“… that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil,” a scathing testimony of man Jesus told Nicodemus, and one that is still as relevant now as it was over 2000 years ago. Remember how as a small child we were afraid of the dark but as we became teenagers we looked forward to the night time because of all the things we could get away with under the cover of darkness? How many things have you done in the dark that you would never do in the daytime? How many older people do you know that at night still act like teenagers? The world has been hiding from the light for years, but men’s hearts have grown so cold and brazen that they are trying to bring out their evil deeds and have them be accepted in the light. Our children are being indoctrinated to accept the unacceptable, the line between right and wrong is getting wider every day! When you live in darkness, you can accept anything, but when you live in the light, you must choose to do what is acceptable to the Lord. It isn’t easy as Christians to walk the narrow path while the world runs down a four lane highway, but we can and He will help us. The world doesn’t want to hear about Jesus because He exposes their dark secrets, which is the whole point! Whether they hide behind their dark glasses so they can’t see the Light or not, it doesn’t change the fact that there is no other name given among men by which we must be saved! So continue to live in the Light and help others to take off their Ray Bans that they may truly see the Light too!
John 3:16 is one of the most recognizable verses in the Bible, hopefully not because some guy in a rainbow wig, who somehow managed to get prime seats at seemingly every major sporting event, was waving it around. “For God so loved the world …” Think about that. He so loved the world, not just a couple of good guys, but the world! ” … that He gave His only begotten Son …” He gave His Son for the whole world! Not just for the holy, obedient part of the world, the whole world! Before the world ever thought about Him, He thought about everyone in it! He didn’t have a spur of the moment inspiration, He had a long term plan. Yet how can a holy, righteous God put up with such a vile, selfish people as we? We can barely put up with each other, how can He still offer salvation to murderers, deceivers, abusers? But He does. Love is in the world because He first loved us.
His love is unmerited, undeserved, unearned, but it is always offered, to all! He doesn’t love wrong behavior, but any behavior can be changed, especially when it is exposed to His loving grace through Jesus. He never gives up on people, no matter how bad we may think they are, He still wants them to turn to Him. Jesus is always ready and willing to open the door of forgiveness to any and all who choose o accept it. Don’t let the hate the enemy has sown in the world ever blind your eyes to the marvelous truth that, God so loved, so loves, the world!
Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, came to Jesus by night to check Him out. He had heard about Jesus and all the miracles He was performing and the words that He was teaching and he had to find out for himself if Jesus was the real deal. Nicodemus, being a Pharisee, had clout with the people, he was esteemed and honored by the people, but he was still searching for a better way. How many people do you know that have it all, but are never happy or satisfied because they know they really have nothing? You may have all the material riches of the world, but if you don’t have Jesus, you have nothing. Material things will perish, but your eternal soul will not! Nicodemus knew there was more, a better way, and he wanted to be part of it. He first came to Jesus under the cloak of darkness, but later, when the Sanhedrin were degrading and plotting against Jesus, he openly stood up for Him. Then he showed his true faith when he came with Joseph of Arimathea to help prepare and bury the Lord’s crucified body. Do you only come to Jesus under the cloak of darkness or the safety of a Sunday service? Do you stand up for Him wherever you are, be it a crowd, a party, or only a couple of people? He stood up for you, you need to stand up for Him! How many people do you know that are searching like Nicodemus, knowing there is more, a better way? Maybe they are waiting for you to tell them what they need to hear? He gave us the answers, now we need to give them to others!
Anger is an emotion we all feel too often. Those fools in the green car, the black car, the white SUV, that need to learn how to drive can really make your blood boil. But is your anger justified? In these trying times, it doesn’t take much to set people off to commit needless violence. So, what makes you angry? I’m sure we all could come up with a long list of pet peeves, but what is at the top of your list? It should be the same righteous anger that drove Jesus to clear out the Temple. Anything or anyone that brings reproach to God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or His church, should make our ears red! While everyone may have a right to their own belief, and while everyone hasn’t, and sadly won’t, accept the Lord, that doesn’t give them the right to defame the name of Jesus! We should be like David,, “because zeal for Your house has eaten me up.” That doesn’t mean we go around putting down others for their beliefs but we stand up for ours! We worship the one true God. He has blessed us in so many ways, given us His Son, His grace. Giving Him our devotion is a small thing in return. Jesus delivers some sobering words in Mark 8:38. “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of the Father with the holy angels.” We’re human, we’ll get angry, but keep those petty annoyances in perspective. Instead, take offense and stand tall for the Lord, but think twice before you go clearing out any temples.
Think you can’t be an effective witness for the Lord, then think about John the Baptist. He was not your typical evangelist. He didn’t go where the people were, he preached in the wilderness, and they came to him. He didn’t wear a suit and tie but was clothed in camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. He sounds like a hippie radical, yet the people still came to him. He never exalted himself but kept true to his calling of ” a voice crying in the wilderness. Prepare the way of the Lord. Make His paths straight.” He kept pointing the way to Jesus, and when Jesus came to be baptized by him, he humbly stepped aside and pushed Jesus forward. He didn’t cling to his followers but encouraged them to follow “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” John focused on what he was called to do and what did Jesus say about him? “…among those borne of women there is no greater prophet than John the Baptist.” John pointed to Jesus and Jesus set the examples in all things. John was sent from God and he had a special calling, but so do we! We don’t have to eat honey coated bugs or wear camel haired shorts (although we could), we only have to point people to Jesus, in our own special way. If you are a follower of Jesus, you are a radical to much of the world. Pray that the Lord will help you to radically turn hearts to Him. He made you special, you can touch people like no one else can, so straighten out those fingers and keep pointing to the Lord!
If you’re going to pick a group of men to be your disciples, would the first four you choose be hard nosed fishermen? Two of which are nicknamed Sons of Thunder? (cue the Harleys, head on down the highway) Another great example of how the Lord doesn’t look at the outward appearance but He looks at the heart! The Apostle John changed from a rowdy biker to the disciple known for love. His book and letters give us an intimate knowledge of Jesus, and studying his gospel is a great way to start the new year. Right off the bat, John leaves no doubt about who Jesus is and all He has done. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him, nothing was made that was made.” That is a lot to get your head around. Some people can’t, some churches can’t, but Jesus is in all and through all things. He is the head of the church. A church without Jesus is a headless church, don’t go there! At CCC, we do everything we can to promote Jesus, but don’t only rely on us! Spend personal time with Him, be intimate with Him, share your cares, your fears, your hopes, your dreams. No more holding back. Make this the year to truly be real with the Lord!
By, Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
By, Tim Irving – Evangelism Team 
By: Tim Irving – Evangelism Team 
By, Tim Irving
By, Tim Irving – Evangelism Team