Bright Lights in a Dark World – Philippians 2:14-16
BRIGHT LIGHTS IN A DARK WORLD
DATE:
TEXT: Philippians 2:14-16
INTRODUCTION
How many know the song – “This Little Light”?
Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16 –
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid” “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house” “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”
Paul says in v.15 that we are to "shine as lights"
Paul is describing the stars of the night sky
Daniel had the same thought in Daniel 12:3 –
"And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever"
We are to shine as stars on a dark night
Ill. Several years ago the mayor of Toronto launched a campaign called, "Light the Night"
The idea was for residents to leave their lights on over-night in order to discourage crime
Every one of us is to be involved in God's "Light the Night" campaign
Lets look at our text and consider what Paul said about believers being "shining lights"
I want to preach on this thought –
“Bright Lights in a Dark World”
~~~OPENING PRAYER~~~
We are to Shine in:
I. A DARK WORLD!
In v.15 we see that we are to "shine as lights in the world"
The place we are to shine is “in the world”
We are to shine because of the world’s darkness
We find the Bible describing the world as a place of darkness:
Ephesians 6:12 –"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places"
Acts 26:18 – "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me"
Not only is the world in darkness
But - even sadder is - that the world ‘loves’ darkness –
John 3:19 –"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil"
First I want you to notice how this darkness is manifested
The Bible says that it is "crooked and perverse"
A. A ‘Depraved’ World
The word "crooked" describes something that is bent
We get our word Scoliosis (which speaks of the curvature of the spine) from this word
It speaks of something that is not straight
Here it’s speaking of the Activities of the world
This world doesn’t think or act straight
This world is characterized by a lifestyle that is “crooked”
Ill. I’ve read that since 1960, in the United States there has seen:
® 560% increase in violent crime
®More than a 400% increase in illegitimate births
®A quadrupling in divorce
®A tripling of the percentage of children living in a single parent home
®More than a 200% increase in teenage suicide
®And a drop of 75 points in the average SAT score of High School students
Even though the United States has only 6% of the worlds population - we have 80% of the divorces
We lead the world in rape – murder - and violent crime
More than 80% of the whiskey consumed in the world is consumed by Americans
Everyday 2,795 teenagers get pregnant
Everyday 1,106 teenage girls have an abortion
Everyday 7,742 teenagers lose their purity
Everyday 600 teens attempt suicide
Every 26 seconds a teen runs away from home and every 13 seconds someone contacts AIDS
Do you know what’s behind all this? Crookedness
Behind all these facts is a lifestyle without morals- convictions- principles- and standards
To live "straight" is considered old fashioned
To have a high moral standard is out of date
This world is "crooked"
It walks a crooked path instead of a straight path and loves to do so
It’s a ‘Depraved’ World
B. A ‘Distorted’ World
The Bible also says in v.15 that this world is "perverse"
The word speaks of that which is "perverted, distorted, twisted, warped"
The word "crooked" speaks of the world’s Activities
The word "perverse" speaks of the world’s Attitudes
When a society can get more upset about the destruction of a Spotted Owl and the cutting down of a tree than it does the murder of babies in a mother's womb …
It has a warped and distorted sense of morals and values
Ill. George Barna in his book "Baby Busters" refers to this generation born between 1965 and 1983. Estimates of Baby Busters is around 67.9 million, 27.3% of the population, which is only second to the Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964), 31.7% of the population. Barna found that 37% of Baby Busters strongly agree that abortion is right, while only 24% strongly believe abortion is wrong.
When we look at what God says in His Word about abortion …
And then consider what most of the world thinks about the matter …
It is obvious that the values of this world are distorted
When our society thinks that homosexuality is nothing more than a alternate lifestyle it is only revealing it’s warped sense of values
When our society thinks that same sex marriage should be recognized and honored by the rest of us …
It’s obvious that this world has a perverted and distorted sense of morals
I say all this to simply make the point that this world is in darkness
It’s a world that is Depraved in its Activities and Distorted in its Attitudes Therefore –
WE ARE TO SHINE IN “A DARK WORLD”
We are to Shine:
II. BY A DISTINCT WALK!
Christians are to walk Distinctly
A walk that is clearly different
But - there are 2 ways a person can Walk
A way that Hurts or the way that Helps
A. The Walk that is ‘Hurtful’
Is it possible to live in such a way that instead of Exerting Light - we Extinguish the Light?
Ill. I think of Mohandas Ghandi, the famed leader of the Indian Independence Movement. The independence movement began with a handful of people and he led it into a mass movement of millions. He once made the statement: "I would be a Christian if it were not for other Christians."
