Introduction:
There are many descriptive illustrations of God throughout the bible. A favorite of mine is: “God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.” (1 john 1:5). This speaks to the very nature and character of God. It speaks to His glory that is never diminished. It speaks to His holiness. God is not A LIGHT, but the source of ALL LIGHT. In John 1, Jesus is described as the TRUE LIGHT that gives light to everyone. He is later described as the light of the world.
We are children of that light, called to shed the light of the glory of God in every arena of life. Called out of darkness, our lives are to become a beacon of light and hope. This is especially true of our homes and families. Holiness begins at home. Within the realm of our familial relationships, the Holy Spirit desires to seat truth and love that will bear fruit in all other areas.
Study One: You are light.
READ:
For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light— 9 for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. 10 Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord.
-Ephesians 5:8-10 (NRSV)
DECIDE:
I had a coach who would punctuate his pre-game speech with something like this: “Each and every one of you are winners. Now, get on that field and act like it!” In many cases, this reflects the practical instructions contained in the letters of Paul. He was consistently reminding the people who they were in Jesus. He wanted nothing more than for them to simply reflect that truth in the reality of living. The same is true for us.
We tend to waste much of the time God has given us struggling with the sins of our past. We tend to focus much of our energy on a battle that is already won. Paul’s reminder rings in my ears, ‘once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light.” The enemy would have us wallow in guilt and shame. The enemy would have us believing that darkness will pursue and dog us, defeating us at every turn. That is a lie.
You are light. Now, live as children of light. Paul does not overcomplicate it. We, too often, do just that. Now, live as children of light.
DECLARE:
Say it with me: “I belong to Jesus. My home and family belong the Jesus.”
Now, if that is a true confession on my part, I will pursue wholeheartedly the admonition: “Find out what is pleasing to the Lord.”
Say it with me: “the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.”
This brings to mind Philippians 4:8 – “…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
You may have heard the phrase, “barking up the wrong tree.” It relates to the hunting dog that has been deceived to believe that the raccoon is up a particular tree, when it is not. As children of light, we are on the hunt for what is pleasing to the Lord. The enemy spends much of his energy attempting to deceive us and have us “barking up the wrong tree” when it comes to living as God would have us to live. This can tie our heart and mind into knots, bringing about confusion and chaos that will distract and defeat us. It’s not that complicated.
Say it with me: “I belong to Jesus. I will pursue what is good and right and true.”
Keep it simple.
DEVOTE:
Good…we use that word so often we take it for granted. “Mmmmm…that tastes good.” What does it mean for us to say, “God is good.”
We like to be right, don’t we. Beyond the sense of being correct, right means “acceptable.” Where do we discover what is acceptable to God?
The word “true” in verse 9 is often translated “faithful.” What does it mean to be faithful?
PRAY:
God, You are good. You are right. You are faithful. You are light. May the light of life, Jesus, fully consume and possess me. I belong to You. Now, Lord, give me the wisdom to act like it. Amen.
Study Two: God is Light
Slow down and take the time to read and allow the Holy Spirit to till the soil of your heart with the truth of the Word. The eternal truth contained here is without equal. Saturate in it. Pray over it. Agree with it. Walk in it. God is light.
After reading, you can discuss what it means to be in fellowship with God and in fellowship with one another…the conditions required for that to be true. The contrasts are stark here: light/darkness, truth/lie, faithful/unfaithful, righteous/unrighteousness. I find it very liberating that when I agree with God (that is the bottom line when it comes to confession in scripture) there is forgiveness, cleansing, and security…how about you?
READ:
5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; 7 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. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
-1 John 1:5-10 (NRSV)