Light for those in Darkness - Part 2 of 2

The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley, Jr.

This is LeSaire Bradley, Jr., inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? special year-end donation and if you can do that we will certainly be thankful for it and it'll be used for the spread of the gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ. You can send your donation to Baptist Bible Hour box 17037 Cincinnati Ohio 45217 or you can go to our website at BaptistBibleHour.org make a donation there also can read the Baptist Witness and listen to either the Sunday or daily broadcasts.

There are other materials there as well so be sure that you visit the website BaptistBibleHour.org. Lord Jehovah reigns in majesty, we will bow before His throne. We will worship Him in righteousness, we will worship Him alone. He is Lord of heaven, Lord of earth, He is Lord of all who live. He is Lord of all the universe, all praise to Him we give. We glorify the Name.

Amen. We continue the message light for those in darkness. The text is from the book of Matthew chapter 4 verse 16 says the people which sat in darkness saw great light and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

We have first considered the state of those in darkness. Darkness speaks of man's fallen condition and now we've come to talk about Jesus as the light, the light that is seen at His birth and oh how we can rejoice that He today is the light of the world. This no doubt was a special star as brightness so often speaks of God Himself just as the Shekinah glory in the Old Testament was the very essence and presence of God and where God directed the children of Israel as they traveled through the wilderness with that pillar of fire to guide them that night. So this star unique sent by God using the star to guide them to the very place where they would go and find Jesus and so it says they rejoiced with exceeding great joy and when they were coming to the house they saw the young child with Mary his mother and fell down and worshipped him. They did not worship his mother they did not worship Mary they worshipped him and when they had opened their treasures they presented unto him gifts gold and frankincense and myrrh because there were three gifts the assumption has been made that there were three of these wise men that came.