Let’s look back now at v.14 – "Do all things without murmurings and disputings"
The word "murmurings" was used to describe the constant cooing of doves
The word came to mean the constant "grumbling, complaining, muttering" of someone
It describes someone that is never satisfied and is always complaining about something
Ill. Someone has said that the Lord created the world in 6 days and rested on the 7th, but
On the 8th day He started taking complaints
Ill. A certain man, well-known for his constant complaining, inherited a large sum of money. When he got it, he complained about how it was not as much as he thought it should be. He bought a farm and asked his wife what she thought they should name it. She replied, "Why don't you call it Belly Acres."
A person who is always grumbling and complaining is hurting the cause and the name of Christ
The word "disputings" speaks of someone who is "doubtful, argumentative, debating"
We get our word "dialogue" from this word
It is someone who is always debating and arguing about something (whether internally or externally)
Nobody likes to be around people who are always grumbling and arguing
It’s not very attractive
The point is that Our Behavior can be ‘Hurtful’
There are a lot of people going to Hell because of people who are going to Heaven
B. The Walk that is ‘Helpful’
Again we read in v.15a – "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke…”
The Bible tells us that we are to be “blameless” and “harmless”
The word "blameless" does not speak of perfection or sinlessness
I think of a little saying - "Christians are not perfect, just forgiven"
The word speaks of being faultless
It describes a person that can’t be blamed
Blamed means to be considered responsible
It’s someone who is above reproach
Reproach means someone’s criticism
We are to be Above criticism
The word "harmless" speaks of that which is pure
The word means "unmixed"
It was used to speak of metal without alloy
Alloys are not pure metals
It describes someone who is not on the inside what they profess to be on the outside
You’ll notice in this verse that we are to live "without rebuke"
We are to live in such a way that our behavior is above criticism
It’s not living a perfect life …
But a life that nobody can point afinger at for something that is hypocritical
Romans 12:17 declares –
"Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide all things honest inthe sight of all men"
The Bible is describing a distinct style of life
It is one that is a contrast to the world's style of living
It is a life that is Different, Devout, and Distinct
Ill. Mark Twain once wrote "Always do right. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest."
We should live a life that will astonish a Darkened world
We are to live a life that is "without rebuke," "blameless" and "harmless"
As someone has said - "People may doubt what you say, but they will always believe what you do"
Ill. I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day,
I'd rather one should walk with me than merely show me the way.
The eye's a better pupil and more willing than the ear,
Fine counsel is confusing, but example is always clear.
And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds,
For to see the good in action is what everybody needs.
I can soon learn how to do it if you'll let me see it done.
I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue, too fast may run.
And the lectures you may deliver may be wise and very true;
But I'd rather get my lesson by observing what you do.
For I may misunderstand you and the advice that you may give,
But there's no misunderstanding how you act and how you live. Edgar Guest
WE ARE TO SHINE IN A “DARK WORLD”!
WE ARE TO SHINE BY OUR “DISTINCT WALK”!
Let me close with this
We are to Shine forth:
III. THE “DIVINE WORD”!
We read in v.16 – “Holding forth the Word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain”
The words "holding forth" mean "to present"
We are to present the Word of Life to this dark world
A. This is a Word that ‘Introduces’ Life
The world thinks they are really living
They think that Pleasure, Possession, Popularity, and Promotion is what life is all about
Ill. I heard about a violinist playing in an orchestra
He kept sawing away on one string. Afterwards the conductor came up to him and said, "That's not the way you play a violin. You've got to run your fingers up and down the strings like everyone else." He said, "Oh no, those fellows are looking for the right note. I've found it."
I want to say that I have found the right note
It’s not in the Life of the World - but in the Word of Life
Paul says – “Holding forth the Word of life;”
We are to hold out to folks the Word of God
Exhibiting its power and influence in the example of our life and conversation
We are to Introduce other to the Word of God
B. This is a Word That ‘Imparts’ Life
This Word not only tells you where you can Find life
But it can also Give you life
The Bible is a book that is Alive
It can give you eternal life
This is what we are to Shine and Share with this world
It’s to light this dark world’s needs
It’s the Light and we are the Lanterns that bears the Light
We are to present it and offer it to this world in darkness that this world may be brought into the light
The Apostle Peter said – "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light"
We should want everyone we meet to be brought “out of darkness” and “into His marvellous light"
Bright Lights in a Dark World
A “DARK WORLD”
OUR “DISTINCT WALK”
THE “DIVINE WORD”
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