Introduction

·        Illustration: A young boy who visited the great cathedrals of Europe describes saints to his teacher as “someone God shines light through.”

·        Most of us vacillate between the light of God’s love and the darkness of sin.

God wants us to depart from darkness.

·        Believers are not to walk in darkness like unbelievers (Ephesians 4:17–19).

·        Life in darkness is intellectual futility, ignorance of God, blindness of the heart, moral and spiritual numbness, and self indulgence.

      -     Illustration: A quote from John MacArthur reveals the disappointment of living in         darkness.

      -     Illustration: In the novel, Lord of the flies, a group of shipwrecked boys become        dangerous savages when their sinful, human nature takes over their reason and   good upbringing.

·        The reason believers return to darkness is because it’s easier than retraining a new person living in an old body.

      -     Romans 6:6; Romans 12:1

God calls us to live in the light.

·        Living in the light means being centered on Jesus (Ephesians 4:20; Galatians 5:16).

·        Living in the light means knowing God’s truth, especially salvation (Ephesians 4:21).

·        Living in the light means putting off the old you (Ephesians 4:22).

·        Living in the light means becoming the new you, being renewed in the spirit of your mind (Ephesians 4:23–24).

Conclusion

·        Illustration: The story is told of a lighthouse keeper who foolishly gives away the oil to neighbors who ask and then causes ships to crash when the light goes out.

·        We were given all these blessings in Christ for one purpose, the keep our light burning.