There is no biblical confirmation to that we don't know the number we don't know how many came but here the gifts they brought. Yes it was a time of joy when Jesus came he brought light into a darkened world. Oh how wonderful to read these stories of olden times and to know that it's an actual historical account it is something that indeed had occurred and we therefore have reason today to be here in this assembly to worship this Savior who was born so long ago. He came bringing light and he is the light of the world. John chapter 8 verse 12 then spake Jesus again unto them saying I am the light of the world he that follow with me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life I am. This is one of those times that Jesus spoke these with this terminology one of the several times that he said I am I am the way the truth and the life I am the light of the world I am the bread of life so he says I am the light of the world and he that follow with me shall not walk in darkness. Let me tell you that those today who do not know him walking in his light are in darkness they would deny it they're not aware of their state they do not recognize that they are in great darkness but this indeed is the fact without Jesus Christ there is darkness there is light light in his work as he came to this earth he came for the specific purpose of going to the cross to redeem of people he gave himself when they came to arrest him he laid down his life it was a dark time don't you know that it was a terrible ordeal for those faithful followers to see the one that they loved go to the cross it said that it would be terrible experience for Mary that she would be as pierced through with a sword just in her own heart to have seen him suffer and die it was a dark time when at noontime the Sun was shut out darkness prevailed as Jesus hung on the cross but we being may endure for a night yet joy cometh in the morning what a difference after he was in the tomb for three days and three nights and the women go out there on that morning and the angel said he's not here he's risen see the place where he lay what a happy morning that was they had seen him died they'd seen him taken down from the cross their hearts were broken Jesus had told them in advance that the world is going to rejoice you're going to be in sorrow but your sorrow should be turned into joy so all of the deep grief that they had felt the sire that had overwhelmed them was now turned into the brightness of day because of his resurrection he's alive he lives yes he is the one who brings light and there was light seen in his successful work before he breathed out his last he said it is finished everything that was given of the Father to do he was completing it the price was being paid the work of redemption was being accomplished it was all by him according to that which was given him of the Father to do and then there is light in his message as we bring the gospel the gospel is a message of light the philosophies of men are often terribly dark they come to no positive conclusion they come from the wrong source to start with but when we preach the gospel of Jesus Christ we're preaching a message that originated in heaven we're bringing the same good news that that host of angels sang about when they sang glory to God in the highest in the book of 2nd Timothy chapter 1 verse 9 speaking of God who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel life is brought to light the gospel brings light to those who are in darkness to those who could not see as the Spirit of God moves upon them and opens their eyes and enables them to see light and tones upon the soul we see it in the book of 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 reading in the 5th verse but we preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves your servants for Jesus sake for God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ we were in darkness as a matter of fact the Scriptures describe those who are apart from Christ not just being in darkness but you were darkness you were a part of the darkness but now we preach Jesus Christ the Apostle says and the same God that commanded light to shine out of darkness in the creation of the world hath shined in our hearts to give us light the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ there is light in his message and there is light in his name his name is Jesus Matthew 1 21 that shall call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins so the name Jesus means Savior when we realize our ruin condition when we made to see that we are sinners guilty of transgressing the law of God justly condemned would be lost forever apart from his mercy and then we hear the good news Jesus is the Savior he's not a Savior who just tries to say but is often disappointed and frustrated he's a Savior that saves he laid down his life he paid the price he got what he paid for some day he'll stand in the presence of the Father and say behold I am the children which thou has given me they'll all be present not the loss of the one and so when we hear the name Jesus we can say with John Newton how sweet the name of Jesus sounds and a believer's ear it soothes his sorrows heals his wounds and drives away his fear there's light in his name what light dawns on the darkened soul the one who is under conviction the one who feels wretched and maybe for the moment feels to be hopeless but then to hear that Jesus came to save sinners not to reward the worthy but to save the unworthy Jesus came calling the ungodly the sinners to himself the Old Testament prophetic reference to his coming talked about the gathering of the outcast and that's exactly what Jesus did the notable religious leaders rejected him they despised his message they wanted no part of his claims but the publicans and the harlots and the outcasts of various stripes gathered to hear the words of Jesus and rejoiced in his great salvation and just as Jesus came as the light so many years ago Jesus is the light today he's the same the years have rolled by but the light has not deemed part from him men are still sitting in darkness yes they've been great advancements made great accomplishments in the medical field technology has gone beyond what anybody could ever have imagined times and circumstances have changed but in spite of all of his noble successes then is still in the dark apart from Jesus Christ but Jesus is the son of righteousness according to the book of Malachi he said the son of righteousness will arise with healing in his wings so in this dark sinful world there is hope there is brightness because Jesus Christ has arisen he's described also in the book of Revelation as being the bright and morning star yes we're talking about one who brings light into darkness and then we read in the Gospel of John chapter 12 reading the 35th verse then Jesus said unto them yet a little while is the light with you walk while you have the light lest darkness come upon you for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whether he go with while you have light believe in the light that you may be the children of light generally