us to the world going into all the world and preach the gospel. He's already sent us for those of you that are sitting around waiting for a call waiting for Jesus. Just knock on your door and 2 carat heart. That's where I wanted to go. You're not listening very well, cuz guys already sent you. He's already sent you go and continue on their first 50 verse 18 notice. What what Jesus says to Paul he says to open their eyes and to turn them from what's the next word congregation Darkness to what light. And from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them with your Sanctified by faith that is in me when that went with Jesus Christ was about ready to begin his public Ministry. It was said that the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled how that the world was in darkness and Jesus Christ came to shine light when Paul got saved I said to him I'm sending it to the Gentiles. Why because they're in darkness and you need to turn them to White. The whole world is in darkness, ladies and gentleman.
in darkness
Why is Christmas important? Why should it be important because the whole world is in darkness?
and a Darkness is a result. send a darkness is a result of sin one of my favorite hymns. And a helmet on Tim 17 don't don't turn there, but it's him 17 title to him as one day one day when heaven was filled with his Praises one day one since 10 was as black as could be. Was that the reference to? It was dark. one day when sin was as black as could be Jesus came for to be born of a virgin dwelt among men my example is he You know, it's back in the attic in 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 in Versailles 3, it says but if our gospel be hid it is him to them that are lost. To them who are lost in whom the God of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not Bruce 3 their refers to the fact that our gospel is hidden to them that are lost to those who are unsaved and can I ask you this? When is it easy to get lost? When you have no light when you're in darkness.
that world that word lost their in 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 literally means that they are unaware of where they are at and they are headed for Destruction.
It's a it's a it's the idea of an individual being standing in this room blind not being able to recognize their light and not knowing where they're going. What knowing if they're headed into it a few somewhere? They're going to fall off the step somewhere there lost. They don't know where they're at. They don't know where they're headed. the perfect description of the world
They don't realize the fact that they're headed straight for a cliff that Jesus said Matthew 7 verses 13 and 14 energy in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in there at because Strait is the gate Narrows way which leaves on the life and few there be that find it. Why is that because they're blind there in darkness. the Lost they're unaware of where they're at and where they're headed. Turn if you would to John chapter John chapter 3. what a John chapter 3
John chapter 3 and go to verse 16 if you would.
John 3 and verse 16 most familiar verse to each and everyone of us most of us can quote without even without even thinking twice about it. That's a problem.
When we call the scripture without even thinking about it.
John 3:16 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life for God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. Dee daba leave it on him is not condemned to heat a believeth not is condemned already because you have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God and this is the condemnation. That will light is come into the world and Men loved Darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.
Light is coming to the world in men love Darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.
I'm blind. I can't see. I don't know where I'm at. Don't know where I'm headed. But I like it that way.
that's what that versus a
yeah, I thought about doing this but then I decided against it because I thought I might to my upset some of you. But I thought about going down to the nursery and seeing if they had a dirty diaper that I could have.
Yo. I can't imagine this but why anybody would want to walk around in a dirty diaper when they don't have to I just I just can't imagine that. You see some children some Neil some little toddlers. We're just seems like they enjoy walking around a dirty diaper. I mean the diapers dragging on the ground. It's full of everything. I'll try not to be too graphic. I understand it's close to lunchtime and some of you might have weak stomachs right now. Why anybody would want to walk around in a dirty diapers just beyond me. But it seems like some kids just love walking around in a dirty diaper. You put them in a clean diaper diaper that you laugh and smile. They all come on. I was going to watch this ridiculous. But individual who is lost. in darkness
Is like a toddler walk around dirty diaper?
Men love Darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.
Don't tell me how to see the light. I want to keep walking around and dark cuz I like the darkness. I like not knowing where I'm at. I like not knowing where I'm headed. You know you and I we sit here and we think twice. But guess what each and every one of us were before we came to know Christ Our Savior. We are walking around the darkness and we were enjoying ourselves. We were living in sin. We were we were we were waddling around in the in the Cesspool of life and we thought we were enjoying ourselves and having a great time and we didn't want anybody to tell us any differently than that because we want to stay right where we were at enjoying our sin enjoying the wickedness of this world until finally someone came along and shared with us the Glorious light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And for just a moment, we caught a glimpse of what life could be like outside of the Cesspool of sin. We climb. We allow Jesus Christ to clean us up to wash us to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
And now we stand here and we say I don't want to go back to that.
Men love Darkness rather than light.
Without Jesus Christ, you are lost your lost in sin. You literally are unaware of your true condition and headed straight. to hell you may be seated here this morning completely unaware of the truth that you are a sinner headed for Destruction. And while you may think that you are a pretty good person. The truth is that you are a sinner who is lost who doesn't understand none realize your true conditioner where you're headed Romans 3 and verse 10 pulses as it is written. There is none righteous. No, not one. There is none understand that there is none that seeketh after God. They're all gone out of the way there together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good. No, not one not stop and think about this just for a section II again. Paul says of Our Gospel be hid it is here to them walk to them that are lost and as if we lost was it bad enough? Well, I'll be bad enough. If it was just pay we're lost. Where are the where where we're at runaway of the destruction as if that wasn't bad enough 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 verse 4 also says that the god of the God of this world has also blinded the eyes of the world.
You might think goodness gracious.
Blind someone who has lost their already loss already sitting in darkness. You remember when we turned all the lights off in here? There really wasn't completely dark there was still just a little slivers of light there was shining through.
the world's sitting in darkness little slivers of light breakthrough
Satan blinds them to even though small slivers of light.
As if being lost wasn't bad enough. There's also blinded.
One preacher said this there is the darkness of the religious mind. Which leads otherwise intelligent people to Harbor suspicions Superstition or embrace all kinds of high-sounding nonsense. There's the darkness of the philosophical mine which speculates mainly about the ultimate nature of things. There's the darkness of the carnal mind, which is entrenched Indemnity against God and is quite prepared to entertain a thousand hurtful destructive left. There's darkness of the scientific mind which says in one breath that life is bewildering in its complexity and in the next breath declares that life is only chemistry. And therefore there is no reason to believe in God.
People have been blinded to the truth. They cannot see the truth the light they do not want to see the truth. They do not want to see the light and in 2nd Corinthians 4 verse 4 says that Satan has blinded the eyes of those who do not believe and what is it that they do not believe they do not believe the true that they are a sinner lost in the darkness of sin and the Jesus is the light. Your someone said this there is none so blind as those who will not see.
Think about that for a second. There is none so blind as those who will not see.
It's one thing to be blind. It's another thing to be stupid be willingly blind. I'm not blind, but you know what? I close my eyes all blind. I can't see what I'm doing. I don't want to go down the stairs and I until it's fun. There's none so blind as he Who will not see?
That we turn these lights we were to turn these lights off again and I want to say hey, look there's light coming through these windows right here on the doors and you can look at me and say no there's not I refuse to see it. I refuse to believe that there's any like there. That's exactly the world not aware. They lost the Satan has blinded them to see any bit of light that is shining through. Take your bibles if you would go to Mark chapter 10. Mark chapter 10
Mark chapter 10 verse 46 go to the end of the chapter there Mark chapter 10 verse 46
and they came of Jericho and is he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people blind Bartimaeus the son of Timaya Sat by the highway side begging and when he heard that it was Jesus Nazareth begin to cry out and safe Jesus how son of David have mercy on me and many charged him that he should hold his peace, but he cried the more great deal of David have mercy on me and Jesus Stood Still and commanded him to be called and they call the blind man saying under him be a good Comfort rise. He called me and he said unto him what we bout that I should do Under the the blind man said unto him Lord that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him go that way my faith has made thee whole and mainly he received his sight and followed Jesus in the way. I love that account. But may I ask you a very silly question? That has an extreme amount of ports K. I'll ask you very silly question somebody like what was the first thing the blind Bartimaeus had to do before Jesus could heal him and give him his sight back don't answer that out loud. So I know what some of your thinking it's on. What was the before before before Jesus could could could heal blind Bartimaeus of his blindness? What did what did blind Bartimaeus have to do? Okay. Now when I give you the answer you could be like all that was that was dumb. I was just that store as stupid gay he had to do this is how to do one thing he had to admit that he was blind.