there's a tendency to ignore the idea that there's any urgency to the things we preach about somebody may say well those are some interesting thoughts I hope that I can implement some of the teaching into my life but somebody who may be hearing the gospel preached today and has to admit I don't know where I stand I don't know where I would be a moment after death Jesus by his own words says there's urgency while you have the light believe in the light that you may be the children of light and in verse 46 he says I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness the question is have you believed on him I've come as light that whosoever so I don't know that I'm worthy well I can tell you you're not say I don't know that my faith is strong enough no if it's one you've generated it's not but whosoever say by my background is I've got a checkered past I'm humiliated when I think about some of the things that have done in my life but he says whosoever I'm come as a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness he's the light and he gives us light through his word you may be one of those we've described as reaching a point of hopelessness you've struggled with temptation you've struggled with certain sins and you say I just I just can't make it I'm not I'm not making any progress you may be one of those who says my marriage is not what it ought to be and it probably never will be and I've given up hope no he gives us light through his word so that we learn how to deal with temptation we learn how to deal with conflict we learn how to resolve problems we learn how to do it God's way Psalm 119 verse 105 says thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path you see he provides white in this corrupt world there is darkness you listen to the philosophies and opinions of men and you'll remain in darkness but when you see the value of his word his word is a light for the path that you travel to direct you in the proper path that you may come to a place of hope and brightness now sometimes there's resistance to doing what the word directs person says I don't know that I can do that or I feel too weak I can't accomplish it admittedly we are weak but our strength comes from him the Apostles said I can do all things through Christ which strength with me we read from 1st John chapter 1 verse 6 if we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth but if we walk in the light as he is the light we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanses us from all sin are you walking in the light you walk with him you have fellowship you find forgiveness of sin walking through him are you displaying light by nature we're all a part of the darkness and in the dark but by grace light has dawned upon our soul and we're following this one who is the light of the world and walking in his light but at the same time he now because he has transformed us expects that we would display light Philippians chapter 2 reading in the 14th verse do all things without murmurings and disputings that you may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke and a crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as whites if somebody traced your footsteps on a daily basis listen to your conversation observe what you read see how you handle your finances see how you treat other people would they say indeed here is one who is shining as a light in the dark world holding forth the word of life that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither labored in vain do you look to him as your light if you look elsewhere you become enamored with the professed wisdom of the world it's going to lead to disaster but if you're looking to him no matter what the darkness may be no matter what the troubles are at the moment you can find help when you recognize him as the light Psalm 27 verse 1 the Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid can you say that today the Lord is my light and my salvation how blessed you are if you could say yes he's mine by faith I trust him he is my light I don't look elsewhere there's coming a time when there will be no darkness although a child of grace has come to the light and Jesus Christ the light of the world has shined into his heart there are some seasons when the clouds hang overhead and the Prophet talked about those who walk in darkness and have no light what are they to do let him stay himself upon his God even if you come to that dark place in the deep valleys from time to time never can you reach the place of saying I have no hope because your faith is in the God of hope and he is your hope as much in the depths of the night of darkness as he is in the brilliance of the noonday Sun the Lord is my light but there's coming a time when there will be no more darkness have you ever been sick in the night and felt somehow I just believe it'll be better when morning comes it's just so much pain so much discomfort and the blackness of the night seems to accentuate it all and sure enough when the Sun rises in the morning this brightness doesn't mean that everything's better but somehow your spirit is lifted and you're thankful for the brightness of the new day well there's coming a time when there will be no more night seasons revelation 22 5 says and there shall be no night there and they shall need no candle neither light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall reign forever and ever and this same Jesus who went into Galilee and it said they that sat in darkness saw a great light it's going to be the light of that glorious city revelation 21 23 and the city had no need of the Sun neither of the moon to shine in it for the glory of God that lightness and the Lamb is the light thereof this same Jesus where the shepherds came hearing the angelic hosts and glory to God at the highest this same Jesus that was visited by the wise men from the East this same Jesus that Simeon held in his arms and said mine eyes have seen by salvation this same Jesus is going to be the light of that eternal city yes the people who sat in darkness saw a great light Jesus Christ is the light of the world and he says whosoever believeth on me shall not abide in darkness if you have not believed on him may you do it today come to the light Jesus Christ the light of the world we see much darkness around us in the ungodly world today but Jesus Christ is still the light he brings brightness he brings joy he brings peace to us there's no other hope for fallen sinners saved through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ he went to the cross paid the price that we could never pay and so today if your faith is in the Son of God you are walking in light and have great joy to anticipate Sunday being in that city where there is no night but the light the brilliant light of the Savior's presence shines forever I hope that you will write us and until next week at this same time may the Lord richly bless you all the Baptist Bible our has come to you under the direction of elder LeSaire Bradley jr. address all mail to the Baptist Bible our Cincinnati Ohio 45217 that's the Baptist Bible our Cincinnati Ohio 45217 you