Had to admit that he was blind. Oh, I don't need Jesus. I'm not lying. Yes, you are.
I'm sitting here. People are passing me some money. People are passing me food as I'm going to come up line. I just I just visually impaired I'm not blind. I still have two eyes.
Had that been the attitude of blind Bartimaeus Jesus Christ would have simply just continue to walk right by him.
Why am I always had to Humble himself to the point where you said? I'm blind and I need some more now.
This morning. Are you willing to admit that you are in darkness?
Are you willing to admit that you're lost? Are you willing to admit that you're blind it is only then that Christmas will begin to make any sense to you at all.
The world is in darkness. They're lost their blind. How many people are are are unlike blind Bartimaeus? They're not willing to admit. I'm blind. I need help.
One of the most well-known hymns is a song that was written as the testimony. Of a man who was willing to admit that he was lost. Who was willing to admit that he was blind?
Any Penzeys words? Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a Wretch like Me I once was lost. But now I'm found. was blind but now I see.
The world is in darkness. As a result of sin.
The light of Christmas is important. very important because of that Heavenly Father we come to you this morning. We thank you for your goodness to us. We thank you. I thank you that or did you continue to shine that light?
Oh, that light was was showing in my life. Has been showing all my life. You're from the youngest from the youngest of Ages. I can remember the the light of the Gospel being shown in my in my life.
I'm very thankful that there came that day.
Or I said I'm lying. I'm lost.
I need Jesus Christ
headband eyes closed no one looking around.
You have such a testimony as John Newton Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a Wretch like Me I once was lost but now I'm found was blind. But now I see do you have that testimony? Yeah, that testimony of an individual who like blind Bartimaeus at some point in your life. You admitted the fact that you were lost its water blind that you needed help. You cried out to Jesus Christ. to heal you we have that testimony today. Do do I praise the Lord for that and I would encourage you to rejoice in that.
Or maybe you're here this morning and you just don't realize that you are in darkness men love Darkness better than rather than light because their deeds are you may not realize this morning that you are. in darkness this morning, maybe you're ready to admit and to say not to me but to God God I am lost. I am blind. I'm sitting in darkness.
Never received the light of the Glorious gospel Jesus Christ, maybe this morning during the same Tatian just a moment. You'd come. Not so we can embarrass your porch out and come so that we can have someone open up the Bible on shine that light once again into your heart. Give you the opportunity to receive Jesus Christ as your savior. A Christian maybe you're safe. Maybe you know, you're safe. Let me know you're on your way to have it. But maybe you're living in sin right now. You like that child sitting in a dirty diaper, you know that there's something better. But you allowed to send in your life and you're sitting there.
Maybe this morning you need to come back to that light. We don't need to get saved. You don't need to hit. You don't need to get saved all over again. But you do need to do is you need to you need to ask God to cleanse your heart. We confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. You know, I have to sit in that dirty diaper as long as you don't have to walk around and darkness any longer. Yes, Christians can allow that sin to blame them at end-to-end to keep them, you know wandering around aimlessly. Maybe as far as Christian you'd come just about this whole fashion alter and confess your sin to God, whatever it might be.
Christian maybe today you realize the fact that you've not been shining the light of the Glorious gospel Jesus Christ like you should Maybe this morning you come this old-fashioned off and just simply say God to use me this this Christmas use me to share the gospel to share the light with others. Whatever the need might be in your heart this morning and just a few moments. We're going to have Stan the pants is going to play. We have an invitation. We invite you to come to do business with God. Don't we don't we become
doing these next few moments moments do what only you can do. Be honored and glorified. In Christ name that's about a nice clothes are staying together do our feet is being this place an altar is open. You never receive Jesus Christ your savior. I'll be here at the front would love to be able to have someone take you and show you from the Bible how you know for sure save. Hey Christian is there send your life that you need to get rid of common late at the altar today ask his forgiveness. Christians are you shining like hey who sang the song? I love to tell the story really. Is that true? Is that true? Do you love to tell the story? Oh, yes past me. And then are you telling the story? Are you telling the story? while The Pianist plays Will Terry law let God work.